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From: James.Womack@f14.n300.z1.fidonet.org (James Womack)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: Hamburger orders
Message-ID: <16069@handicap.news>
Date: 17 Jun 91 15:34:48 GMT
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Index Number: 16069

[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

About those hamburger orders, I don't carry pencil and paper anymore.
MJ Bienvenu taught me a better way. Just walk in and start signing
what you want. The idea is that I a Deaf person am not less a person
because I don't speak and as the seller has something to sell "me"
me so let's find a way to do it. Believe it or not, just signing works!
People look at you for a moment then go, "Oh, and next thing you know,
they are offering you pen and paper or giving you a picture chart to
point out your selections.

In Mexico, people there use a lot of gestures and culture signs whether
daef or not. I have actually held conversations with Mexicans there
via this method! The point was that many people of other countries
learn more than just their native language. A shame Americans don't
generally do this. We go over to other countries and look down on people
just because they don't speak English! And in their own country! No
wonder the term ugly American came to be.

In any case, as disgusted as I sometimes get with hearies reaction
to the deaf-I admit a lot of it is fun  too.they are so much fun to
play with. Now about so manypople not meeting a deaf person, basically
true. But More Americans are aware of us via the media and friends
or friends of friends of friends. I have less concern for those who
haven't met us than I do for those who dare to poke fun at us.
    Isolationist Deafies? I think you and some others here are implying

something that is not generally true of ASL Deafies. Our issue is acceptance
of ourselves for what we are. The same is true of any struggling minority
group. Certain persons like to "inject" the idea that this means we
want to be isolated and stay that way. that is false. We seek recognization
of our self-identity. Our right tobe what and who we are. Indeed, no
one recognizes more than we do the need to also be a part of the bigger
whole. Like many culture groups, we simply resist being swallowed and
losing all sense of ourselves in the process. We are very much a part
of the whole. No one asks us, but we are just as patriotic, just as
in love with America, hold fast to the basic values of this country
as much as the average person, and we do associate with hearies. Maybe
not on as fair and equal a basis as we feel should be, but we do associate.
We are not isolationists or Deaf Apartheits as some want to label us.
Label us just because we insist on being who we are the same as other
minority groups. America is not the melting pot she is said to be.
I wish she was because racism, discrimination on the basis of religion,
creed, sex, audism and such would vanish. their existence shows we
aren't a true melting pot. Oneof thebig reasons is that people insist
on being who they are and I think rightfully so. That's why culture
enclaves within cultures continue to exist and will continue no matter
how much cohesiveness and cooperation develops. Behold teh culture
tipsy toeing during the Gulf Crisis, going on now with the NATO issue
in Europe, the chaos in the disintegrating Soviet Republics. People
A R E  WHO they are and will always insist that they be allowed to
be just that. And when so allowed, they tend to be as respectful of
the other groups in portion to the amount of respect they receive.
However, it seems that some insist on implying that ASL Deaf people
are asking TOO MUCH for insisting on this same right. A gosh darn shame
, I think.

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