Right Rages Over Sign Language Interpreters

LA Is Burning, and the Right Is Furious—About Sign Language InterpretersMother Jones, By Julia Me'traux, on January 13, 2025

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/01/california-fires-asl-sign-language-woke/

The discussion highlights California's ongoing devastation from wildfires, where 12,000 structures have been destroyed, tens of thousands evacuated, and numerous lives, both human and animal, lost. Yet, instead of focusing on this tragedy, right-wing figures like Charlie Kirk and Christopher Rufo criticize sign language interpreters during emergency broadcasts, labeling them as “woke.” The panel agrees this rhetoric is part of a larger conservative effort to dehumanize marginalized groups, including the disabled.

The conversation underscores how such attacks aim to strip minorities of visibility and support while sowing division. The panelists emphasized the importance of American Sign Language (ASL) as a complete, nuanced language essential for the Deaf community. They condemn the right's targeting of interpreters, likening it to fascist tactics used historically to vilify and control minority groups. This dehumanization fosters tribalism, allowing conservatives to rally followers around a shared hatred of the “other.”

The Non-Prophets, Episode 24.04.1 featuring Jimmy Jr. , Jonathan Roudabush, and AJ

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