Expectations for a Deaf child

Deaf parents dream about their child becoming a surgeon
Parents dream about their child becoming a porter

Deaf parents dream about their child becoming a lawyer
Parents dream about their child becoming a criminal

Deaf parents dream about their child becoming a professor
Parents dream about their child becoming a dinner-ladies

Deaf parents dream about their child becoming a pilot
Parents dream about their child becoming a plane-spotter

Deaf parents dream about their child becoming a director
Parents dream about their child becoming a cleaner


By Ashton Phillip
copyright 2006

St.John DFC won Oscars

That was a good game but LDFC played depriving in the first half. Leeds-ians were yearning for Yorkshire water (or could be nobly mineral) when the ignorant 'chicken without a head' referee whistle for the half time. Their manager suggested that some of players dropped their jaws while hollywood stars played good. His comment apparently woke them up during half time which was piece of good fortunate because the manager 'wake-up' cure style prove it right. Northern men got better as they played quite well and hard work, already enlighened us chilly supporter.

Unfortunately Cockney players tried to play like there were hollywood scouts watching rather than Italian Serie A. Yeah they are good actors like Lehmann and Drogras's embarrassingly incident, they are in London.. obviously. Oscar-winning actor (more like Razzle as in infamous worst awards) said that respective Northern pitch give him anxious, he irritably said Cockney pitches is better. Ah well.. he still played good(!). He tackled our player hard, Wayne Rooney look-alike but innocently pushed him.. yeah he fell onto Northern 'star' field like someone has been shot him.

We lost 4-2 but we should deserve a win.

Sex education is safer than oral education

At school, you easily could get STD or pregnancy if you don't understand sex education through hearing's first language..

Your health comes first..

good luck for LDFC!

LDFC lost 6-1 to St.John in April 2005

Good luck for Leeds Deaf Football club for playing our enemy St. John (Arsenal) at our home on BDFC 2nd Round tomorrow... my prediction LDFC win 3-2!

capture the moments

BSL ownership!

Drawing by Deaf Scene

..why are you still looking at these images with dropping your jaw?

You worried of what your former (favourite too) hearing teachers would think? No way! be yourself and a fight for BSL ownership!

To be a Deaf documentary photographer..

As a photographer, I have been thinking about photography which I really admire.. no point to take photographs for nothing but these images is still powerful. It can affect anybody like war, murder, family, you name it. So my dream project would be to document the Deaf education/community in developing countries from the perspective of Deaf people. Focusing on sociological and language issue.

I really believe that educated Deaf people should help out Deaf community in developing countries, that's unselfish way to do..

Also shooting the British Black Deaf community because there are not many Deaf black people achieving like white or Asian.

You can pretend to be Deaf impaired

You can pretend to be Deaf impaired
When you laugh with hearing’s unfunny jokes

You can pretend to be Deaf impaired
When you dance without the vibration

You can pretend to be Deaf impaired
When you can lip-read

You can pretend to be Deaf impaired
When you clap

You can pretend to be Deaf impaired
When you do not use facial expression

You can pretend to be Deaf impaired
When you buy a new car-stereo

You can pretend to be Deaf impaired
When you admire hearing teachers

You can pretend to be Deaf impaired
When you type ‘Hear, hear’

You can pretend to be Deaf impaired
When you watch TV without subtitles

You can pretend to be Deaf impaired
When you had excuses for not watching Deaf TV

You can pretend to be Deaf impaired
When you use idioms too many

You can pretend to be Deaf impaired
When you feel lost without batteries


By Ashton Phillip
copyright 2006

Dr Robert Davila is an interim president of Gally!

Congralutations, Robert! So we can move on behind difficult times..

Bionic ears threaten deaf culture

Metro.co.uk

Bionic ears 'threaten deaf culture'Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Deaf activists have claimed their 'culture' is under threat from hi-tech ear implants which promise to help their babies' speech and language skills.

Cochlear implants, if inserted in a baby's first year of life, can allow the child to develop 'normal' language skills at least up to the age of four.

But some deaf parents argue there is nothing wrong with a deaf child that requires surgery, and say the implants represent 'genocide to the deaf'.

The implant is a surgically implanted electronic device that can help provide a sense of sound to a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing.

Often referred to as a bionic ear, the implant does not amplify sound, but works by directly stimulating functioning auditory nerves inside the cochlea with electrical impulses.
Eleven children who received implants before the age of one developed language normally, a team at the University of Melbourne found.

'The children don't have normal hearing, but they have normal language,' a team member said.
But some members of the deaf community argue the implants are unethical.
Harlan Lane, a psycholinguist at Northeastern University in Boston said: 'The idea of operating on a healthy baby makes us all recoil.

'Deaf people argue they use a different language and with it comes a different culture, but there is certainly nothing wrong with them that needs fixing with a surgeon's scalpel.'


One of comments that I like..

I'm a Deaf Studies student at Bristol university, and we've been covering this precise topic in our discussions and seminars recently. We are a majority hearing class, and yet we all agree that deafness is certainly not a disability, it's just a difference, and that the deaf child should not have their culture and life taken away from them without a choice. Also, the implants do not mean that the child will fit into the "normal" hearing culture, and they will not fully belong to the Deaf culture, which means that they threaten the child's chances of understanding themselves, and leading a normal, healthy and happy life. (Laura Blake, Bath, UK)


See, see!

I noticed a team member who said that line "The children don't have normal hearing, but they have normal language". Is that how crappy team see this sign language as a not normal language? For me, British Sign Language is normal rather than Deaf impaired's first spoken language English.

a Deaf person was attacked by police!

Ridor's message -

In St. Paul, Minnesota, a deaf person by the name of Doug Bahl was pulled by the cops for going through a yellow or red light and apparently, he did not see the sirens for a little while before he pulled aside. The cops in St. Paul pepper-sprayed him and beats him up in a vicious manner.
Doug cannot talk about this because the lawsuit is pending. His attorney advised him not to. But I got the sources somewhere else.

But I feel this is a good example of police brutality and negligence on Deaf individuals across the nation. So since it was done being forwarded via the emails.

I’m confident that he will win the lawsuit against St. Paul Police Department for its brutality on a simple traffic stop.

It is time for us to be proactive and stop these appalling activities. How? To expose the cops of their condescending behaviors toward Deaf individuals.

According to the grapevines, Doug Bahl ran through a yellow or red light, unaware that the police was on him for that, pulled him aside. There is a claim that he was trying to pull a card which prompted the cops to take the “evasive action” and that it is not entirely true.

The cops were trigger-happy in pepper-spraying Doug Bahl. Then proceeded to beat him up and bloodied him.

The cops neglected to provide him as he requested for the interpreter for 3 days when he was in the jail. He wanted the clear communication as much as can be. The cops were not willing to do that, instead they attacked him outright.

His family was frantically calling for friends because he was nowhere to be seen for 3 days. They later found out that he was denied of having one phone call.
And I must mention that Doug Bahl is 5′4.

Doug Bahl is well known in the state of Minnesota. In fact, he runs Thompson Hall, a deaf club in Twin Cities as well as teaching ASL at St. Paul’s College. He used to teach at Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf. In fact, people do not refer him as Doug, they knew him as Doug Bahl. On a personal level, many knew him as the man who married the first Miss Deaf America.
However, Doug Bahl is not the only one that experienced this horrific encounter with the police officers. There are many, including myself, Deaf individuals that had horrific experiences with the cops in the past.

In fact, the African-Americans complained about the racial profiling. So do we, but we lack the means to reach the media that the cops are doing things to us to deprive us of our dignity.
My respect for the police officers in this country is zero. Zilch. Nothing. No good, finish, train zoom!

Cheers,

R-

how can you dance so good?

Deaf impaired people asked me that question... I replied 'I just practiced like everyone(!)' Not just because I am Black, it's because of my Mum's genetic (or could be Dominican!). Simple as that. I even could dance funnily!

glad that I have Deaf feets

coloured, n*gger or deaf and dumb?

As a Deaf black man, which are most of these offensive words for me? I definitely would say coloured. Yep that word is not even politic. Unfortunately other way for white elderly people. (other word - 'young fella')

In the 18th Century, when thousands of black African slave were dishearteningly taken to the UK under formerly (yay) British Empire rule. British white people invented that word after they first saw black people in a disgust way, just their natural feeling.. obviously with their strong white identity. They called them 'coloured'. Black people were naive that time, of course I don't blame them, just blame lack of education for the white community.

They call that word because white people see themselves as normal skin rather than other races, in fact. Coloured mean black skin is not normal referring to white's perspective, simply made me so sick! At the moment hearing impaired is new coloured.

I would understand if I am really from Rainbow. Would be better IQ eh.

N*gger? That word doesn't even disgust me! Why? Because I am not really native Niger not even Nigerian, so somebody who invented that must be so dumbest in the world then. As well as for other people who call that for no reason. For uneducated racist people, N*gger mean dirty water in the Niger's one of rivers in the Western Africa. Niger people are not n*gger, they are beautiful people! Even they are THE world's poorest country.

Just call me black.. just don't give me white eye. Oh yeah don't say 'i am not a racist but...' It is like when you say anything to make it alright automatically, so somebody believe.

Deaf black power

I was an easy target

At Thorn Park Deaf school, I was about 8 years old, teacher furiously telling us Deaf pupils to sit in the classroom. We felt nervous because it could be something very serious as teachers would normally give us detention if we are told to sit. We giggly looked each other then puzzled. Why? this Pakistiani pupil walked funnily like how cowboy walk. Teacher said he has been to the hospital before the day as his groin was hurted (actually someone kicked into his groin in the toilet). I didn't know nothing about how happened. But strangely some of pupils looked at me for no reason. Teacher looked at me straightaway. In my mind, it must be me because I was sometime unlucky to got into trouble (some reasons for example I was more intelligent than any pupils, extremely good sport person and relationship between me and teachers was like PFFT!).

Anyway some of pupils pointed at me, I was so shocked! I didn't know why it was me. I told my teacher that it wasn't me kicking. Apparently a few days later I found out it that was a white pupil boy who bullied him, he was physically bigger than us. That's why he forced this Asian boy to lie eventually most pupils did too. It was because I was only black pupil at that school as large minority were white and Pakistiani, so I was an easy target. I have been bullied occasionally, plus I was sometime feeling poo before going to school every day. If I was much confident and brave, I would tell my teacher like this image!

I wouldn't wish this on any black pupils in the UK. As well as other races. If it happens to you, you MUST go and see teachers or parents.

still employed

I just didn't get a job from Leeds Social Service as a Social Work Assistant with parents of Deaf children (actually, could be my secure job)... I was bit disappointed as it's my first time to not getting a job after job interview in my life! Although I took it quite well. Show that I literally don't give up my determinations to look for a job. Knowing that I have alot of work experiences, blow my own horn.

I'm still looking for a job within the Deaf community. If you know any job could suit me, tap my shoulder please otherwise email/sms me!
I'm still doing plans for setting up a freelance photography business..


peace out, power to the Deaf people

ovais and lenka.

I am so pleased to tell you that I am Ovais' best man.. they got engaged when the midnight strike for the New Year 2006. I am so looking forward to seeing them getting married in Prague, Czech!

Deaf love in the air

how can you work if you can't speak?

Ahem, this line dauntingly remind me of hearing teachers' most favourite line.. who asked me that? Not hearing teacher, nor strong deaf oral user, nor elderly person, nor Mary Hare teacher, nor JKF.. It was an innocent Deaf Cubs scout girl who uses strong SSE and oral user.

Last Friday, as a Cubs Scout leader, I told all Cubs Scout to get juice drink after some games, she come up to me, curiously asked me 'Have you a job?' I said no, as I am still looking for a job at the moment. Frankly, I thought her reaction to my answering that she wished I got a job. Actually she again asked me 'How can you work if you can't speak?' Which made me very angry un-visally because she only sees Deaf BSL users as unemployed (at the moment, I am really!). I explained to her that I have done alot of interesting jobs that hearing people can't do. That's shame because somebody (could be her hearing teachers) could wrongly indoctrinate her that oral is best communication mode. It is like blackmail, hearing teacher would say 'If you can speak well, you will get a job anyplace' it unfairly make Deaf children see British Sign language as negative thing. Now look at so many British adult SSE/oral users are ignorant toward Deaf community/culture in case they might be not better person.

I wonder if now there could be alot of young oral users ask like her... would be very alarming. There should be provision of more Deaf role model with weathly knowledge of Deaf community/culture.

give Deaf power to Deaf children

john smith the great Deaf comedian

On 25th Nov, John Smith's comedy night blew my mind away.. Before I arrived at Leeds Deaf club, there were about 70 people (10 hearing included). I so expected it was much less funnier than any comedians who I know. Yep I thought wrong! John is certainly a great Deaf comedian I have seen ever. Mind you, as a very straight man, his humour made me bit sweat already. I should say my jaw drop instead in a macho way..

As saying that, I had a dry skin and feel silent, he started to show the paper printed 'Peter Kay' the comedian (don't think he is really funny, actually it's very hearing humour, I'm happy to say that he is sh*t). He had some bad comment on 'disabled' people... He shouldn't get involved into Children In Need! But of course John picked the picture of Peter Kay instead which is very suited for Deafies' first language not hearing (spoken) language nor hearing teacher's first - yep that's beautiful BSL as visually, all of us recognised him.

John funnily mentioned about hearing people, they always pat Deafies' head when a Deaf person speak well... Made me so laugh, the way John described! None of them hearing did it on mine because oral education putted me off during my childhood.

His comdey is more like Audism, for example, some deaf oral users think they are better than Deaf BSL users. NO, NOT true, most of deaf oral user is really blonde people, their BSL is really bad which is very sad as hearing teacher the brainwashers must be pleased..

His comdey definitely would open Deaf eyes and hands who has been through Milan 1880's favourite communication mode oral education AND hearing teachers.

It would be great if John creates a new sketch like campaign for Spit act, people who speak in people's face to break law!!


beautiful BSL

leeds dfc lost 0-2.

On 11th Nov, despite our team lost to Deaf impaired team, I was so impressed with my mate Keddy's footballing as he was fighting for a place, eventually at his age, he grabbed his opportunity. It was very windy day which was so annoying for me even I still love winter. I hope LDFC will beat Manchester DFC on 18th Nov..

I still am fighting for a place since after early September my playing in very uncomfortable position (as a right leg man, I played left-back... so strange), affecting my confidence. However I was getting better just after that, still there are too many players who havent had a chance to play. Just one very bad game can be too much for the manager..

Just wish me luck for winning a place to play...

Deaf community

Deaf community keep me sane..
I simply can't live without this wonderful community.. I am m-m-much happier when I am with Deaf people.. that's me.