Dear Nagase Osamu and others:
I was sorry to hear about IZUMI Yoshihide's death. My mother, who was
Deaf, was killed in a similar way in 1973. She was crossing a street in
New York. A driver honked his horn assuming she would hear, and she did
not. The death was ruled a homocide, and the driver was prosecuted. I do
not believe that her deafness entered into any discussion of the crime.
(The driver was speeding.) However, the issue of disability entered in
another way. Our family brought a civil suit and although we "won," we
were ultimately awarded a ludicrously small amount for her death. This is
because judgment is based on her future earning capacity. Since she was
62, deaf, and employed at a low-paying, part-time job, her expected future
earnings before retirement at 65 were deemed to be something near $4000.
After court costs, lawyers fees, etc. my brother and each received a check
for $500. Of course, the money was not the issue, but this shows how much
socio-economic status is linked to disability issues.
I am still amazed that driving instruction and defensive driving courses
never mention the possibility that pedestrians might not hear well.
At 11:34 AM 9/9/1999 +0900, you wrote:
>Dear All,
>
>At around 00:30 Friday morning last week,
>a young Deaf leader in Japan,IZUMI Yoshihide,
>who was my sign languager teacher once,
>was killed. It was a hit and run away case.
>The driver has been arrested.
>
>According to a paper, the police considers his deafness
>as one of the causes of the his death. The car was coming
>from behind and because he was deaf, he could not
>react...
>
>I just wonder this kind of thinking is limited to
>this country.
>
>Izumi was also a manager at now-closed DEAFTOPIA,
>a sign language cafe in Tokyo, where voice
>communication was prohibited.
>
>NAGASE Osamu
>[log in to unmask]
>tel/fax +81-(0)45-503-1219
>http://itass01.shinshu-u.ac.jp/tateiwa/1.htm
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Best,
Lennard J. Davis
Professor and Graduate Director
Department of English
Binghamton University
Binghamton, NY 13902
607-777-2770 Fax: 607-777-2408
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|