I’m not going to discuss in detail what communication is, you can read this Wikipedia article, Communication. Instead, I want to focus on the assumptions and expectations, that people make regarding communication. More pertinently, how geography, social and cultural structures, the relationships we have with other people, and our individual efforts, affect our communications.

This very topic reared its head in a conversation that I had with My Mountain Man, this past Sunday evening. I, who have, an excellent eye, for a decent drink and good company found much merriment with Coopers, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s good to be boisterous and raucous, and it’s good to be silent and reflective. Sunday’s sojourn was all of these in a vortex, which culminated in me hitting the pillow at an early 9.30 pm.

Successful communication [or relationships] often depends on how receptive each person is towards the other, rather than just the message itself and the channels used to communicate it.

Personally, my deepest relationships are with My Mountain Man, G.O.D., and the Maltese Falcon. We share common characteristics of being the eldest child, a tendency towards deep thought and reflection, intimacy when bonding and separation when not, and the ability to tune into the other’s wave length through conscious thought or body language. Of course, geography separates us, and of the three, only G.O.D., remains physically distant to me. My relationship with them resonates for reasons of comfort, history, shared interests, a mutual love, and more pertinent, a mutual trust that allows the other to be themselves, without judgement.

Contrary to the general superficiality of online communications, my interactions with G.O.D. are meaningful, for the simple fact that I know her from my time in the UK. Sure, the internet and cyberspace changes how we interact, and the nature of how we interact, which is not physical but virtual, but it does allow us to communicate regularly, and via instant messaging, email, email groups, Facebook, Bebo, Flickr, which allows us a measure of sharing via virtual means support communication in allowing a measure of visual input [in lieu of physical presence]. And because it is all text and images, sound is moot.

On the other hand, my interactions with My Mountain Man and the Maltese Falcon, via the internet and cyberspace are non-existent beyond the obvious email. Traversing geography and distance is the means by which we maintain social and familial [whom I have long since come to regard as family] contact. Of course, them being hearing and me using the terrorphone [telly phone, tell a phone, telephone] less and less as I get older, for keeping in touch between visits. Of course, there is texting via mobile phones, but you know……………..

What I am finding interesting is Slakbarsted’s interactions on Division 42. The post Talking Out Of Your Arse, shows his deafness still impacting on his relationships in the hearing world. But is revelatory in how it illustrates his own assumptions about how hearing people communication [I've had to explain what parking meant once].

I first met Slak, nearly five years ago, at the first get together for the much vaunted, and now extinct, Australian Deaf Chamber Of Commerce [ADCC]. He was on the verge of withdrawing from the Deaf community at the time, because he was having trouble fitting in [finding his niche]. I remember advising him not to be hasty, and to give ADCC a chance. Of course, my ulterior motive was my own agenda for socialising and friendship building. But ADCC died a death, which put paid to that social and professional network.

When I look back, I do wonder whether my intervention merely delayed the inevitable. I wrote about Slak’s decision to get the cochlear implant in On Being Me [But A Mask Is All You'll Ever See], and involvement in the hearing world is the direction his life is taking on more and more. Beyond the occassional visit, my occassional interactions with Slak are confined to blogs, email and texting. A natural outgrowth of his social networking in the hearing world, is the blog he maintains with a group of friends, called Division 42.

I don’t interact with posts and people on Division 42, one because it is primarily a hearing blog [why you will see below], and secondly, because everyone on the blog knows each other, Division 42 is a platform for them to continue their socialisation without being physically present at the same time or in the same space. For me, reading Division 42, is akin to crashing a private party. One of which I am not part I honestly feel like I am an intruder whenever I read that blog. Which is a rather interesting, because another friend of mine made the remark that she would feel violated if certain people [we both know] read her personal blog.

But my summation of Division 42 is that it’s a hearing blog. An observation borne by the feedback to Talking Out Of Your Arse, which by and large ignores Slak’s references to his decision to his getting an implant, and the stories Carrie and David, which he brings to the group as a means of sharing something of himself. Hoping to educate and enlighten his friends, they seize on the buzzwords of motor mouth, drivel, et al in response to his post. Though I do wonder, if Slak is enacting a cyber version of being there, but not quite being part of it all, as he is rarely found in the maelstrom of comments, preferring to moderate and maintain the blog?

I find great irony in a Deafie seeking communication and inclusion amongst hearing people, whose mindset is unmistakably audist. Not so much in their rejection of Slak’s deafness, but in their unquestioning assumption and mindset of the world being a certain way: hearing.

Let’s Read:

My Mountain Man [The Nice Edit]
Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon

Australian Dating Sites:

Australian Beer
Beer Guide
Australian Wine And Beer
The Australian Good Beer Directory
Foster’s is NOT “Australian for Beer”

Aggregators [Deaf]:

DeafRead
Deaf Village

Social Networking Sites:

Linked In
Linked In [Australia]
Internet Time Community
Facebook
Bebo?
Orkut
My Space
You Tube

Groups:

Yahoo Groups
Google Groups

Hearing people talk utter drivel!

The name of the shindig he participated in, should have alerted him to the true nature of these events. Trivia, so name after the Greek God, Trivialovokarsis, who was in charge of all things that bear no consequence. That’s why they created Trivia nights.  To honor the Greek God Trivialovokarsis and his spunky offsider, Drivelopoulos.

These events, occur with alarming regularity across Sydney, and indeed, the rest of Australia and the uncivilised world. Deaf civilisation is left bemused by the antics of flapping lips, that impart no coherent meaning. Let alone wise words or insights of any great consequence.

Worshippers at Trivia nights, testing each others spiritual knowledge with thought provoking conundrums such as, “What colours are your Grandma’s knickers?”, “Is it true the postman rings twice?” and ”Shall I Have a Banana Smoothy Or Will It Make Me Too Fat?”

Trivia nights enable Hearing people to come together in groups, and talk utter drivel, and compose paens to the Greek God Trivialovokarsis . Generally, hearing people, don’t have the confidence to talk drivel on their own, and need the esteem boosting presence of a group. It allows them to bond. At the end of the festivities, worshippers band together to let rip a great roaring fart to the tune of The Battle Hymn Of The Republic.

Deaf people, great humourists all, attend these events with the intention of getting these drivel worshippers drunk, so they can watch them drool as they drivel.

Perhaps if Ex-Deafie wants to educate hearing people on the importance of communication, he should set up classes in Lifting Your Knuckles Off The Ground. First!

Some of these drivel worshippers have created their own radio show, To be hosted by the DJ’s Drivel Woman and Drooling Dandy. A name for the show has not been finalised, but accorrding to the station management, it’s likely to be either Drivel Time or Drool and Drivel.

Fun Things To Do:

A Day In The Life Of Liam Blakervich
Drivel Worshippers: Trivia Night Celebrating The Greek God Trivialovokarsis
HUMOUR: Accessible Pictures With Invision Sign Interpreting
HUMOUR: Accessible Pictures

Having been inspired by some truly wonderful oral communication methods, I decided to try some of them while making a phone call.

And now for the piece de resistance, a graphic with in-vision subtitles.

Please Note:

I do apologise unreservedly for the lack of a transcript, but the person who usually does my transcripts, suddenly lost his hearing. He doesn’t sign, and as you can well imagine, he can only … Oh Never Mind!

Further Reading:

HUMOUR: Accessible Pictures

Without going into any detailed analysis of his post, which lacks any serious analysis, and merely asks questions that appeal to the lazy thinkers who like their questions white and their answers black, or vice versa, with the subtext of Deaf bashing!

As for cricitism of other people’s efforts, especially unsubstantiated claims, is this what you mean:

My philosphy is simple it is to end the domination of the few running deaf access online for their own benefit. Alison Bryan is one of them, J G Jones another. The only time you see them together is to ensure they stay top dog…. There is no way I would stand on the same platform as these persons. Access is a serious business, I am not interested in in a love-in thanks. British deaf are in a vaccuum as it is. Anyone can set up a site like this, and fill it up with their own comments, count them the last month yourself….the proof is in eganging deaf people in Wales, this site hasn’t engaged anyone ever….

Or

The Bryan and Jones of the UK online world provide nothing but a notice board, which is not even localized to most, they don’t have the contacts either, it shows. Kudos for putting up the most ‘UK’ sites ? what point if no-one uses them ? the web is full of unused sites, just WHAT service are they providing for welsh deaf ?

Familiar? To which some people have replied:

And then there’s this mailing list - Deaf-Wales - she created this mailing list. She got people to join and talk - including yourself and you’ve posted plenty of emails slagging her off in this list. In a listthat she created. And you’re still here. Despite accusing her of “CONTROL” she is actually allowing YOU to slag her off in here. Sound like you’re extremely petty really.

And:

From the evidence of what I have seen is Alison and JG Jones have been nothing but constructive, where as you on the other hand seem to be destructive. JG Jones and Alison have provided the means for Deaf people to communicate with other using a different medium. I have seen no evidence or world dominion from JG Jones or Alison.

And:

So if the website is not good enough…. Why are you using it? I would argue it is people like you who personally attack people who are trying their best. Democracy doesn’t mean attacking people. If you really want to attack people attack those who get in the way of equality.

AND:

You slag her off claiming that all she does is to put up a site and nothing more - but in truth you haven’t a clue what she actually does “off the internet”. None whatsoever. Stop being an idiot always assuming that what you think must be true.

THE ORIGINAL:

THE CAPTIONED VERSION:

THE TRANSCRIPT:

–BEGIN TRANSCRIPT–

[Bright sunny day, and the sunlight is pouring in through the open door. The room is a mess.]

[Off screen. Mother calls out: "Tony!"]

[Sitting at his Desk. In front of a webcam, of unknown model and make.]

TONY: [Straining to smile] Signs thumbs up [with two hands]

After 10 seconds [not thirds, fourths or fifths, not even sixths but seconds - this is the captioner's private joke -ha! ha! Ha!] the webcam takes the photograph….

Behind Tony, is a foot rest, shelf, and a ceramic tiled floor.

[Phone rings. Tony does not answer. He is not wearing his hearing aids!]

–END TRANSCRIPT–

And if you are feeling adventurous, you can a read the proofsheet version transcript of the above picture. Or if you like, a captioned version of the proofsheet transcript.

More Funnies:

HUMOUR: ASSISTIVE LISTENING DEVICES PRIDE MONTH
HUMOUR: How Many Deaf Does It Take To Change A Lightbulb
Celebrating Neurological Devastation Week
PRESS RELEASE: The Oral Tour Starring The Implantees
SATIRE: Don’t Cry For Me Deaf Society
HUMOUR: If Genetic Therapy Was Offered By Spam
HUMOUR: If Deafies Were Targetted By Spam
Transcript: Out In The Middle Of Whoop, Whoop’s World Service, 6pm. March 12th 2008

Mike, Hypocrisy? Double Standards? You be the judge. Update #1[A Response], what I was trying to say in DeafRead, Deaf Village, Aggregators, Part III: Argggggghhhhhccess, is that if deaf village is an aggregator, whose aim is to aggregate “content”, targeted at a specific audience, then deaf village ceases to be an aggregator, and instead functions as a publishing house. Much the same, as DeafRead.

Both deaf village and DeafRead impose editorial and publishing guidelines, which means they cease to be aggregators and, take on different obligations to that of the personal blogger. As illustrated by DeafRead, who operate with sponsorship from Sprint, and Cochlear Implant Online, which operates a store. Which renders their responsibilities to their readership quite differently to those of individual blogs, whose interest is the personal.

And continuing to  flog a dead horse, deaf horse ? [sorry there is no external reference to flogging a deaf horse], Mike, there is a big difference between personal sites and, commercial and professional sites. Personal sites don’t have the same obligations regarding access provisions, because of their, well, personal nature, and limited audience, whereas commercial and professional sites, such as A G Bell, that are designed to appeal to a broader audience than personal blogs, do have that obligation. And so it is with deaf village and DeafRead.

Remember, a personal blogger functions with an editorial guidelines applicable to their own blog, and themselves, which leaves it up to the reader/ visitor to accept or reject. This is quite a salient point, that both DeafRead and deaf village undermine with their guidelines. They are not merely aggregating content, as they are deciding [or moderating] what we see, read and hear. Which skews the perception of what is actually happening in Deaf and deaf cyberspace.

I will give you an analogy, a rather apt one. As a professional, working in a professional capacity, let’s say, running a leadership training program for Deaf and deaf people, I would have an obligation, as a professional, to ensure a number of things, in order that the programme is successful, are met. One would be, making sure that the participant’s access needs are met. However, in my personal life, I am under no such obligation, even if I am mincing..sorry, mixing, with Deaf and deaf people, because one would rightly assume, the responsibility for access would be shared. And so it is with blogging.

There is professional blogging and there is personal blogging. Each operates with a different modus operandi.

My criticism of deaf village is not of its aim to provide access. That is indeed a laudable aim. My criticism is of its imposition of an editorial and publishing guideline, that does nothing whatsoever to encourage blogging and creativity. I have been following deaf village since its inception, and as managed by the current team, who have so far have demonstrated no objective ability towards encouraging free speech and creativity in the blogging sphere, because the guidelines are paternalistic.

And really Mike, “Taylor going the purity route” is no different to Rachel going the purity route [imagine her sullying her videos with sign language. Heaven forbid!]. But it doesn’t suit your modus operandi to admit otherwise does it?

As for the question of time, money and resources, then it’s no point absolving deaf village, DeafRead or any other aggregator of this requirement, while at the same time expecting the individual blogger to pick up the slack. After all, I don’t have the resources to create the videos I want, let alone caption them. I continue to write, knowing full well, that it will still be inaccessible to people whose literacy is not the same as mine. Should my blog then not be included in deaf village [it isn't by the way. I have written to Rachel, requesting inclusion, but no............. I HAVE BEEN CENSORED! BARRED! EXCLUDED! Boo! Hiss!]

By all means encourage access, but use  conciliatory language, not demanding and paternalistic. By all means encourage bloggers and webmasters to make their content accessible, but don’t claim to be an aggregator if you are going to moderate [mould] what is seen, read or heard. That in itself, will deny people the right to choose what they read, see and hear. Pertinently, render inaccessible, content that would not otherwise be seen, read or heard, because the aggregators editorial guidelines stipulate one rule or another.

Having said that, the DeafRead team has demonstrated far more laisse fare in their moderating of the content that appears on their “aggregator”, than deaf village has.

Further Reading:

DeafRead, Deaf Village, Aggregators, Part III: Argggggghhhhhccess
DeafRead, Deaf Village, Aggregators, Part II: Access
“Deaf Village Reminds Me Much Of…..”
Deaf Village - A True Village? Nay!
DeafRead, Deaf Village, and Aggregators
Let’s support closed captions!
Wait! Blogs Aren’t Fully Accessible, Either!
My Reason to find this Deaf Village’s Silly Policy…..
Wait! Blogs Aren’t Fully Accessible, Either!
“On the Fence”
Closed Captioning your Videos
DeafRead, Community, Censorship and Freedom Of Expression P3: New Aggregator
DeafRead, Community, Censorship and Freedom Of Expression P2
DeafRead, Community, Censorship and Freedom Of Expression
MEDIA WATCH: Deaf Read [Myths? What Myths?]
Problems with DeafRead
An example of how deafread doesn’t cater for an international audience
The fur’s a-flyin’!

Thousands of spectators lined Oxford Street, the traditional route of the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, in what is expected to be a night of whistling, feedback, and audiologists touting for business, with the lure of restored hearing. Digital Daddy, head of the ALDPF [Assistive Listening Devices Pride Festival], said “”Assistive Listening Devices Pride is all about the festival and it’s all about telling the world our stories, our lives, and showing the world that our love is not a second-class love and shouldn’t be treated as such,” he said.

Many community groups of assistive listening devices participated with floats devoted to a celebrating the diversity of listening devices. Notable floats included, Debbie’s Implant, Disco Digits, The Russian Cyborgs From Cyberia, the Box Hearing Aids in their wheelchairs, looking resplendent in their black leather harnesses, drew loud cheers from the crowd as they were wheeled up Oxford street, and a contingent of neurologically devastated people, under a rain of used batteries, singing [out of tune, I might add] “My Implant, My Hearing Aid”

I’ve seen you in my ears
I hear more of those worn-out old phrases
So now we’ll stay together always
Always and again, we two
Always and again, the things I hear with you

Like an frequency passing up my canal, my implant, my hearing aid
In the cochlear of my ears, my implant, my hearing aid
I can hear it all so clearly
(Hear it all so clearly)
Increase the volume
(Increase the volume)
Was it tinnitus, a lie?
Like tiny tits, fragments of your mind, my implant, my hearing aid
Are the sounds I’m trying to hear, my implant, my hearing aid
And I ply you with batteries
So go away, God bless you
You are still my implant, my hearing aid
Still my one and only

I’ve changed your batteries every day
Tell me is it really so hard to generate sounds?
Oh, this has been my loudest day
Sitting here wearing you
Knowing that maybe tonight, before I go to sleep,
I pull you out

Like an frequency passing up my canal, my implant, my hearing aid
In the cochlear of my ears, my implant, my hearing aid
I can hear it all so clearly
(Hear it all so clearly)
Increase the volume
(Increase the volume)
Was it tinnitus, a lie?
Like tiny tits, fragments of your mind, my implant, my hearing aid
Are the sounds I’m trying to hear, my implant, my hearing aid
But I know I don’t always hear
I just pretend, and nod  OK
You are still my implant, my hearing aid
Still my one and only
Yes I know I you are expensive to keep
More than a Two Dollar Whore, God bless you
You are still my my implant, my hearing aid
Still my one and only

The pride march culminated in an all night party, where cochlear implants mingled with analogue hearing aids and their digital brethren. The older generation of box aids, were honoured in a special performance by Annie Analogue, who gave a blistering recital of Ode To The Whistle And The Feedback, by the Assistive Listening Devices luminary, Battery Danny. A sisterly duet by Battery Dan and Ear Moulds, with the song, “Put Your Head On My Shoulder”, closed the night with a mixed couples dance, that saw cochlear implants mixing with hearing aids.

Further Reading:

HUMOUR: How Many Deaf Does It Take To Change A Lightbulb
Celebrating Neurological Devastation Week
PRESS RELEASE: The Oral Tour Starring The Implantees
SATIRE: Don’t Cry For Me Deaf Society
HUMOUR: If Genetic Therapy Was Offered By Spam
HUMOUR: If Deafies Were Targetted By Spam
Transcript: Out In The Middle Of Whoop, Whoop’s World Service, 6pm. March 12th 2008

Anyone who has been involved in a group or committee will appreciate the sentiments. I’m sure I’ve posted it somewhere before, but here it is again. Of course, it can be further adapted to, “How Many Deafies Does It Take To Create An Aggregator?”

So Here we go. How Many Deaf Does It take To Change a Light bulb?

1. One!

• But first, you have to establish a committee whose sole objective is to change the light bulb.
• Then, advertised for interested people who want to change the light bulb.
• Call a general meeting, to elect the committee members.
• The selection of the committee is postponed due to lack of interest.
• Another general meeting is called. A committee is elected.
• A name is given. DdPdHi&MLD- CFCTLB - Deaf, deaf, partially deaf, hearing impaired, hearing and mothers little darling ,Citizens For Changing the Light bulb.
• A date is set for the new committee to meet.
• The newly elected committee, then decides on the positions of President, Secretary, Treasurer, and sub committee to oversee the changing of the light bulb.
• The sub committee meets. They make research, discuss and draw up a strategic plan.
• The sub committee report back to the committee. They debate the plans, but the plan is deferred to the next committee meeting, because one member wanted more information.
• The sub committee reports back to the committee with the requested information. Final agreement was deferred due to insufficient numbers for a quorum, due to one member sunnying himself in Bali.
• At the next committee meeting, the sub committee is directed to set up a website, a blog and register it with Deaf Read, the deaf village, and The Vegetable Patch.
• Immediately, bloggers start debating whether the light bulb is culturally Light or Lite.
• One blogger posts an article querying whether the changing of the light bulb will be accessible.
• One blogger accuses Debbie for doing nothing to contribute to the changing of the light bulb.
• The blog Plugged In Bulbs is deleted from Deaf Read for not declaring their commercial ties to General Electric.
• The blogger of Plugged In Bulbs, screams censorship, and sets up his own aggregator, called The Electricity Store.
• The committee DdPdHi&MLD- CFCTLB meet to discuss these developments, and agree to register their blog with The Electricity Store.
• The Aggregator, The Electricity Store, posts their editorial guidelines:

• Blog entries from ACCEPTED contributors that do not relate to changing light bulbs are subject to moderation discretion, which can and may result in an article not being published on The Electricity Store.
• Posts to The Electricity Store must pass the “brightness test” and maintain a level of decorum regarding wattage, longevity, etc. that does not exceed a “40 watt” rating.
• The Electricity Store operates on a basis of respect for individuals’ choices and respects each person’s individual “light bulb changing experience.” Smashing of light bulbs will not be tolerated.
• We require all electricians to include captions, subtitles, or transcripts to their light bulbs as not everyone understands cued, signed, or spoken languages. Textas are a free and easy way to add subtitles, and can handle video inputs from YouBulb, GoogleBulbs, and other popular electricity sources
• All guidelines are subject to the interpretation and discretion of the The Electricity Store moderating team. By submitting your feed to The Electricity Store, you are agreeing that the editorial are very intelligent.

• The sub committee reports back to the DdPdHi&MLD- CFCTLB, who examine the plans, and the meeting runs over time due to committee:

• sharing similar experiences of changing light bulbs and how the light bulb could have been changed differently.
• cautioning about the dangers of changing light bulbs.
• pointing out and correcting spelling/grammar errors in plans and blog posts about changing light bulbs.
• arguing over whether it’s “lightbulb” or “light bulb”.
• having no experience in the light bulb changing.

• The DdPdHi&MLD- CFCTLB, agrees to meet in 6 month’s time to flog this dead horse. They also agreed tht they should have a Better Bulbs Month. They agreed to provide the following accessibility features to allow as many people to attend and participate.

Sign Intepreters

Oral Intepreters

Electricians

Live Captioning

Queues of Cue Speech Interpreters

Face Stabbers

Whisperers

Note takers

Pointers and Grunters

Mute Gesticulators

Better Lighting Technicians

Pen and Paper

Anger Management Counsellors

Pass The Parcel, and other Party games…..

The Internet Version:

• One to change the light bulb and to post that the light bulb has been changed.
• Fourteen to share similar experiences of changing light bulbs and how the light bulb could have been changed differently.
• Seven to caution about the dangers of changing light bulbs.
• Seven more to point out spelling/grammar errors in posts about changing light bulbs.
• Three to correct spelling/grammar errors.
• Six to argue over whether it’s “lightbulb” or “light bulb”.
• Another six to condemn those six as stupid.
• Fifteen to claim experience in the lighting industry and give the correct spelling.
• Nineteen to post that this group is not about light bulbs and to please take
• this discussion to a lightbulb (or light bulb) forum.
• Eleven to defend the posting to the group saying that we all use light bulbs and therefore the posts are relevant to this group.
• Thirty six to debate which method of changing light bulbs is superior, where to buy the best light bulbs, what brand of light bulbs work best for this technique and what brands are faulty.
• Seven to post URLs where one can see examples of different light bulbs.
• Four to post that the URLs were posted incorrectly and then post the corrected URL.
• Three to post about links they found from the URLs that are relevant to this group which makes light bulbs relevant to this group.
• Thirteen to link all posts to date, quote them in their entirety including all headers and signatures, and add “Me too”.
• Five to post to the group that they will no longer post because they cannot handle the light bulb controversy.
• Four to say “didn’t we go through this already a short time ago?”
• Thirteen to say “do a Google search on light bulbs before posting questions about light bulbs.”
• Three to tell a funny story about their cat and light bulb.

AND

• One group lurker to respond to the original post 6 months from now with something unrelated and start it all over again!

Dyniece does a very good job of explaining what an aggregator is and their function in her post Of feed aggregators, hypocrisy, and choices. She is calm, she is logical, and she makes sense. And yes, by making your content accessible, you reach a much wider audience.

However, there is a flaw in the argument. Not so much in the rationale of why deaf village insists on captioned/ subtitled or transcripts to accompany a video, which I can accept on the basis that it’s their personal aggregator, and they are setting the terms for inclusion.  Or in the rationale of making your cotnent accessible to a bigger audience.

The flaw is in their rationale for creating a community based on their idea of inclusiveness as presumed by the title of their aggregator “deaf village”, by demanding that everybody subscribes to the use of English as a common denominator for access.

Even though they are not rejecting signed videos, the defendants for criteria 5, of the deaf village guidelines, they have not demonstrated any willingness to embrace [as in desire to learn] Sign Language, in a spirit of true community building [which is a two way street, to state the obvious].

It’s all very well to talk about diversity and inclusion, and that everybody has the right to their chosen [preferred communication methods and group belonging]. But that very rationale itself becomes an obstacle when it is used to insist on a specific means of addressing access, as deaf village has done. I get the distinct impression that Rachel will be damned if she is going to learn ASL. Yet she is in a prime position to actually promote a truer sense of inclusion and engagement. To do actually do, more good than demonstrate that deafies can walk and talk. But that would detract from her imporant work of managing the better hearing and better speaking celebrations.

I know what the reality is for Deaf and deaf people, and I do understand [and appreciate] the choices they make, and want to make, in order to have fulfilled and meaningful their lives. And I do understand the right and the desire to make ones own choices. But I don’t accept the bullshit espoused by the diversity argument, as it has long become a means of avoiding any true engagement between Deaf and deaf people.

And before you drag out the cliché of Deaf people being content in their ghetto and their ASL, take a good, long, hard look in the mirror. The mantra of the deaf village is “As long as I get my access in English, that’s all that is necessary”, is a one way street.

Once again, stating the obvious, communication, and community building, is a two way street. It is a fundamental of effective community building. A willingness by deafies to engage with Deafies using sign language, demonstrates a committment to community building. Not merely insisting on access using English as the common denominator. So once again, deaf village is in a position to create a truly Deaf and deaf presence, but what look at do they do?

DeafRead for all its faults, is doing a better job. Deaf Pulse is too basic. deaf village is not engaged in community building [not in its current incantation], as much as it is engaged in replicating itself in the image of its creator/s.

Further Reading:

Why I Blog….. Why Deafies Should Blog….
DeafRead, Deaf Village, Aggregators, Part III: Argggggghhhhhccess
DeafRead, Deaf Village, Aggregators, Part II: Access
DeafRead, Deaf Village, and Aggregators
DeafRead, Community, Censorship and Freedom Of Expression P3: New Aggregator
DeafRead, Community, Censorship and Freedom Of Expression P2
DeafRead, Community, Censorship and Freedom Of Expression
MEDIA WATCH: Deaf Read [Myths? What Myths?]
Problems with DeafRead
An example of how deafread doesn’t cater for an international audience

I love to write! Like every other netizen, Deaf and hearing, I want to mark out my corner of cyberspace, publish, and communicate. In a world where the tendency to censor and crimp is de rigueur, and a majority view is imposed  by a controlling elite, it’s liberating to stand on your soap box and speak your mind. Dirty words and all.

Furthermore, blogging also gives Deaf people a chance to be heard and make their presence felt. I’m not a satisfied man. I am not a satisfied Deafie. I am not content to make do with the medico brochure sites, the how to deal with hearing loss advice sites, the latest fashions in assistive listening technologies, or pandering to the disability mentality that passes for Deaf awareness.

I want opinion, retorts, insight, culture, and pleasure.

Email groups and forums were [still are] fine and dandy, but they all suffered from a common affliction. That frigging benevolent Nanny who has a zealous [nay some would say psychotic] tendency to moderate [interfere, admonish, chide, cajole, threaten, or earnestly and tirelessly e-x-p-l-a-i-n] . Some were quite toxic, for whom you only had two words: *** ******!

Emails to editors were/ are subject to space, deadlines and publishing guidelines. I want to be free to pontificate using my own voice, in my own space. In the process I hope to part the Dead Sea of mindless mediocrity, and letting some DEAF [and human] intelligence, light and wisdom through. Besides you guys needs a hefty dose of Aussie humour!

At the moment, my blogging is text, with the odd creation of graphics and the occassional addition of images. I see my blogging as part part of a wider remit, which will eventually include video, and a promotion platform for my work.

Blogging [personal aggregators aside] can be quite liberating. Especially when freed from the shackles of the benevolent Nanny who holds up Deafies and deafies to standards, that makes a mockery of virtue by downplaying our humanity. There is nothing worse than the benevolent Nanny in a beehive hairdo and barracuda smile, who is determined to create a faux sense community, by ruling out swearing [ever so ready to wash your mouth out with detergent and bleach], unruly behaviour, impoliteness, unmentionable subjects, and other assorted unwanted behaviours.

Their individual moderating styles ranged from the dictatorial, the pseudo “we’re a team, we’re all gunna lurve each other”, to the “if you don’t contribute, posting at least 1000 times a day, you are out!”, to the loving mummies rule of no dirty words, and the truly democratic of allowing the group to go for the jugular and determine the agenda. There is nothing funnier than watching Nanny’s lift their skirts, breaking their high heels, ruining their make up, as they destroyed group dynamics, quashing individuality, and without missing a beat, inform us, how it was in the groups best interests.

A perfect example of the truly democratic, is Deaf UK, under the stewardship of Alison Bryan. Don’t believe anyone who tells you otherwise. Her intent was to foster communication between Deafies [and deafies], and her policy objective was singular and straight to the point. The group was made up of adults, and they can all act like adults. She relegated herself to weeding out the spam, junk mail and harassment, with the occasional participatory comment. Otherwise, anything went. If it meant that the group got bogged down in an intractable war of words, it was up to us to sort it out. Of course we sorted it out. We are [not were] adults are we not?

Further Reading:

DeafRead, Deaf Village, Aggregators, Part III: Argggggghhhhhccess
DeafRead, Deaf Village, Aggregators, Part II: Access
DeafRead, Deaf Village, and Aggregators
DeafRead, Community, Censorship and Freedom Of Expression P3: New Aggregator
DeafRead, Community, Censorship and Freedom Of Expression P2
DeafRead, Community, Censorship and Freedom Of Expression
MEDIA WATCH: Deaf Read [Myths? What Myths?]
Problems with DeafRead
An example of how deafread doesn’t cater for an international audience