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Your post rings true. I've always believed that diversity is possible.
One particular blogger stated that "It is not really possible to achieve diversity without balance of economic and status power." which I happen to disagree. Granted not all deaf people are at an equal footing when it comes to earnings or power status with their hearing peers. Yet, there are some that have achieved it and I believe that with better attitude on their part and outlook, that it will continue to improve. But, for us to wait until we have reached the expected level of economic success and power status in the community before diversity will ever happen, is a myth.
Diversity also means to accept and tolerate others. You have to do the one thing people have a problem with - respect. Opening your heart to the words and accepting each as they relate to the whole picture.
I hope this new aggregator will show that we might not agree with each other all the time, but we accept and respect each other.
At the end of the day we have a common goal to enjoy our families and friends, and maybe make our lives a little easier.
That was a very well-written posting, explaining what it means to be deaf and how we with all kinds or/and degrees of deafness deal with our lot and our need to change it into "culture" and how some of us happen to feel postively while others feel negatively about it, etc.
Diversity is a big word, all right... and diversity happens to be divided further more by us who have our own definition of diversity. Deaf Village sounds good... because it applies to all people.
I'm all for an aggregator full of people with respect. I'd like to see that happen. Please add my site to Deaf Village. (I didn't see a way to add my site over there, which is why I'm doing it here.)
This kind of aggregator is just what is needed. I look forward to participating in Deaf Village, and think the aims of the owner/mods is exactly what many people want to see happening.
Its also very important for everyone to realize that with that diversity comes the realization that not everybody will agree, and an 'agree to disagree' approach, without resorting to harassment or name-calling, or attacks is what will make this community a success. I'd much rather see somebody say "I disagree with you BECAUSE....." than say "You are wrong so you don't deserve to be heard at all." Unfortunately I've seen too much of the latter at another aggregator.
Heres to celebrating diversity!!!
The issues regarding 'Deaf America' are not localized to the USA, every country in the world has the same problems in trying to find ways to redesign and to reinvent the deaf community (It will have to be changed), to be accessible to all.
With regards to the nasties, and the degrees of nasty subtly that are just vindictive (From BOTH sides), I think most are aware how this operates, and how they can deal with it, a rearguard action by the old regime, is in panic, they simply have not the means to deal with the huge diversity, it's not so much they won't accept it, they just don't know HOW to.
ASL/BSL users, deaf culture, full stop, was how it always seemed to be, now a huge and diverse amount of deaf and other HoH people have flooded through the deaf 'gates', there is a need for new leadership, and new people who know the way things are heading, and to try to find the easiest passage for all, for sure, setting up pockets where a 'Deaf' passport is needed, is not one of them.
This is Martha's Vineyard on a huge scale, access is destroying established systems, and in part forcing many to face an uncertain future as a community. Globalization is hard isn't it ! It was always said the deaf community was global, but they WEREN'T in reality, now they are forced to confront this.. It will effect sign language and everything else...
wish you best of luck-
Hi Mike,
Well written post as always. I would love to be in on Deaf Village - please sign me up if you can.
I'll be leaving DR behind 
Cheers
Robyn
For those who want to add their blogsite address to Deaf Village contact rachel@deafvillage.com with the name and address of your blog, and you'll be on your way to becoming a member of the DV community.
Mike --
I'm perplexed that your blog is still in the DR front page as of today.
DR just put you into the extras......
I sent in my request, WG, via the proper channel and that is through DR's contact webpage. We'll see how fast they honor my request this time. Including removing any and all blogsites of mine from the "Inactive Blogs" page as well. Not sure if they'll actually honor the latter request.
Just moved your blog to extra. The only evidence it was out front was the number of visits being high.
Shame on Tayler!
*nodding my head*
Well-written post, Mike, on the subject of diversity within the deaf community.
In light of the editor who used ASL but no captioning in his blogsite, I wonder how deaf village will handle those ASL-using v/bloggers who wish to use vlogs? Being is, inclusivity is a desired goal in DV, will ASL users be required to provide a full transcript or captioning of their vlogs? Or will all bloggers have to stick with written English?
Ann_C, vloggers can do what they want. It's about access and vlogges should be mindful of that because they, too, ask the very same thing from network tv, other internet videos and so on for subtitles or closed captionings. It does take a little effort and time but if you're a big believer on increasing communicaton access you will add subtitles to your video blogs.
The problem arises is when a deaf leader doesn't practice some form of equitable communication access brings serious questions (and doubts) on the sincerity of seeing equitable communication access to the majority of deaf and hard of hearing people. You can sign in your video blogs but not add subtitles means you leave out the potential 98% of the hearing loss population because they don't know sign language in the first place and not get exposed to sign language.
It's a matter of common sense and respect for our fellow people with hearing loss. After all, why be a hypocrite by demanding closed captionings or subtitles when you won't do it for your own vlogs when you sign yourself?
Also, subtitling is the best option to include with signing vlogs while having a transcript available would be the second best option to have.
For a sidekick comment on this blog,
Tayler’s attempts to pigeonhole the deafread/deafviodeo.tv participants will give rise to a strong disunifying force and have a “babel tower” effect on the deaf blogsphere.
I received an email from Tayler regarding my request to have my blog removed from DR, and that included not having it moved to the "inactive blogs" section, and his reply was,
"At your request, you've been removed.
Currently, the blogs that we remove still appears on the list. I need
to update the code on that page to fix this. I will be doing this as
soon as possible."
So I guess we'll have to wait till they fix their page to be fully removed.
Thank you, Dyniece. We wouldn't want to see false advertisements, would we?
Nice job on this blog! I'm all for it. Deaf Village looks good to me.
Hey, your second to last paragraph trailed off without a period:
the proper respect to bloggers who do share those common core beliefs rather than to resort... to what? Just noticed this odd ending.
Thanks, Rob. Also, corrected that last part you mentioned.
Well, I just finished reading Tayler's blog in which he speaks of the ethos of blogging. Fair enough, but I started to think, what about the ethics of editorship, as in DeafRead's case?
Yo, uh-huh...
Oh Yeah....
They won't admit about the ethnics of editorship.
Ethnics of editorship in DR's leadership style went into very poor. They didn't do a very good job.
I just read Banjo's blog.....Per the AIM conversation between both of them, Tayler admitted that he made a mistake for allowing Amy Cohen Efron to sell DVDs for some profits.
.....and then, Tayler is promoting to destory Sorenson's and their products. Boy, am I so glad that I did not sign petition!
So, What kind of the editorship are they? that?
What's obviously pathetic, if this is the case, is whether Tayler is letting Banjo be his mouth piece for his "apology" to the masses for allowing Amy's blogsite on their agg list, then I'd say it'd be better to hear directly from the horse's mouth by blogging about it rather than a 2nd or 3rd party. If it's ethos he's trying waggle his finger at us he needs to seriously look into his own mirror for a change and start owning up to the rest of the crowd.
Don't tell us or lecture us on how to blog since, after all, editors are there to discriminate which blogs go and which ones stay if they don't pass their "smell" test.
Tayler, knock it off. And start owning up for a change.
I just posted my comment in Banjo's blog this Morning. You can read my point of view.
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