Dear Friends,
Our 3 prong education campaign has taken off without a hitch! Kudos
to everyone who supplied us the materials, addressed and stuffed the
envelopes, assembled the education packages, took the packages and the
envelopes to the postal centers. We did a lot in the past week! All
this cost a lot of money and a lot of our resources. We feel good
we're making a positive impact for the deaf communities in the Southland.
Our famous safety education coloring books for deaf kids are being
re-released again! These are excellent educational supplements to any
school for the deaf. They teach deaf kids safety. For information
on our coloring books please check
http://www.defadvocacy.org/education/flyers/JustBeSafeInfo.pdf
Paul Winter's plea to save the National Theatre of the Deaf is in the
Grapevine section.
Rafael Pinchas scores another big one for righteousness by alerting us
of the latest developments in the CISS-Ammons drama with his
submission in the community bullhorn section! We believe the drama
will evolve into a nasty crisis the equivalent of a blackhole and it
will drag all the deaflympics sponsors into it and nothing will be
able to escape it's wrath. The best suggestion at this point is a
major change in the CISS leadership so deaf people will get the chance
to prove themselves in the area of athletics. Kudos to Rafael!
National Institute on Disability Rehabilitation and Research has
finally proposed some changes that will reduce and possibly eliminate
the polarity that has been found in Regional Disability and Business
Technical Assistance Centers throughout the United States. They are
supposed to be charged with distributing information on ADA access to
the consumers and businesses. Recently the Regional Disability and
Business Technical Assistance Centers have been aligning themselves to
advocacy groups that are totally clueless on the spirit of community
advocacy. We have had clients telling us stories that suggest that
these centers have been the sources of the hostilities between
businesses and the disability communities. Finally the hand that
feeds these Regional Disability and Business Technical Assistance
Centers is expected to get smaller soon and people and businesses will
come to real organizations like ours for real help.
We have been invited to the Deaf Asia Festival and the Mata Expo and
we thank and appreciate the Deaf Asia Foundation for giving us the
opportunity to participate in their deaf community events. We plan a
very exciting and very sensitive educational booth at the Deaf Asia
Festival and we will be offering resourceful things at our booth in a
way that no other California deaf social service agency ever thought
of doing.
OCDAC Communications
[email protected]
-------------< INSIDE NEWS >
With our subscribership from the international communities increasing
at a steady pace, we wish to make this newsletter accessible to them
and the easiest way to accomplish this is by directing them to
http://www.babelfish.altavista.com/ and entering
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ocdacnewsletter/ in the website
translation box and the babelfish will help our international
subscribers become strong advocates for the deaf and disability
communities.
Macy's Community Shopping Day 2006, an in-store shopping event and
fundraiser for charities in the Orange County community, will be held
on May 12, 2006 at Macy's South Coast Plaza. We have 200 tickets to
sell. We need to sell at least 100 of the tickets at $10 each. And
we'll need at least 5 or more volunteers on hand as well. Besides a
good operation at Macy's Community Shopping Day would be as good as a
decent birthday gift to the editor from our communities. The money
will be used for operating expenses and the fee for our Orange County
fair fundraiser stand which is expected to be around $900 plus the
cost of insurance.
We have started on our giant Orange County Fair educational booth
planning for this upcoming summer. This year's theme is 'Flower
Power' and its a retro theme.
Our OC Fair fundraiser merchandise stand is taking upon a nice shape
and color. We plan to subcontract 3 people to man the fundraiser
stand for us.
We have started a Campbell's product label collection campaign to help
us raise the means to get supplies for our office Start saving your
campbells product labels today and mail them to us on the first week
of each month. We have aproximately 1050 subscribers and if each one
of them accumulates and sends us 900-1000 labels a month, we'd be able
to get lots of new equipment for our office and internal and external
education programs! Lets get those labels coming, the program ends in
June.
Drastic Social Security rule changes for Title II Old Age, Survivors,
and Disability Insurance and SSI programs such as outlined in
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/200\
5/pdf/05-14845.pdf
renews our calls for self-reliance ideas for organizations who serve
the deaf and disabled and our very own idea, our California Disability
Gaming Initiative idea and that can be found at
http://www.deafadvocacy.com/cdgicinfo.pdf is an idea that works for
Native Americans. Why shouldn't it work for the Disability
communities? The proposed Social Security rules will limit appeals
and create a new process that is less about truth-seeking and more
hostile to applicants.
-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >
Take a look at our new magazine fundraiser and this is one of the ways
you can help us do the good work for the deaf and disabled communities.
The URL is http://www.magfundraising.com/GroupPage.aspx?e=788159
-------------< OUTSIDE NEWS PART 1/3 >
Deaf Children Denied Full Access To Language
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0603/S00023.htm
Woman struck in the head with bottle, sues D.E.A.F.
http://www.wvrecord.com/news/newsview.asp?c=175532
Jury Awards $108,000 to Deaf FedEx Employee
http://hr.blr.com/display.cfm/id/17886
Interview: Sign-language takes to the web
http://www.vnunet.com/itweek/analysis/2151441/sign-language-takes-web
Special screenings for the hearing-impaired welcome
http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060306/OPINIONS01/603060\
317/1091
Defining `Unnecessary': Bush Cuts Funding For Disabled Children
http://thinkprogress.org/2006/03/06/bush-disabled-children/
Cab Companies in Court Over Service for the Disabled
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=172236
Bill would protect disabled children in private group homes
http://www.49abcnews.com/news/2006/mar/06/bill_would_protect_disabled_children_p\
rivate_group/
Vocational program for disabled is threatened by money shortage
http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ%2FMGArticle%2FWSJ_Basic\
Article&c=MGArticle&cid=1137834516442&path=!localnews&s=1037645509099
-------------< CALIFORNIA DEAFIE HAPPENINGS >
COME TO OUR MEETUPS!
The Orange County American Sign Language Meetup Group -
http://asl.meetup.com/37/ - and the he Orange County Deaf & Hearing
Impaired Meetup Group http://deaf.meetup.com/38/ meets each 3rd
Fridays of the month.
===================================
ASL BINGO!
Come learn ASL while playing bingo!
AT THE OCDAC CLASSROOM
March 25, 2006
4pm to 7pm
$1 per card per game – 7 cards for $5
Great Prizes!
PROCEEDS BENEFIT ORANGE COUNTY DEAF ADVOCACY CENTER
For more info contact [email protected]
===================================
DEAF SEMINAR SATURDAYS
We are having two 2 hour FREE educational seminars to our community
members.
Protecting yourself from deaf-run scams
March 25, 2006, 10 am – 12 Noon and 1pm – 3pm
Disaster preparedness
May 27, 2006, 10 am – 12 Noon and 1pm – 3pm
Getting the most from your Sidekick
June 24, 2006, 10 am – 12 Noon and 1pm – 3pm
Healthy Hands and Eyes workshop
August 26, 2006, 10 am – 12 Noon and 1pm – 3pm
Dealing with creditors
September 30, 2006, 10 am – 12 Noon and 1pm – 3pm
Deaf motorist safety
October 28, 2006, 10 am – 12 Noon and 1pm – 3pm
Deaf employment rights
November 25, 2006, 10 am – 12 Noon and 1pm – 3pm
Safety at home
December 30, 2006, 10 am – 12 Noon and 1pm – 3pm
Classes take place at the OCDAC classroom. RSVP is required and 8
students maximum per class. reply back with reservation information.
And the seminars are always FREE.
===================================
Beach Blanket Babylon, San Francisco's only longest running musical
will have an interpreted performance on Sunday April 2, 2006 - 5 pm.
Interpreters - Sherry Hicks & Michael Velez
At Club Fugazi - 678 Green Street (Beach Blanket Babylon Blvd) - San
Francisco, CA
Call - 415-421-4222 ask for Deaf Seating. Under 21 welcome. Hurry as
seats sell out fast!
They have a website at www.beachblanketbabylon.com
-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >
Even though most of us working on computers only work on one, the
average American depends on more than 264 computers per day—from the
tiniest microprocessor to the largest mainframe! That is a lot of
people depending on a lot of computers! Think of how much money could
go to the Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center if 264 supporters bought
one computer each at www.iGive.com/ocdac, where up to 26% of every
purchase is donated to the Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center! At
www.iGive.com/ocdac, membership is free! So hurry up and visit the
Mall at www.iGive.com/ocdac, where you can shop at 600+ stores for all
your favorite electronics and computers from Dell, HP Shopping, Buy,
Computers4SURE, The Apple Store, SONY, and Gateway!
-------------< DEAF GRAPEVINE >
Dear Deaf Community,
We need your assistance!
NTD is facing increasingly significant financial challenges. As a
result of legislative changes, world events, and the current financial
climate, some crucial sources of revenue that NTD has historically
relied upon have dramatically diminished or disappeared completely.
The most critical, a yearly federal grant first given to NTD in 1965
from the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare was taken
away when the DOE no longer funds cultural programs for the Deaf.
To continue its success , NTD will need to generate more funds. Please
help us to continue broadening the awareness, understanding, and
appreciation of Deaf culture through the medium of theatre. NTD needs
the Deaf community to help us to continue to spread the mission of the
National Theatre of the Deaf and to let individuals know that we are
still around, still producing shows and touching lives.
The Executive Director, Paul L. Winters, Ph.D., of The National
Theatre of the Deaf (NTD) expresses "We need your financial
assistance. Connecticut, no the nation, has a national treasure that I
am not willing to give up. With support of our Deaf and hearing
friends we are confident that the Theatre can and will continue to
produce quality theatrical entertainment for another 39 years."
The idea of NTD began with Dr. Edna Simon Levine, a psychologist
working in the area of deafness. She formed the concept of a
professional company of Deaf performers in the 1950s. Director, Arthur
Penn and Anne Bancroft, leading actress of Broadway's The Miracle
Worker, were approached with the idea and in turn, brought it to their
colleague, Broadway set and lighting designer, David Hays. Struck by
the beauty and strength of sign language on stage, Mr. Hays persisted
in his vision of bringing this powerful form of expression to theatre
audiences.
In the spring of 1967, a national television program aired, exploring
the experimental idea of NTD. With additional funds from the U.S.
Office of Education, NTD embarked on its first national tour from a
home base shared with The O'Neil Theatre Center in Waterford, Connecticut.
Since founded in Connecticut in 1967, the National Theatre of the Deaf
(NTD) is the oldest continually producing and touring, professional
Deaf theatre company in the United States. It was the first theatre
company to perform in all 50 states, has toured to all seven
continents and in 32 countries. NTD's professional acting company is
made up of both Deaf and Hearing Artists working together as an
ensemble. The audience sees and hears every word through the NTD's
signature performance style, which combines American Sign Language
(ASL) and spoken word.
In addition to being the recipient of the prestigious Tony Award for
Theatrical Excellence and receiving a Grammy® Nomination, NTD has long
served as artistic ambassador for the United States. The NTD has
staged more than 10,000 live performances as part of nearly 100
national and international tours.
The National theatre of the Deaf has been instrumental in opening up
many other worlds for the Deaf. Captioned television,
Telecommunication devices, Sign Language interpreters, Bi-lingual,
bi-cultural education are some of the benefits that have occurred as
"fall-out" of the work the National Theatre of the Deaf has done.
There have also been two generations of children who have seen company
member, Linda Bove on "Sesame Street" as well as a new audience seeing
the 2004-2005 season cast of the LTD (Little Theatre of the Deaf) with
Big Bird and friends in 2005 and 2006.
For more nearly four decades, the Tony-Award winning National Theatre
of the Deaf has celebrated the artistry of the Deaf. Through its
performance and associated education and outreach programs, The
National Theatre of the Deaf has illuminated the minds and touched the
hearts of more than 3.5 million people, ninety percent of whom are
Hearing. During the 2004-2005 season the LTD toured 16 states and
performed for over 85,000 school children.
Thank you for you time and your support.
Please mail this to your deaf friends and colleagues
Sincerely,
Paul L. Winters
[email protected]
Executive Director
National Theatre of the Deaf
139 North Main St.
West Hartford, CT 06107
www.ntd.org
-------------< BULLETIN >
Accessible Voting Systems Required in Federal Elections
The first of the year marked the deadline by which voting systems used
in Federal elections must be accessible under the Help America Vote
Act. The law requires every precinct in the country to have at least
one voting machine or system accessible to persons with disabilities,
including those with vision impairments, by January 1, 2006.B Access
is required so that persons with disabilities have the same
opportunity for participation, including privacy and independence,
afforded other voters. Passed in 2002, the act implements these and
other reforms in response to the balloting controversies that arose in
the 2000 presidential election. In addition to access for people with
disabilities, these reforms include measures that will allow voters to
verify and correct ballots before they are cast and will remove
language barriers. The law also authorized funding to states to help
cover the costs of compliance.
In December, the Election Assistance Commission, which was set up
under the law to implement the reforms, issued new guidelines that
states can follow on a voluntary basis to ensure that voting systems
function accurately and reliably. The Voluntary Voting System
Guidelines cover usability, including accessibility for people with
disabilities, security, and privacy. "These guidelines were created
to ensure that voting systems will be accurate, reliable, secure and
accessible to all voters," noted Commission member Gracia Hillman
after the Commission's vote to adopt the guidelines. The guidelines,
which are responsive to advances in voter system technologies, provide
performance criteria for functionality, accessibility and security
that systems can be tested against. They also establish evaluation
criteria for the certification of voting systems. They will replace
standards issued by the Federal Election Commission in 2002.B
Currently, 39 states use these standards in certifying voting systems.
The guidelines were prepared by an advisory body that included
representation from the Board. Through their seats on this panel,
Board members J.R. Harding, Ed.D. and James Elekes, M.Ed, MPA/CPM,
provided input on voting system accessibility. The Commission
released the guidelines for public comment last June and received over
6,000 comments during the 90-day comment period. In addition to its
work on the guidelines, the Commission serves as a national resource
for information on the administration of Federal elections, conducts
studies on voting system improvements, and administers various grant
programs funded by the law. The new guidelines and related information
are posted on the Commission's website at http://www.eac.gov.
Polling Place Access Also Covered by the ADA
In addition to the Help America Vote Act, the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) has requirements for accessibility that are
pertinent to polling places. Under title II of the ADA, state and
local governments must ensure access to their programs and services,
including voting. The U.S. Department of Justice, which regulates and
enforces this provision, has issued a guide on polling place
accessibility. The ADA Checklist for Polling Places is designed to
help local jurisdictions in selecting sites for polling places through
an evaluation of architectural accessibility. It can be used to
identify barriers to access and to determine how best to address them.
Based on the ADA's design requirements for buildings and facilities,
the checklist covers access to parking, passenger drop-off areas,
sidewalks, and entrances so that all areas and elements used by voters
are accessible. The checklist is posted on the DOJ's website at
http://www.ada.gov/votingck.htm or can be ordered by calling (800)
514-0301 (voice) or (800) 514-0383.
-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >
Please visit our bookstore that has related books and different kinds
of assistive living devices at http://store.deafadvocacy.org
-------------< OUTSIDE NEWS PART 2/3 >
Visual smoke detectors needed to help hearing impaired
http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=hamilton/Layou\
t/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1141426213526&call_pageid=1020420665036&col=111287\
6262536
Awareness drive on hearing impaired
http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=\
Qatar+News&month=March2006&file=Local_News2006030525216.xml
Walls talk for deaf artists at Vanderbilt exhibit
http://www.rctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060305/ENTERTAINMENT05/60305\
0313/1005/MTCN0303
Missing deaf-mute found in wooded area
http://www.kten.com/Global/story.asp?S=4586829
Disabled woman loses rent aid after moving
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-0603050020mar05,1,5150817.s\
tory?coll=chi-newslocalchicago-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true
New state loan program assists disabled people
http://www.daily-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060306/NEWS01/603060303/\
1001
Disabled program on chopping block
http://kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=4588597&nav=HMO6
-------------< ADVOCACY NEWS >
Justice Department Sues New York State over Voting Rights
Lawsuit Seeks to Vindicate Rights of Disabled Voters and Federal
Election Reform Efforts
Justice Department Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Justice Department announced today that it has
filed suit against the State of New York alleging violations of the
Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA). The lawsuit was filed in the
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York in Albany.
The government's complaint contends that the state has failed to
comply with two of HAVA's requirements governing federal elections,
and that states:
(i) adopt voting systems that are fully accessible by disabled voters
and are capable of generating a permanent paper record that can be
manually audited, and
(ii) create a statewide computerized voter registration database. The
lawsuit is the first filed to vindicate these important federal
obligations.
"HAVA contains important reforms designed to ensure that elections for
federal office will both allow access to all voters and ensure the
integrity of the process," said Wan J. Kim, Assistant Attorney General
for Civil Rights. "We believe today's lawsuit will help ensure that
New York voters enjoy the benefits of these important reforms."HAVA
was enacted with bipartisan support after the 2000 presidential
election and was signed into law by President Bush on October 29,
2002. States had nearly three years to comply with the provisions
enforced under today's lawsuit, which took effect January 1, 2006.
This suit is the culmination of an extensive effort by the Civil
Rights Division to ensure timely and full implementation of HAVA. The
Division met with representatives from states around the country to
appraise then assist with their implementation efforts. As part of
this process, the Division closely reviewed New York officials' steps
to comply with HAVA. The Division repeatedly urged to New York to come
into compliance on a voluntary basis. As of the January 1, 2006
deadline, however, New York was not close to compliance with either
provision.
HAVA was the first federal statute to provide federal funds to states
to support reform of federal elections. As the government's complaint
alleges, New York received approximately $221 million to assist its
implementation of HAVA's requirements. This included more than $49
million specifically designated to assist the state replace its lever
voting machines. Under HAVA, New York stands to lose these earmarked
funds if it fails to replace these machines by the September 2006
primary election. Today's lawsuit seeks a determination that the State
of New York is not in compliance with HAVA's voting systems and
database requirements, and an order requiring the state to submit
promptly a plan demonstrating how it will come into full compliance.
-------------< DEAF QUOTES >
"Ears are not important. It's what's between them that count"
Frederick C. Schreiber
-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >
Do you shop at Albertsons or Sav-on stores? You can get a free
community partners card at those stores and then add it to our list of
supporters. A percent of what you buy will go to helping our Deaf
youth program. If you already have a school or other program that you
are supporting, don't worry, you can add your card to support our
program too! There are two ways to add your card. You can email your
First and Last name with your phone number and community partners card
number to [email protected] or you can download and print our
Albertsons / Sav-on Community Partners signup forms at
http://www.deafadvocacy.org/community/AlbertsonsSignup.pdf and have
your friends, neighbors, associates, and relatives sign up as
supporters and then mail the form to the address on the form. To reach
our funding goal we need 25,000 supporters who shop at Albertsons /
Sav-on. And remember to use your community partners card when you shop
at Albertsons or Sav-on.
-------------< COMMUNITY BULLHORN >
PRESS RELEASE - March 2, 2006
From: www.deafsportlawsuit.com
( Note: to translate this material in your language, please visit
www.babelfish.altavista.com )
The March 1, 2006 16th Deaflympic Winter Games Press Conference in Utah
CISS President Implicated in Kidnapping/Murder Scheme of a Deaf
Russian n Moscow
By Rafael Pinkhasov Pinchas, CISS Ombudsman
New York, USA - Yesterday the city of Salt Lake City, Utah, hosted a
well-organized event called the 2007 Winter Deaflympics Press Conference.
The 40-minute Press Conference event, led by Mr. Dwight Benedict, the
Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the 2007 Winter Deaflympics,
was televised live via the Maryland-based DEAFNATION worldwide
internet system.
Once again, inaccurate, irresponsible and misleading data was provided
to the world media and other attendees of such a Press Conference by
certain individuals, including by the still illegitimatelly-elected
CISS President and sports anarchist Donalda Ammons.
During the Press Conference the following questionable words and
sentences - through both voice and sign language - were announced:
that the city of Salt Lake City is the "1st city in the world" to host
the three IOC-sanctioned events: Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (
both held in 2002 ), and now the Deaflympic Games in 2007 ( however,
the truth is that the city of Rome, Italy, also hosted the threee
similar events with the blessings and sanctions by the IOC - the
Olympic Games in 1960, Paralympic Games ( previously known as
International Stoke Mandeville Games ), also in 1960, and Deaflympic
Games in 2001 );
that the "first flag raised" at the Deaflympic Games was in 1924 (
however, the truth was that the CISS flag was for the first time
hoisted at the Opening Ceremony of the Deaflympic Games ( then known
as the International Silent Games ) in 1939 in Stockholm, Sweden );
that 38 athletes from 6 nations competed at the 1st Deaflympic Winter
Games in 1949 ( the fact, however, was that 33 athletes from 5
nations took part at these inaugural Games in 1949 );
that 6 countries for men and 4 countries for women registered their
respective teams for curling as a medal event for the 2007 Winter
Olympics ( however, the sport of curling is supposed to be a
demonstration and non-medal event at these Games, according to a
certain Deaflympic Games Regulations Rule ).
During the Press Conference, it was also announced that "over 400 deaf
athletes from 22 countries" are expected to take part at the 2007
Games. It is this Ombudsman's sincerest hope that these figures are
real and not inflated ones as, for example, for the last Deaflympic
Games - Summer - held in Melbourne, Australia, in 2005, the CISS
irresponsibly, knowingly and intentonally inflated the statistical
figures by falsely and in advance announcing to the world that "over
4,500 athletes from more than 90 nations" were expected to compete at
the 2005 Summer Games ( the truth, however was that only 2,014
athletes from 62 nations showed up at Melbourne ).
For details, read
www.deafsportlawsuit.com/update27.html
www.deafsportlawsuit.com/update30.html
www.deafsportlawsuit.com/update69.htm
In addition, although this Ombudsman fully supports the idea to
organize the 2007 Games in Salt Lake City, the CISS President, at
yesterday's Press Conference, chose to conceal the fact that the state
of Utah and its city Salt Lake City earned the right to host next
year's Games illegally and in blatant violations of the CISS
Constitution Rule 7.2 ( previously known as CISS Constitution Rule 8.2
) and Deafympic Games Regulation Rules 3.1 and 3.7 ( previously known
as Deaflympic Games Regulations Rules 3.A and 3.G ).
Meanwhile, news was received from Moscow that a deaf suspect in
kidnapping and murder of Mr. Felix Shlimovich, an ex-adversary in the
two legal cases against Donalda Ammons, is finally being caught up.
Ammons and her three deaf Russian accomplices are implicated in this
heinous criminal scheme.
The investigation is still on.
Further details will be announced soon.
==============================================
PRESS RELEASE - March 4, 2006
From: www.deafsportlawsuit.com
( Note: to translate this material in your language, please visit
www.babelfish.altavista.com )
LETTER-REPLY TO MAYOR OF SALT LAKE COUNTY, HOST OF 2007 DEAFLYMPIC
WINTER GAMES
By Rafael PINKHASOV PINCHAS, CISS Ombudsman
New York, USA - Following this Ombudsman's March 2, 2006 Press Release
titled THE MARCH 1, 2006 16th DEAFLYMPIC WINTER GAMES PRESS CONFERENCE
IN UTAH AND CISS PRESIDENT IMPLICATED IN KIDNAPPING/MURDER SCHEME OF A
DEAF RUSSIAN, an e-mail message was received from the Office of the
Mayor of Salt Lake Country, Mr. Peter Corroon in the late evening of
March 2, 2006:
Dear Mr. Pinchas,
Mayor Corroon has requested that I follow up with you regarding your
email. Our office has received several emails regarding the same
issue. After reviewing your email I am unclear as to what
responsibility you feel Salt Lake County has regarding this. Can you
please clarify for me? Thank you.
Sincerely,
Stacee Adams
Office of the Mayor
801-468-2500
Here are the contents of this Ombudsman's today's Letter-Reply to Mayor:
March 4, 2006
Dear Mayor Corroon:
This is to acknowledge the receipt of your aide Stacee Adams' recent
e-mail message.
Please be advised that one of the main purposes of my March 2, 2006
Press Release were to educate your Office and others as to what kind
of CISS and USADSF leaders our deaf sports world is having in these
contemporary times and in what manner your State/County/City won the
bid to host the 16th Deaflympic Winter Games.
Although I do wholeheartedly support the organization of the 2007
Games in your sports-loving County, which has excellent and
world-class sports and cultural facilities, I do feel that you and
your people should be further aware of the following.
As a proponent of law, order and long-time fighter for equal and just
rights of every deaf athlete in every part of the world, I must
reiterate that the state of Utah and its Salt Lake City were awarded
the rights to host the 2007 Games in an improper, inappropriate and
illegitimate way.
By defying the CISS Motto "EQUAL THROUGH SPORTS," certain rules of the
CISS Constitution and Deaflympic Games Regulations, and in
self-interest and to the huge detriment of the international deaf
sports, Donalda Ammons, the then so-called Secretary General of the
CISS, and her associates in the USADSF went ahead to place - and to
single-handedly "win" - the bid of the city of Park City, Utah, on
February 28, 2003, during the 38th CISS Congress held in Sundsvall,
Sweden. Very unfortunately, Ammons and her cronies "accomplished" this
through their acts of intimidation, cover up, misinformation and
chicanery!
Because the USADSF, a nation-member of the CISS, did not fully and
honorably meet the three key rules of the CISS Constitution ( 8.2 )
and Deaflympic Games Regulations ( 3.A and 3.G ), the USADSF was,
therefore, ineligible to put its bidding proposal of the city of Park
City as a city-candidate for the 2007 Games hostship at the CISS
Congress held in 2003.
Specifically, by February 28, 2003 - the 2007 Games site bid
selection date:
1) USADSF failed to fully pay its membership dues debts to the CISS (
violation of the CISS Constitution Rule 8.2 );
2) USADSF and Ammons ignored the rule interpretation such as "a bid
for the 2007 Games must be done six years ( that is, in 2001 ) before
the conduct of the actual Games" ( violation of the Deaflympic Games
Regulations Rule 3.A ), and
3) USADSF did not also arrange "an on-site inspection visit by the
CISS President or its representative to the proposed venue of the 2007
Games before the start of the 38th CISS Congress on February 27, 2003"
( violation of the Deaflympic Games Regulations Rule 3.G ).
Note: some time later on, the USADSF somehow switched the staging of
the 2007 Games from Park City to Salt Lake City. This, again, was done
without advance knowledge, consent and approval of the CISS Congress,
the supreme authority of the CISS.
In addition, the presence and participation of certain individuals
from the CISS ( such as USADSF members Ammons and Jerald Jordan, her
senior advisor in the CISS and prime architect of the recent 39th CISS
Congress election voting fraud scheme ) at the March 1, 2006 Press
Conference was an unconstitutional one because, to this day, the
USADSF has not yet fully fulfilled its financial debts before the CISS.
Therefore, by a CISS Constitution rule, as of today, the USADSF
should, among the other things, technically be viewed as a suspended
national member of the CISS.
I do also must caution you that as long as the USADSF and CISS
leader-anarchist Ammons continue to violate certain rules of the CISS
legal system, the presence and participation of the USA team
delegation at next year's Games in your County/City will be an
illegitimate and unjustified one.
Thus, upon learning of the above, is your County/City proud to hold
the distinction - a dubious one - as the first city in the world to
receive the hostship rights of a prestigious international event such
as Deaflympic Winter Games, which was obtained in violation of rules
of an international sports federation such as the CISS, is not it?
In light of the foregoing, I do now urge your Office and others to
carefully review and prudently scrutinize your ongoing business
relationship with the CISS/USADSF and take logically appropriate steps.
Should you have any question, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely Yours,
Rafael Pinkhasov Pinchas
CISS Ombudsman
-------------< OUTSIDE NEWS PART 3/3 >
Deaf Director Honored by Student Academy
http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/Oscars2006/story?id=1683170&page=1
Options grow for deaf film fans
http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060303/LIFE/603030329/10\
93
Deaf Sioux Falls woman's trial set for May 1
http://www.aberdeennews.com/mld/aberdeennews/news/13989808.htm
Open your eyes to deaf history at exhibit
http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/index.cfm?section=12&screen=news&news_id=48160
Disabled and deaf in pioneering new history project
http://www.24dash.com/content/news/viewNews.php?navID=7&newsID=3583
Technology poised to create a deaf generation
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/13994865.htm
Warning over access to jobs for disabled
http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=174750532&p=y7475yz38
Dixon disabled advocate vindicated by high court
http://www.dailydemocrat.com/news/ci_3566615
-------------< DEAF FRIENDLY BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES >
Begin your journey toward self-sufficiency by becoming a Discovery
Toys consultant! Discovery Toys focuses on learning through play,
with products specifically designed to maximize learning moments, has
proven to be a success as the company has now witnessed an entire
generation grow up with Discovery Toys. Many parents and their adult
children credit DISCOVERY TOYS® products with helping them to develop
core skills and self-esteem, which contributed to their later life
accomplishments and success as adults. Beth Koenig is your Discovery
Toys consultant. Her Discovery Toys website is at
Http://www.discoverthetoys.net and this is a great business
opportunity for people disabilities. Discovery Toys is one of our
supported activities through our Community Business Enterprise Program.
-------------< LETTERS >
This is a community newsletter. Send us your letters and comments.
-------------< EPILOG >
If you wish to contribute to this newsletter, feel free to send in
news, stories, and opinions relating to the disability community. Your
support in this effort to move the disability community forward will
be greatly appreciated. We will continue to aggressively pursue
justice, fairness, and equality for the disability community as it has
been doing since November 1996. We have chosen
that EDUCATION is the best way to accomplish this objective.
The Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center is a community based
organization that puts people with disabilities first in their
advocacy for equal opportunities in safety, health, and productive living.
The Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center provides services for disabled
individuals and their families in our community who need help in
navigating the social services maze. Every day people go without
proper food, shelter, and essential medical care every day due to a
variety of factors including low wages, job loss, injuries, illness,
age, domestic violence, or divorce. While all of us are susceptible to
hard times, disabled individuals are at the most risk. With the
generous support of people like you, we are able to help many of these
families and individuals not only to meet essential daily needs, but
to work toward a brighter future with programs in job training,
education, counseling, elderly assistance, and temporary housing.
Feel free to forward this email message to anyone and any of your
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DISCLAIMER: The OCDAC Newsletter is designed to share information of
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relatives and promote advocacy in the disability community.
Information circulated does not necessarily express the views of The
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To subscribe to this newsletter go to
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