Mishka Zena

70 Responses to “The Cold Case: Thumb Down”

1. Barb DiGi Says:
   March 31st, 2008 at 11:30 am

   I feel that we should be making noises to tell Hollywood that we protest to this show. We don’t want people to think that Deaf culture is a threat to CIs let alone to murder them! What kind of message is that to parents of CI children? It may have done nothing but to scare them away. Shows like this are dangerous and damaging to the Deaf community. Although it is only a TV show but it does influence viewers how they perceive Deaf people. This stereotype has to stop right now and for us to show to Hollywood that we are not to take it anymore! Let’s take some action!

2. Sue Says:
   March 31st, 2008 at 11:35 am

   Hi,

   I was very disappointed in the show also. I am a deaf mom myself. My deaf son goes to a state school for the deaf, AND he has the implant. He loves his implant and he loves being part of the deaf community. What kind of message is this show sending to hearing parents of deaf kids? Not good at all.

3. Hearing Mom Says:
   March 31st, 2008 at 11:35 am

   I was so disappointed in the show. CBS took their powerful media force and showed to the world their complete ignorance, lack of research, and insensitivity when it comes to almost ever aspect of Deaf Culture, ASL, implants, interpreters, lipreading, Deaf Schools, etc, etc, etc. I hope all of you will take a few minutes and send in your comments to CBS.
   I just left my comment at CBS Feedback:
   http://www.cbs.com/info/user_services/fb_global_form.shtml

4. Mishka Zena Says:
   March 31st, 2008 at 11:43 am

   Great minds work like, hearing mom. I’ve already sent my complaint earlier.

5. Karen Mayes Says:
   March 31st, 2008 at 11:44 am

   I have to admit that I did not watch the show (ironically, the evening before, there was a rerun of one Cold Case show in which remains of a twin girl was found 20-30 years later and my son got to watch the show and was appalled and upset that the father would go far to threaten to throw the twin girls off the bridge (one twin girl fell when the mother desperately tried preventing it from happening,albeit saving the other twin girl.) He cried about the “possibility” that parents do kill children around the world. So I decided not to watch last night’s show *shrug*.

   I don’t have much to comment since I did not watch the show… oh well. However, there is always some versions of truth to the stories as applicable to everyday living/everyday’s realities.

6. Peachlady Says:
   March 31st, 2008 at 11:49 am

   My husband and I missed the show last night. I guess we don’t need to watch the show. It probably will turn us off.

7. PM Says:
   March 31st, 2008 at 11:52 am

   Check this link out…. a new (indie)film with major Deaf characters will come out soon.

   http://www.facebook.com/pages/Doylestown-PA/Universal-Signs/9827768373?ref=s

8. White Ghost Says:
   March 31st, 2008 at 11:59 am

   There are many questions that are unanswered.

   Did the hearing directors and producers worked with the deaf filmmakers?

   If not, how embarrassing they are!

9. Susan Says:
   March 31st, 2008 at 12:09 pm

   I watched the show with my CODA daughter and CODA friends. Needless to say, as much as I am an ardent viewer of the show Cold Case, I was rightfully disappointed and appalled at the content of the episode. While the deaf actors portrayed themselves well; the episode covered on an issue (CI) which is a highly controversal procedure. The fact that a DEAF person would KILL someone for having the implant; highly impossible! (Unless it was a crime of passion, which the plot failed to show). I’d be remiss if I failed to mentioned that the DEAF and their CULUTRE were not portayed rightfully on the show and that a lot of the DEAF ’s legal rights were violated in one fell swoop.

10. Cold Case Critic Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 12:19 pm

    CBS gets double thumbs down. Not one thumb down. They ought to consult like White Ghost says. Without consulting the CI Doctors (Cochlear Implant, not Criminal Intent, mind you!) and the Deaf Community. They got their view of the deaf presentation to the public all wrong! I say we protest CBS’ lack of knowledge of the deaf people and deaf culture.

11. gary a. fitts Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 12:25 pm

    Saw Cold Case last night, decided that I should write an alternative version, which I just published on my Deaf Anthology blogsite a moment ago, I don’t don’t if CBS have any Deaf writers on the show, at least I could write one for Deafread.

12. Jean Boutcher Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 12:34 pm

    Surrealistic! Fabricating! This filmn definitelty sent a wrong message to more than 20 million TV viewers! Probably the writer or the producer who asked the writer to write has an implanted relative who is self-persecuted and tells fabricating stories about culturally Deaf people. You can spot a self-persecuted person very easily.

13. abcohende Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 12:35 pm

    I woke up 2 am in Atlanta to watch this show… and ended up really disappointed. It’s too embarrassing.

    First, I’m thrilled about the exposure of American Sign Language and deaf role models in a prime-time television, but after watching the show… it sets us back much further!

    So embarrassing and please go to the link where Mishka Zena offered - and share your thoughts!

    We need more screenwriters!

    Now, I am little bit nervous about “Sweet Nothings in my Ear” with Marlee Matlin and Jeff Daniels. What kind of portraying this movie will show?

    Amy Cohen Efron

14. White Ghost Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 12:41 pm

    Oh, one more thing for me to say:

    Where are you, Mosedux, Gary Brooks, Aidan Mack, Wayne Betts, Eric C., Mark Wood and any other prominent filmmakers?

15. Where to go Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 12:42 pm

    If anyone wants to protest at CBS in Los Angeles, this is where to go (CBS’s “Television City”)

    http://www.mapquest.com/maps/7800+Beverly+Blvd+Los+Angeles+CA+90036-2112/

16. Deaf Pixie Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 12:47 pm

    Amy Cohen Efron,

    Agree with you about Marlee Matlin and Jeff Daniels. I am worry about CI stuff in tv programs seem getting worsen since Law Order program.

    I am not very happy the situation that we did watched. I am tired of CI stuff.

    Deaf Pixie

17. Roger Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 12:57 pm

    Nobody should be surprised really… Anyone from Hollywood that wants to write a script with Deaf people in it will do some reearch online.. what do they find? DeafRead filled with people talking about CI nonstop.. its OBIVIOUS that the CI issue is a MAJOR issue right now.. so who can blame the writers?

    Wanna change Hollywood’s perception of us? Which means changing the world’s (the auidence) perception of us.

    We gotta change our attitudes and broadcast them online and in our communities… and Hollywood will pick up on it.

    Cheers!
    Roger

18. Barb DiGi Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 1:02 pm

    Here is my response to CBS:

    As a Deaf person coming from a Deaf family and having attending to a school for the Deaf as a student who is now a teacher of the deaf, I am very appalled when watching the Cold Case episode on March 30th.

    I feel that this episode is giving off the wrong impression to the viewers that there are Deaf people out there who are so angry and so against cochlear implants (CI) to the point that a murder would be committed. It is absolutely absurd! It is not our reality and this plot is shown with a bad taste.

    Our objection today is not about CI but about Deaf babies being deprived of language development. The growing trend is that these Deaf babies who receive CI are denied to learn American Sign Language that they have been subjected to speech and listening only causing some of them to lag behind with language development. Please talk with more Deaf people and do your research before writing this kind of plot.

    The only positive part is that the actors who are Deaf themselves did a great job but you must include experienced Deaf playwriters to give feedback about the inaccuracy of the image of Deaf culture and issues in the Deaf community.

    Having a school principal interpreting a murder investigation with students and parents are against the code of ethics. In the real world, a certified interpreter should be present at all times especially during investigating sessions.

    For the detectives attempting to sign without a presence of an interpreter to a Deaf student is not considered an appropriate code of conduct for example. Another example is that school principal who is supposed to be an “interpreter” spoke with the detectives without signing in front of the Deaf parents actually violates the principle. Assuming that the Deaf parents are capable to understand the group speaking without signing and that they could lipread everything is a false picture. This is why having an interpreter who is supposed to be invisible by not sharing his or her comments is so important because people like the principal confuses the role (interpreter vs. principal). She cannot stay in her role as an interpreter and that she gets to participate with her thoughts, opinions and statements and she is a part of the investigation. What were the writers thinking? It is like giving the message that it is ok to use them as interpreters instead of hiring real certified interpreters. We have fought so hard to have certified interpreters present in facilities and services and this message is pushing us backwards.

    Frankly, there are so many myths portrayed in that show. There is not even one murder case relating to CIs by a Deaf cultural person! The story has done nothing but hurting the Deaf community and scaring the parents of CI kids away from people like us.

    Please don’t write any more stories like that but if there is a story next time about the Deaf just exclude CI and focus on their common issues that are happening in real life. Don’t make them look like they are foreigners or angry people because it is not what we are all about. There is more to life than this kind of obsession about CIs.

    Thank you.

19. Raphael J. St. Johns Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 1:05 pm

    Like you and others, Elizabeth- I was very disappionted.

    I love “Cold Case”-yet this one was just wrong on most sides. The only thing I like about this episode was that the majority of characters were Deaf actors. Other than that I’d give it a grade of D-, berely passing.

    I am very disappionted.

    Raphael J. St. Johns

20. mcconnell Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 1:38 pm

    http://firstsounds.blogspot.com/2008/03/choices-we-make.html

21. Response to Roger Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 1:39 pm

    Hey Roger,

    If you think that it was the DeafRead’s fault, then let’s protest against DeafRead??? Tell them to STOP publishing the CI stuff. Is that what you mean?

22. Jean Boutcher Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 1:43 pm

    Dear BarbDiGi,

    I thank you profoundly for writing a most powerful and forceful letter to CBS. I wrote
    to CBS last night, but I forgot to make a copy.
    I am very thankful for your fierce loyalty to
    the Deaf community, Barb!

    Gratefully,

    Jean

23. Mishka Zena Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 1:46 pm

    Karen and Deaf Roger,

    I don’t see any Deaf people killing another over cochlear implants in real life. If you do, please do give me a link. Thanks in advance.

24. Interpret, anyone? Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 1:48 pm

    Roger said “We gotta change our
    attitudes and broadcast them online
    and in our communities… and Hollywood
    will pick up on it.”

    Pray tell, explain fully what you
    mean about changing our attitudes.
    Do you mean that we must stop
    complain and have to comply with
    AGB by not using our hands for
    communicaiton????????????????????????

25. not4ever4got10@yahoo.com Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 2:04 pm

    it wasnt the girl getting the implant it was the boy who had a implant wanted his baby daughter (also the girls daughter) to get a implant because he wanted his daughter to be part of the hearing world to. he had gone through alot with his parents wanting him to be hearing, and what not. however i liked the concept, and HOLLYWOOD will never get the ful perspective of anything. dont matter if you deaf or not. HOLLYWOOD is not trying to make a statement, but only trying to catch the eye of as many will watch. it’s just like with their view on people who are black, or on people who are white. my thing is, dont complain about it, instead, do something about it. if you dont like the way something is then work to where you can get it changed. if you are not willing to work to get it changed then you should not complain.

26. Diane Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 2:05 pm

    Barb Gigi … That’s what I thought about this morning .. we should write up the petition and send out to the Hollywood. Self Advocacy is a must. Speak up otherwise hearing viewers will get the wrong messages. CI and Murder don’t mixed. Too much negatives on that area. Deaf actors/actresses are great but …… I am extremely disappointed in this.

27. Diane Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 2:07 pm

    very embarrassing .. how will my co workers, family and hearing friends think of this.

28. Diane Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 2:12 pm

    Nothing wrong with being Deaf …. Beside my severe tinnitus I am dealing with everyday. I am not happy and get knocked out by taking a small dose of Xanax. lol lol I am happy with who I am today. Everyone is unique! Enough enough enough …… Maybe I should go to the the law school for this. (I highly doubt it lol) I would give F- for this.

29. Roger Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 2:47 pm

    Heya Guys, replying to other comments

    1) I never said it’s DeafRead’s Fault DeafRead is an EXCELLENT tool in helping us determine what are the BIG ISSUES in today’s Deaf Community.. that’s all.. if DeafRead bans or censors CI blogs/vlogs- that wont make the issue go away

    2) My post above was in response to the questions/comments I read/viewed in the vein of: “Why does Hollywood have to focus on CI issues? Why cant they focus on other (wonderful) aspects of Deaf Culture/Community?

    My point was that.. the CI Issue is HUGE right now, and it makes sense that it is constantly becoming the center that an tv epiosde revolves around..

    3) Writers will write what they want.. lets not fool ourselves.. there ARE people that are overly hostile when it comes to the CI issue.. and the writers simply made it more dramatic by adding in a murder plot.. it’s TV show based on unsolved murders after all.. there has to be a murder

    4) Changes in attitude… I DO NOT SUPPORT AVT, I AM FOR ASL… BUT! I accept Deaf people with CI with all my heart, even if they dont know ASL. We need more of that positive message… support ASL.. support ALL Deaf people.. thats the message we need to be sending out for Hollywood to pick up on.

    Together we stand strong. Divided, we fall.

    Cheers!
    Roger

30. John Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 3:16 pm

    Roger,

    I agree with what you said and I accept all kinds of Deaf people whether they are oral, CI, SEE, or whatever. I am sure that nearly all Deaf people do too.

    But it is the negative attitude by a few people, hearing or deaf.

    It is the deliberate, degrading information about Deaf Culture and its people regardless if this person is naive or not. These people need to be taught or we suffer the consequence by being “neutral, speechless, No Comment, etc”.

    John

31. Unimportant Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 3:17 pm

    I’m a hearing person, and I didn’t catch this episode of cold case, but I don’t really think I need to in order to make the following assessment.

    You’re all (those of you here complaining, not the entire community) full of yourselves. Someone earlier said it’s “impossible” for a deaf person to kill someone over a CI “unless it was a crime of passion.” That statement alone is ridiculous and illustrates the problem most of you seem to have with this episode. I’m sure the complaints about inaccuracy in portrayal of most aspect of deaf culture are well founded. However, the plot (like the plot of every drama) is an example of something that isn’t likely to happen, but could. Most mother’s wouldn’t make their children sick for the attention, but there are, in fact, people with munchausen syndrom who do just that. Most teenage girls are probably not likely to kill another girl because they’re afraid they’ll tell someone they’re a lesbian, but I’m sure there’s at least one out there who might resort to murder. To say that a dramatization is bad because you don’t believe anyone you know could commit such an atrocity is naive. To say that there are no deaf people in the world that could actually be that angry about cochlear implants is pretentious. The deaf community may be tightly knit, but I assure you that none of you can read each other’s minds any better than hearing people, and none of you knows every other deaf person on the planet.

    One person seemed annoyed that the deaf children were portrayed as having perfect self-esteem. So are hearing children unless their self-esteem is directly connected to the plot. I’ve been studying sign and deaf culture at my local community college and I’ve been increasingly annoyed by the way the deaf community seemed to regard their problems as though they actually only applied to the deaf community. I wanted to believe that the book (For Hearing People Only if anyone wanted to know) simply made it sound like that to exaggerate differences (which should bother most of you anyway). You are all giving me the impression that the book wasn’t exaggerating at all.

    I realize that deaf people are, in fact, still discriminated against and that the community does face problems that may only apply to the deaf community. This isn’t one of them. Television is one long inaccurate portrayal of real life. This episode of ONE show is not sending any worse of a message than lifetime sends about women in general. According to Lifetime all women are stupid, helpless, and let their husbands beat them. Obviously this isn’t true, but it is the impression with which the station often leaves one. The episode may have been in poor taste, but what on TV these days isn’t?

    Yes, the producers of the show probably should have consulted members of the deaf community on the accuracy of their portrayal of the community in general. However, the plot was and still is entirely left to the discretion of the people making it. Just because you don’t like to think that another deaf person could do such a thing doesn’t make it impossible. Have any of you considered how insulting your comments may be to hearing people. You seem to assume that because some (okay, a lot) of people are stupid and would watch this show and take away negative stereotypes about the deaf community, we all would. Are you not being just as judgmental, then?

    On the issue of procedural inaccuracy (the principal serving as interpreter and whatnot), do any of you watch Law & Order (preferably the original)? If so, have you ever observed an actual murder trial? Inaccuracy is the specialty of Hollywood.

    I’m not saying you don’t have the right to be angry, upset, annoyed, or offended. Everyone has that right. You don’t, however, have the right to enforce your beliefs on other people. Some people think that using the term “gay” as a pejorative is wrong because it offends them. That’s all well and good, but it doesn’t mean that everyone else has to share your opinion or at least placate you. American society has a huge problem with placating vocal minorities simply because they’re vocal. Some people don’t celebrate Christmas because they aren’t Christian. Should that mean I can’t have a nativity scene on MY lawn? Or that TV networks shouldn’t be allowed to broadcast Christmas movies?

    Just think about what you’re asking for…

32. Divided Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 3:58 pm

    It’s only a show (look at other shows like Dexter which gross me out)…while I did wince at a few things such as: they should have had an interpreter throughout the conversation with deaf parents rather than rely on lipreading and saying that people who were born deaf could not get CI.

    However, my thoughts are instead of venting our frustration on how some TV shows portray our community, we need to find out how screenwriters come up with their story, could some of us become screenwriters, we should write our own true stories and send them into publishers and hope a screenwriter will pick up on it, etc. We could do lots of things…mainly, write our stories and get them out in the mainstream.

    Although I admire what Barb DiGi wrote to CBS, protesting everything that we disagree with ain’t gonna take care of it. We need to do that ourselves by getting involved, write and get our stories published out in the mainstream.

33. A Deaf Pundit Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 4:00 pm

    Unimportant,

    You seem to fail in your understanding of how the media has an impact on public perception. The media has traditionally played a huge role in shaping public perception and opinion.

    There are many examples of that. A common one is the blackface situation. It used to be acceptable for white actors to be in blackface, and portray African Americans as just above monkeys on a regular basis. Today, that’s no longer acceptable because people recognize the inherent discriminatory message it sends.

    I’m all for freedom of speech, but there is a difference between individuals exercising their rights and the media, which is a collective, consistently portraying a minority in a negative light.

34. Divided Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 4:20 pm

    A Deaf Pundit…

    while I can agree with you….have you done anything about it yet? like write your comments to CBS producers of Cold Case? I’m doing that right at this moment. We need to stop talking out of our hands and mouths and take action! Get ourselves out there in the mainstream via write our stories, happenings, contact GMA, Today’s Show to talk about Deaf Community during the Deaf Awareness month in September, write articles for newspapers, etc.

    I’m all for being proactive and not reactive. Got an idea…put it out!

35. RLM Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 4:40 pm

    DeafPundit,

    That’s what I recently wrote the very same thing on my blog posting what you recommended.

    I am really glad that handful of deaf individuals have the same thoughts as mine.

    Don’t wait to write the letter too long to express our thoughts in constructive way. Or we will never write the letters at all.

    RLM

36. RLM Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 4:42 pm

    I meant that I did not see your comment postings after I wrote my blog posting.

    I did cite several examples of how the manfactured images could really damage the given community on my blog posting.

    RLM

37. Audism Runs Amok in Hollywood! « The Deaf Edge Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 4:43 pm

    […] a cochlear implanted person over the implant. Now, I haven’t seen the episode myself, but a comment (#31) over on MishkaZena’s blog caught my […]

38. A Deaf Pundit Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 4:50 pm

    Divided, I just wrote a blog post on this. I also plan to write a letter to CBS on this. But you know, I’ve done a lot for the Deaf Community as my record will show.

    I’ve written letters to the editor, made presentations at ITPs, my university classes, various service agencies… I’ve also organized two advocacy protests to protect the Deaf Community’s rights. I also blog when I can between classes and homework.

    I’ve done a lot, and probably more than I should, considering what’s on my plate at the moment.

39. Divided Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 5:21 pm

    A Deaf Pundit, my apologies, I didn’t realize you were responding to “unimportant”… you were right in your comments. We cannot just sit back and allow things to be misrepresented. But then, “Unimportant” is also correct in saying that what we see on TV are trasy these days and do not reflect on the reality. Damn if you do, damn if you don’t.

    Glad you’ve done alot and sure hope you’ll keep on doing your part in educating everyone about our deaf community (deaf, h/h, hearing aid users or ci implantees). We are truly a mix and we all have a lot to teach and learn from one another. Just wish a whole lot of us will do our piece.

    Now go and finish your term paper…school’s nearly over

40. Divided Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 5:23 pm

    gawd, I misspelled a word. got no spell check in doing this blog… I meant to say “…what we see on TV are trashy”

41. Unimportant Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 6:20 pm

    Pundit,

    I am fully aware of the role media plays in shaping public perception and opinion. It’s actually not the most influential force shaping these things.

    You’re comment about consistently portraying a minority in a negative light seems like an exaggeration. Likely because these instances of negativity bother you you’re more likely to recall them than instances of positivity. It’s like when a child says to a parent “you always yell at me.” Clearly, that’s untrue, but at that moment the child believes it is. Adults are not immune to this phenomenon.

    I agree with you that the media often does more harm than good, but the media’s power isn’t innate. Like the government, the media only has power because we allow it to.

    The issue isn’t the influence of the media, however. The real issue is that people are so offended by one episode of a television show. I watch Cold Case on occasion. I don’t believe they have many episodes portraying the deaf community in a negative light. Also, and more importantly, THIS episode didn’t portray the deaf community in a negative light. It wasn’t about a deaf conspiracy to put a permanent end to cochlear implants. It was about one person making a bad decision. The person happened to be deaf in this case and the issue happened to be CI. That doesn’t mean that people will walk away from this episode thinking all deaf people are maniacs who hate cochlear implants.

42. Unimportant (squared) Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 6:24 pm

    Sigh…

    I am deaf and I am ashamed. I don’t think most of you read and understood Unimportant’s message. S/he is right. A movie is just that, a movie. Movies are flights of fancy, nothing more.

    I’m also surprised that some deafies object to other deafies who were part of the show. If those deafies on the show shared your perspective and disagreed with the plot, why did they go ahead and portray it anyway? Why not just boycott or work with the script writers to produce something that you all agree on? Let me tell you why, it’s perhaps because they a) understood that it’s just a movie only or b) they were paid good money and got excited at the possibility of breaking into the silver screen. In which case it doesn’t help but perpetuate the myth about the deaf community.

    How many of you watch movies with gangstas, rappers, black people portrayed as criminals yet don’t subscribe to that perception? How many of you don’t like gays or lesbians yet watch Will and Grace with curiosity to learn more about them? How many of you jumped bridges and crashed in the water in your ‘67 hot Chevelle just because it looked cool on TV? If a deaf filmmaker made a movie about how terrible hearing people are, would you believe that?

    What I believe is that the television’s purpose, although fictitive, is to challenge and expand the viewer’s perceptions to more than just one which seems to abound in the deaf community.

    Protesting and venting at CBS might have a little effect if none, not to mention it’s counterproductive. I take delight that doors opened for deaf artists and opportunities abound. I take delight at the variety of shows where deaf and hearing artists are equal. I take delight even when shows are questionable. I take delight to be deaf and an ignoramus.

43. Unimportant#2 Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 6:25 pm

    Really, after hearing my friend describe her inspirational experience with Deafhood workshop in Rochester; I feel like we’re all going backwards on this.

    Can’t we focus on the positives? Sure, the plot wasn’t that great, so what? The exposure of ASL and Deaf culture was right there on TV and we’re ignoring that so we can pull out the negatives? “Your signing sucks” I literally fell off my seat. That’s Deaf for you right there. Using pagers to communicate; how many of you actually use your pagers to place an order at the fast food restaurants or at the airports? Deaf parents feeling betrayed with deaf children getting CI; that’s real. Can’t get more real than that.

    The fact is, generally, the Deaf community was and probably still is against CI - so I’m not surprised that CBS went ahead and perpetuated that myth. It sure seems far-fetched, but it’s just a show. Media have twisted everything else already. Racism still exists. Sexism still exists. Audism still and will always exists. If we want to complain and protest everything; we’re getting nowhere. I think the word “protest” is an overrated word used in the Deaf community. I also feel that the more we criticize or protest against the TV shows, they will not make any more shows with Deaf characters. Let’s applaud CBS for doing what other shows have not done yet - using real life Deaf actors and using real ASL conversations. I thought it was a huge step they’ve taken regardless of the fictional plot they used. Seeing the actors and ASL on the TV was music to my eyes.

44. A Deaf Pundit Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 6:28 pm

    Unimportant, the Cold Case incident is NOT the only one. Law and Order had a very similar episode recently. I’m pretty sure others here can provide examples that have cast us in a negative light.

    And if you want to talk about being easily offended, go talk to AG Bell about their views on the Pepsi Superbowl commercial… because buddy, THEY are far more easily offended than we are.

45. Unimportant Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 6:29 pm

    Also, (sorry for the double post)

    I’m a black American. The term African American is stupid. I’m not African. I was born here. I’ve never been to nor seen Africa. However, I digress.

    I personally think blackface being illegal is stupid. My white “adopted” brother and I were going to be Dr. Dre and Eminem respectively for Halloween. Unfortunately we couldn’t because it would be illegal for him to be in blackface, and probably for me to be in whiteface as well. There isn’t nothing inherently racist or discriminatory about either. They were originally being used for the purpose of degrading an entire group of people. The way they were being used was racist. Much like a gun, blackface and the media are tools. How you use them is what’s important.

46. Unimportant (squared) Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 6:32 pm

    Wow, lots of unimportant comments here I agree with unimportant #2, ASL dialog, real deaf actors, that matters. CBS should be recognized, not punished, for the show. Audism, sexism, racism still exists because you allow it… no, you want it!

    A lot of negative comments here are from deaf people who feel “victimized” because of past discrimination history.

    Hey, flash news for you… I’m deaf, yet I don’t feel “victimized.” I’m deaf and I chose to be positive, because my positivity is what could potentially leave an impact on the community at large.

47. Divided Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 6:36 pm

    unimportant & unimportant (squared)…
    you’re both right….however, I had an interesting discussion with my hearing neighbor and I asked her “had you not gotten to know us as your deaf neighbors, what would your perception of the deaf community to be like?” and her response…”I don’t know but I would be afraid to try and communicate with the deaf because they seem not to be friendly towards those that can hear.”

    Well…I nearly fell over my bushes in the garden but then I remembered, she’s 65 years old and her knowledge of deaf people was limited to what she saw on TV. It goes both ways…but for the deaf community, the general public do not know who we are, have never met any deaf people, nor do they hear or read much about us. Their only exposure is by what they watch on TV or hear on the radio. So, naturally, I would have liked the producers to tweak the story to portray that we, the deaf need an interpreter in the room at all times, especially in a murder case; that we do not all lipread well; and that deaf people who are born deaf can get a CI (they could have come up with something factual). Other than that, I was happy it was shown.

48. Divided Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 6:43 pm

    hey unimportant: …”white “adopted” brother and I were going to be Dr. Dre and Eminem respectively for Halloween.” …ahhhh, let me catch my breath, I nearly fell over laughing!! you are totally cool!!

49. Unimportant (squared) Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 6:44 pm

    Divided,

    You mentioned your neighbor as being 65 years old… And nary an exposure to deaf members of the community except for what she saw on TV.

    True, some people might live by the cold stare of the blue cathode tube. I’m sure she’s apprehensive of the perception, but hey… who isn’t afraid of the “unknown”? As a deaf person, I do all I can to make people in general smile, with a positive and a cheerful attitude. Had I met your neighbor, I would have converted her. That’s what we need… more positive “deaf messengers.”

    But really, if you think about it… hearing, black or latino communities have bad seeds, too, so why should the deaf community be an exception to the norm? A Deaf community is like any other communities, a tapestry of variations, with good and bad seeds and I will do not a damn thing to change that perspective otherwise.

50. Diane Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 6:51 pm

    Unimportant ( A hearing blogger) … Don’t forget there are a million million viewers get the wrong message of not required in getting the certified interpreter in the legal work area. is it acceptable? NOT! Yes I have been victimized over over again and it is enough. Once you are a Deaf person — you will get it! Please use the ear plugs and get the idea. Best wear them for a week or so! Enough is Enough! Our “signing” must be heard and be seen!

51. Divided Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 6:55 pm

    Unimportant,
    oh, indeed!!! my neighbor totally loves us (especially my hubby) and loves learning about who we are. They’re so totally funny and cool!

    I am hard of hearing and born into deaf family so I can hear, speak and sign quite well. However, I never miss the opportunity to sign and make sure people are aware that I do not hear so well and do what I can to make our first impression positive. We live in the southeastern state so we get the best of both (the good and the bad asses) and I’ve used my southern charm to win over, if I can.

52. Divided Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 6:56 pm

    ok, I’m off to watch Dancing With The Stars…vote, vote, vote!!!!! for MM

53. Unimportant Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 7:05 pm

    Diane,

    I totally agree with you that the average viewer might not realize the importance of facilitating communication with a skilled interpreter, but the average viewer doesn’t need to know that. People working in the legal profession and in schools and various other in which accurate communication is very important, on the other hand, do.

54. John Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 7:16 pm

    Unimportant#2

    “It takes all kinds of people to make the world round”

    Just because one person makes h/her opinion doesn’t mean this person represent the whole community of h/her kind.

    I ask you this question…

    Who and what category human being that the society knows the least,…the most misunderstood of all in America, even in the world?

    The answer is DEAF.

    So therefore, these group of Deaf people need to tell or educate the world that they are just as normal as you are.

    But seems that majority of the society do not have the “correct perspective” that has been so stigmatized by groups such as AGBell and its associates that successfully “brainwashed” parents of deaf babies and including you about Deaf Culture and their language(American Sign Language).

    Now, comparison to the Deaf society and other groups, these Deaf society do not have any verbal or noise as all other “minorities”, so that is why the Deaf community have a long and hard effort to get the American society to understand that we are not different from the others except can’t hear 100%.

    And there are millions of you “hearing” people also have a hearing problem and use hearing aids. And those who take off their hearing aids at night, do they feel dumb or ignorant as you assumed about these Deaf people?

    If you don’t think so, then join the Deaf community to stop AGBell’s stigmation about Deaf human beings and their needs of having a visual language…American Sign Language!.

    The Deaf Community and people are not the problem, it is the AGBell and its associates such as AVT. They need to change their self-interest ideology….forbidding sign language for Deaf babies and children in schools.

    Bilingually Yours,
    John

55. A Deaf Pundit Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 7:30 pm

    Unimportant, by your comment you’re showing that you’re a newcomer to the scene. If you have been reading the blogs in the few months, you would know that I’m the last person to play victim. In fact, I’ve kicked people’s rears for playing victim.

    It cost me the blog awards, and got me slandered by drmzz and others to the point where they accused me of being part (illogically and irrationally) of the hotel manager’s attack on Barb DiGi’s child at the first AG Bell protest.

    Get real, and start reading first before throwing around careless comments like this.

56. Gary Brooks Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 7:42 pm

    “C.I.”
    taglines: Hey Deafie, Take a good look at ASL, this may be your lasts”

    Directed by A.G. Bell The One and Only

    Coming to the theater near you.

    Gary: Oh my! this is going to be biggest flop film! (laughing)

    Mishka: I couldn’t agreed more Gary!!!

    Gary: Hurry up finish all the crappy trailers!!

    Mishka: That’s why we are nuking our popcorns kill times!

    Gary: Finally now here’s the movie!!!

    Mishka: How many time did you see this movie “Deaf Vloggers The Movie”?

    Gary: Oh! million of times!!!!

    I see you at the movie!
    Gary
    http://www.garybdir.wordpress.com

57. Felicity H. Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 9:10 pm

    To Unimportant,

    You do not know enough about the Deaf community to make an intelligent assessment of the situation. There are limits of decency that should be involved, and the writer of the Cold Case episode has shown himself to be totally oblivious to any commonsense standards of decency on this issue.

    I can guarantee you that a similar plot about Jewish people would never see the light of day. Imagine a storyline that portrays Jews as being clannish, with a Jew killing another Jew who got plastic surgery to pass as a gentile. Imagine that a character went to a Jewish school and said: “This place freaks me out” or a Jewish character said: “I’m tired of people looking at me like I’m a freak!” That show would never be on television because it would exceed all bounds of good taste and would not qualify as entertainment. It would be propaganda.

    The same goes for this particular Cold Case episode. It should have never been written in the first place, let alone shown on the air.

58. Barb DiGi Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 9:30 pm

    Wow! There is so much to say to commentators above but I cannot get into details right now.

    All I want is to clarify to Divided is that what I meant by protesting does not necessarily involve picketing and gathering in front of CBS office or anything like that. Perhaps I should make myself a bit clearer by expressing my objection to their production to let them know that they way thet portray the Deaf is not accurate by telling them. I have done that by expressing my views in my letter to the CBS industry. For us to write stories is not a bad idea but it may not be easy to get the stories published but I don’t want to discourage anyone to do that.

    The whole point is that we just can’t just lie back and say nothing. If nobody say or do something, then who will? What kind of message are we sending out to the public? When the public see how we feel about it then they will have second thoughts. We need to continue to express our views that they can hopefully learn and make better stories about Deaf people in future programs.

59. Candy Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 10:06 pm

    Hey people, there are many shows about other minorities and other disability groups that do not reflect them in true light. Is it me or what? Am I seeing the deaf community screaming murder every time a show about deaf people is shown on TV? These shows do not necessarily reflect true reality of what goes on in the real world for the most part. Writing a letter to the producers of the shows to educate them might be a better idea. Yet, I do wonder if they are just making a show for the purpose of attracting viewers and they want something that will provoke people to watch it. CI is a big issue now. So far we are seeing many deaf people screaming murder about CI. We’ve seen that first hand here on DR. Perhaps its time for us all to start embracing everyone and maybe TV shows about deaf people will reflect that?

60. Interpret, anyone? Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 10:24 pm

    Unmportant:

    You miserably fail to discern the essential difference between the members of the ethnicitic - linguistic monirites and the members of the majority. The former have a plethora of sensitive issues that the latter lack thereof.

61. Richard Roehm Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 10:28 pm

    I’m happy to be excluded from the negative perceptions. Now the ASL society gets it’s scourge from hollywood these days.

    Look at how you guys respond to the episode it’s humorous!

62. Meow-meow Says:
    March 31st, 2008 at 11:22 pm

    Remember The Sound and Fury? Thier families got divided because of CI issues….There are some deaf people who are TOTALLY against CI and some deaf people are support for CI, do you call them undivided or divided?

63. Harriet Says:
    April 1st, 2008 at 1:24 am

    I have to say i was disgusted, AGAIN, by the portryal of deaf people as angry, classist, and just plain negative on COLD CASE last night. Are there angry deaf people out there? Of course. but in a year and a half we have had THREE prime time shows; COLD CASE, Law and Order, and don`t forget CSI:NY, where a deaf person has murdered another person because of CI issues. Have deaf people murdered before? Yes. So why can`t they just portray a person who murders and happens to be deaf!? IF it were only 1 show where this crazy, CI mania was happening i would say ok, WHATEVER. But THREE shows??!!

    STOP THE MADNESS!!!!!

64. Cold Case Critic Says:
    April 1st, 2008 at 2:23 am

    I have deaf friends who have CI’s. So what! Am I jealous? ROFLMAO! It’s their right and you respect their right to have a CI. Why should I decide the CI is good or bad for my friends? Silly TV writers and producers need to get their information straight and present their story the proper way. We don’t need any more CI murders and it’s getting old and boring already. Stop this CI madness!

    Let’s move on to better stories and learn more about deaf people and deaf culture!

65. deb ann Says:
    April 1st, 2008 at 9:22 am

    Thank you, Barb for writing the letter and
    thank you, Mishkazena for this post!

66. Mishka Zena Says:
    April 1st, 2008 at 2:45 pm

    It is disappointing to see some people pooh-poohing about the negative stereotyping of a linguistic minority. Apparently they do not care about the mischaracterizations and the persistent negative portrayal of a community profoundly affecting people’s perception of that culture. Despite one person’s assertions, it is very important that lay people people understand Deaf people, its cultural and language to avoid stigmatizing the minority group and the perpetuation of harmful misconceptions. Not only do the workers of law and order, but also lay people, including people working in the medical field, teachers, firemen, business owners, store personnel, and neighbors, etc., need to understand that lipreading isn’t the best way to communicate for many Deaf people and importance of interpreters to avoid conflict of interests and high interpreting quality.

    In the old days, we were taught that Native Americans are savages and that African Americans are cast as monkeys. Even though these were fictional, these stereotypes did color our perception of these minorities negatively in many ways, affecting their ability to acquire good paying jobs, finding good places to live, and promoting active discrimination. Only after they protested about these systematic biases, were the negative stereotypes reduced. As a result, the perceptions of Americans toward these minority groups have become more postive.

    Remember the days when Hollywood promoted the use of illegal drugs in 1980’s? Everybody thought that was so cool. However, as the addiction of illegal drugs spiraled out of control, Hollywood was reprimanded for its irresponsibility to the society and it had ceased its glorification of illegal acts.

67. Gretta Conroy Says:
    April 2nd, 2008 at 11:25 pm

    I am a hearing ASL student and watched this program on Sunday night without feeling most of the extreme negative responses I saw here. Perhaps you could chalk it up to my naivite. So I am greatful to see these responses because I take it as part of my learning experience in understanding the deaf community. However, from my point of view I didn’t see this particular episode as damaging. I don’t mean to offend but the sad truth is that many hearing people have are not even aware that there is such a thing as the deaf community at all and have never even heard the term cochlear implant. They are not aware of the fact that ASL is an actual language rather than a mere manual interpretation of English. And when they think od deafness( that is if they think of it at all) they consider the people to be terribly disabled. So with this in mind the representation of the deaf students was positive.

    I realize there were many inaccuracies in this program. But I think you have to consider the source. This is a television drama which usually means an overly melodramatic presentation full of one dimensional sterotypes. I’ve watched other Cold Case episodes and feel that most of them deal with the subject matter in this way. For a true understanding of any group of people I hope people would have more sense than to resort to Cold Case or any other television series.

    I always tend to look at what’s positive about something rather than what’s negative. And to me, bringing the fact that there even is a deaf community to the general public’s attention is better than not. I also thought the fact that the Deaf students’ signing was pretty accurate was a positive thing. Two hearing friends of mine that saw the program appreciated it just for these reasons.

    I remember some of the first representations of African Americans I saw on prime time tv ….in the real early days they wouldn’t even use African Americans but Whites painted in black face. And certainly the charicatures in most shows had no relation to the real lives of African Americans. But with time this misrepresentation has lessened. I suspect the same will happen as time goes on with the representation of the deaf community as well.

68. Hetty Says:
    April 3rd, 2008 at 12:02 am

    Hi

    Like others, I’m disappointed. I watched it with my CODA son, 18 years old. He didn’t think too much of it too. Just submitted my comments to CBS.

    I watched it because the main character is a CSDR graduate (am currently teaching there). He stopped by today (at CSDR)..it was good seeing him. He was also casted as Dummy Hoy.

69. Grayce Says:
    April 3rd, 2008 at 3:02 pm

    I wanted to like this show (it is one of my favorites) - and in the beginning, I thought it was going to be great… (really showing the ignorance of the hearing society in the form of the homicide detective), but it disappointed instead.

    A brief list of just a few objectionable items…

    1. Use of principal as interpreter (and not a good one at that)
    2. Principal spouting Deaf Culture ‘rules’ and yet not interpreting everything (because ‘they’ can read lips)
    3. Police detectives going to the house of parents WITHOUT bringing an interpreter
    4. The hearing ‘girl-friend’ trying to convince the deaf student he wouldn’t be whole without hearing his music again

    Darn… could have been so good!

    Grayce

70. Ken Rose Says:
    April 4th, 2008 at 1:09 am

    “The fact that a DEAF person would KILL someone for having the implant; highly impossible! (Unless it was a crime of passion, which the plot failed to show).”

    The show would have ended better if it was shown that the murderer was charges with Second Degree manslaughter (a clear Crime of Passion) or even a lesser charge (as would be the case if it was real).

    What is really GLARING is the FACTUAL INACCURACIES about CIs presented in the show. They stated, quite rightly, in the show, that CIs aren’t a “CURE” for Deafness.

    Far from it. CI hearing is NOT natural hearing. (Any Late-Deafened person who gets a CI can tell you that!!!) It takes MONTHS of TRAINING to adjust to CIs. You have to RE-LEARN how to hear.

    But “Andy” supposedly was given a CI in ONE DAY, then the next day he had enough hearing to be able to appreciate playing the piano, as he did when he was 7 years old.

    Any CI candidate would have to wait WEEKS, maybe MONTHS for the Surgery. The CI wouldn’t be turned on that day or the next, but usually two weeks or more before the surgery healed. Even so, “Andy” wouldn’t recognize the sounds from his CI as piano for weeks after his CI was turned on.

    “Cold Case” said, correctly that CIs weren’t a “Cure” for Deafness, then portrayed it like he was implanted in one day, then had his previous hearing restored by the next day. Preposterous.

    These crime drama shows thrive on having everyone be a suspect. “Law and Order” was WAY worse, portraying EVERY Deaf person as a suspect, nearly convicting them until proven INNOCENT. But that is the way the “Law and Order” franchise works.

    I think “Cold Case” brought up a lot of Deaf issues that Hearing people would never consider. But it would be a better conclusion to show the crime was just one second of frustration instead of some systematic hatred endemic within the Deaf Community.

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