Friday, April 27, 2007

Pride is a magnet toward unity




Jay Krieger believes having pride is the best thing anyone can have. Once a person has pride, it will become a magnet attracting the person to others with same pride, creating unity.

14 comments:

Oscar Chacon said...

Yes, I do agree that pride (non-destructing [either to others or self]) is very very good thing because it simply means that we are very aware we are humans and we set OUR own standards for ourselves individually because though there are rules and expectations from the society we are ultimately accountable to ourselves.

Beaux Arts de Boutjean said...

This is bloody true. Albeit losing a leg or two, veterans from the Iraq war say they have become much more whole and new after losing their legs -- something that they have never experienced before. It means that people take life for granted until something strikes them. Veterans now participate in a race or a marathon with two artifical legs, something they had never done before when they had two normal legs. Their motto echoes deaf people's motto:
"I can do it." Some people feel self-pity and feel negative, "Me deaf. "I cannot find a job because I am deaf. I have to live on SSDI or need CI." If they wear a pride
pin on their label, the world opens to them! So I completely agree with you, Jay, about pride.

David said...

Hi Jay,

Here is my response: CLICK HERE

Anonymous said...

To add to your story, I would expand the word Pride to also mean "a sense of belonging" to a group. I agree that to feel pride, to feel belonging makes all the difference in a person's mental and emotional well being.

Still, there are those who turn their magnetic field the opposite direction and push others away - like a polar reaction - not letting them belong.

Once we can overcome that resistance, once Pride can go along with "unconditional acceptance," then people will feel true belonging.

~ LaRonda

ASL Risen said...

Deaf Chipmunk (David)!

Yes! You RIGHT! I agreed with you!!

It is really so hard for some of us who have bad scars for many years to recover ourself to get more pride! That's why I had hard time to explain from my currently vlog.

Jay, thanks so much for bringing up your "Pride" video clip. I hope that ASL Studies and Deaf Culture will be provide by health care insurance because we couldn't find our own identity for so many years.
You did great job! Keep pluging!

Thanks, Shawn

Karen Mayes said...

Hey, good to see you back to vlogging. I know you'd vlog whenever mood hits you, which makes the topics you discuss more from your heart. :o)

Anyway, you got me thinking... pride equals acceptance. Pride comes to people who are suddenly disabled or who are oppressed, either way...they go through the grieving process (shock, denial, anger, depression, and acceptance, in that order.) So pride is the product of the process, hmmm?

I agree with Deaf Chipmunk's vlog comment... that there are true pride and false pride. It seems to me that deaf adults have better dealing with acceptance than deaf children, because in the children's world (applies to hearing also) there is competition for acceptance (wanting to have friends, be popular, etc. So to me, children do reflect parents' beliefs and expectations.

Sadly, I have seen that there is some rejection of some deaf people just because they fail to meet the expectations (being somewhat different... no one likes to be different, we all want to be accepted. What we don't realize is it is OK to be different and still be accepted.) That is what I am working on with my son who is mainstreamed... he sensed right away that he was no longer welcome at ISD when we went there last week for an evening meeting, that the kids mocked him. So he stepped away and felt lonely. Well, kids will always be kids, going through the learning process of identity and acceptance. But it sure makes one think.

ASL Risen said...

Karen Mayes,

Very interesting! I wonder if ISD do have Deaf Culture studies for very young age kids??? Will that be more helpful for the young Deaf kids to respect?

From what my Deaf son's experience that he do not want to be involved in mainstream school because he knows that there are a lot of bullies hearing kids attacked on Deaf Mainstream kids. My Deaf son feels more comfortable in Deaf School with a lot of good Deaf Model Role teachers and RAs.

My Deaf son do not want to stay home after school everyday because he found so boring. He likes to stay at the dorm because he wants to be involved in a lot of activities with other Deaf kids. My Deaf son told me that it could help us to save gas if he stays in the dorm.

I do not understand why the principal told my Deaf son that he has to wait to take Deaf Culture Studies until he becomes sophomore! I don't think it's right because everyone should take Deaf Culture to help them find their own identity and start respect other Deaf.

So I don't know if I am right about this?? I better go jump in the shower now before I need go zoom work. Hope you will have a very good day, Karen Mayes!!

Shawn

Domvera said...

David,

You said very beautifully in analogy of prideism. Absolutely, I agreed with your perspectives. Silent Applause!

Even before Deaf President Now (DPN), I used to have low pride in deaf. Some students at my school were into controversy about the choices of pride in deaf or hearing world. I never know about deaf history, culture, and language. When the awake of DPN effect, my pride increased gradually. Then Deaf Way I arrived at Gallaudet, I suddenly felt more merrier to be deaf. In about 10-15 years later, I came to NTID/Gallaudet, my pride became super pride as if I join Deaf Justice League as we are superheroes ourselves. Go DEAF PRIDE!

Many thanks for your brining this wonderful topic to discuss.

Take care!

Nick Vera

Karen Mayes said...

Huh, Shawn, no... my son feels more accepted at the mainstream school. He is much happier in the mainstream school now, than when he was an ISD student. Anyway, ISD has a new program on bullying and has been implemented this year, in the elementary school, so it will take some time for it to take effect at ISD. My son is what you'd call... a "hard of hearing" kid who feels not part of either hearing world or deaf world, despite he has deaf parents, deaf sister who is a strong ASL user, deaf community, etc. It is more of his choice and his journey... it does not have to do with his "loss of identity" like it is with many people. He already knows there is deaf world and hearing world and he is just exploring. It is how he deals with acceptance AND rejection. There is rejection in the deaf world, same as in the hearing world, as well as acceptance in both worlds.

I really don't know much about deaf culture cirrculum at ISD... but elementary school does have ASL class which the students attend once a week. I know nothing about middle school and high school, because my kids are of elementary school age ;o)

Shawn, there are a few deaf children who LOVE mainstreaming... it all depends on the attitudes. For my son, it is not forced. He decided to explore mainstreaming, after weighing pros and cons. We have made it very clear to him that he is always welcome back to ISD if he ever changes his mind and so far he is happy with his mainstream school, so I leave it alone for now, but I keep an eye on him to make sure he is doing well.

Anonymous said...

Tim said,

Jay,
Need to clarify on specific issue.
some people may not know what the meaning of pride. It is important to know..
There is two different kind of PRIDE.

Pessimistic- negative

optimistic- positive

Both can/ or may come in good or bad way towards unity!

mule4350 said...

Yean It sound good point for Deaf Unity but It is not easy in any work as where are communicatte with hearing workers and Pride only are Deaf Workers . Deaf always been pride if see Deaf people around then communicate easily!

Anonymous said...

I smiled when you said that. You could be right, and I agree there is a positive and negative to Pride.

Did you know that Pride is one of the Deadly Sins?

:)

mochame said...

I am very pride of deaf american, because i born in america and born DEAF Pride I born with ASL also ASL Pride! Should i add to Deaf Mute Pride? I dunno because i don't born in 1880 era!

Karen Mayes said...

Hey, I spoke briefly with my hearing sister and she said one or two things about pride... she does not know Jay except for the Nature Calls links I sent to her. Anyway, her comments:

"You know, it might be kind of interesting to write a blog about deafness and anger/rage issues. Much I have read about deafness says that there are some "common" factors in MANY (NOT ALL) deaf people - paranoia, which makes sense, anger, acting out sexually - I'm sure there are lots of other "control" responses... So often when the word "PRIDE" is bandied about it is backed up with RAGE (gay pride, black pride, white pride)..."

Come to think of it, oppression does breed prides... both positive and negative, in order to deal with oppression...