Grumpy Old Deafies

That is the best news I have heard about Europe's politics!
My friend in Paris wishes Obama would be president of
Europe! WoW!

For UK, the most I've heard of a deaf person doing in politics is at a councillor level (Stephen Dering for Liberal Democrats) in Lambeth. I don't know if there've been other deafies doing the same in UK? MP's? We'll see...

However I was thinking...MP's and MEP's in countries where I imagine they don't have a powerful "charity" such as the RNID taking over all deaf issues and belittling us and "speaking" for us supposely on our behalf in order to get more income. In UK we do have it...and deafies can't seem to achieve much.

Mind you in UK instead of politics, it seem that deafies do try to empower themselves in business rather than politics - there's quite a growing number of deaf-owned businesses that are doing well and taking businesses from RNID - ie interpreter services, employment services, media/PR etc. One is now an international firm.

Congratulations to Helene Jarmer.

I've made this point before and I'll make it again. When Jackie Ballard was in Parliament, she campaigned for the better representation of women in the House.

Now is the time to unveil a similar campaign to improve the representation of deaf people in Parliament - it should be a lot closer to one in seven.

If RNID do not think that we are worthy of such equality, then they are not fit to be our champions.

There are a handful of MPs at Westminster who've become deaf over time though it's not something they draw attention to.

I believe the Lib Dem prospective parliamentary candidate for Eastbourne (forgotten his name) is deaf also.

May I add that Stephen Dering is also parlimentary candidate for Croydon Central at the next general election. He did help my election campaign in Lewisham East. Good for him. After being elected to the London Borogh of Southwark, I stood for Parliament twice, Greater London Assembly (Greenwich and Lewisham), so on. Since I moved to Epsom, I am Borough Councillor - very different from London Borough! I may stand again for Parliament but I have to put my little disabled son first. I tried to be elected to be on the Liberal Democrat Peers Panel but not successful. I know it is not easy for Deaf / SIgn Language user to become an MP or MEP in this country. But I am sure one day someone will!

Stephen Lloyd, Liberal Democrat PPC for Eastbourne, is partially deaf with very clear speech, and able to communciate without the aid of communication support. He used to be a trustee of RNID years ago. He calls himself as hard of hearing person. But if he is elected to Parliament at the next general election, I think he may need speech text to text, like Lord Jack Ashley of Stoke.

Let's hope one day we will have Deaf MP or Peer in the UK Parliament, using sign language interpreters! Imagine an interpreter signs beside Her Majesty the Queeen in the House of Lords when she opens the State of Parliament!!

Change of subject - I never knew we now have two deaf MEPs (I was aware about Czech but not Austria!). Well done to them!

As far as I know - I think I am only Deaf councillor in this country using sign language interpreters (Epsom & Ewell). I know there are several deafened / hard of hearing councillors (one in Eastbourne - not Stephen Lloyd, I forgot his name) - they rely on speech text operators, omething like that.

Do you know where deaf club or pub in Austria?

Thanks

Rob