Lately there seems to be a bit of twisting of a particular quote on what Naomi Horton of Indiana Hear said not too long ago in a recent Indiana Hear
press release last year in June:
When deaf kids don’t consider themselves deaf… the magic begins.
The context of her quote is quite simple once your read the rest of the press release. It's from a point of view that when kids are having fun and are communicating with each other, they forget that they are deaf. Hence, the "magic begins." That press release provides a much better context in support of her quote. In fact, in the press release it stated that the kids when asked a question about camp they don't talk about their deafness:
....queried the children about what makes this camp special. A sample of the answers were: “swimming in the lake,” “horseback riding,” and “the friends we make.” None of campers surveyed even mentioned being deaf.
That's the gist of it. They have fun at camp forgetting completely about being deaf. The kids know they have a hearing loss or are deaf and certainly are not ignoring that very fact themselves.
Tyler McAchren, a Junior at Huntington University, was a chaperone this summer after attending as a camper for three years. McAchren who wears a cochlear implant was asked, “Do you consider yourself deaf?”
“I usually say I’m hearing, but I’m not opposed to using the word deaf either. After all without my implant I am profoundly deaf.”
Hear Indiana’s executive director, Naomi Horton, queried the children about what makes this camp special. A sample of the answers were: “swimming in the lake,” “horseback riding,” and “the friends we make.” None of campers surveyed even mentioned being deaf.
Naomi Horton spoke about the summer camp for deaf and hard of hearing kids with the goal to help build up their confidence and self esteem. Nothing more, nothing less.
“Camp reminds us all that deafness is no longer a limitation. Our campers amaze me with the gentle way they encourage each other to complete our challenge tasks. Our camp is fostering future leaders, not just within the hard of hearing and deaf community, but within the hearing world at large.”
The kids at summer camp communicate amongst themselves forgetting that they are deaf just like any other deaf kids who communicate whether by speaking, listening or signing. It is a common thing to forget about our deafness in our effortless moments whenever we communicate with other people but certainly have not forgotten that we have a hearing loss. It'd be ludicrous and delusional to think otherwise.
10 comments:
Thanks Mike for pointing this out. I created a blog on this subject before I went over to the link, which you provided me with afterwards. I went over it and had to wonder why Mishka would even bother to twist Naomi's statement. Shameful. I mean, I didn't have to read Naomi's entire statement in that link in order to understand what this particular sentence meant. Good post, as always.
This blog is an example of audism and ignorance at its finest. The Deaf forget they have a hearing loss on a daily basis. That is because they do not view their deafness as a loss, but simply as a part of their existence. It is those, such as the misguided prosletyzers at Hear Indiana (very dangerous people) and yourself that are so focused on your loss, on what you don't have that someone else does, that you cannot get beyond it and become whole, rational, productive, happy people.
anony @ 6:41 AM,
Oh, they don't forget they have a hearing loss even on a daily basis. The thing is that they are not reminded on a daily basis by others that they have a hearing loss or are deaf/hh.
My focus is on my communication access, not about my hearing loss.
It's like this, you need corrective glasses to read without any problems, you read books all day not thinking about your visual impairment but you already know you have a vision problem. Or communicate in sign language all day to other deaf people and don't think about your deafness. The same idea applies to the kids at summer camp. Remember, one kid says that if he takes off his CI he is still deaf.
The crux of it is really boils to down communication access in many as possible areas are what helps deaf/hh people become whole, productive, and happy people. Technology plays a huge, huge roll in this. That is undeniable.
TheHolism,
Yes, always on the focus of negativism on every corner at every chance they get. Negativity gets real old, real fast. Now, there is such a thing as constructive criticism.
I think hearindiana would rather the kids did not have any hearing loss and would rather see cures for hearing loss. But hearing loss exist, so the next best thing for them is hearing devices and speaking and listening in all waking hours. Never mind if they try to access a visual language without hearing devices. they are just not interested in the magic of Sign language.
It struck me as odd, upon reading MZ's article on Naomi Horton's quote, that I thot surely there was more to that statement than that one sentence. It was as though it had been cherry-picked and focused on for what some may consider an inflammatory statement or just because Ms. Horton is director of HearIndiana and an AVT specialist.
Nothing odder than something lifted out-of-context, a common tactic in political rhetoric these days. *sigh*
Sheez, that press release is, what?, over 8 months old.
Thanks for bringing up the entire press release statement.
Ann_C
When I attended to many hearing parties, I did not need to forget that I am deaf. It does not bother me at all. My responsibility is to bring my Ipad or note/pen to communicate with my hearing friends at the party. In the meantime, I neither can complain nor do need anything besides the Ipad/note and pen unless the major necessities such as Major Surgery and Court-Martial issues that comes to my vital attention.
White Ghost
Deaf people were doing just fine for so many years, without needing technology - we have sign language! I'm trying to understand your view about needing technology?
Don't need technology? Right. Stop using your cell phone and texting. Stop using vp. Stop using the internet. No need for tty. No need for Ubiduo. No hearing aids. No CI. No need for relay captioning. No CART. No need for subtitles and CC. Etc. Etc etc. I dare anybody to stop using tech as a deaf/hh person.
mcconnell
Ann,
It was obviously cherry picked. And it was done only because of the association with Hear Indiana and AGBell, and amongst a few other things. That much is clear.
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