Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!yale!bunker!wtm
From: ps299bd@sdcc6.ucsd.edu (Romy Spitz)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: deaf snobs
Summary: fortunately not all are
Message-ID: <12658@bunker.UUCP>
Date: 9 Jul 90 04:13:05 GMT
References: <12615@bunker.UUCP>
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Reply-To: ps299bd@sdcc6.ucsd.edu (Romy Spitz)
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Approved: wtm@bunker.UUCP

Index Number: 9069

In article <12615@bunker.UUCP> Cherryl.Marlan@f4.n377.z1.fidonet.org writes:
>Index Number: 9030
>
> >> am not h/i? I have signed with some h/i folks around
> >> here and as soon as they find out I'm not deaf, they
> >> get angry. They tell me I don't know what it's like,
> >> I will never know, and basically "you're an outsider,
> > get out of their way; some blind people look down their
> > noses at deaf people (and even deaf/blind people); some
> > deaf people won't talk (or sign) to people who have hearing,
> > even if they are hard of hearing.
> 
>  From my point of view, it seems the 'deaf snobs' far outweigh
>the good folks......but every once in a while I find one who is
>is delighted that someone would take an interest in them, and it
>makes it all worth while.
> 
>Cherryl 
>

Maybe I have been lucky in meeting the good folks, but I seldom find
myself chatting with a "Deaf snob".  Usually I am pretty much up
front with the people I chat with.  At the point of introductions I
always tell them I am HI but hearing minded and that I am a student
of ASL.  That way they have no false expectations of me...and they
are usually willing to give me the benefit of the doubt.  Most of
them are happy to chat a little  while at least, and for those few
who are abrupt or rude...you just end the conversation.  Many times
they also tell me that I will never "umderstand" their culture from
the inside, and they are probably right, but, as I tell them, that
won't stop me from being interested in their culture or keep me from
asking questions to learn more.  

Besides, I like the language!

Romy Spitz