A Good Sign – Sort Of
HMA has been an advocate for the deaf and the hard of hearing for decades. In fact, it started for me as a kid. The mom and dad of our next-door neighbors were both deaf.
I recall being in our backyard when they were hosting barbeques. It was quiet next door – and then all of a sudden, laughter would break out. Someone had told a joke – in sign language.
Our work over the years with the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing has further enhanced our team’s awareness and commitment to issues related to this segment of our population.
If was refreshing over the last couple weeks to see noticeable attention paid to the signers, those interpreting the National Anthem during the National Hockey League All-Star Game events, NFL Pro Bowl and then for Super Bowl LVII, with Arizona taking a central leadership role in this.
American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter Brice Christianson had the honors for the NHL events.
For last Sunday’s Super Bowl held in Glendale, Oscar winner and Arizona native Troy Kotsur provided the ASL performance of the National Anthem. Colin Denny, a deaf Native American from the Navajo Nation in northeast Arizona, performed America the Beautiful through a blend of ASL and North American Indian Sign Language. Justina Miles not only signed Lift Every Voice and Sing, a Super Bowl first, she also signed the Rihanna performance during the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show.
It’s good to see Arizona’s prominent role in showcasing ASL performers. We make a big deal out of it, but it should be a regular part of the event.
With all of that, it’s only fine and dandy if you were actually at the game. If you were watching on TV, after the signers were introduced, all we saw of them was a second or two during the performance. Having picture-in-picture so viewers can actually SEE the signer is the ONLY way viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing can actually “hear” those performances. Signers have been in Super Bowl stadiums for several years.
These sports and their networks could have taken the leadership role in this and set the precedent for including the signers in broadcast coverage moving forward – but dropped the ball.
Troubling since, after all, the huddle was invented by deaf football players.
