I have participated in politics prior to attending Gallaudet. My incentive was I needed a job. I was laid off from General Electric Company at the time. So, I thought about running for office. I was determined not to let my deafness get in the way. “Sure why not?” I decided to run for General Assembly Seat of Pennsylvania 2nd District. That represened, at the time, the entire west side of Erie, PA. That year was 1986. I had a rude awakening to say the least. I took out a petition to get my name on the ballot. I needed 300 signatures and had 3 weeks to do it. I tried running as a Republican. Even though Erie had a voter registration of 4 to 1 in favor of the Democrats, not many people are willing to run as a Republican. So, no one else did for the Asembly seat. I thought I will worry about the Democrats in the Fall General Elections. So, the Republican Erie County Chairwoman handed me a stack of Republican addresses. She said for me to get my friends to help and get more than 300 signatures because the Courthouse will need to verify each signature on the pettition. I left the office with a stack of addresses. It weighed between 5 to 10 pounds. So, I was excited to get started. Then the realization hit me. Only a few of my deaf friends were registered to vote. And they all did not live in Erie. Of those who did, were not interested or had other obligations and did not have time to help. And my hearing friends did not live in the county but the next counties away from Erie. “Oh, boy” I thought. Then I thought about it more and decided “Ah what the heck? I will do it myself! I have 3 weeks to do it. It will be a cinch. Plenty of time!” LOL! Boy, was I in for a rude awakening. To make this short, I knocked on over 450 Republican households. I never had so many doors slammed in my face. I wore out 2 pairs of leather shoes. Embarrassing to say, I only managed to get 22 signatures on the petition. 21 were from men who knew my father when they all were in the Army back in WW2. And one signature was from a very elderly lady who knew my grandmother from the Italian neighborhood.

The excuses people used, not to sign the petition were ridiculous! For example…1. Many told me since I have an Italian name I should run as a Democrat. What was I doing runnig as a Republican? 2. Some have said, I am really a Democrat who had changed party registration because I did not want to be bothered by some many Democrats for support. What makes you think I will sign your petition? 3. Oh yes, some Deaf people have told me, what chance do you think you will have? Hearing voters for sure will vote against you. Etc. My response was, “Let’s all find out once the elections are over.

There were two things I have learned from this experience, “know your constituents” and “organization.” You need both. For a small office you really do not need much money to run. If you have a lot of help in getting people to sign your petition it will make it a little easier. I did not have that help.

Still laid off, I decided to attend Gallaudet College. About 2 years later, the famous event took place, a miracle happened! The Deaf students protested and once it was all over and the smoke had cleared, I. King Jordan became the first Deaf President of Gallaudet College. “Boy” I thought, “if the Deaf took a stand here, there is no telling how far they can go!” I had expected to see some of the participants to run for public office after they graduated from Gallaudet. Maybe they did, but, I have not heard if they did. Then several years later, again it happened, The students and all others involved took a stand and had won! So, what do you say? Will anyone from Gallaudet University after graduation, run for public office?

We need to make ourselves visible. That is a challenge to say the least.

So, now we have several people coming out of the woodwork tossing their hats into the ring to run for President. Perhaps I should too, Why not? I’m a natural born citizen and 52 years old, Clean record. Respectable. Willing to listen. Nice guy but tough guy. Not afraid of confrontations on issues. I do not have the troublesome handicap of being hearing. So, I toss my hat into the ring as a write-in candidate for President of the United States of America

As far as the ad hoc committee on election accessibility, this was set up after an issue I raised about being treated as less than human during my voting experiences, waved on like a dog because I couldn’t lip read what the poll officer was saying. I had wanted to bring more sensitivity to the election workers’ training, and propose simple cost effective solutions like having a pad of paper on hand to aid communication. It became something bigger, with accessibility to be examined from all perspectives. We have some concrete steps to take to improve the deaf and speech impaired experience in Alexandria’s voting precincts. Originally, I was just a member of the committee, but was encouraged to step up and take the lead as chair. I saw it as a challenge, and people who know me know I don’t turn down challenges. I gave a report to the full commission, and it was very empowering.

I wish more deaf would get over their suspiciousness of hearing world motives and join me at the table. We cannot expect improvements or attitudinal changes if we are adamant about not joining the game on the majority’s terms.

I agree with you about voting; I often say if you didn’t vote, you don’t have the right to criticize. It is one of the more valuable rights we have in this country, and to not take advantage of it is to not realize the full benefits of being a citizen.

I’m trying as best I can to make a difference where it counts…out among the hearing people: I’m an appointed member of the disability commission with my local government, bringing the sole deaf voice to city accessibility, education, employment, housing, and transportation concerns. I’m there because I applied…and because I realize if I don’t do it, no one else will (and YES this community, Alexandria Virginia, is full of deaf professionals, very few of which are politically active outside of Kendall Green!) I’m chair of the ad-hoc elections commission, which is looking at ways to ensure disabled, and specifically deaf, people get to the polls in the first place to vote. I’m involved in the deaf leadership member committeee at the non-profit where I am employed. I am also pursuing a masters in public admin because the only way to change things is to join the team and work from the inside out! Complaining, protesting, organizing…all nice things, but they get you nothing if you don’t have two things: a vision, and a friend or two on the inside.