Friday, December 27, 2019
Ross Barnett, Segregationist Governor of Mississippi
Ross Barnett (January 22, 1898ââ¬âNovember 6, 1987) served one term as Mississippis governor, but he remains as one of the states most well-known chief executives due in large part to his willingness to imprison civil rights protesters, defy federal law, incite insurrection, and function as a mouthpiece for the Mississippi white supremacist movement. Despite the jingle used by his supporters during his anti-integration years (Ross is standing like Gibraltar; / he will never falter), Barnett was, in reality, always willing to harm others to advance his own political interests when it was safe to do so, but surprisingly docile and submissive when the possibility emerged that he might himself have to spend time in prison. Fast Facts: Ross Barnett Known For: 53rd governor of Mississippi who clashed with civil rights activists and tried to bar James Meredith, an African-American, from enrolling at the University of MississippiBorn:à January 22, 1898, in Standing Pine, MississippiParents: John William, Virginia Ann Chadwick BarnettDied: November 6, 1987, in Jackson, MississippiEducation: Mississippi College (graduated, 1922), Mississippi Law School (LLB, 1929)Awards and Honors: Mississippi Bar Association president (elected 1943)Spouse: Pearl Crawfordà (m. 1929ââ¬â1982)Children: Ross Barnett Jr., two daughtersNotable Quote: I have said in every county in Mississippi that no school in our state will be integrated while I am your governor. I repeat to you tonight: no school in our state will be integrated while I am your governor. There is no case in history where the Caucasian race has survived social integration. We will not drink from the cup of genocide. Early Years and Education Barnett was born on January 22, 1898, in Standing Pine, Mississippi, the youngest of 10 children of John William Barnett, aà Confederateà veteran, and Virginia Ann Chadwick. Barnett served in the U.S. Army during World War I. He then worked a series of odd jobs while attending Mississippi College in Clinton before earning a degree from the school in 1922. He later attended the University of Mississippi Law School and graduated with an LLB in 1929, the same year he married schoolteacher Mary Pearl Crawford. They eventually had two daughters and a son. Law Career Barnett started his law career with relatively minor cases. I represented a man in a replevin case for a cow and actually won it, he told the University of Southern Mississippis Center for Oral History Cultural Heritage. He paid me $2.50. (Replevin refers to a legal action whereby a person seeks to have his property returned to him.) In his second case, Barnett represented a woman suing for the cost of a side saddle ($12.50), which had been taken by her ex-husband. He lost that case. Despite this early setback, during the course of the next quarter-century, Barnett became one of the states most successful trial lawyers, earning more than $100,000 per year, funds that would later help him launch his political career. In 1943, Barnett was elected president of the Mississippi Bar Association and served in that post until 1944. Early Politics Barnetts older brother Bert actually sparked Ross Barnetts interest in politics. Bert Barnett was twice elected to the position of chancery clerk of Leake County, Mississippi. He then successfully ran for a state senate seat representing Leake and Neshoba counties. Ross Barnett recalled the experience years later: I got to liking politics pretty well, following him aroundââ¬âhelping him in his campaigns. Unlike his brother, Barnett never ran for any state or local offices. But with the encouragement of friends and former classmatesââ¬âand after decades of practicing law and a successful stint overseeing the states bar associationââ¬âBarnett ran, unsuccessfully, for governor of Mississippi in 1951 and 1955. The third time was a charm, though, and Barnett was elected governor of the state after running on a white separatist platform in 1959. Governorship Barnetts single term as governor was marked by conflicts with civil rights activists who protested in the state. In 1961, he ordered the arrest and detention of approximately 300 Freedom Riders when they arrived in Jackson, Mississippi. He also began secretly funding the White Citizens Council with state money that year, under the auspices of the Mississippi Sovereignty Commission. Meredith Crisis In 1962, Barnett tried to prevent the enrollment of James Meredith at the University of Mississippi. On September 10 of that year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the university must admit Meredith, an African-American, as a student. On. Sept. 26, Barnett ordered state troopers to prevent Meredith from entering the campus. Between Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, riots erupted over Merediths pending enrollment. President John F. Kennedy ordered U.S. marshals to Mississippi to ensure Merediths safety and allow him to enter the school. Barnett relented on Oct. 1 after the marshals threatened to arrest him, and Meredith became a student at the school known as Ole Miss. Barnett left office at the end of his term in 1964. Later Years and Death Barnett resumed his law practice after leaving office but stayed active in state politics. During the 1964 trial of Mississippi NAACP field secretary Medgar Evers murderer Byron de la Beckwith, Barnett interrupted the testimony of Evers widow to shake Beckwiths hand in solidarity, eliminating whatever slim chance there might have been that jurors would have convicted Beckwith. (Beckwith was finally convicted in 1994.) Barnett ran for governor a fourth and final time in 1967 but lost. Years later, in 1983, Barnett surprised many by riding in a Jackson parade commemorating the life and work of Evers. Barnett died on Nov. 6, 1987, in Jackson, Mississippi. Legacy Although Barnett is most remembered for the Meredith crisis, there were several significant economic developments during his administration, David G. Sansing writes on Mississippi History Now. Sansing notes: A series of amendments to the stateââ¬â¢s workmenââ¬â¢s compensation law and the enactment of a right to work law, made Mississippi more attractive to outside industry during Barnetts term. Additionally, the state added more than 40,000 new jobs during his four years as governor, which saw the construction of industrial parks throughout the state and the establishment of a Youth Affairs Department under the Agricultural and Industrial Board. But it is the Meredith controversy that will likely forever be most closely linked to Barnetts legacy. Indeed, former U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy, who talked by phone more than a dozen times with Barnett before and during the crisis, drew a crowd of 6,000 students and faculty when he gave a speech at The University of Mississippi in 1996. After poking fun at Barnetts response at the time, Kennedy received a standing ovation. Historian Bill Doyle, the author ofà American Insurrection: The Battle of Oxford, Mississippi, 1962, says that Barnett knew integration was inevitable but needed a way to let Meredith enroll in Ole Miss without losing face with his white, pro-segregation supporters. Doyle said: Ross Barnett desperately wanted the Kennedys to flood Mississippi with combat troops because thats the only way Ross Barnett could tell his white segregationist backers, Hey I did everything I could, I fought them, but to prevent bloodshed, in the end, I made a deal. Sources John F. Kennedy, The Mississippi Crisis, Part 1: The President Calling. American Public Media.Learn About Ross Barnett. Famousbirthdays.com.McMillen, Dr. Neil. ââ¬Å"Oral History with the Honorable Ross Robert Barnett, Former Governor of the State of Mississippiâ⬠The University of Southern Mississippi Center for Oral History and Cultural Heritage.AP. ââ¬Å"Ross Barnett, Segregationist, Dies; Governor of Mississippi in 1960s.â⬠à The New York Times, 7 Nov. 1987.ââ¬Å"Ross Robert Barnett: Fifty-Third Governor of Mississippi: 1960-1964.â⬠à Mississippi History Now.
Thursday, December 19, 2019
Customer Service and Training - 3854 Words
The Verizon Wireless Corporate customer service department has been receiving poor customer service ratings and complaints from customers at our retail stores and via the call center. Verizon Wireless Corporate is a reputable organization that is committed to offer customers the most reliable service on the nationââ¬â¢s best wireless voice and data network. Because of its widely known reputation management needs to be aware of these issues and take action immediately. In order to move forward, we must evaluate the training process and proceed accordingly. Our first task is to conduct a training needs assessment for Verizon Wireless Corporate. We begin with the organizational analysis. Due to the high sensitivity of complaints, managementâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦These interviews will also generate an open forum for individuals to express any concerns they have with an underlying issue as well. It is understood this type of process is time consuming, but pertinent information can be uncovered in these types of techniques that is beneficial to the organizationââ¬â¢s growth. Once the interview process is completed, employees will be asked to perform a web-based training application. This application will be supported by a resource called Skillport that is provided through our new established relationship with NETG as it was mentioned early. This application allows our training staff to manipulate various training modules, and target specific areas of interest (i.e. customer service processes, procedures, managing challenges). This resource is a critical phase in training, because it offers immediate feedback and allows the employees to work at their pace. After completing our task needs assessment, we continue with the construction of our lesson plan. Within this lesson plan we need to assure that the transfer of training is exchanged accordingly. For this to take place, a cost-benefit analysis needs to be conducted. It is imperative at this level of tr aining and development to conduct a cost-benefit analysis for Verizon Wireless Corp. This method/technique is designed to determine the feasibility of a training project or plan by quantifying its costs and benefits; meaningShow MoreRelatedTraining of Customer Service961 Words à |à 4 PagesImportant points to consider when training customer service employees. Who are the most important people in your organization? It may come as a surprise to learn that the most important people are your employees - not your customers. Customers come second. Without qualified and well-trained employees committed to strong customer service all of your efforts to please customers will be fruitless. Customer service training has become a popular way for service organizations to provide employeesRead MoreEvaluation Of A Customer Service Training Essay1659 Words à |à 7 PagesHR Training Class The author of this paper is a member of the Human Resources (HR) team of a small retail company and has been assigned to create a new employee customer service training class for all new employees. Training is vital to teach new employees the knowledge and skills required for a job. According to Stewart and Brown (2012), training is ââ¬Å"a planned effort to help employees learn job-related knowledge, skills, and attitudesâ⬠(p. 332). The purpose of this paper is to present a detailedRead MoreCustomer Service Training For Employees1569 Words à |à 7 PagesCustomer service training refers to teaching the employees the skills which are required to deal with the customers to provide the maximum satisfaction to them. 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The course teaches companies how to treat the customer as an importantRead MoreCustomer Service Skills Training Proposal1342 Words à |à 6 PagesCustomer Service Skills Training Proposal Introduction Customer Service Skills Training for employees will meet the needs of the customers and will result in higher service in excellence. According to Rummler, ââ¬Å"surveying other supervisors or managers to ascertain what K/S they think the targeted group of employees require or organizing a focus group of the targeted population of employees and asking them what K/S input they think they needâ⬠(Rummler, 2008, p. 84). The training material needs toRead MoreSample Resume : Customer Service Training Proposal Essay1676 Words à |à 7 Pages Customer Service Training Proposal For GetYourStuff.com 43 North East Street, Campbell Submitted to: Daniel Joseph Director-Customer Service Submitted by: Stephen Josh Team Lead-Customer Service Read MoreNew Employee Customer Service Training Plan1524 Words à |à 7 PagesEmployee Customer Service Training Plan The most important skill a new employee must be able to perform to have a successful career at the Retail store is customer service. Customer service is defined as an organizationââ¬â¢s ability to satisfy their customersââ¬â¢ needs and wants (Ward, 2016). The new employees must interact with customers. The purpose of employeeââ¬â¢s interacting with customers is to help them find the items theyââ¬â¢re looking for (Ward, 2016). At the Retail store, customer service has a directRead MoreHow Leadership, Organizational Culture And Staff Training Impacts Customer Service1715 Words à |à 7 Pagesbeen created for The Institute of Customer Service. This report is intended to provide other UK businesses with advice on managing customer expectations, how feedback and complaints can be used to improve customer service. The report will look at how leadership, organisational culture and staff training impacts customer service. Crash Bang Wallop (CBW) will make recommendations f or best practice. Customer Expectations When customers purchase goods or services they have a certain level of expectationRead MoreModeling Leaders And Training On Different Areas Of Communication, Customer Service And Time Management Essay1368 Words à |à 6 Pageslives, regardless if they assume the title or not Stojkovic, et al, 2015. Some of these leaders are family, peers, friends, co-workers and professors Stojkovic, et al, 2015. Modeling leaders and training in different areas at my past jobs have allowed me to excel in areas of communication, customer service and time management. These individuals gave me the drive to be a better person and achieve excellent results doing everyday tasks. As a result, I could count on these people for help if I am unsureRead Moreemergency department patient satisfaction: customer service training improves patient satisfaction and ratings of physician and nurse skill/practitioner response4981 Words à |à 20 Pagespatient satisfaction: Customer service training improves patient sat isfaction and ratings of physician and nurse skill / Practitioner response falseMayer, Thom A; Cates, Robert J; Mastorovich, Mary Jane Press the Escape key to close ; Royalty, Deborah L; et al.Journal of Healthcare Management43.5 (Sep/Oct 1998): 427-40; discussion 441-2. Abstract (summary) The full text may take 40-60 seconds to translate; larger documents may take longer. 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Wednesday, December 11, 2019
The Analysis of the Escape by W.S. Maugham free essay sample
The story under the title ââ¬Å"The Escapeâ⬠was written by one of the outstanding English writers ââ¬â William Somerset Maugham. The plot of the story is quite simple, though interesting. The protagonist of the story, a young man rolling in money ââ¬â Roger Charing ââ¬â fell in love with Ruth Barlow, an unfortunate woman who was twice a widow. They had all the happy and pleasant moments of relationships a loving couple usually has and intended to marry. Then suddenly Roger fell out of love with Ruth. But he found a way to make Ruth release him. He said they would marry the day they found the perfect house for both of them, however, Roger rejected all the orders of the agents offering a new house. At last Ruth lost her patience and left Roger herself. So, the problem addressed in the story lies in the relationships of man and woman, in the way they get over the quandaries, in the way they treat each other. We will write a custom essay sample on The Analysis of the Escape by W.S. Maugham or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page And I believe this problem is rather vital nowadays as many families divorce because they donââ¬â¢t know how to overcome hardships they face. The controlling idea of the story is that one should put on his thinking and act very carefully, as sometimes procrastination can give better results than haste. The same we see in the story. Roger wasnââ¬â¢t hurrying to inform Ruth in his calmness to her, vice versa he kept on taking care of her not even presenting her any signs to doubt in his love. At the same time he didnââ¬â¢t let the agents stop searching the house, trying Ruthââ¬â¢s patience. The repetition used by the author prove non-interest of Roger to all offers: ââ¬Å"Sometimes they were too large and sometimes they were too small, sometimes they were too far from the centre of the things and sometimes they were too close; sometimes they were too expensive and sometimes they wanted too many repairs; sometimes they were too stuffy and sometimes they were too airy; sometimes they were too dark and sometimes they were too bleakâ⬠. The Analysis Of The Escape By W. s. Maugham Analysis of the short story ââ¬Å"The Escapeâ⬠by William Somerset Maugham. I`d like to reflect upon the short-story under the title à «The Escapeâ⬠, written by one of the best known English writers of 20th century ââ¬â William Somerset Maugham. He was not only a short-story writer, but also one of the most successful dramatists and novelists. His reputation as a novelist is based on the following prominent books: ââ¬Å"Of Human Bondageâ⬠; ââ¬Å"The Moon and Sixpenceâ⬠; and ââ¬Å"The Razors Edgeâ⬠, ââ¬Å"Cakes and Aleâ⬠, etc. Maughams novels and short stories could be characterized by great narrative facility, an ironic point of view and an astonishing understanding of human nature. In his works realistic reflection of life, keen character descriptions, and interesting plots are combined with beautiful, expressive language and a simple, clear, style. I think, that the beginning of the story serves as its subject matter, where the author recounts his point of view on the marriage. He convinces us that if a woman once made her mind to marry a man nothing but instant flight could save him. As an example he told a case, which happened with one of his friends, who seeing the inevitable marriage menacing before him, took ship and spent a year traveling round the world. He hoped the woman would forget him, but was mistaken. When he got back thinking himself safe, the woman, from whom he had fled, was waiting for him on the quay. This funny thing supports the idea that the inevitable loom of the marriage frightens some men and they try to avoid it. It should be mentioned, that he describes that awkward situation very skillfully and in a very ironical way. It could be confirmed by some cases of irony, used by the narrator ââ¬â ââ¬Å"instant flightâ⬠and ââ¬Å"inevitable loom menacing before himâ⬠, ââ¬Å" escaped with only a toothbrush for all his luggageâ⬠, which show us fear and trembling of men before the difficulties of the marriage. And through these stylistic devices we feel the authorââ¬â¢s humorous tone, which h The escape and The luncheon, both describes grieving experience of men towards women. The narrator of the former recites how his friend, Roger Charing, tries to get rid of a woman, Ruth Barlow. The author of the later reflects his own experience with a woman using her well-laid traps to make him fulfill her luxurious demands. Since these events are anything but pleasant and memorable, the author expresses his severe criticism towards women. The story begins with a funny anecdote, stating that If a woman once made up her mind to marry a man, nothing but instant flight could save him. Faulkner describes marriage as the inevitable loom menacingly before men or danger that urges men to perform an immediate action. This suggests his negative attitudes towards marriage and, more importantly, expresses the difference of men and women in love. Men are not marrying creatures while women usually expect to lead a love affair to marriage. Ruth Barlow is characterized by a gift: a gift for pathos. Her sympathetic appearance, splendid dark eyes and they were the most moving I ever saw, they seemed to be ever on the point of filling with tears, conspires with a pitiful background, twice a widow, to render Ruth the vulnerability, which strips men off their usual sensibility. Though appearing as naive and harmless, Ruth is led to gradually reveal her true character. Despite the absolute sympathy Roger has towards her, the narrator perceive her as stupid, scheming and unemotional. Her cheating on the card game and overlooking to pay the money she lost expose her dishonesty and affected manners. Ruth is a dull and narrow-minded woman, as she had never had any conversation. Faulkners repetitive description about her eyes: splendid dark eyes, the most moving eyes, big ad lovely eyes makes an impression that other than the pathetic look, this woman is a hollow. The turning-point of this story is when Roger, out of the blue, falls out of love with Ruth. His ingenious (and somewhat artificial) effort to run away from that happy ending contributes to unveil Ruths fake personality. The seemingly endless hunt for a suitable house turns the adorably looking Ruth to a silent and scornful woman with sullen eyes. She finally gives up her patience of an angel, breaks up with Roger and rushes herself into an instant marriage with someone who is anxious to take care of me. This uncommon situation confirms the narrators judgment on women as fickle at the beginning of this story. It is about a man (Roger) and a woman (Ruth), their complicated relations and scheming in order to achieve different aims. So they are the main characters. The author hides behind the narrator who is the secondary character. The essence of ââ¬Å"The Escapeâ⬠, to my mind, is that Roger and Ruth have diverse approaches towards the relations. Of course, the men and the women like the first step: flowers, attentiveness, passion. But then their paths diverge. The romance disappears, the man looks for the way out, he craves for new emotions, but the woman deems that the relations should develop into the marriage. And ââ¬Å"The Escapeâ⬠is the example of such a mismatch. From the very beginning the narrator convinces us that if a woman
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
Reaction to Deaf in America Voices from a Culture free essay sample
With their book Deaf in America: Voices from a Culture, Carol Padden and Tom Humphries have crafted an insightful, deeply personal examination of Deaf culture, revealing how the development of ASL (American Sign Language) has reshaped traditional thinking in regards to Deaf people. Padden and Humphries (1988) contend that Deaf people have ââ¬Å"established patterns of cultural transmission and a common language â⬠¦ all basic ingredients for a rich and inventive culture,â⬠yet they argue that little to nothing has been known about Deaf culture itself (p. 9). The first chapter features anecdotes about growing up Deaf and the popular misconceptions that surround it. The chapter overturns a lot of conventional wisdom regarding what it ââ¬Å"meansâ⬠to be Deaf, with the authors examining false notions such as ââ¬Å"Deaf children [not being able] to hear, thus perhaps they do not appreciate the ability of others to perceive soundâ⬠(p. 14). The chapter effectively sets up the rest of the book, in that the authors qualify terms that society takes for granted, such as ââ¬Å"hearingâ⬠and ââ¬Å"talking,â⬠and challenge popular, albeit uninformed thought. We will write a custom essay sample on Reaction to Deaf in America: Voices from a Culture or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Different people share their stories about being deaf, providing the reader a context through which to understand how Deaf culture developed. In discussing how Deaf childrenââ¬â¢s lives are marked with periods of ââ¬Å"adjustments,â⬠the authors work hard to establish that Deaf culture is a genuine culture unto itself, as cultures are ââ¬Å"highly specific systems that both explain things and constrain how things can be knownâ⬠(p. 24). In the next chapter, Deaf culture is examined with a cultural and historical perspective. It is an interesting look at not just how Deaf culture is treated in other countriesââ¬â¢ storytelling and such, but what Deaf stories mean to the culture at large. The authors first dispel the story of Epà ©e inventing French Sign Language, but use the story to show how the story itself has been galvanized into an important touchstone for French Deaf people, symbolizing a shift from Deaf peopleââ¬â¢s isolation to the rise of a real community. In this case, the community is more important than the truth behind the languageââ¬â¢s development. As it turns out, there are similar storiesââ¬âacross the worldââ¬âof Deaf communities coming together through language. In fact, the authors point out that the stories are ââ¬Å"active ways of affirming basic beliefs of the groupâ⬠(p. 33). The stories are vital to the communities, as they point toward the past as well as informing the present. Deaf culture reflects on these stories to see how far they have come, emerging as a socially distinct group. Sadly, the chapter notes that other countries, including Germany and France, experienced reforms that ââ¬Å"snatched [sign language] from their schoolsâ⬠(p. 34), which is tantamount to silencing an entire culture. Padden and Humphries use this story as a cautionary tale for Americans, contending the American deaf community could be silenced in the same way if similar reforms came through. If nothing else, the stories also serve to paint an alarming portraitââ¬âthe dismantling of an entire cultureââ¬âto people who are not Deaf. ââ¬Å"A Different Center,â⬠the third chapter, distinguishes between the terms ââ¬Å"Hearing,â⬠ââ¬Å"Hard-of-Hearing,â⬠and ââ¬Å"Deaf.â⬠The authors claim that all three have very ââ¬Å"ââ¬Ëbackward definitionsââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬ (p. 41), which stem from the label ââ¬Å"Deaf.â⬠They posit that the definitions should come from ââ¬Å"Hearingâ⬠instead, shifting the paradigm so that it is inclusive of everyone; in other words, it would start with the majority instead of marginalizing the minority. The authors claim that these labels hurt the Deaf community in that they imply lesser status. Interestingly, the authors admit that ââ¬Å"Deaf people have a history, albeit an uneasy one, of alignment with other disabled groupsâ⬠(p. 44). This chapter, more than the previous two, succeeds in exploring two distinct worlds: Deaf and Hearing, and demonstrating how a cultureââ¬â¢s self-identity is cultivated. The authorââ¬â¢s criticism of conventional wisdom charges society with making Deafness an issue of class and ability, not an element of culture. The history of signed languages is traced in the bookââ¬â¢s fourth chapter, wherein the authors further discuss notions of otherness and how living ââ¬Å"within the world of othersâ⬠impacts self-identity. From a documentary to a play to a popular newsletter distributed to Deaf people, the authors examine the ways in which these examples contribute to misconceptions about sign languageââ¬âchiefly, how sign language is often portrayed as ââ¬Å"lifesaving,â⬠ââ¬Å"personal,â⬠or ââ¬Å"romanticâ⬠(p. 69). Fascinatingly, the authors subtly ask whether these notions exists are true because Deaf people are ââ¬Å"dependentâ⬠upon sign language, or if Deaf people are ultimately defined by their signed language. In the fifth chapter, Padden and Humphries discuss how signed language is thought of much differently than it was in the past. In fact, the authors claim that ââ¬Å"signed languages are human languages with the potential for rich expressionâ⬠(p. 73). Deaf culture has experienced a dramatic shift in the way they think of signed languageââ¬âââ¬Å"a new self-consciousnessâ⬠ââ¬âand the authors go about examining performances in which sign language is used. The idea of signing-as-performance is fascinating; it undoes conventional ideas of what acting/performance is ââ¬Å"supposedâ⬠to be, challenging long-held ideas. There is an artistry and a beauty to it all, it seems, with early signed-language performers of plays and poetry demonstrating ââ¬Å"a detailed awareness of how signs are assembled and the relationship of structure to meaningâ⬠(p. 84). The authors argue that these performances lead to a new science of the selfââ¬âthe language takes on a personal, rather than a functional, character. It further demonstrates that signed language is so deeply textured that it can be a source of genuine art. The sixth chapter begins with another popular misconception: that, without sound, Deaf people cannot ââ¬Å"know the world directlyâ⬠(p. 92). This introduces the notion of barriers, established by sound, blocking Deaf people from fully understanding the world around them. The authors immediately dispel this idea, arguing that sound should be thought of differently: sound ââ¬Å"does not have an inherent meaningâ⬠so much as it is interpreted in different ways. How we perceive sound is shaped and conditioned, not automatic. Deaf people, the authors maintain, have a full concept of sound and that it plays a vital role in their world, despite the physical absence of it. The chapter is interesting in its exploration of the nature of sound as well as Deaf peopleââ¬â¢s relationship to it. Sound helps Deaf people ââ¬Å"organize experienceâ⬠(p. 108) and helps to shape their environment, in concert with movement and form. A Deaf personââ¬â¢s world is not silent so much as it is free of easy interpretations and culturally-generated perceptions. à The final chapter speaks to the entire book itself, contending that the ââ¬Å"biological characteristicâ⬠(p. 110) of not hearing is inextricably linked to Deaf culture. The authors suggest that the world shift their thinking to a more historical perspectiveââ¬âone that accounts for the fact that the world of Deafness is a world occupied by otherness. Deafness is not an affliction; it is a condition that ââ¬Å"leads to a longing to live lives designed by themselves rather than imposed by others.â⬠Deaf in America calls for a grand shift in perspective from the hearing world, asking them to think of Deaf culture as a distinct group, unbound by class and common ideas of disability. Deaf culture has given rise to a rich, highly personal language and a tightly-knit community that is as developed and defined as any in the world. The authors claim that if the Deaf are denied access to a history of established language and social practices, they are doomed to endure the barriers and criticism that Deaf culture has managed to overcome. Deaf culture needs to be protected, as it defines itself through a shared language and forges a collective identity through community. Works Cited Padden, Carol Humphries, Tom. (1988). Deaf in America: Voices from a Culture. Cambridge : Massachusetts.
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