Dr. Hokum’s Miracle Snake Oil
It was the second week of the County Fair. All around, the folks were having a good time, enjoying the sights, eating the food, and being with their friends and loved ones. All of a sudden, a mysterious stranger pulled up in his horse-drawn covered wagon. On the side was painted “Dr. Hokum’s Miracle Snake Oil”. ”Come to the Center!” he cried. ”See the wonders of my Miracle Oil! It has been used to break the spirit of horses, and it can solve all of your ills, your aches and pains!”
The fairgoers gathered round. One by one, they lined up to buy his Oil. Some greedily grasped their vial, uncorked it and ravenously wolfed it down. Others thought, “Oh what’s the harm? Why not? It’s only a buck”. And they too drank the oil.
Unbeknownst to the fairgoers, the oil was mixed with a psychotropic substance which clouded their thinking and a slow-acting poison which would kill from the inside out. After the fairgoers had consumed the oil, Dr. Hokum began a new spiel. He told them that the Mayor of the town was corrupt, as was the City Council. He presented his evidence on special paper that read one way in the dark, but another in the light. Confused by the psychotropic substance, the villagers started turning on their Mayor and their City Council.
Some of the villagers, who had not drunk of the oil, tried to tell the others that the paper was not being shown in the proper light. But their efforts were rebuffed. Soon, others asked for a sample of the oil, and the conflict lingered on.
One by one, the villagers staggered and reeled, until they dropped dead at Dr. Hokum’s feet. Soon, the County Fair was a virtual ghost town, while the remaining villagers mourned the death of their families and friends.
Surveying the carnage, Dr. Hokum smiled a sinister smile, and quietly slipped out of town, all the while thinking of which town he would go to next.
Karen Mayes said,
July 15, 2008 @ 5:34 am
Sigh… I guess you are talking about Dr. Hocokan. Enough of character-smearing please…
Lolypup said,
July 15, 2008 @ 8:23 am
Its not the snake oil thats killed the town, it was all the bickering and back stabbing and fighting among each other that did it.
The snake oil was just the truth!
Mishkazena said,
July 15, 2008 @ 8:32 am
I find this interesting because I’ve received e mails from the DBC leaders saying the same thing.
First of all, do you really think so low of us that we don’t have the intelligence to know what’s going on? Do you think we are so easily manipulated by other people we don’t know? Have you thought perhaps we are no longer in DBC because we are not easily manipulated by the DH leaders?
What Dr H described matched our personal experiences at DBC. We experienced a lot of discussions on the DH leaders’ version of Deafhood (by the way, I’ve discovered what they shared with the public in the Deafhood workshops are not the same version what we received within the DBC, not at all. I like the DH workshop’s version better).
We already felt that way. That’s why we quit or were pushed out because we don’t subscribe to the private radical version of DH from the DH leaders. That was last Fall, long long long before we met Dr H.
Please do not insult our intelligence. Thank you.
DrDonG said,
July 15, 2008 @ 8:33 am
Karen
Was I? If the shoe fits… I didn’t smear anybody’s character.
Loly –
Was it the truth, the WHOLE truth, and NOTHING BUT the truth?
Mishkazena said,
July 15, 2008 @ 8:38 am
Don, you were never a core member. How do you know what was really going on? You only hear what the current DBC core members tell you and reject what the former DBC core report.
We all know you are a strong Deafhood proponent. It’s obvious you are biased. Smile.
Brian L. Mayes said,
July 15, 2008 @ 8:45 am
I thought you said, “STOP THE INSANITY!” Huh? Don’t you practice what you say or is all you say BS? C’mon! Enough!
DrDonG said,
July 15, 2008 @ 8:47 am
Mishka,
You’re right, I was not a core member. And you’re right, I am biased in favor of Deafhood. BUT, from the documents that have been presented (and shouldn’t have been, especially in the way they were), I can see that they were presented in a biased light as well.
And, I really don’t understand why there is such a furor over DBC incorporating a Deafhood training component to their conference. We Deaf invented sign language, after all!
DrDonG said,
July 15, 2008 @ 8:55 am
Brian,
Patti Durr just left Deaf Read because of the insanity. I felt I had to speak out about what is happening, that I feel has been instigated, in part, by one man. He has spread the seeds of division and is reaping his rewards.
DrDonG said,
July 15, 2008 @ 9:09 am
BTW, Brian, are you related to Julia Mayes? I remember her at MSSD. Sweet woman!
Mishkazena said,
July 15, 2008 @ 9:28 am
Don
I think some people feel DBC shouldn’t mix Bilingualism and Deafhood. But apparently many Deaf people do. Which is fine with me as it’s their organization.
All I ask is that they be fully transparent. Since they do already practice Deafhood, not just in the DBC conference, but also in the blogs, vlogs of DBC leaders and DBC, the newspaper article and the press release, it would be better for both the organization and the Deaf Community that it be fully transparent for all to see, including the parents. How can the parents be educated if they are being told about the audism, audism behind the cochlear implants and oralism, and deficit thinking, but they are unable to find much reference in the DBC site? It would leave them confused rather than illuminated with better understanding what the Deaf Community and individual Deaf people experience.
Karen Mayes said,
July 15, 2008 @ 9:30 am
DrDonG:
Brian Mayes is my husband… no relations to Julia Mayes at all. His families come from Texas/Colorado/Montana, having always lived out in the West most of his life and his families have not lived out on the East coast for a hundred year. My husband might be hot-headed sometimes, but has a good heart.
Street woman? I thought you were more mature… don’t resort to insulting.
Brian L. Mayes said,
July 15, 2008 @ 9:33 am
You removed my last comment, I’m curious why? Did it speak the truth?
No, I’m not related to her, Karen Mayes is my wife and SHE is a nice person!
Ann_C said,
July 15, 2008 @ 9:35 am
How do you explain away the fact that there were five, I repeat five, ex-DBC core members, besides DR Hocokan who either resigned or were booted off?
There were six people out and they have been speaking up one by one. Deaf Pundit is the only one who hasn’t spoken (she is overseas, from what I understand) but she has acknowledged that she is an ex-core member and understood what DR Hocokan experienced at DBC in Amy’s blog.
DR Hocokan was the first one to speak up and that took a lot of soul-searching, I’m sure, to do that in a very small community. And you, DrDonG, and some others have been vilifying him ever since, a very typical response in the Deaf community when a Deaf icon is seen as less than perfect by some others who believe she made some very serious mistakes.
The fact that Ella herself has not responded to the d/Deaf community’s requests for accountability gives the impression that the requests have fallen on deaf ears (pun intended). She’s already lost a lot of respect.
Karen Mayes said,
July 15, 2008 @ 9:53 am
Oh my goodness… I read it wrong. you said “sweet” woman… not “street” woman. I apologize, please forgive me.
The blue letters are a little blurry for me to read… can you darken the coloring of font?
Ha, I feel embarrassed.
stay away from snake oil said,
July 15, 2008 @ 10:09 am
Ha Don….Looks like your commenters have drank the snake oil… Same old people making the same old comments. When are they going to get it, that their own personal problems are of no interest to the rest of us.
The Rogue said,
July 15, 2008 @ 10:09 am
Why dont you do background check through internet on Barry Sewell of Cochise, Arizona?
DrDonG said,
July 15, 2008 @ 10:58 am
Ann C. –
I suspect Ella is not responding because she feels anything she says are going to fall on “deaf” ears (pun intended as well) since people obviously seem to have made up their minds against her.
Karen –
THANK YOU for going back and looking again at what I typed. I have been trying VERY hard to be civil to people, and it is beginning to bother me that people are instantly jumping to the conclusion I am saying something nasty just because they have their preconceived notions against me. As for the coloring of the font, I’m not sure. I’ll have to see if I can find how to adjust it or the background.
Brian — If I deleted your comment, it was because either:
1) It was not made in a civil, respectful manner (I am going to delete any comments with namecalling and disrespectful discourse. If you want to discuss or question, do so respectfully. I have had it with the level of discourse that is now happening here and all over Deaf Read, causing people to leave in droves).
2) It didn’t add anything new to the discussion
3) I had a third reason, but it just slipped my mind….
Rogue –
I have had a few people come forth and shared information about the person in question and what he has done to other groups (and there seems to be a pattern developing). When I get more information (I am checking with a trusted source, if I can get a hold of her) I will share with you all what I have found.
observer said,
July 15, 2008 @ 11:26 am
I just read over at Patti’s blog that DE and Barb have had people contact their places of employment about this.
I am OUTRAGED!!! This really has turned into the Milwaukee Witch Trials!!! Now do you all see why I refuse to use my real name or leave any identifying details in my comments? You people who are fanning the flames are making this a very unsafe community, calling people names and now threatening people’s jobs. HOW DARE YOU???
Mishkazena said,
July 15, 2008 @ 11:43 am
Don,
You can check on Dr Hocokan, but how do you explain that five former DBC core members have shared that they also had the same experiences within the DBC core team? Regardless what Dr Hocokan may or may not have done in the past with the other groups, his experiences within the DBC grou are still valid. You can dismiss his statements if he is the only one, but if there are five well known bloggers/vloggers with established credibility speaking out on the same things, it is a different story.
One thing I do notice… whoever speak out experience attempts to destroy their credibility. That’s the intimidation factor that prevents many people from carrying an open honest discourse. None of us are perfect, including me and Ella. We all are humans. Address to the subject, not to the character of the person. Otherwise you are no better than the others who try to impugn people’s reputations. Please don’t stoop this low. I have a lot more information that I chose not to reveal that will show the characters of the leaders, but I do not want to go to that area at all. Why make it nastier?
Let’s stick to the topic.
Ann_C said,
July 15, 2008 @ 11:55 am
I agree with Karen that the type color in your comment section is rather hard to read. Often have to squint down the eyes to make sure I read it right.
Actually DrDonG, I think people DO want to hear what Ella has to say. The longer she waits is making it harder for the deaf community as a whole.
You may not think that DR Hocokan has much credibility, but what about the credibility of MZ, Amy, Anne Marie, Dianrez and Deaf Pundit who have blogged here on DR regularly? Are their experiences at DBC and their views to be discounted in favor of Ella’s, DE’s, Barb Digi’s and John E.’s? Appears to me that some of the leaders in DBC didn’t want to work with the moderates, and the moderates found these leaders’ Deafhood views to be too strident or too hidden and interfering with the coalition’s original mission.
There is nothing wrong with asking questions and getting answers. MZ, Dianrez, Anne Marie, and Amy started asking questions but got no answers from the other DBC leaders. That raises red flags in anybody’s mind. Mind you, these are intelligent people and they got treated like they had no business to be asking questions. What kind of leadership is that, truly? If DBC leadership cannot address the questions from within, what makes hearing parents of deaf babies think that DBC will address THEIR concerns?
Candy said,
July 15, 2008 @ 11:59 am
Well, well..what do we have here now? You’re no better than what you’ve been accusing me and others of.
Don’t go around assuming things about what Ella thinks or what others thinks of Ella.
Ella and the rest of the core members need to come out and state whatever it is they need to say. They need to either be accountable or forever live with the consequences of their actions.
Many of us are rational people. We will give her and the rest of them the benefit of the doubt. What I’m getting here is that, the longer this goes on, the more it just shows that they are guilty of what they are being accused of.
SDA said,
July 15, 2008 @ 12:08 pm
Don ~
I can’t thank you enough. You’ve hit the bull’s eye here in your b/vlog site many times.
Only if others have the same mature and intellectual thinking, we’d be making much more progress for the betterment of our Deaf children!
Keep blogging/ vlogging!!
observer said,
July 15, 2008 @ 12:18 pm
MishkaZena and Ann_C, what many of us are objecting to is the TONE of this witch hunt. It is one thing to raise concerns and to ask questions. You are both airing your concerns in a courteous manner. It is people like Dan, Candy, Paotie, and Ben who are being irresponsible about exploring the issue.
Another thing, MZ, your point about who attempts to speak out experiences damage. That goes both ways. You’ve gotten a lot of flak for sharing your experiences. Granted. So have many people who have attempted to speak out on behalf of the now-much-vilified leaders. and for DBC. It goes both ways. And the verbal violence has just got to stop.
If people would just discuss this with respect, this situation would not have gotten as bad as it has.
Ann_C said,
July 15, 2008 @ 1:33 pm
Golly, Mishka’s comment came on just after I posted above comment, so I didn’t know about what she’d said. Seems like she and I are sorta on the same wave length, weird.
Lolypup said,
July 15, 2008 @ 1:41 pm
DonG,
Im sorry to disappoint you but the seeds of division in the deaf community was not planted by this one man. The division that we see today has been ongoing and it was very very apparent with the Gallaudet protest of two years ago. Its ironic that the protest was called a Unity Protest when all it did was divide the campus and the deaf community.
I dont have a problem with any one person embracing deafhood because as I understand it, deafhood is an inidividual experience with many different outcomes but the main outcome is acceptance of ones own deafness regardless of how they interpret their deafness.
If deafhood is about individual enlightenment how can any organization endorse or promote an ideology that has such vast reaching results and consequences.
My biggest issue here is that many in the deaf community truly have no idea what deafhood is really about including the so called DBC leaders who by the way cant even seem to decide on a simple encompassing mission for their organization.
No the division in the deaf community isnt the fault of one man who was brave enough to speak his mind, its the fault of an entire community that continues to pull itself apart opposed to standing together!
Anon said,
July 15, 2008 @ 2:20 pm
Here is what I just found out about DBC pushed someone out of DBC group.
Only one person has been pushed out and that was Aidan Mack back right after Virginia rally last August. John Egbert paged Aidan Mack to leave DBC at the request of Amy Cohen Erfon! This person said that Amy emailed Barb DiGi to contact John Egbert while he was at the airport and then confused John thought that Aidan Mack was out of line and paged Aidan Mack that she was no longer part of DBC. It was Amy that “pushed out” Aidan Mack, not John Egbert and ever since then, he regretted very much for making that decision.
Should I believe this person about this story? Will John Egbert be willing to tell us if this is true? And is it true that Amy requested Aidan Mack to be pushed out? And was Aidan Mack the only person ever been pushed out?
I think that it is time to search for the truth and not listen to this person or those people that is spreading lies!
I think that it is time to find out more about Barry S. and if he does that to other group or people in the past to destroy their integrity.
Do your homework, search the internet, this person said that there are plenty of information about Barry.
native asl/ci parent and child said,
July 15, 2008 @ 2:32 pm
“Im sorry to disappoint you but the seeds of division in the deaf community was not planted by this one man. The division that we see today has been ongoing…….”
I have been arond in the Deaf world so long. Hey, I was born into it. I rebelled against it when I was much younger. Why? some of you do know why.
Heck yes its easier to live in the Deaf world than trying to navigate in the hearing world. BUT I’ve been around long, my parents have been around, my grand parents too. and before them too. That one man knows a lot. Yep. I know a lot, seen a lot, heard a lot from my grandfolks, and there are a lot more than maybe DonG really knows especially among specific people in the core.
But why spew out about what I know . . .only to hurt. I am keeping it all inside me. I am foraging ahead to a better tomorrow.
DonG, I am not sure if you are willing to realize that your beliefs may not be always accurate. Hmm?
finally, time has come.
Thanks to the internet, we all are deemed equals.
Mishkazena said,
July 15, 2008 @ 3:20 pm
Observer, you are correct. A lot of people have been hurt in this process. It saddens me to see so much anger and hurt in this Community. I am hopeful we can start discussing the issues as these seems to be long-standing for who knows how long.
I will also agree with lolypop. A lot of people, the protesters, the anti protesters, and the neutrals, were also harmed, too. The Deaf Unity applied to the majority, but it didn’t feel Deaf Unity to the minority. The healing process from that protest hasn’t begun, either.
I do wonder.. why does deaf identity politics have to be so complicated? Despite of our cultural and lingustic differences, we are all same deep inside: we are deaf
Ann_C said,
July 15, 2008 @ 4:59 pm
You know, MZ and lolypup, it’s weird. I’m primarily immersed in the hearing world and there’s no such thing as identity politics among the hearing. You don’t see it. Except for so-called office politics and having been a sorority member (very common social backbiting group anyway), I’ve never encountered such an intensely political football like Deaf identity politics. I’m seeing this stuff from the other side.
It blows my mind sometimes how many hatchets have gone left unburied. It blows my mind that deaf people have memories of an elephant, who-did-what, who-married-who, who-went-to-which-school, who-now-wears-a-CI, who-is-DOD-and-who-isn’t, whose-momma-went-to- which-school, etc. The amount of navel-gazing is like, over the top. I do realize it’s a small and closely connected community, but that amount of jealousy and rank-pulling creates a tremendous amount of negative energy. And for what?
As soon as the deaf community starts talking about unity, this pettiness comes out of the woodwork every time. It gets pretty old, at least from where I’m standing. Yeah, MZ, why does deaf identity politics have to be so damn complicated? We’re all one because we’re deaf. Wish it could be as simple as that.
DrDonG said,
July 15, 2008 @ 5:38 pm
Ann C. –
Actually, the Hearing world is full of identity politics as well — Black people have their “are you Black enough?” debates, Hispanics have their “do you have a true Hispanic heart?” debates, even noncultural groups — environmental groups debate about whether one is “green enough”, etc. etc.
I agree, I wish it could be as simple as that — We are all Deaf. Deafhood is trying to help us all see that. So I really don’t see what the fuss about it is.
Ann_C said,
July 15, 2008 @ 6:58 pm
DrDonG,
The fuss about Deafhood, from where I’m standing and looking at it, involves several things:
(1.) There are some deaf and Deaf people who are comfortable enough with their own deaf identities that they find, after reading the book and/or attending Deafhood workshops, that they don’t need Deafhood to help define their deaf identities.
(2.) However, others, especially those who went thru the oralist program from the 50’s to the early 80’s and struggled to gain language and with a delayed education, only to discover ASL and Deaf culture at a later age, find Deafhood very empowering. It’s much like discovering the pieces of a puzzle and everything finally falls into place with a better understanding.
(3.) Some d/Deaf people find it disturbing that acquiring ASL is the one requirement that defines d/Deaf identity. It does not. CI-implanted deaf like Rachel will tell you otherwise. Oral deaf like me or Aaron Rose will tell you otherwise. In other words, language alone does not define deaf identity.
(4.) Deafhood as defined by the few like Ella, DE, and GG has been distorted from its original context to mean blaming of others for the state of d/Deaf people’s lives today. Especially the blaming on hearing people, AGBell, CI companies, the parents’ choices for their deaf children, the 1880 Milan Conference, etc. Gaaah! how much more blaming do we want to be known for???
John said,
July 15, 2008 @ 7:27 pm
My mainly question is about Dr Hockn sp? Is he jealous bez of DBC is so successful? Does he dissapoint to fail or boot out on or from the core member of DBC? Maybe, he does not have any match to DBC’s mission or achivement? I still dunno about truth. Only God knows the answer… Please restore the DEAF community for GOD’ stake!!!
I frimly believe DBC IS NOT Deafhood at all. One of best example: If all core members ( gayhood/ lesbianhood ) of Gallaudet. Is Gallaudet gayhood/lesbianhood? No!!!! Then DBC WILL NOT be Deafhood period!!!!
Raphael J. St. Johns said,
July 17, 2008 @ 9:46 am
People who have legitimate grips should be heard-in the correct way.
What bother me is that this so called “Dr. H” has done nothing but use the bloggers and blogs for his own personal vendetta. People like “Mishka Zena” have given this mean, vindictive man a platform for his hated.
Calling us names and spewing his hate…does not get any points from me.
Revealing private information (IM messages), thus violating the basic tenets of Deaf Culture, does not get any points with me.
Mishka Zena and all the rest can rant about the DBC - I, for one, am disappointed that people like Mishka Zena and Amy C. has not spoken out against the tactics this mean man has use.
Only when they do-I will listen to their concerns about the DBC.