In my last blog, I was talking about tolerance and respect between people with different viewpoints and opinions. The comments took a decided turn, after Melissa commented about the threats she and her daughter had received. Those threats were turned over to the police. There is a line between free speech and threats of violence. At first it seemed that those threats were isolated incidents, but more commenters came out saying that they too had received threats.
What constitutes threats? Is it ok to say you want to kill somebody if you don't really mean it? How much can or should we tolerate in the name of free speech? How should the D/deaf community respond when someone else threatens violence in the blog comments?
Please say your piece, but please be respectful while doing it. Thanks.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Enough with the CI Blogs?
I read a blog post recently that basically stated that they were tired of the Cochlear Implant updates. No more surgery posts, IEP updates, mapping news or anything else of that sort. They wanted posts about Deaf Experiences. More emphasis on the whole person, not just their technologically enhanced hearing experience. Most of the comments were in full agreement.
I understand that Deaf Read was originally designed by and for Culturally Deaf people. But is it really advantageous to limit all perspectives but our own? If everybody is of the same opinion, there is no growth. No learning. No thinking. It is through the exchange of ideas that bridges are built and connections are made. Our Founding Fathers knew this. They made the free exchange of information part of our Constitution.
I will take things a step further. I believe that diversity is absolutely necessary, required and designed into us by God. We NEED to be unique. We NEED to have different opinions and ideas. God needs us to learn from each other, grow with each other and help each other. I believe that one of the biggest things we need to learn is tolerance. How do we engage in conflict resolution in a peaceful and respectful manner? We start by respecting and tolerating different people and different ideas.
Does anyone really have the right to say that since they no longer want to read or discuss something, that nobody else should blog about it? These are blog posts people. You have the complete choice on what you click on and what you don’t. If you don’t want to read about someone’s implant surgery, don’t read it. I guarantee that someone else is interested in it and is glad that post was put up.
Diversity, tolerance and respect demand that we try our best to allow each other room for expression. Yes, that blogger has the right to her opinion. She also has the right to tell us about it. I have the right to think that was disrespectful of her. I also have the right to keep blogging about the things that are important to me. And I strongly hope that her negative opinion does not deter other bloggers from putting up the posts they feel strongly about.
K.L.
I understand that Deaf Read was originally designed by and for Culturally Deaf people. But is it really advantageous to limit all perspectives but our own? If everybody is of the same opinion, there is no growth. No learning. No thinking. It is through the exchange of ideas that bridges are built and connections are made. Our Founding Fathers knew this. They made the free exchange of information part of our Constitution.
I will take things a step further. I believe that diversity is absolutely necessary, required and designed into us by God. We NEED to be unique. We NEED to have different opinions and ideas. God needs us to learn from each other, grow with each other and help each other. I believe that one of the biggest things we need to learn is tolerance. How do we engage in conflict resolution in a peaceful and respectful manner? We start by respecting and tolerating different people and different ideas.
Does anyone really have the right to say that since they no longer want to read or discuss something, that nobody else should blog about it? These are blog posts people. You have the complete choice on what you click on and what you don’t. If you don’t want to read about someone’s implant surgery, don’t read it. I guarantee that someone else is interested in it and is glad that post was put up.
Diversity, tolerance and respect demand that we try our best to allow each other room for expression. Yes, that blogger has the right to her opinion. She also has the right to tell us about it. I have the right to think that was disrespectful of her. I also have the right to keep blogging about the things that are important to me. And I strongly hope that her negative opinion does not deter other bloggers from putting up the posts they feel strongly about.
K.L.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Survey for Adult Signers with CIs
Survey for Adult Signers with Cochlear Implant
Dear Respondent:
You are invited to participate in a survey on how deaf adult signers
experience cochlear implant. This project has been approved by the
Institutional Review Board of Gallaudet University. It will take
approximately 15 minutes to complete the questionnaire.
Through your participation we hope to provide a descriptive summary of
common as well as unique experiences among deaf adult signers who wear
cochlear implant(s). We believe that the results of the survey will be
useful for other deaf adults who are contemplating cochlear
implantation. The results will be summarized and interpreted in a book
chapter.
Thank you very much for your time and support. Please start with the
demographics and survey now by clicking on
http://cochlearimplantsurvey.questionpro.com .
Sincerely,
Khadijat Rashid, Ph.D.
Poorna Kushalnagar, Ph.D.
Raja Kushalnagar, J.D.
--
Poorna Kushalnagar, Ph.D.
Co-Investigator, Texas site
Quality of Life - Deaf/HOH Youth Research Project (
https://depts.washington.edu/projhql/ )
Department of Health Services
School of Public Health and Community Medicine
University of Washington
poornak@u.washington.edu
Dear Respondent:
You are invited to participate in a survey on how deaf adult signers
experience cochlear implant. This project has been approved by the
Institutional Review Board of Gallaudet University. It will take
approximately 15 minutes to complete the questionnaire.
Through your participation we hope to provide a descriptive summary of
common as well as unique experiences among deaf adult signers who wear
cochlear implant(s). We believe that the results of the survey will be
useful for other deaf adults who are contemplating cochlear
implantation. The results will be summarized and interpreted in a book
chapter.
Thank you very much for your time and support. Please start with the
demographics and survey now by clicking on
http://cochlearimplantsurvey.
Sincerely,
Khadijat Rashid, Ph.D.
Poorna Kushalnagar, Ph.D.
Raja Kushalnagar, J.D.
--
Poorna Kushalnagar, Ph.D.
Co-Investigator, Texas site
Quality of Life - Deaf/HOH Youth Research Project (
https://depts.washington.edu/
Department of Health Services
School of Public Health and Community Medicine
University of Washington
poornak@u.washington.edu
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