a little rant

"Whaddya mean 'the way Utah treats its Deaf people?' Honestly, I think Utah is one of the best places for a Deaf person to live in--big community, and it's the ONLY state that has a Deaf center owned, operated, and geared toward the Deaf."

1. BYU won't easily provide services for the Deaf students because it is church-owned. "ADA does not apply." BYUtv, part of PBS, certainly isn't eager to closed caption their shows.

2. Interpreters are underpaid and overworked. University of Utah hoarded the most funds for college and university interpreter payrolls. Other Utah colleges and universities end up with more Deaf students and a smaller, limited budget. University of Utah refuse to recognize ASL as a language. They've classified ASL as a Communcative Disorder.

3. Several times, the Utah Legislation has tried to dinimish the Deaf Center and its services by trying to axe out a huge chunk of the Center's fiscal budget. Even though the Deaf Center is awesome and I know it is, Utah's government is trying to close it down.

4. The pro-CI/Oral USDB (main focus on verbal communication) has successfully absorbed the BiCultural-BiLingual JMS (main focus on educating the Deaf). Can you say, "Yay, AGBellers!"??

5. The Deaf Mormons.. *sigh* They're a great disappointment and puts the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in bad light. You know how it is with Deaf community and its problems with gossips and rumors. Well, most Mormons are the same way, too! Do the math: Deaf + Mormon = 2 times the shit. I've tried for 9 years to "live in--big community" in Utah and it nearly killed me. That place is EVIL!

6. Most of the Utahn businesses are Republican. Unless Vocational Rehabilitation foots the bill, most of them try their damnedest to never provide an interpreter, never hire, never promote or immediately fire a Deaf. Why? Because, in their eyes, Deaf employees are too expensive. You will find some well-paid Deaf employees in Utah because their mommies and daddies are CEOs. Nepotism Rocks! You better befriend one of those rich Deafies and hope their families will hire you!

7. Utah is Anti-Gay. Utah is Anti-Gay. Utah is Anti-Gay. Utah is Anti-Gay. Utah is Anti-Gay. Utah is Anti-Gay, need I say more? Mormons are supposed to be ALL about love and not hate. Utah's a crock of hypocritical shit.

8. Olympics 2002 was held in SLC. That city is READY for such olympic events like the Paralympics and Deaflympics! Yeah, let us all hope and say a little prayer that the SLC's committee remain pure and faithful to the ways of administrating ethically.

9. Even though Utah's a shitty place to live, it's a great vacation spot with hot, cute people!

10. If you're not Mormon, you'll soon be assimilated! ;)