In the last 24 hours since i saw the headline news screaming out on TV – Paris locked down, Paris in terror, Bombing attacks and so on… I was not aware of this headline because I can’t hear the radio. Yes I am deaf and what is the point of using hearing any danger headline news for many other Deaf/Sourd people? I received a text from a very good hearing friend whom i met in Lyon, France. In my mind, first of all I thought of many Sourd people if they were okay, confused and frightening but there were so many unexplained answer to them and to me.http://www.facebook.com/Fusillade-à-Paris-en-direct-LSF-315769835260290/?fref=nf
Then we have had another headline bombing – suicide bomber kills at least 19 in Baghdad funeral. This one was about – Attacks targeting Shiites in Baghdad, including a suicide bombing at a funeral in a mosque, killed at least 19 people Friday, security and medical officials said.
The suicide bombing inside the Al-Ashara al-Mubashareen mosque in the Amil area of south Baghdad killed at least 17 people and wounded 33, the officials said. This quote article was from http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/11/13/Suicide-bomb-in-Baghdad-kills-at-least-18.html
I know this country – Iraq has more than 4 millions of disabled people and it is keep growing spite of wars, chemical warfare, torture treatments in jails, various kind of accidents in workplaces and so on… Here are a couple of photos
If I was hearing then I would hear the latest new on the radio and start to worry, listening to the radio or praying for them… But I am deaf and it is impossible for me to hear the radio. I would go and turn on the tv and watch the breaking new if the shocking or latest headline new screaming out on tv. If it is not on tv, then I would go to googling on internet which is marvellous tool for me. Internet is a wonderful tool for many Deaf/hearing impaired people who missed out headline news. Smartphone is another tool for many Deaf/Hearing Impaired people too. I have got a smartphone but I don’t used it.
Looking back to my previous trips to Paris – several times but I have lost the count – up to 8 times in Paris and around France. The reason of this trips were conferences, socially visiting friends and exploring around France. It is a vibrant city of lights, arts, history, foods, cultures and of course people in France. Looking at Iraq – it is so different country from France because of wars and poverty. They are trying to rebuild fresher life and moving on since the collapse of Saddam Hussein – 2003. The number of Deaf people in Iraq is not clear and the last time I checked was around 189,000. They are part of unengaged and unreached in the whole part of Iraq. Their sign language is undetermined. This year there was a good new and it is a first Deaf school in Iraqi-Kurdistan. This is the very first school for deaf people in Northen Iraq, the kurdish region. The teachers are mostly Arabs from Baghdad, were they are used to teach in Iraqi schools for deaf people.
The number of Sourds (Deaf people) in France are around 300,000 with FSL (French Sign Language) and last record was 2014. The number of Sourds (Deaf people) is not clear.
imagine if you (Deaf) were in the area where there is a bombing, involved as a hostage, attack without warning and there is nothing you can do. In Israel, most of the Deaf people who wears vibrating warnings by SMS smartphone, pagers equipments BUT it does not work very well because of the Government bureaucratic procedure.
it would be good if someone who able to invent and keep improving warning signal against rocket signal, announce warning through smartphone or pagers for many Deaf/Hearing Impaired people. Because we are in the life of wars and dangers with out warning around the world. How can hearing people can help us if they understand that we are Deaf/Hearing impaired as strangers? Because our disability is invisible – not physically disability when Sourds/Deaf people don’t wear hearing aids. Only a very small amount of Deaf people do wear hearing aid as their choice.
Many of hearing people who lives in Israel, meet many Deaf/Hearing people and they knows each other as neighbours. They helps each others during bombings throughout days and days.
My partner often texts me whenever I am in the city of Hamilton or outside and he heard something on the radio when he is working. For example one day I was driving home from a home visit and there was a domestic violence attempt in the area of Hamilton City. There were a couple or more road blocks which anyone can’t drive through that area. Of course I was just there at the traffic lights where in front of me and this road in front of me was going to be block off when I saw 7-8 police cars storming into that area. I waited and checked my mobile of course a text message from my partner. I managed to change to another route where other people couldn’t get out. This was one of the excellent example tool for me.
Life in Eureka 