Trump administration says sign language services ‘intrude’ on Trump’s ability to control his image

Landon Caeli · Saturday at 10:58 PM

Prospector said:
Your not the only person to think that ASL is not a legitimate language. All that i know is sign language has lifted millions of the deaf out of a lifetime of isolation.

As well as literacy.

Granted, it's more difficult for the deaf to learn to read, especially if one has been deaf since birth, but it can be accomplished.

Pommer · 2025-12-14T01:14:29-0600

Prospector said:
Your not the only person to think that ASL is not a legitimate language. All that i know is sign language has lifted millions of the deaf out of a lifetime of isolation.

“Legitimate language”?
Who decides?

Servus · 2025-12-14T01:15:10-0600

NxNW said:
Reminds me of the time when Trump was told he needed to add braille to the elevator controls, and he said, "We're not going to rent to blind people!"

I heard he kicked Hellen Keller out to the curb.

ThatRobGuy · 2025-12-14T08:19:59-0600

Prospector said:
Your not the only person to think that ASL is not a legitimate language. All that i know is sign language has lifted millions of the deaf out of a lifetime of isolation.

I didn't say it's not a legitimate language.

I simply pointed out that if a person relies heavily on rhetorical devices such as wordplay, rhyming, and alliteration (that are based on English phonetics), having that translated to a different language will leave things "lost in translation" in ways that written English would not.

Belk · 2025-12-14T09:13:06-0600

ThatRobGuy said:
I'm not saying that.

To suggest so would be an example reductio ad absurdum.

I'm suggesting that translators/interpreters (of any kind) can skew an underlying sentiment or meaning.

There's a reason why the phrase "lost in translation" was coined and has become a household saying.

That's especially true for statements being made that are heavy on the "play on words" or English phonetics and/or "Rhyming" or "catchy illiteration". (which happens to be a huge part of some peoples' repertoires)

Just as a simple example.

"I used to be a banker, but I lost interest."

"What do you call a bear with no teeth? A gummy bear"

Try to translate that to another language and still have it make sense.

If it's any language where the words for "Interest" (being interested in something) and "Interest" (a rate charged for money lending services) are different, that "play on words" officially makes no sense.

<blink>

Uh... ASL is an english language based sign. My sister's first husband was deaf from birth and he had no issues understanding jokes based off the English language. The only issue he had was puns based of phonetics.

ThatRobGuy · 2025-12-14T09:42:50-0600

Belk said:
<blink>

Uh... ASL is an english language based sign. My sister's first husband was deaf from birth and he had no issues understanding jokes based off the English language. The only issue he had was puns based of phonetics.

The other poster had made this statement:
More importantly ASL is their native native language not English text.

...in response to me mentioning closed captioning.

So I'm getting some mixed responses here.

Landon Caeli · 2025-12-14T09:45:18-0600

It is toxic empathy, that causes people to make a kerfuffle about this, IMO.

Belk · 2025-12-14T10:16:26-0600

ThatRobGuy said:
The other poster had made this statement:
More importantly ASL is their native native language not English text.

...in response to me mentioning closed captioning.

So I'm getting some mixed responses here.

ASL is their native language, but it is based on English. Not sure how that is a mixed message and it changes nothing about what I stated. Not to mention people who went deaf later in life will understand the puns.

durangodawood · 2025-12-14T10:24:39-0600

Sign language viewers must think the signer is barely literate as they try to convey Trumps aimless loopy word salads.

ThatRobGuy · 2025-12-14T12:07:11-0600

Belk said:
ASL is their native language, but it is based on English. Not sure how that is a mixed message and it changes nothing about what I stated. Not to mention people who went deaf later in life will understand the puns.

No, what I'm saying is that you had replied to my reply to another user. And that user was conveying something different than what you were conveying. I didn't mean that you (individually) were providing mixed messages.

RocksInMyHead · 2025-12-14T12:28:00-0600

Servus said:
Yes

Perhaps you can explain how a deaf person physically present at an event is meant to access the closed captioning?

Aryeh Jay · 2025-12-14T12:31:32-0600

RocksInMyHead said:
Perhaps you can explain how a deaf person physically present at an event is meant to access the closed captioning?

Stay at home?

RocksInMyHead · 2025-12-14T12:33:00-0600

Aryeh Jay said:
Stay at home?

Yes, of course - the disabled should not be seen in public. So unsightly.

ThatRobGuy · 2025-12-14T12:34:49-0600

RocksInMyHead said:
Perhaps you can explain how a deaf person physically present at an event is meant to access the closed captioning?

The article mentions White House press briefings...

Are there currently any deaf members of the White House Press corps?

Or is the ASL interpretation services strictly for the benefit of people watching from home?

Landon Caeli · 2025-12-14T12:43:58-0600

RocksInMyHead said:
Perhaps you can explain how a deaf person physically present at an event is meant to access the closed captioning?

Google's Live Transcribe, Ava, and Otter.ai use your phone's microphone to turn spoken words into real-time text captions.

Aryeh Jay · 2025-12-14T12:46:11-0600

RocksInMyHead said:
Yes, of course - the disabled should not be seen in public. So unsightly.

How many people with disabilities do you see in the background at Trump ~~revivals~~ rallies?

RocksInMyHead · 2025-12-14T12:46:15-0600

ThatRobGuy said:
The article mentions White House press briefings...

Are there currently any deaf members of the White House Press corps?

How should anyone know? Deaf people don't wear a big "D" on their chests so that they can be readily identified.

durangodawood · 2025-12-14T13:09:25-0600

You all are missing the salient point here (Thanks, Rob!): having the ASL person there

“would severely intrude on the President’s prerogative to control the image he presents to the public,”

As we all know, the fascist aesthetic does not allow weakness, deficiency, deviation on stage where it could corrupt the image of the model American embodied in the Leader: hale and virile, straight, strong, and decisive.

(Yes, I used the f word.)

Landon Caeli · 2025-12-14T13:17:34-0600

Hey, I know. Let's protest at the White House for deaf people.

Belk · 2025-12-14T14:39:42-0600

ThatRobGuy said:
No, what I'm saying is that you had replied to my reply to another user. And that user was conveying something different than what you were conveying. I didn't mean that you (individually) were providing mixed messages.

Ah! Thanks for the clarification.

Trump administration says sign language services ‘intrude’ on Trump’s ability to control his image

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