Politics and Activism

Tomato Lichy from England spent two days with us sharing information about activism in the Deaf Community. We opened our discussion by examining political systems and how we can work with politics.

The personal is political.

We, as Deaf people, are constantly working with the government for different issues such as sign language, discrimination and disability laws, monetary support and so on. The government has power over many aspects in our life relating to education and sign language, BUT can they control our hands? Do they have a right to decide if we want to express ourselves through sign language, the most accessible and natural language of the Deaf?

Everything we do in life CAN be political. The philosopher Foucault makes this point so beautifully:
The war between the state and the individual is fought on the battleground of the skin. The state can be the government, society or religion and constantly fights with the individual regarding their human or personal rights relating to their body (skin). That is what happens with government/society and Deaf people- we are constantly fighting for our rights to use sign language and to have fully accessible bilingual education. We are also constantly fighting organizations who are focused on "fixing our problems" relating to hearing loss.

One way for the Deaf Community to fight for more rights and protection is through activism. Activism can include protests, demonstrations, marches, blocking access to a building or street, distributing posters and flyers, etc. There are different levels of activism; it can range from a non-violent small group of people handing out flyers in a public park to a massive demonstration with hundreds of people that results in the use of violence. Tomato Lichy has had experience with activism, including working with the Deaf Liberation Front in England. This group focused on British Sign Language (BSL) and demanded that the government make BSL an official language of the UK. Tomato shared his experiences and showed us pictures of different marches and demonstrations in England. You can read more about the Deaf Liberation Front and see pictures at www.deafpowernow.org. The group was successful and England approved BSL in March 2003.

For a demonstration or protest, it is best to have 3 to 9 people so the action is more clear and there is less confusion. However, for a march, the more, the better! In preparing for a march or demonstration, the group must have a clear objective, to understand clearly and agree what their demands are. It is also important and more effective if the group is non-violent. Is it almost always unnecessary to resort to violence during a protest or demonstration and will protect the group from arrest or a court visit. It is also important that the group forms affinity groups, almost like a buddy system where two or three people watch out for each other and provide support when needed. If the group needs to split up, the affinity groups stay together. It is extremely important that no trespassing or theft happens during a protest/demonstration. If entering a building or office, it is important that nothing is touched or moved and caution is taken with photographing and the use of a video camera.

There are many different kinds of activism that the Deaf Community can participate in. It is important that we stand up for our rights and the best method for each situation needs to be assessed. Some will be successful but others may not be; support and determination is essential.

Never doubt that a small group of individuals can change the world,
for it’s the only thing that can.

Bhutan