Kokonut Pundit

Thank you.

2013-12-18T10:45:00.000-08:00

It's time but will say it short and sweet. I'm moving on to focus on other things in my life. That was my advanced news I mentioned back in September only that it took longer than expected to make that announcement. And, yes, people still send me stuff but that will stop, too.

Kokonut Pundit had a good run for 9 1/2 years with over a million hits and the longest continuously running deaf/hh blogsite with the most blogs ever at 2,230 blogs written. I penned many more pages than the book War and Peace book (1,440 pages). As the genius mathematician Andrew Wiles who solved Fermat's Last Theorem once said, "I think I'll stop here."

I think I'll stop here, too.

My advice to my loyal readers?

Watch out for monsters who like to celebrate the passing of deaf/hh people. Watch out for people who support monsters and bullies who will look the other way which will only encourage monsters and bullies to continue their deeds They can be just as bad in some ways. And watch out for those who "lead from behind" and those who talk out of the side of their mouths doing one thing but hypocritically does another. We know who they are.

Next, Carl Schroeder's recent passing is a sad one even though I, at multiple times, disagreed with him during various blogging/vloggin debates over the years such as my most recent debate over Kappa Gamma's salutes. I did not like him much but respected him enough to know the difference. One can disagree and walk away instead of harboring such constant hatred. That is not healthy. Learn to agree to disagree in life and you'll be much better off as a person. RIP, Carl.

Thank you for supporting my blog.

Adios.

Au revoir.

Good bye.

Correct sign for "cochlear implant"

2013-11-28T08:02:00.001-08:00

Ever noticed how some deaf people improperly sign "cochlear implant" which resembles closely the sign for "Frankenstein" where one of the bolt sticks out of Frankenstein's neck?

Many do purposely sign "cochlear implant" on the neck because of their bias against cochlear implant rather than correctly signing it. One can effectively make an argument for or against cochlear implant while signing correctly the sign for "cochlear implant" instead of signing it in an unprofessional manner with such subtlety as a way to mock those with cochlear implants seeing them as "monsters."

Some will defend their signing and say they are "lazy" to sign it correctly. If they actually come up with that excuse then you will know they are not being honest about it. The cochlear implant goes nowhere near the neck. And they know that.

Proof when voice is more effective than signing....

2013-11-11T09:09:00.000-08:00

Or is it?

Well, one person was the Chapter president (Sacramento) of California Association of the Deaf, an organization who pride themselves their strong heritage on using ASL, used his voice instead at a California Senate Health Hearing discussing the AB2072 bill in a roomful of culturally deaf people which would make Alexander G. Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, John Tracy Clinic, Oberkotter Foundation and all of the oral/aural schools around the United States quite proud.

Sign language interpreters were at the hearing to help interpret both voice and sign language. Yet it's perfectly alright to use your voice, even at Gallaudet University, CSUN, or elsewhere as long as there are interpreters and/or CART services available so that everyone, deaf, hard of hearing and/or hearing can understand what's being said. Tim Riker, former chapter president of CAD, made it perfectly clear on June 23, 2010 at the California Senate Health Hearing that using his voice was wholly acceptable finding it preferable and more effective than signing. Although one cannot avoid noticing the total irony coming from a chapter president of an organization that exclusively use sign language.

It was perfectly clear that using my voice at Gallaudet University's blog/vlog conference with interpreters and real time captioners available for the audience and for those watching over the internet (it was a live taping) was more effective for me than signing. It was simply due to my preference and communication ease. I discussed one of the topic surrounding the use of technology on whether ASL is in danger of disappearing.

It was perfectly clear when a Gallaudet University Board of Trustee member, Dr. Brenda Brueggemann, used her voice at a Gallaudet University graduation commencement speech was an effective use of her communication preference to the graduating class of 2006 with an inspirational speech but you need to know the true story of why she had to use her voice before you get angry first.

It was perfectly clear that John Fortius, an oral person who does not know sign language, who used his voice at the California Senate Health Hearing was an effective and efficient way of communicating to the assembly members. Even though, ironically enough, the former chapter president of CAD criticized John (it appears he was talking about John) for having "unintelligible" speech. Even though there is a complete transcript of John Fortias' speech and that sign language interpreters were clearly interpreting in ASL what John said for the deaf audience in attendance at the Senate Health Hearing.

Thank you, Tim Riker, former California chapter president of Sacramento CAD. Thank you, John Fortias. Thank you Dr. Brenda Brueggemann.

Whatever mode of communication you find most effective and efficient is what really counts.

Not a victim...

2013-11-11T06:27:00.003-08:00

Bullying comes in all forms, shapes and sizes. You have bullies who are hearing. You have bullies who are hard of hearing. You have bullies who are deaf. It does not matter who because a bully is a bully whether a kid or an adult. The same is true to form in the cyberworld and it's called cyberbullying (or internet bullying) which is not just done by kids but by adults as well. The goal of cyberbullying is essentially the same for a kid to that of an adult. Bullying is bullying whether done in person or over the internet. The goals are still the same.

There are several ways to commit cyberbullying acts through the internet using emails, videophone, chat rooms, discussion forums, blogging, or video blogging. Cyberbullying can be done anonymously or not. One of the tactics would be the public "hit and run" type by constantly attacking different people over the course of months or years, thus making a name for him or herself. The other kind of tactic would be done in a more sustained effort against one or few individuals that could last for years. The attacking style is usually done in the form of belittling, making false statements or claims, twisting of the words, making vicious and thoughtless comments, calling people names, contacting other people's employers, making veiled threats, making up stories, or even in the extreme wishing people dead. And then you have your enablers who supports a cyberbully either by ignoring or failing to recognize cyberbullying actions and attitudes which only helps continue the vicious cycle of hate.

But a person need not be a victim of cyberbullying only if the person allows it. The first step is to recognize that you're not a victim but instead recognize that the cyberbully needs psychological help. It is the cyberbully who doesn't know how to stop the hate and constant maligning. It is the cyberbully who craves attention or feel the need to have a sense of control over people by being overly vicious, manipulative, and maligning. Once you recognize those negative attributes and psychological needs you then have the power over the cyberbully. The simplest and most effective way is to fully ignore the perpetrator. As an adults we have that power.

I've been fortunate as never having been a victim because I have refused to see myself as a victim in any circumstances. I have always recognized it is the perpetrators who have problems, and not me. It is the perpetrators who are ignorant of their bullying ways using their own denials as a cover. Sometimes in an act of contrivance fakes their so-called remorse for their bullying ways when true actions speak louder than words. I just shake my head whenever people who have tried to bully me in the past whether in person or online because I see how sad their actions and attitudes have become knowing that they are the ones who need serious help. Because once a bully always a bully in any form. Their aim has been all about exerting certain "control" over people with their bullying ways but the real secret is that bullies can never see for themselves that they are the ones who are out of control. A denial in perpetual making.

That is exactly how an addict would behave by denying that he or she has a serious problem. Just like when cyberbullying or online bullying becomes an addictive behavior in a never ending but vicious cycle of hate. Your best bet in most cases? Walk away and ignore the cyberbully because you can never reason with an addict who thrives on hate.

Hearing Restoration Project cure for Hearing Loss

2013-10-21T07:29:00.001-07:00

Our Mission: Hearing Health Foundation is the largest private funder of hearing research, with a mission to prevent and cure hearing loss through groundbreaking research. Since 1958 Hearing Health Foundation has given nearly $30 million to hearing and balance research, including work that led to cochlear implant technology. In 2011 Hearing Health Foundation launched the Hearing Restoration Project (HRP), a consortium of scientists working on cell regeneration in the ear. HRP's goal is a biologic cure for most types of acquired hearing loss within the next ten years. Hearing Health Foundation also publishes Hearing Health magazine, a free consumer resource on hearing loss and related technology, research, and products.

With your help, we can make hearing loss a thing of the past.

http://hearinghealthfoundation.org/our-research-plan

Join or donate for the upcoming Nov 3, 2013 marathon race in NY for the cure on hearing loss.

Or read their latest Fall magazine.

If cure for hearing loss isn't your thing then perhaps help find a cure for vision loss where blind mice own blindness were successfully restored with stem cells. The restoration of blindness is now within our lifetime.

Walk4Hearing to break donation record

2013-10-15T13:18:00.000-07:00

I reported on this earlier this year in April and in 8 months time the Walk4Hearing organization was able to raise another $800,000 with $1.2 million dollars already raised with the goal of $1.4 million dollars this year. From the looks of it they will definitely break the $1.4 million dollar mark this year beating out last year of $1.3 million dollars.

Money raised is shared between national and local programs and services including support of children with hearing loss at www.kidsandhearingloss.org.

National Programs and Services

Provide timely and reliable information about hearing loss through HLAA’s website, Hearing Loss Magazine, HLAA e-News, the Hearing Loss Support Specialist Training, message boards/chat forums and annual conventions
Advocacy at the national level to affect legislation that impacts people with hearing loss, whether it’s funding for hearing aids, cochlear implants, communication access in public places or other important issues
A nationwide network of chapters and state organizations providing peer support
Support for parents of children with hearing loss at www.kidsandhearingloss.org
Outreach to veterans returning with hearing loss
Social networking site for young adults with hearing loss at www.hearinglossnation.org

Local Programs and Services

Captioning and hearing assistive technology at HLAA chapter meetings to make them accessible
Scholarships toward college tuition for students with hearing loss
Funding for hearing aids and assistive listening devices for people who cannot afford them
Installation of hearing assistive technology in public places, such as community rooms and public libraries
Captioning of live theater productions
Seminars on coping with hearing loss

The www.kidsandhearingloss.org website is to help

...empower parents of hard of hearing and/or deaf children by providing the resources necessary for them to make informed decisions about their children’s hearing loss.

Angela Mccaskill sues MJ Bienvenu, her partner and Gally

2013-10-12T09:43:00.002-07:00

This was bound to happen when you have someone go after a person for political and personal reasons in the effort to get the person fired or demoted from her job. A witch hunt that went out of control and smeared a good person's name. Angela Mccaskill is suing for defamation and discrimination.

http://www.courthousenews.com/2013/10/02/61701.htm

Super Smutty Sign Language Book

2013-10-11T12:48:00.002-07:00

The book is out. The Super Smutty Sign Language book is now available on Amazon. Huffington Post is helping to advertise it, too. And, well, so what? No big deal there. Capitalism at its best. Unless you want to give more exposure to the author, Kristen Hanson, and her book sales then you could probably try and object in the Huffington Post's comment section along with about 40 positive comments vs some 126 one star review rating in Amazon's comment section with one positive comment coming from one person who actually purchased the book.

Everyone in the deaf community needs to relax and that's coming from a deaf person, me. I would wager none of these 1 star reviews have actually read the book.It's not YOUR language, you don't have a copyright on it, and you don't own it. All of you are the same ones who tried to stop the publication of this book with an online petition. How did that work out for you by the way? She's not deaf, yeah I get it. The phrases don't translate with 100% accuracy, ok fine. That does not mean she can't have fun with the language. I personally bought the book and I'm enjoying it, everyone needs to lighten up.

Back in July of 2012 there was a lot of drama over the author's intent on publishing her Smutty Sign Language book. A drama that went nowhere as you can see in their petitioning attempt.

Will the Amazon's poor review rating work? Certainly better than ripping off deaf people of a book advertised to them and not telling them about the 200 blank pages that came with it. That was perhaps just as distasteful than anything else? A matter of taste, I suppose, if not the measure of a person's own stupidity manifested in the form of a book. All blank and no intelligence.

Malignment Attitudes within the Deaf Community

2013-10-10T11:34:00.002-07:00

After all these years reading other people's blogs and watching their vlogs some of their incompetence were realized early on up to the present in terms of their attitudes of malignment. In short, using the internet as way to spread gossip, hate and revilement against certain individuals on a regular basis. It's one thing to argue respectfully and make a point of contention without getting emotionally involved but another to specifically target individuals as their personal punching bag using ad hominem and continuing with their online bullying ways. I'm sorry. I don't respect people doing that in the latter. The rule of thumb is that once people use ad hominem they have lost their argument.

Genie Gertz - new Dean of Gallaudet University College of Arts and Sciences

2013-09-07T12:48:00.000-07:00

Congrats to Dr. Genie Gertz on becoming Gallaudet University's next Dean of Gallaudet University College of Arts and Sciences. And I'm sure it's a step closer to her ultimate goal.

Gallaudet University's announcement on the news of hiring Dr. Genie Gertz with all the wonderful plaudits and coverage of her background experience when she was the Dean of the Deaf Studies Division at Ohlone College in Fremont, California. But there's an interesting omission in that announcement. It didn't say the one thing that Dr. Genie Gertz is well known which is her push for "Deafhood." And her strong ties with Ella Mae Lentz and the Deafhood Foundation, a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization (tax identification number is 26-2603125). And in turn Deafhood Foundation's strong ties with DBC and AFA who are basically their "shock troops" in terms of their activism or militancy (i.e. protest) against cochlear implant companies, AG Bell, John Tracy Clinic, Oberkotter Foundation, Hands and Voices, and so on.

Their background and association:

Lentz and Genie Gertz, dean of the Deaf Studies Division and Special Studies at Ohlone College in Fremont, Calif., have led workshops for deaf adults around the country since 2005. Deafhood Youth Northwest on Tuesday at Mount Tahoma was their first presentation tailored to teenagers.

Tailored only to culturally deaf teenagers is what they meant.

These presentations, workshops or conferences (free or fee) were the "ASL-only" or "Deaf people only" types which meant no voice interpreters or sign language interpreters or any other accommodations provided such as CART. An overt display of practicing segregation, communication discrimination and even indoctrination in some cases. Never taking into account of people new to signing who may have difficulty in understanding in an ASL-only environment, those who may have language processing issues with sign language, or those who are deaf but do not know sign language and want to know more about their presentation but cannot due to communication discrimination. Or even for parents of deaf/hh children who want to understand better so they can make an informed decision regarding their child's education, language development and communication option. What is remarkable is to see how these workshops have practiced segregation and discrimination as you can see with these announcements below.

The flyer (click on pictures below to expand):

Advanced news?

2013-09-03T01:36:00.001-07:00

I'm thinking about it. Seriously, I am. I'm tired of what I'm hearing and seeing but the time is getting closer each day while I gather up more information along the way. People send me stuff as part of my ongoing developing story but I plan to make a major blockbusting news in a few weeks should things go exactly as planned. People will either definitely not like this startling news or they will like it, depending on which side of the fence they are standing on. It will either paint a grim picture or a wonderful one depending on who you ask, friend or "enemy." But knowing my supporters and friends in the internet world, they will support me on what I'm about to expose/say. For those who are on the inside and are my friends, I may be able to give you some shocking tidbit of information. I guarantee you your eyes will bulge. You know how to get a hold of me, my friends. And as for other people who don't like me? Well, too bad on what I'm about to do. You'll have to wait. It's time. Time to get real, folks. Enough of this crap once and for all.

Dishonesty or Truth?

2013-09-03T01:12:00.002-07:00

Disingenuousness comes in many forms and this is one of them.

Now, if doing the Nazi-style salute is not an issue at all then I dare the Kappa Gamma of today to do another group photo doing the exact same salute as the Kappa Gamma brothers did back in the 1989. Go ahead and prove me and to the rest of the people out there wrong.

Here's a close up zoom of a Kappa Gamma group doing the Nazi-style salute seen below . Note the deliberate outstretched arm, palm flat facing toward the front that reminiscences Nazi Germany's own Nazi salute ? They are certainly not waving, Carl.

In Carl's futile effort to rebut my argument on the fraternity Nazi-style salute he had the audacity to use a picture of MLK waving to the crowd (more pictures here) as being the equivalent of a Nazi salute. Completely laughable. Yet note the palm of MLK's right hand is outstretched while his right arm is bent in a relaxed form but not in an attentive form. Sorry, Carl, it is not the same thing. MLK wouldn't do such a dumb thing as to mimic a Nazi-style salute knowing full well, with him being a highly educated and wise man, knowing the history behind Nazi Germany. The kind of salute that is a reminder of the Holocaust that Nazi Germany atrociously committed during WWII.

Ok. What about the Pope's own salute? A Nazi style salute?

Nope. Not even close. Note the relaxed arm. The spread the of his fingers or outstretched palm. Nothing is indicative of having an attentive form but a person who is obviously waving at people, humbled by their presence.

Ok. What about Obama?

Nope. Again, just like the Pope. He is in a relaxed pose, outstretched arm with outstretched palm where he is obviously waving to his adoring fans before entering on his Air Force 1 jet like he has done many times.

Hmm. What about a cartoon drawing depicting a Nazi-style salute?

Seriously?

Based on a Roman character during Roman times doing their own kind of salute specific to their own time period that *PRE-DATES* Nazi Germany and WWII? Oh, c'mon! Why so desperate, Carl?

This next drawing suggested by Carl seen below certainly cannot be compared to the Kappa Gamma's 20th century Nazi-style salutes because that salute in the picture scene depicts an era that, again, pre-dates Nazi Germany and WWII by a few thousand years.

The point of this has to do with after the fact when it was Germany who made their Nazi salutes recognizable around the world and is correlated strongly with the history of their atrocious mass killings of several million Jewish people in Europe. Anybody who attempt to use salute examples that predates Nazi Germany in an effort to rebut an argument about KG's own Nazi-style salute as being warranted and justified is simply missing the point in a totally disingenuous and dishonest way.

But, you know what's funny, Carl? When you produced a picture seen below in the effort to rebut my argument it has backfired on you. Why? Simply because the young man with the tattoos doing the salute was a 20 year old professional soccer player who did the Nazi salute at a soccer game that got him booted for life.

The Hellenic Football Federation met Sunday in response to the incident and decided to ban the player, who has previously captained the national team in youth competitions. “The player’s action to salute to spectators in a Nazi manner is a severe provocation, insults all the victims of Nazi barbarity and injures the deeply pacifist and human character of the game,” the federation said as Greece marked the 70th anniversary of the deportation of thousands of Greek Jews to Nazi death camps.

Katidis, who initially claimed that he was not saluting but pointing at a friend in the stands, said later that he had no idea what the gesture meant. In an apology issued after the ban, he called his salute “totally unacceptable,” adding, “I feel terrible for those I upset with the stupidity of my act.”

Video and photographs of the incident showed that while several members of the club’s support staff celebrated with the player, others looked disturbed by the gesture, and at least one older man tried to pull his arm down.

Bold emphasis is mine.

The big difference with the 20 year old professional soccer player who did the salute is that he profusely apologized to the public for something that he was not aware of that it was in bad form and an insult to do such a salute. He acknowledged the stupidity of doing that salute. Did the Gamma do that? Nah. Never apologized to the public. Not once. In fact, we got people like Carl to help sweep it under the rug, because, you know, doing Nazi-style salute isn't hurting anyone. Right?

Here's another incident of two girls from a girls basketball team doing the Nazi salute that got them in hot water this year.

Remember, what we have is a *GROUP* photo of KG brothers doing exactly the same Nazi-style salute that took place in 1989, well before the era of the internet. It was a salute that looks exactly like this:

But knowing the history behind the people who did the saluting were the ones who supported and obeyed Hitler and his regime would understand that a Nazi style salute reminds people of this:

And, Carl, since you emigrated from Netherlands to the United States as a little boy and your continued refusal to acknowledge the seriousness of Kappa Gamma's own Nazi-style salute disrespects and insults the memories of those who died at those Holocaust camps, the Netherland Jews who suffered at the hands of German Nazis.

After the German invasion of the Netherlands in May 1940, a civil administration was installed under SS auspices. Arthur Seyss-Inquart was appointed Reich Commissar. He presided over a German administration that included many Austrian-born Nazis. They in turn supervised the Dutch civil service. This arrangement was to prove fateful for the Jews of the Netherlands.

During 1940, the German occupation authorities banned Jews from the civil service and required Jews to register the assets of their business enterprises. In January 1941, the German authorities required all Jews to register themselves as Jews. A total of 159,806 persons registered, including 19,561 persons born of mixed marriages. The total included some 25,000 Jewish refugees from the German Reich. A Jewish council was established in February 1941.

The arrests of several hundred young Jews (sent to the Buchenwald and Mauthausen concentration camps) led to a general strike by Dutch workers on February 25, 1941, and a hardening of Nazi policy. The German authorities and their Dutch collaborators segregated Jews from the general Dutch population, and incarcerated 15,000 Jews in German-administered forced-labor camps. The Germans then ordered the concentration of Jews in Amsterdam and sent foreign and stateless Jews to the Westerbork transit camp in the northeast part of the country. Some of the remaining provincial Jews were sent to the Vught camp. As of April 29, 1942, Jews were required to wear a yellow Star of David on their clothing.

Deportations of Jews from the Netherlands began in the summer of 1942. The last train left Westerbork for Auschwitz on September 3, 1944. During these two years, the Germans and their Dutch collaborators deported 107,000 Jews, mostly to Auschwitz and Sobibor, where they were murdered. Only 5,200 survived. In addition, 25,000-30,000 Jews went into hiding, assisted by the Dutch underground. Two-thirds of Dutch Jews in hiding managed to survive.

The geography of the Netherlands made escape difficult. The ruthless efficiency of the German administration and the willing cooperation of Dutch administrators and policemen doomed the Jews of the Netherlands. Less than 25 percent of Dutch Jewry survived the Holocaust.

Carl, by sweeping under the rug what your own Kappa Gamma brothers did you manage to disrespect the memory of your own motherland by making light of it. Out of the 107,000 Netherland Jews that were sent to concentration camps, only 5,200 survived. But you insist the KG's salute was nothing.

Carl, you managed to defile the memory of your motherland and your Netherland ancestors in one full sweep by essentially laughing about the KG's Nazi-style salute.

Here are some pictures to make you laugh! We the Kappa Gamma Brothers do have our own salution–a gesture of our own that is as ancient as it is modern! It is an incognito salution–I shall never tell you our secret!

A load of bull, Carl. Completely dishonest and disingenuous regarding this salutation. Just like that young soccer pro at age 20 who did the Nazi salute in full public view, he didn't understand the gravity of doing that. Others around him were visibly disturbed by his saluting out on the soccer field. He continued to do that even while an older and wise man tried to pull his arm down to get him to stop doing the stupid Nazi-style salute. The young soccer pro was completely clueless and didn't understand the seriousness of doing that Nazi salute. Neither did the group of 35 young, Kappa Gamma men in their early 20s, who didn't understand the folly and seriousness of doing a Nazi-style salute in a group photo, too. Otherwise, if that salute is not a big deal, then I challenge you and all the KG brothers to do another group photo doing the exact same salute that was done in 1989.

But you and your KG brothers will never, ever do that in a million years because you and they KNOW it is not right. You know it is not right to do that in public or in private within the confines of the KG's fraternity walls. Your recent comment is a startling revelation because you appear or seem to imply that this type of Nazi-style salute is done all the time within the confines of the KG's private areas? And that KG brothers are required to do that kind of salute to each other? Just like Hitler's troops and officers who were required to do that back during pre-WWII and during WWII? Are you saying that KG is still secretly doing that type of Nazi-style salute today??

Utterly unreal, Carl.

Keep digging. Keep going to bat for them, Carl. I'd would rather see a much better and improved Kappa Gamma fraternity for them to own up to their own history and move forward and finally deserve the respect and recognizance. You're not helping, Carl.

Paddling is hazing no matter how you try and minimize it

2013-09-01T16:26:00.001-07:00

In the Greek fraternity business the use of a paddle represents hazing. It represents degradation of your fellow human beings. It represents power and abuse over those who are powerless and seeking acceptance in a group that wielded power on the campus of Gallaudet University.

And yet paddles are still proudly displayed on the fraternity walls like past trophies on the unknown number buttocks they have paddled and caused pain, injury and suffering.

Carl Schroeder is a Kappa Gamma brother of the 79th Congregation. In his recent blog last month he attempted to minimize Kappa Gamma's use of their paddles on pledges as inconsequential and harmless and by his own admission revealed that paddling was a common practice in Kappa Gamma during his time.

The odd thing about this fraternity pledgehood was its initiation which was, to me, “the battle of wills and wits–alienation and accommodation, as well as affirmation.” I went through a battery of social tests, mental challenges, and physical tolerances. They were well-planned, well-programmed, and well-delivered, and my ego was never in bruise. Yes, I got tired and angry, and, yes, I was made to laugh at times throughout my Fraternity probation–the trial of my character. You can check with my beloved Brother Gary Malkowski of Toronto, Canada, because, as the pledges, we laughed together in public.

Now here are a few words about paddling. The Fraternity paddles were properly introduced to us the pledges. We were asked to accept them as very much a big part of the Kappa Gamma Fraternity. There was one member in our Congregation who did not so he left, for which I am always saddened by his own decision. Paddling itself was never crazy, absurd, or senseless; it was always foretold, explained, and interpreted. We were never subject to humiliation or abusive tricks, and we were never harassed with disagreeable tasks.

Meaning and understanding of the Kappa Gamma Fraternity are socially determined that casts light on the examination of the experience to elucidate these concepts, generating many different things. If one is not a full-fledged Kappa Gamma Brother, he cannot have a multiple concept of this prestigious fraternity, period! For me, as the Kappa Gamma Fraternity Merit Key holder, I am proud to be “the Fraternity man,” especially from Gallaudet University.

My baby brother Gerhard (Olgar) and our father George were also initiated as Kappa Gamma Brothers. It was very cultural for us. I first learned about this precious Fraternity when I was young in the middle school at the Maryland School for the Deaf. After I became initiated into the Blue Brotherhood, I confess to have since been “true to Gallaudet.”

Carl is proud to be a Kappa Gamma brother? He's proud of the fact that his Greek fraternity organization at Gallaudet University was caught hazing and suspended numerous times? Even racism was a factor for one of that fraternity suspension? Proud of the fact that Kappa Gamma brothers did a Nazi-like salute in a group photo, by which he continues to remain silent about? Proud of the fact of how Kevin Clark (a former Kappa Gamma pledge who took Gallaudet University and Kappa Gamma to court for hazing) was dumped at a children hospital in D.C. after sustaining injuries that night of hazing from paddling causing bruising and bleeding to his buttock? Proud of the fact that Kappa Gamma never publicly apologized for their past hazing practices to all the past pledges (those who made it or opted out)? Proud of the fact that Kappa Gamma never publicly apologized for the Nazi-like salute group photo to the public and to president Hurwitz who is Jewish? That sure is a long list of stuff to be proud of, Carl. Yet you opted to sidestep the issue or keep quiet about it. Quite curious how you avoided the KG Nazi-like group photo in your blogs but didn't mind discussing the paddling aspect of it one month after I did a few KG blog pieces on paddling and hazing, and the KG group photo.

Paddling is paddling is hazing no matter how much you try and minimize that, Carl. Every time someone sees a paddle hanging proudly on a fraternity wall means that fraternity has not learned anything about paddling and hazing. Why are you still covering them, and making excuses for them?

From the wise words of a Kappa Sigma brother seen in the 1990 Tower Clock Gallaudet University Yearbook, page 324:

The benefits they had to offer, frankly, were unequaled by any other organization I knew of and the concept of a warm, strong brotherhood that these men had shared caught my fancy. another valuable plus about them: they don't haze. Their stand against hazing and the belief that pledging should be any enrichness and education of character rather than abuse and strict "training and re-education" of minds and bodies only served to further reinforce my initial hunch that this fraternity was the one for me.

Carl, you do not need paddling or hazing in order to have a strong brotherhood. A paddle need not be a big part of a fraternity. That kind of mindset is absolutely warped and sickening. Take the example of Kappa Sigma, a Greek fraternity that does not haze. Paddling has never been a part of their tradition. Compare that to Kappa Gamma when their tradition was obviously steeped with paddling. One thing though, do they still hang their KG paddles on their fraternity walls? If paddles still on their walls mean they still secretly embraced their past tradition of hazing.

Carl, the only way to ease your burdensome thought and embarrassment about Kappa Gamma is to be fully honest about the whole thing. Reach out to those who have been wronged in the past. Minimizing the whole paddling and hazing history and practices is an attempt to hide the real truth of what really went on. The only way to right a wronged history is to be forthcoming about it honestly and truthfully. Only then will Kappa Gamma come out better and brighter in the future.

Carl, it is not up to you to decide

2013-09-01T13:33:00.003-07:00

Barry describes himself in video he did in 2009 as "deafless" person which means he sees himself as a human being first, and not about his hearing loss, his deafness or whether he's hard of hearing, deaf or Deaf. In the video below he asks a deeper question.

Does the term 'deaf' own us or control us? In some instances I've seen how the term 'deaf' control us to a certain degree where we are seen as slaves to the word. Have we forgotten the fact that we are human beings first before we are anything else? Think about it.

Carl Schroeder attempted to define a term for Barry is which is a no-no. The only person who is allowed to label or define him/herself as is the person him/herself. And not from other people. If Barry wants to call himself as a Deaf person, then so be it. Or if he wants to call himself as a deaf person, so be it. Or hard of hearing, so be it. Or hearing impaired, so be it. Or a deafless person, then so be it. It's important to see a person as a human being first with all other extraneous details as second. Once you get into the practice of that then it wouldn't matter if a person has a condition. It wouldn't matter if a person is deaf. It wouldn't matter if a person is blind. It wouldn't matter because the person is a human being first and foremost.

Granted that Barry went to Idaho School for the Deaf and graduated there but so what? Granted that he grew up in an nth generation household of deaf families and signing. So what? Lately the labeling of the term "Deaf" has increasingly become perverted away from the original definition to mean people who are culturally deaf. Now the label "Deaf" has become so muddled in its definition to mean anybody with a hearing loss. And how certain culturally deaf factions have attempted to hijack the term "Deaf" for their own selfish agenda as I have carefully outlined in a previous blog on that very subject. And why it is destined to fail in the attempt to mean an all-inclusive term.

It won't................work.

Carl, learn to respect those who prefer to define or label themselves as. Carl is attempting to control Barry. A typical M.O. of Carl's. It is not up to Carl to decide for Barry what label he should carry. That's Barry's decision. And his alone.

ASL Dragon Flops

2013-09-01T11:03:00.001-07:00

Let's get one thing correct on what I said about Kappa Gamma and PKZ.

ASL Storytelling Theatre blog claimed that I thought or said that

"the Kappa Gamma Fraternity is a sister organization of the Phil Kappa Zeta Sorority."

No. I never ever said that or thought that.

What I did say:

"PKZ considers Kappa Gamma fraternity as their "brother" group and Kappa Gamma sees PKZ as their "sister" group...."

Note the quotes. Very important.

The ASL Storytelling Theatre blog is run by Carl Schroeder, a Kappa Gamma brother, of course.

I wonder if he approves of Kappa Gamma doing the Nazi-like salute?

He's strangely silent on that matter.

Deaf/hh people, need an edge on getting a job?

2013-08-19T19:39:00.000-07:00

For folks who live in the Kansas City, Missouri area:

Are you deaf or hard of hearing and need a better competitive edge on getting a job and retain it? A job that allows you to communicate in real time with 100% communication access with your hearing boss, supervisor, co-workers and even your clients or customers without the need of a 3rd party or sign language interpreter? Is there a job service that combines face to face communication technology for deaf and hard of hearing people? sComm, the maker of the UbiDuo whose CEO and co-founder is deaf, is proud to announce a new service called UbiJobs - workforce solutions for hearing, deaf, and hard of hearing job seekers. If you live in the Kansas City metro area give UbiJobs a try, it could change your life for the better with a better competitive edge in a tight job market.

Deaf hiker makes final trek on Appalachian Trail

2013-08-19T01:01:00.001-07:00

Julio Rodriguez finally made it at the end of the Appalachian Trail ending on Mt. Katadin in Maine. Check out his Facebook photo. Be sure to check out his backpacking Facebook page, too. Congrats, Julio!

Hike to Crater View

2013-08-18T21:01:00.002-07:00

A 7 mile roundtrip hike from the 4000 ft elevation to 5300 ft on the North flank of Mt. St. Helens. Weather was gorgeous with sunshine and clear skies. We had some light breeze to help us keep cool on the way up. The temperature by afternoon was around 75 degrees at Crater View.

Start of the trail head.

On the Northeast side of the flank

Spirit Lake to the North behind me as I make my way up to Crater View.

Willow Spring. Fresh, clean water from snowmelt that have percolated into the sandy, volcanic soils.

Lava Dome with glacier seen on the right side.

Big rock! Easy to lift.

Near trailhead after a long hike with Mt. Adams to the East.

Deaf man mocks a "deaf" beggar

2013-08-14T19:57:00.001-07:00

A recent video came to my attention of a Deaf man mocking a beggar at Las Vegas seen here in a Facebook video. This beggar was holding up a sign saying "Deaf. Hungry." Plus another word below which could not be read due to the blurry video.

Ted, the Deaf man signing in the video, made an assumption that the beggar could not possibly be deaf but hearing simply because the beggar did not know sign language.

Now, there are two possibilities.

1) The beggar could be deaf or hard of hearing and does not know sign language.

2) Or the beggar is hearing and does not know sign language.

Ted assumed the beggar is hearing on the basis he did not respond to Ted's signing to him. And thereby concluded the beggar is lying about his medical condition and not deaf at all. But the beggar could have been born with a hearing loss or is a late deafened person who is homeless.

There are many deaf people in the United States who do not know sign language.

The majority of people who are deaf and hard of hearing do not know sign language. According to a Johns Hopkins study, more than 48 million people in the United States are deaf or hard of hearing, or a fifth of all Americans. Of these, almost 99 percent lost their hearing or were raised orally–not using sign language–and rely on their residual hearing (aided by hearing aids or cochlear implants), speech reading, and the printed word for communication access. This group of people are greatly aided by text forms of access.

Just because you see a deaf person does not mean the person knows sign language. Bad assumption. Best way is to get the facts first. If indeed the beggar is hearing, then shame on him. If indeed the beggar is deaf/hh, then double shame on Ted. Either way, it's a bit disgusting to watch.

UPDATE: Good friend of mine, Barry Sewell and his wife, Crystal, produced their own captioned video about the disturbing video they saw in Facebook.

Fiver returns...makes a comment about ASDB

2013-08-13T21:35:00.003-07:00

"Fiver" returns again and left a comment in my previous blog "Untold history of DPN, it almost collapsed!" about the crisis at Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind. Fiver appears to have the inside scoop of what's going on and what's being planned. "Fiver" commented before in my blogs such as "An Incorruptible ASDB?" in May of 2013 and an earlier one back in 2010 under "I am Fiver! speaks again..." only this time Fiver left behind what appears to be legitimate tidbits about ASDB:

The PKZ and KG "Klans" are currently in the process of taking over the Arizona School for the Deaf/Blind through Nancy Amann and her minions. These "Klans" are not unlike Nazi organizations concerning their quest for power, wealth and perpetuation of a militant "Deaf" ideology. It is no coincidence that those close to the 1988 Gallaudet Rioters end up in influential positions and become extremely wealthy. This "Deaf" movement employs an evil hand and mind, shows no mercy or compassion not their own kind, showing no tolerance for any other view. In view of the parallels to organized crime and the seriousness of harms inflicted upon society, this group deserves scrutiny from the FBI as a criminal racketeering enterprise that has utilized insider information, extortion and intimidation to consolidate power and wealth.

Nancy Amann is Nancy Hlibok before she got married. She is a PKZ. She is also the sister of Greg Hlibok who is a Kappa Gamma brother. Last week the people at ASDB protested for the removal of Superintendent Robert Hill. And now from Fiver's account, if legitimate at all, the person says that some of the radicals are planning to take over the Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind. I'd say it's a tall order to try since Gov. Jan Brewers appointed new names to the ASDB Board of Directors earlier this year in May.

Each term for the eight gubernatorial appointments has expired; the ninth seat is filled by the Superintendent of Public Instruction’s designee. With Governor Brewer appointing five new members, the other three will continue to serve for the time being as holdover appointments.

New Board members include:
1) Dr. Kathy Jankowski: former Dean, Laurent Clerk National Deaf Education Center, Gallaudet University
2) Taralynn Petrites: Lead Faculty, American Sign Language and Interpreter Training, Pima Community College
3) Elaine Baldridge: former Director of Children’s Services, Foundation for Blind Children
4) Michael Gordon: Executive Director, Southern Arizona Association for the Visually Impaired
5) Dr. Mark Syms: Otologist, Arizona Ear Center

The three holdover appointments include Sherri Collins who represents the Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing; Orlenda Roberts who acts as the Board’s school district employee who works with sensory-impaired pupils; and Michael Williams, who serves as a public member.

Fiver, convince me some more that there is a planned take-over of ASDB.

When hearing aids benefit deaf/hh children

2013-08-10T21:44:00.002-07:00

While growing up at around age 6 or 7 years old I received my second hearing aid after having worn out my first one that I had since age 2 1/2 years old. It wasn’t the behind the ear hearing aid but a body aid. I’ve gotten a lot of good mileage out of my old hearing aids. Obviously so because without that hearing aid of mine I wouldn’t be here where I am today. Successful and thankful with what residual hearing I had left though not perfect. It has helped me with my ongoing ragtime piano playing ever since I was seven years old. I am proud of all of my past hearing aids I've worn because each one of them I have used it with great benefit. I even remembered how I enjoyed using my hearing aid when I was little because it gave me access to the world of sound, music and voice around me. It took awhile to realize that hearing is a precious thing and a gift even if I couldn't hear perfectly. It was perfect enough for me with the help from the hearing aid technology. I even have a drawing I did when I was around 5 or 6 years old showing me as a happy kid wearing the body hearing aid. There was a time or two when I didn't like wearing my hearing aid but that phase quickly passed once I realized how important my hearing aids were to me.

Below is a picture of my old body hearing aid inside a protective case . It’s a Zenith. Along with a Battery Membership card, and a special yellow button that has as special message.

It’s so well preserved though I am sure my old hearing aid can work if I put in the right kind of battery.

Pretty fascinating on how hearing aids (even cochlear implants) have helped so many people with hearing loss. Isn’t technology great? And perhaps someday hearing aids will become obsolete with the help of biotechnology that have the ability to restore sensorineural hearing loss. It's not a matter of if but when. That day is coming whether in my lifetime or not.

Untold history of DPN, it almost collapsed!

2013-08-10T14:55:00.001-07:00

The 7 Ducks (name was given from their first meeting at a duck pin bowling alley) were behind the Deaf President Now rally movement that took place on March 1, 1988. They were primarily responsible in selecting the "Gallaudet Four" leaders to lead the DPN protest. The 7 Ducks consisted of Gallaudet University alumni were:

- Dwight Benedict (Gallaudet's dean of student affairs),
- Michael O'Donnell (professor in American Sign Language and Deaf Culture at George Washington University, Washington D.C.),
- Stephen Hlibok, (financial advisor for Merrill Lynch),
- Jeff Rosen (ZVRS general counsel),
-Fred Weiner, (Gallaudet's assistant vice president for administration),
- James Tucker (superintendent of Maryland School for the Deaf-Frederick),
- Paul Singleton (Purple Video Relay Services' director of government and strategic accounts).

What's interesting in this case is that all of them are bonafide Kappa Gamma brothers. No Kappa Sigma brothers. No Alpha Sigma Pi brothers. No independents. Why is that? Once the DPN protest began the Seven Ducks dissolved and was replaced by the DPN Committee since the protest became a student-driven protest.

One little bit of interesting tidbit of unknown history was that DPN came close to collapsing very early in the protest.

In the beginning prior to the DPN rally, which began on March 1, 1989 in support of electing a deaf president, the story goes that "Seven Ducks" asked many Gallaudet University students (including Tim Raurus and Greg Hlibok) if any of them would be willing to lead the DPN rally, a potentially sticky job. They all turned it down. The "Seven Ducks" finally approached Jerry Covell to see if he could do the job. Jerry agreed to take up the responsibility since he had nothing to lose.

The rally started with Jerry Covell standing on a large wooden box in front of a TV in the student cafeteria (wooden box was used by students to stand on so they can change the TV channels or use it to stand on to present short speeches or quick announcements). He was able to get the attention of students in the cafeteria with him waving his arms and explain to the students why they should support of the DPN rally.   From the 1994 book "The Deaf Way," Jerry Covell mused over his experience leading up to the DPN protest.

"When our former president, Dr. Lee, decided to resign his position to work for the company of one of the members of the Board of Trustees, we students had never really thought about having a deaf president. Though there was some talk among ourselves, we didn't seriously consider the possibility until December 1987 or January 1988. At that time, a group called "The Ducks" was formed. This was a group of seven or eight men, most from Gallaudet or formerly from Gallaudet, who were all strong leaders in the deaf community. They decided that it was important, in fact key, to get the students involved in having a deaf president. So in January they started planning for a rally the following March, March 1st. They asked students to participate, and I agreed.

I can recall going to the cafeteria to talk to the students, saying that we must have a deaf president. The students said that a deaf person could not be president of the University because the president has to use the phone and deal with Congress. If Gallaudet were to survive, they said, we must have a hearing president: There was no way a deaf person could be president of Gallaudet if the University were to continue. When I saw that I thought, "can't...." and I wondered. And of course I felt hurt because I thought a deaf person could do the job. So I continued to go to the cafeteria.

By the way, the reason I went to the cafeteria was that it is the best place on campus to reach a large number of students. The academic buildings are too spread out. The cafeteria is the one place where I could talk to most of the student body. it's the place to share information and ideas. For weeks I talked, and there was a promotion stressing the importance of having a deaf president.

The rally drew near. The Board of Trustees was considering six candidates for the position of president, three hearing and three deaf. We were ecstatic - three deaf people had made the final cut. So let's say there were ten hearing applicants and five deaf applicants, and the list was narrowed down to three deaf and three hearing finalists. It showed that deaf people could make it that far. It meant we could do more.

The last week of February, the Board of Trustees announced that there were three finalists for the position, and surprisingly, two of them were deaf. So we all felt fairly sure that there would be a deaf president for the University. It would happen. We were all very sure that we couldn't lose.

Then came March 1, the day of the rally. Everyone turned out, students, faculty, and staff. No one was in a teaching mood that day. All came to see what would be said. Speakers from all over the country stressed the importance of having a deaf president. One presenter - I can't remember who it was - said, "This is Gallaudet, a school for deaf people, the only one in the world. Yet in the buildings here the public phones are not accessible to deaf people. You have to go to an office and plead to borrow one- and hope that it's not broken - and search around to find a TTY you can use. That's outrageous! If we had a deaf president, he would make sure that all the phones in the buildings were accessible to deaf people."

I'll always remember that day. We had high hopes. We felt positive we would win. Then on Sunday, March 6th, the shock came. The Board of Trustees announced that Dr. Elisabeth Ann Zinser, a hearing person, had been selected as president of the University. The news came in the form of a press release that read, "Gallaudet University is proud to announce the appointment of the first woman president in the history of the University.

Now I'll be honest with you. I've got nothing against women. I think highly of women. But Jesus! Why not a deaf president instead of a woman president? We asked for a deaf president; we never asked for a woman. To make things worse, she was hearing. That was it! We really blew up. The crowd went wild and marched to the Mayflower Hotel, where the Board of Trustees was staying. As soon as we read that paper, we hit the streets.

The four student leaders in the DPN protest weren't the official leaders during the first march to the Mayflower Hotel. Just that Jerry Covell was the only recognized DPN rally leader of which he became the de factor leader in the DPN protest. The selection for official student leaders was done after the fact in order to pool crucial resources from a variety of people and organizations. The four DPN leaders were selected after the first march on March 6, the day of the announcement when Zinser was selected to be the president of Gallaudet University. The ad hoc protest group marched towards the Mayflower Hotel by marching illegally on the streets of Washington D.C. without a permit. In the photo below shows Jerry Covell leading the protest down the street (click on picture to enlarge it). In the photo below Jerry Covell is in the middle of the front protest line with his horizontal stripped shirt and famous trademarked denim jacket.

Perhaps the reason Greg Hlibok (brother of Nancy Hlibok Amman who is a Phi Kappa Zeta sorority sister who is also deeply involved in the latest power struggle at the Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind) and others who joined later as leaders of the protest because it was then deemed "safe" to step up seeing the large turn out and the near unanimous support from the deaf community as they rallied around the cause for a deaf president. Tim Raurus was a former SBG President at the time while Greg was the new SBG President for only a few weeks before the protest began. Bridgetta was considered by some people as the "token" female leader not knowing exactly why she was selected. I would surmise that Greg Hlibok or Tim Rarus didn't want to get in trouble with the Gallaudet University administration by getting their hands "dirty" and instead took a "wait-and-see" approach before risking their academic careers. It was Jerry Covell who actually did the "dirty work" in the beginning to try and get the students' support for DPN rally leading up to that fateful day on March 6, 1988. He took tremendous academic risk for stepping up to become the first leader of the DPN rally. He prevailed. The rest is history.

The four student leaders of DPN appointed for the protest were Greg Hlibok (Kappa Gamma and chief of the Disability Rights Office at the Federal Communications Commission in Washington, D.C), Jim Rarus (Kappa Gamma and senior vice president of sales at ZVRS), Bridgetta Bourne (supervisor of career center and transition services at California School for the Deaf-Fremont), and Jerry Covell (Kappa Sigma and coordinator of the Interpreter Preparation Program (American Sign Language) at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Ill). Jerry Covell was a natural leader of the protest. He had a knack in getting people fired up and was able to get his ideas across using fiery and inspirational words. The other two male leaders, Greg Hlibok and Tim Rarus, had their own strengths and weaknesses. Bridgetta Bourne was the fourth one installed to help round out the mostly male DPN leaders and put an inspirational female face on the DPN protest.

Once the leaders were selected the story goes that in the first few days into the protest it almost came to a halt with Jerry Covell threatening to leave the "Gallaudet Four" in the face of some of the DPN Committee members. It was believed his threat to leave had to do with the motives and agenda of Kappa Gamma brothers that Jerry found unpalatable.

The DPN Committee was responsible for the operational functions of the protest such as security, public relations, morale, etc. and consisted of Gallaudet students, alumni, faculty and staff members. Each of the four DPN leaders chose their own group of DPN Committee members. Both Tim Raurus and Greg Hlibok are Kappa Gamma members with Bridgetta Bourne-Firl who is a Phi Kappa Zeta sorority sister (note: PKZ considers Kappa Gamma fraternity as their "brother" group and Kappa Gamma sees PKZ as their "sister" group who some say they share the same zealotry on power and control, or so they say, and Bridgetta even married to Leslie Trosky Firl who became the Grand Rajah of the Kappa Gamma for the 1987 - 1988 school year). Jerry chose a more diversified group of people in his group. It wasn't long until Jerry's people quickly realized how they were out-leveraged by other people who had their own motives. The potential meltdown of DPN came in the first few days of the protest stemming from fraternity brothers and sorority sisters who wore their own Greek shirts. An effort to increase the visibility and advertisement of their own fraternity and sorority to try and inspire students who may want to join their Greek organization. Jerry knew it was a publicity stunt. Kappa Gamma Greek shirts worn were designed to be used as subliminal messages to the press and community. Kappa Gamma has an obsession about capturing leadership positions in various organization on Gallaudet campus.

It was the kind action and attitude that disappointed and dismayed Jerry Covell. He threatened to leave the group. Jerry flipped his two birds at the DPN Committee famously captured in a photo seen in Jack Gannon's book "THE WEEK THE WORLD HEARD GALLAUDET" which can be found on the top of page 55 in the book. Jerry was ready to walk out after flipping the birds at the DPN committee which probably occurred on the third day of the DPN protest at a time when there was a lot of media frenzy covering the DPN protest and people were getting national coverage. It must have been one heck of a serious conversation because everybody's face seen in the picture looked serious. This was in a roomful of Kappa Gamma brothers (click on picture to expand) who were a part of the DPN Committee. I'm sure some people will try and deny that the incident ever happened and the real reason why Jerry flipped them off.

Leaving the newly formed "Gallaudet Four" so early into the protest would have undoubtedly put the kibosh on the whole DPN protest and in danger of collapsing had Kappa Gamma brothers and Phi Kappa Zeta sisters insisted on wearing their Greek shirts during the protest period. The protest, as it was explained, was an opportunity for all of the deaf and hard of hearing people at Gallaudet University to come together as one "loud voice," and not about an opportunity to advertise their own fraternity or sorority. The DPN Committee relented and agreed to Covell's demand (or so the story is told). And the rest is history.

Jerry Covell at one time did not belong to any fraternity. He actually tried to join Kappa Gamma and was a Kappa Gamma pledge in his first week of probation. But that didn't last long since he walked out on them. It was said that he was disgusted with what he saw going on inside during the pledging process. He wasn't afraid of Kappa Gamma as you can see with him giving Kappa Gamma brothers who were a part of the DPN Committee the bird. The following year after trying to join Kappa Gamma, he joined Kappa Sigma. At the time of the protest in March of 1988 Covell was the Grand Procurator of Kappa Sigma and in the Fall of 1989 became the Grand Master. One of the big reason why he joined the Kappa Sigma fraternity was because the fraternity never supported hazing from the very beginning. They believe in the simple honor and respect of their fellow human beings. From the 1990 Tower Clock Gallaudet University Yearbook, page 324, on Kappa Sigma:

The benefits they had to offer, frankly, were unequaled by any other organization I knew of and the concept of a warm, strong brotherhood that these men had shared caught my fancy. Another valuable plus about them: they don't haze. Their stand against hazing and the belief that pledging should be any enrichness and education of character rather than abuse and strict "training and re-education" of minds and bodies only served to further reinforce my initial hunch that this fraternity was the one for me.

It was an open secret when it came to which fraternity did the hazing and which did not. But notice the power structure at the time. The Seven Ducks were all Kappa Gamma brothers. Two of the four DPN leaders are Kappa Gamma brothers with the third being a Phi Kappa Zeta sorority sister. PKZ is considered to be the sister Greek organization of Kappa Gamma who share the same ideals as Kappa Gamma.

In the 1989 Gallaudet University yearbook (1988 - 1989 school year) Tim Rarus was like all other Kappa Gamma brothers holding no title other than being a Kappa Gamma brother. In the next following 1989 - 1990 school year after the DPN protest was over and the first deaf president was finally put in place Tim Rarus suddently became the Grand Rajah of Kappa Gamma. Tim never held previously the Kamoos, Tahdheed, Mukhtar, Abbah Tekoth or Abbah Ganesa Kappa Gamma title. Though not to mean holding a certain title is a pre-requisite to become the Grand Rajah.

The power structure of Kappa Gamma during the mid to late 1980s was a crucial period in gaining the necessary influence within the community of Gallaudet University and the Student Body Government whose elected top SBG officials were mostly Kappa Gamma brothers. All of which coincided with the DPN protest in March of 1988 and the eventual success that sealed their power base, influence and authority. That is until charges of hazing and racism within their organization leading to suspension of their organization multiple times in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and the unfortunate Nazi-like salute in the 1989 group photo which shifted more of their influence and respect away from them.

What is interesting is to see the make-up of the Student Body Government during the 1980s and 1990s. In the 1987/1988 SBG adminstration school year was led by Tim Rarus, president of SBG, and Hector Brual, vice president, who were Kappa Gamma brothers at the time. During the 1988/1989 SBG administration period they had Greg Hlibok, president, and Roger Kraft, vice-presiden, both were Kappa Gamma brothers at the time who just came off of the successful DPN protest several months earlier in March of 1988. For the 1989/1990 SBG Administration year Terry Wilding was the president while Roger Kraft became the vice-president, both were Kappa Gamma brothers at the time. Successive years with Kappa Gamma brothers holding top influential positions. The names and Greek organization can be verified in Gallaudet University's yearbooks.

Here's an example of the SBG make up during the 1987/1988 SBG administration year.

- Tim Rarus, President (Kappa Gamma)
- Hector Brual, Vice-president (Kappa Gamma)
- Debbie Trapani, Assistant to President (Phi Kappa Zeta)
- Heidi MacGlaughlin, Assistant to Vice-president
- U. Sung Chung, Special Assistant to President (Kappa Gamma)
- Stevie Gemmil, Secretary to Special Assistant
- Jolene Whaley, Administrative Secretary
- Craig Hanrahan, Business Manager (Kappa Gamma)
- Paul Rutowski, Assistant Business Manager (Kappa Gamma)
- Jennifer Nasukiewicz, Special Assistant to Business Manager
- William Millios, Director of Academic Affairs (Kappa Gamma)
- Ted Baldwin, Director of Athletic Affairs
- Jeff Bravin, Director of Public Relations (became a Kappa Gamma the following year post DPN)
- Liz Walker, Director of Student Relations
- Cayetano Adamo, Direct of Student Welfare
- Joe Hartung, Assistant Direct of Student Welfare (Kappa Gamma)
- Colleen Smith, Director of Housing Affairs
- Janet Etkie, Assistant of Housing Affairs
- Tade Cross, Director of Social & Cultural Affairs
- Missy Kaler, Assistant Director of Social & Cultural Affairs
- Ginger Smith, Assistant Director of Social & Cultural Affairs
- Debbie Burnaman, Director of Student Media
- Mary Chimelak, Assistant Director of Student Media
- Jennifer Cooper, Publicity Director
- Andrew Byrne, Proofreader
- Menchu Sanchez, Typist
- Christine Beckwith, Chief Justice (Phi Kappa Zeta)
- Terry Wilding, Student Congress Speaker (Kappa Gamma)
- Christine Ehrlich, Student Congress Vice-Speaker (Phi Kappa Zeta)
- Maureen Behrens, Student Congress Secretary
- Petra Horn, Parliamentarian
- Mario Hernadez, Sargeant-at-Arms
- Carl Schroeder, Advisor (Kappa Gamma )

As you can see in this example most of the males in the SBG were Kappa Gamma brothers holding top positions of influence and power. A pattern repeated throughout the rest of the 1980s and early 1990s. Much of these power and influence have gone beyond the confines of Gallaudet University into the field of education, technology, and social politics. That's another story, another time.

Now you know the interesting and yet unknown part of DPN history and the important role Kappa Gamma played in. Not to mention Jerry Covell's courage in helping set the DPN path in the right direction.

When extremism goes after their own sign language interpreters

2013-08-04T21:37:00.001-07:00

AFA and others have been demonizing interpreters hired by A.G. Bell while others have produced names and pictures of them. Never mind that Professional Interpreters are bound by a code of professional conduct to provide equal access, remain neutral, and keep confidential, no matter who the clients are. But for any sign language interpreters to show up at the July 18 - 20, 2013 A.G. Bell LSLS Symposium in Los Angeles was met, ironically, with outrage by extremist adherents. Damned if you do produce an interpreter, damned if you don't and not provide that all important communication access. Interpreters who were hired at the A.G. Bell LSLS Symposium get called as "traitors" and other name bashing. Rick P. and few others on the Facebook discussion were the only few sane, common sense people on board contributing to the discussion.

Folks, as a CODA, a husband of a Deaf woman, an interpreter and a colleague of Mr. LoParo, I can tell you Bob is neither a traitor nor a supporter of AGB. He was there to provide communication access - period. Think about it. If he wasn't there, how would you know what they were really saying? If you depended on his work to know what was being said, then you know he wasn't the message, he was only the messenger. Don't shoot the messenger. Many of us interpret in situations we don't really like. Just because an interpreter takes a job it doesn't mean we support any particular side. In fact, if we did, we shouldn't take the job. I'm sure Bob knew that taking the job would be difficult. I'm also sure he felt that the Deaf people who were there to protest had a right to know what was being said and that's probably why he took the job.

Jen P. interjects:

I am stunned by this witch hunt. I hope you all realize what you are saying when you say you expect interpreters to serve only those with whom they agree. Be very careful what you wish for. We live and act in a political world. We interpret in a neutral one.

Rick P. continues on his with his explanation shedding a bit more light on the misplaced mock outrage.

The reality in this situation is that Mr. LoParo was not paid directly by AGBell. He worked for an interpreting agency that was providing interpreters at the request of the conference. It seems like interpreters are in a no-win situation with this. We see what has happened with Mr. LoParo in this posting. I'm curious what would have happened if no interpreters accepted the job. Would we then be accused of being audist and on AGBell's "side" because there was a lack of communication access? Would we then be accused of intentionally keeping the Deaf community "in the dark"? Personally, I encourage our communities to have a discussion about the situation. I would also warn that some people on this thread are getting close to the legal definition of slander. I would also warn that we are "dividing and conquering" ourselves which plays right into the hands of the oppressor.

And that has been the biggest problem among culturally deaf rabid adherents when it comes to their own "dividing and conquering" within their own culturally deaf community.

Deborah M. makes a salient point on communication access and knowing what's going on at the convention.

I'm just saying that there could be situations where having an interpreter there at AGBell could be good for the Deaf community.

Rather than to attack interpreters for accepting an interpreting job at AG Bell, use them for the benefit of learning and meeting people in the effort to learn from each other the people at the symposium. Rick Pope made an observation about the AFA who was there.

Reading Ms. Jordan's account of the situation at the Omni hotel, it becomes clear that the AFA leader herself was using an interpreter for communication access that ensured her First Amendment rights. She clearly redirected people who were inappropriately trying to interpret.
"Ruthie made it clear that there were ASL certified and qualified interpreters at the rally and at no point should the security or police utilize AG Bell staff members as interpreters."
So, I have to wonder why an interpreter is catching hell from AFA supporters when the interpreter was requested by the AFA leadership. As for the comments about Mr. LoParo's "stone face", he was interpreting in a situation that could have or did involve law enforcement. If Mr. LoParo had greeted people with hugs and other behaviors that are common in the Deaf world, it could have given the impression that he was not impartial. This could have given the AGBers reason to remove him from the situation (I've seen it happen) thus negatively affecting communication access for the ASL-using protestors. Even by the AFA accounts on the website, Mr. LoParo behaved professionally and ensured the AFA leadership had meaningful access to their Constitutional rights. Why, then, is he being excoriated without any comment from the very consumers of his services?

Jen P. offered her perspective as an interpreter who attended a previous AG Bell conference.

I worked at the AGB Conference in Milwaukee in 2008, as an ASL interpreter and as an oral interpreter. I shall not discuss assignment specifics due to confidentiality. I am, however, compelled to say that AG Bell conferences are gathering places for a diverse assemblage of people, many of whom are deaf and, through no fault of their own, grew up deprived of access to a natural, visual language. Every last one of these individuals has the right to attend this or any other event, the right to discuss educational, social, linguistic and medical concerns with others who also face the same issues. They have the right to access language and information and the right to the interpreting or captioning services of their choosing. All of the attendees had an opportunity during the conference to either use or to see ASL interpreters at work. I am proud of the service I provided for these deaf individuals. I did not make the decision to work at this conference lightly or easily or without a lot of reflective and deliberate thought. Nobody has the right or authority to tell me which deaf people are (or ARE NOT) worthy of interpreting services, or in which contexts they may be served. The interpreters at these conferences are not conspirators with the enemy. They are not oralists or audists. They are performing the same professional, confidential and impartial services they provide to anyone else in the deaf/Deaf communities. You want to find out what happens if interpreters stop interpreting AG Bell conferences? It’s an interesting thought-experiment, but why stop there? Should VRS interpreters disconnect a call every time someone makes a comment in a phone conversation that is oppressive, hateful, rude, illegal, or distasteful? Do deaf people not have the human right to make their own mistakes, to deceive and be deceived, to have views that lie outside the mainstream? Should hearing interpreters decide who has the right to services based on a person’s religion, race, sexual orientation, political views, affiliations and memberships? Be careful of what you wish for. And please cease and desist with this intolerable and defamatory witch hunt. All of your energies are much better spent against your enemies than against your allies.

She further re-iterates the danger of blacklisting and choosing for the interpreters based on an ideological condition.

Patti, if one truly believes that the conference attendees have the right to equal access, it follows (for me) that as a professional, if I am qualified for the work and able to execute my duties with impartiality, then I need not recuse myself. I am not supporting an organization or an "ism". I am serving people. Actual people, not abstract stereotypes or cultural villains. The thinking on this thread has been very black and white. This setting is approved for interpreters, this setting is bad. This interpreter is good. This one is blacklisted. It is this kind of black and white thinking that rules the AG Bell roost. Signing is bad and talking is good. Activism can be polluted by extremism. I am not an AG Bell supporter. I support open communication between deaf and hearing people. I will not be intimidated by extremist thinking into believing that somebody else should do the work that I believe should be done and done well. It's not a great analogy, but some lawyers defend criminals because they believe in citizens rights to a fair defense. I believe in communication access. My conscience is clear.

The latest FB discussion is an interesting read on how extremism can get out of control. It's also an example of a slippery slope in action in the attempt to try and control interpreters on who they should or should not interpret for purely on ideological and selfish motives. And at the same time fall prey to their own paranoia. A move that would guarantee shooting oneself in the foot each and every time.

Video: Deaf Athletes doing the Nazi Salute at Summer Deaf Olympic Games

2013-08-03T14:52:00.001-07:00

Here's a shocking video with picture stills (see below) of deaf athletes parading around on the White City Olympic stadia oval track doing the Nazi salute at the Summer Deaf Olympic Games or known as the International Games for the Deaf at White City, London in 1935. Twelve countries and 221 deaf athletes participated in that event. One picture still from the video you can clearly see a deaf team from Great Britain doing the Nazi salute. Of course, the deaf German team was expected to do the Nazi salute while flying their Nazi Germany's Swastika flag. It's a grim look into the past seeing deaf non-German athletes "forced" to do the Nazi salute not knowing in a few years many of their deaf brethens in other countries and deaf Jews would be persecuted and/or exterminated during the horrors of WWII Holocaust by Nazi Germany.

Click here for video

How ironic on finding this video while the Deaflympic Games is taking place presently in Sofia, Bulgaria, too.

Click here for video

It's no fun seeing deaf people running around mimicking the Nazi-like salute whether intentional or not just like what the 35 brothers of Kappa Gamma of Gallaudet University did in a 1989 group photo shot.

It's quite shocking that in 1989 Kappa Gamma brothers did not have enough intelligence to not incorporate their Nazi-like salute into their fraternity claiming it to be a type of a "secret handshake." This is a salute which can only be construed, as anybody would, as nothing but a Nazi-salute. There is no excuse for what Kappa Gamma brothers did when you factor in the horror and history of the Holocaust in WWII. And by saying that let's take a closer look at the history of 1935 Deaf Olympics and what the Holocaust did on deaf Jews in Germany.

We need research taking a look at what was going on with the so-called Deaf Olympics. There were international games for the deaf in Stockholm throughout the 1920s but in particular in 1935, and then in 1939 after there was almost a boycott of the regular Olympics in 1936, yet deaf people throughout the world participated in the Olympics in Stockholm. And of course, the Germans sent a team. There were no Jews, there were no Jews on the team but there was a team that went to the games in Stockholm, and of course, as you can imagine, the Germans won the most medals.

I apologize to the interpreters, that was a long aside.

If it’s difficult to determine precise figures for the number of deaf people the Nazis sterilized, as Dr. Heberer indicated, it is impossible to know exactly how many deaf people were murdered in the T-4 program. As she mentioned some of the records of this operation were destroyed, but even if there were complete documentation, gleaning the number of deaf victims from the files would be a delicate operation. Deaf people were never officially designated as subjects in the Euthanasia Pro... project, yet we know from Friedlander and Biesold that deaf infants, children, and adults were murdered in the asylums. Some were surely misdiagnosed as schizophrenic, cognitively disabled, sometimes as a result of staff failure to properly communicate with deaf people in sign language or in appropriate written German, and sometimes as the tragic result of societal prejudice about the intelligence of anyone who is deaf. When we recall that a patient’s dossier from an asylum often received only a cursory glance from the doctor, who could sign a death warrant, it’s clear that the diagnoses were often meaningless. Perhaps only a painstaking examination of extant hospital and asylum files, records from schools for the deaf, and the state-run killing centers will elucidate the treatment of deaf people in the T-4 program. The fate of deaf Jews in Germany, in Nazi-occupied Europe, is a story of tragic discrimination and heroic survival. There were very few deaf Jewish survivors from Germany.

Regardless, the Holocaust is a known history that took place during WWII where 5 to 6 million people were murdered in extermination Nazi camps. What might be surprising with the group photo circulating the internet is that the current president of Gallaudet University is a deaf Jewish person with a strong Jewish heritage. In fact, president Hurwitz became the first deaf Jewish person to become president of Gallaudet University in its 145 year history. Also, in 1983 he was awarded as an honorary Kappa Gamma brother by Kappa Gamma. How will president Hurwitz and Kappa Gamma's own history of hazing where the Greek fraternity was suspended three times in 1980s and 1990s be able to rectify the Nazi salute photo to the American public? Can president Hurwitz explain away with a straight face to deaf Jewish people everywhere that the Kappa Gamma salute in the group photo is not a Nazi-style salute? But merely a type of a "secret handshake?" Will president Hurwitz continue to align himself with the Kappa Gamma fraternity as an honorary Kappa Gamma brother knowing their hazing past and their Nazi-like salute taken 1989 while continuing to attend Kappa Gamma's annual Grand March seen in this video here?

How will Kappa Gamma and president Hurwitz of Gallaudet University rectify these problems that have come to light recently? Why would anyone want to join a fraternity who have refused to publicly apologize for their past behaviors and hazing practices on former pledges and who may still be suffering mentally and emotionally? Who will take the lead to rectify these past mistakes? President Hurwitz? The leaders of Kappa Gamma, current and past?

Keeping quiet is not the answer.

Who will have the balls and leadership to step forward and do the right thing? Why continue to ignore the whole Nazi salute snafu as if nothing happened, president Hurwitz? I'm sure the Jewish Deaf community and the deaf community as a whole would like know. Why continue to ignore the past persecution and murder against deaf people by Nazi Germany? Why continue the association with Kappa Gamma if they are unwilling to publicly apologize for their past hazing transgressions against deaf pledges and their careless indifference about the Holocaust history by doing the Nazi salute while their official Kappa Gamma robes are the blue hooded garments with human skulls on them?

Simon J. Carmel’s lecture, “Silent No More: Testimonies of Deaf Holocaust Survivors” related the unheard stories of the persecuted deaf Jewish during World War II.

What would deaf Holocaust survivors say to you, president Hurwitz? Kappa Gamma? Will you honor the memories of deaf Holocaust survivors and those who never made it out alive in WWII?

President Hurwitz, it's time to be "silent no more" and help preserve the institution's integrity, the Deaf Jewish community relationship and make a stronger and more respectful fraternity organization. It's time to be on the victim's side of history and do the ultimate mea culpa in public.

They are waiting.

UPDATE: What I have should have done was put into a pre-Nazi historical context with the salute. Prior to 1942 the Nazi-like salute was actually done in the United States as part of the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. This was called the Bellamy Salute, something that I discussed in an earlier blog in reference to the 1989 group photo. "It was actually the official American salute (in the Pledge of Allegiance) and then it became the official Olympic salute before it became the gesture of German socialism (see the new book "Pledge of Allegiance + Swastika Secrets" by Ian Tinny explaining the work of the historian Dr. Rex Curry). The Pledge of Allegiance was the origin of the Nazi salute and Nazi behavior. So, at the old olympic games there were more than just Germans doing the gesture. and the 1989 youngsters might have known more about the gestures roots in the USA and in the Olympics then those around them." Hat tip - Daniel Ruth.

Yet, it is still a shocking vid seeing them doing a Nazi-like salute even though that salute was invented around 1892 but 7 years later in 1942 Congress out of act of embarrassment and preservation out of the fact that Nazi Germany stole the United States' salute changed their salute to hand over the heart whenever we do the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.

Flipping a 620 lb tractor tire

2013-08-01T01:59:00.000-07:00

Deaf man flips a 620lb tractor tire for fun. Who is this guy?