A recent exchange on Twitter.
A
NZ Parliament: Sign language on Parliament TV, 5 and 6 May [why not all the time?!?]
B
How many hip operations would a sign language on Parliament TV cost?
A
Don’t know. How many deaf voters/citizens have to wait 10 days or more for Hansard? Why do they matter less than hips?
And, I might add a Deaf person might also need a hip replacement occasionally. I know A and he isn’t Deaf. Good to see there are more people out there who ‘get it”.
Sign Language Week is this week and the publication of an international report Deaf People and Human Rights that shows that NZ isn’t doing too badly but does still have a few things left to do, particularly around education of Deaf children.
It is obvious that there will be no human rights for Deaf people anywhere without Sign, so maybe we need to start talking about a Sign Language Commission modelled on the Maori Language Commission.
The beautiful colourful butterfly logo is great. Butterflies are free, and Deaf I am told.
I think I’m A!!!
I don’t know that a Sign Language Commission would be enough, would it? Certainly a good start, but I’d like to see more happening.
One of the issues I think is that a majority of people, including people with disabilities, don’t perceive disability issues as civil right issues.