Comments on: Letter to My Hearing Readership http://deafpagancrossroads.com/2007/10/01/letter-to-my-hearing-readership/ Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:25:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Bill http://deafpagancrossroads.com/2007/10/01/letter-to-my-hearing-readership/#comment-11252 Mon, 01 Oct 2007 22:39:51 +0000 http://deafpagan.com/2007/10/01/letter-to-my-hearing-readership/#comment-11252 “But can a hearing person fully understand how ECA impacts on our lives,… there will always be a certain division there that can’t be crossed.”

But in that sense, none of us can fully understand anyone else….you can’t understand what it’s like to be me. But if I share with you some of my hurts, my fears, my experiences, as I let those experiences be made known, you will begin to understand me. The best one can hope for?

Those allegories that people make with discrimination of other sorts, are attempts to relate, and make sense of what you are going through.

I wonder, if you are saying that people are too quick to respond with their own experiences, rather than take the time to listen? Much like those “friends” who after you have started sharing your pain, begin to talk about their own pain, without really taking time to listen?

I’ll keep watching, reading and learning. I have to get back to studying ASL I – test this week!

]]> By: Ruby Phoenix http://deafpagancrossroads.com/2007/10/01/letter-to-my-hearing-readership/#comment-11251 Mon, 01 Oct 2007 22:36:07 +0000 http://deafpagan.com/2007/10/01/letter-to-my-hearing-readership/#comment-11251 I will take what was said and learn from it.

]]> By: Hearing Mom http://deafpagancrossroads.com/2007/10/01/letter-to-my-hearing-readership/#comment-11243 Mon, 01 Oct 2007 18:14:28 +0000 http://deafpagan.com/2007/10/01/letter-to-my-hearing-readership/#comment-11243 Ocean,
Thanks you so much for being willing to tell it like it is. Over the years, I have seen my daughter experience the things you have mentioned. I have seen her put on the same fake smile at waiters or other people that try to fingerspell to her or say they want to learn to sign. I have seen her frustration at family gatherings. I have experienced hearing people address me rather than my daughter when she is standing right in front of them. Even though I have lived close to her and her experiences, I HAVE NOT come close to knowing what it really is like on a daily basis. Thank you for the reminder. As tiring as it is, please continue to advocate and educate. I will do the same in my role as a hearing mom.

]]> By: A http://deafpagancrossroads.com/2007/10/01/letter-to-my-hearing-readership/#comment-11242 Mon, 01 Oct 2007 18:02:46 +0000 http://deafpagan.com/2007/10/01/letter-to-my-hearing-readership/#comment-11242 Also important to remember… ASL is not Deaf second language, it is native language. People think me just using handtalk for English…not true. ASL is not English. It is different language!

I use ASL every day. People say things to me about ASL and want learn sign. I just nod head. I know they not really understand. Some take class but drop out, tell me ASL too hard to learn.

]]> By: ocean1025 http://deafpagancrossroads.com/2007/10/01/letter-to-my-hearing-readership/#comment-11240 Mon, 01 Oct 2007 17:52:25 +0000 http://deafpagan.com/2007/10/01/letter-to-my-hearing-readership/#comment-11240 If I might step in here and play the diplomat like I often do…

I think both Yvonne and JD have some good things to say, and have made some valid important points that all of us should take into consideration.

I do have to agree with Oscar… JD got it right. But I don’t think the comments made were intended to offend or upset Yvonne or any other hearing person, but rather to continue the flow of intelligent discourse here.

Engaging in dialogue often means being willing to say things that can be painfully blunt, but oftentimes necessary as part of the whole learning experience.

I think as long as we keep our comments decent and respectful, that we can still share our thoughts… openly and honestly.

Yes, I can appreciate that especially for my hearing readers, it may seem difficult to say anything here, because you do want to be “sensitive” to the issues being addressed.

But at the same time, I agree with Yvonne that there comes a point where you’ve got to get away from that PC niceness if you really intend to engage in any meaningful discussion.

I hope this post and the comments here open up opportunities for both sides – deaf and hearing – to share their thoughts and feeling and experiences and perspectives in that “safe place” where such will be honored.

Keep those comments coming!

]]> By: Yvonne http://deafpagancrossroads.com/2007/10/01/letter-to-my-hearing-readership/#comment-11238 Mon, 01 Oct 2007 17:38:58 +0000 http://deafpagan.com/2007/10/01/letter-to-my-hearing-readership/#comment-11238 PS actually I speak German as a second language and have frequently had comments about how guttural it is. Not every day, but then I don’t speak it every day. So yeah, it wasn’t that great a comparison, really, you’re right.

I did start my comments with “Yes, you’re right, we don’t know how you feel” and saying that no-one can know how another person feels, and we should all bear that in mind when communicating with others in general – then maybe it would become a habit not to assume we know how the other person feels, so when we meet a Deaf person, we’d be in the habit of not assuming that and then it would improve communication. Just a thought :)

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