What is Diversity?

Whoooo-EY!

I couldn't help but roll my eyes when that guy told me it was all about diversity. He was saying that in order to understand diversity, you must be tolerant of others and their choices. Sure, I got that part just fine but the part I didn't get was: how in the world are we practicing diversity when we're force feeding Deaf children audio-centric values? I just can't see how that is being diverse. If the world were truly diverse, they'd embrace Deaf culture and Deaf culture would embrace them.

But, as I must say, it ain't so...

So, seriously, tell me how is diversity practised when you're rejecting a culture that doesn't hold the ability to hear as one of its core values. You see, being able to hear is not essential in Deaf culture. That doesn't mean hearing people are not a part of Deaf culture. That doesn't mean we don't appreciate the arts which include music and songs. That doesn't mean you can't wear your hearing assistance technology. It just means, we don't revolve around the hearing ability. We are a proud people with a culture and a language that makes us rather unique. We respect that the majority of the people in this world can hear and we should hope that they respect us for that we are fine with not hearing.

I should stress the question, do they? Do they really respect us?

You see, I'm convinced that they, as individuals in our presence, respect us or at least try to. Yet from what myself and many others have seen, they, as a collective entity, do not. Deaf culture is rather looked upon as an oddity and that just ain't the way it ought to be.

Diversity.
Keep trying...

And Lord, did you see that guy who has been deaf all his life show up with an understanding of Deaf culture and use sign language before a Deaf audience to show off his new "Ferrari of an ear"?

Yeah, it's true, he is a part of the deaf community but he sure as hell ain't a part of Deaf culture. You see, he learned sign language. He created many friendships and, heck, he even founded a business where his target customers were Deaf people themselves. He has been exposed to Deaf culture and even values it enough to make his presence seen in the many deaf related forums and websites on the internet. It's all there for the folks to see. As strange as it may seem, one would think that if that guy wanted to function like a hearing person, he would carry on with the hearing world alone and cease come back to the Deaf world where a Deaf culture thrives.

I mean after all, he didn't like himself the way he was right? But no, he is still here. He is still Deaf only he can "hear". He comes back to the Deaf community as if he embraces our culture. He's just here to propagate and manipulate. He's doing what they've done to him. Now he's a expert twizzler. Ah, licorice anyone?

Yes, I know. It is not easy to watch someone do these things.

That guy is an outright audist and is obviously a proud member of the League of Dysconcious Audists. Oh yeah! These people wish to function and live like hearing people and no matter how hard they try to they keep finding themselves kicked back into the deaf community. They're the kind of people who are not comfortable with or do not accept themselves as being Deaf. Of course, in Deaf culture, we embrace who we are as being a really badass class of people. Does that guy?

You don't have to wonder long before you reach a conclusion.

So, you know, we could tout that all the problems are with the schools, the parents, the teachers, the methods and all that jazz. The real problem is the utter disregard towards a natural state of being that many are comfortable with. The sheer negligence of cultural values that have, do, and always will exist.

The real problem is YOU.

YOU accept that these injustices go on. YOU accept that people are ignorantly destroying a culture. YOU accept the idea that you're not complete the way you are. YOU accept that you're taxed without representation. YOU are submissively passive and allow these things to go on.

YOU accept that the future generations of Deaf children will be trained audists like that guy who keeps spewing words like "choices" and "diversity" all for the sake of distracting the general population from identifying a moral wrong in the shape and form of audism.

Maybe if you'd just sit back and let nature take its course, there wouldn't be so many stupid fucks come out of the hearing world's version of deaf education, talking like that guy.

The truth is, Deaf people have a language and a culture that is uniquely theirs.

That guy's submission to the hearing world's ignorance is a matter of grave concern because he is one example of the many people who enable these acts and forms of discrimination and oppression to go on.

So now, I have to ask you all this:

Are you going to just accept these things or are you ready to start blowing whistles with the rest of us? Whistles so loud that they themselves will wish they were Deaf!

So what are YOU doing?
Let's GO!

*Tweet! Tweet! Tweet!*

"We are traveling in the footsteps
Of those who've gone before
But we'll all be reunited (but if we stand reunited)
On a new and sunlit shore (then a new world is in store)

Oh when the saints go marching in
When the saints go marching in
Oh lord I want to be in that number
When the saints go marching in

And when the sun refuse (begins) to shine
And when the sun refuse (begins) to shine
Oh lord I want to be in that number
When the saints go marching in

When the moon turns red with blood
When the moon turns red with blood
Oh lord I want to be in that number
When the saints go marching in

On that hallelujah day
On that hallelujah day
Oh lord I want to be in that number
When the saints go marching in

Oh when the trumpet sounds the call
Oh when the trumpet sounds the call
Oh lord I want to be in that number
When the saints go marching in

Some say this world of trouble
Is the only one we need
But I'm waiting for that morning
When the new world is revealed

When the revelation (revolution) comes
When the revelation (revolution) comes
Oh lord I want to be in that number
When the saints go marching in

When the rich go out and work
When the rich go out and work
Oh lord I want to be in that number
When the saints go marching in

When the air is pure and clean
When the air is pure and clean
Oh lord I want to be in that number
When the saints go marching in

When we all have food to eat
When we all have food to eat
Oh lord I want to be in that number
When the saints go marching in

When our leaders learn to cry
When our leaders learn to cry
Oh lord I want to be in that number
When the saints go marching in"

-Louis Armstrong