Return-Path: <nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id e9QNGm929694; Thu, 26 Oct 2000 19:16:48 -0400 (EDT) Date: Thu, 26 Oct 2000 19:16:48 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <006401c03fa3$465ea200$21bd1a3f@cbking> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Catherine King" <cb.king@verizon.net> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-POVRACELIT:258] Re: Deafness as Culture: A Question X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2314.1300 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 5142 Lines: 129 I changed my e-mail and some things got lost. Here is my post to Kate again. Thanks, Catherine King > To Kate, who asks about culture and group identities, > especially where deaf persons consider themselves as > a different "culture." > > Perhaps it would help to relate "culture" to two things: > First as we would a "cultured" pearl, where, instead of > growing in the wild, its development comes under > conscious control with an aim at excellence. > > Second, as deTocqueville knew so well, a democracy > of individuals who live in a plural political climate gain our > sense of who we are through the collective voice of a > group, or different kinds of groups, we associate with. > > These groups are either a part of our historical condition > we cannot change (like deafness) or they are chosen > by our interests in a wide range of selections, like > clubs, college associations, political affiliations, either > loosely identified with or very strongly identified with. > > These group associations are kinds of identities, and > can have negative reasons to be, like gangs, or racist > organizations like the KKK. But in our "culture," what > it means to be "plural" is that we are, as you say, > individual, but we also are a culture of groups. We live > in the tension between these two kinds of identities. > > In other words, we live in the tension between being > individual, alone, isolated, self-determined on the one > hand, and, on the other hand, in being a member of > a-or-many groups where we often have a like history > of ***shared experiences*** have an automatic shared, > starting point in that experience, companionship, > a place for dialogue about problems and working out > plans, etc. > > As you also seem aware of, belonging to a group also > creates an automatic separation from others, but this is > the tension we live in in our plural "culture." Those > separations are not "hard" or structurally oppositional, > but rather are usually fluid, communicative, and open. > > We are going through a very "democratic" time right now > where hegemony on all fronts is being questioned, and > where the deaf are but one "different" group, who don't share > the same "normalities" that most of us do, and who are > forming a collective association to claim some power in > the voicing of their problems. > > Here in these groups and associations is where I presume > the "individuality" that you so rightly cherish is experienced > by many deaf people (and other groups) as utter isolation > and systematic rejection by the larger group who doesn't > think it is a separate group--but really is by virtue of how > even the sidewalks are set up? > > That the deaf are willing to take collective stands around > "deaf pride," says they have finally "gotten" the > democratic spirit--that no matter what is "wrong," with > them, they are politically and socially equal in this land. > More power to them. And they are a "them," to me > because I am not deaf. > > This is an equality that most of us share, but hardly know > we have. But, like black people, or ***any*** group that > has been sometimes forced into an associative mold > (like racism or sexism) does to us, they/we ***don't > experience freedom and equality in the same way that > you apparently have.*** > > This is a systematic, everyday, every-conversation thing, > and it has a tendency to wear a person raw--when we > finally realize the subtle oppressions that have been going > on--and in part precisely because so many, until the quiet > revolution happens, are so oblivious to the oppression they- > we are systematically involved in. > > So we press against the oppression by associating > systematically with others like ourselves and who share > those experiences that no one else does--deafness, a > history of white-against black racism, sexism, anti- > Semitism, etc., etc. > > What keeps order in our plural "culture," is that there are > so many smaller group "cultures" (reflective developments > like the pearl) who hopefully take it upon themselves to > remain civilized and where their members can move in and > out of different groups and into the vast loneliness of the > general culture while still gaining sustenance from their > group identities. > > I hope this helps. Not everyone has your experience, > nor you theirs? > > Catherine King > ----- Original Message ----- From: Kate Gladstone & Andrew S. Haber <kate@global2000.net> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov> Sent: Thursday, October 26, 2000 9:06 AM Subject: [NIFL-POVRACELIT:246] Re: Deafness as Culture: A Question > Catherine King's message unfortunately came through as a blank. > Ma'am, what did you say? > > > Yours for better letters, > Kate Gladstone - Handwriting Repair > kate@global2000.net, kate@WriteMe.com > http://www.global2000.net/handwritingrepair > 325 South Manning Boulevard > Albany, NY 12208-1731 > 518/482-6763 > AND REMEMBER ... > you can order books through my site! (Amazon.com link - I > get a 5% - 15% commission on each book sold) > > > > > >
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