The Daily Moth 5-30-2019
Top News Briefs: Man dies after setting himself on fire near White House; Over 1,000 migrants arrested at border; Measles outbreak worst since 1992; Trump News: Russia election help; USS John McCain; American who died on Mt. Everest had connection with Deaf community; Canada’s House of Commons approves Senate version of Accessible Canada Act with ASL/LSQ/ISL recognition; Interview with Charlton LaChase’s Mother; Guest #DeafBing: Painting While Deaf
Hello, welcome to The Daily Moth! It is Thursday, May 30. Ready for news?
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Top News Briefs: Man dies after setting himself on fire near White House; Over 1,000 migrants arrested at border; Measles outbreak worst since 1992
Here are three top news briefs.
The first — yesterday a man from Maryland, Arnav Gupta, set himself on fire near the White House at the Ellipse park. He died today.
There were videos posted on the Internet that showed him walking on the grass, completely engulfed in flames. Law enforcement officers rushed in and sprayed fire extinguisher on him.
He was living with his family in Bethesda and was reported missing yesterday. It is not known why he did this.
The second news — NBC News reported that a group of more than 1,000 migrants were arrested by border patrol agents after they illegally crossed the border near El Paso, Texas.
This is the largest group ever apprehended. The previous record was 424, that was last month. Most in the group of 1,000 were from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.
President Trump said this morning that he would make a big statement on the border either today or tomorrow.
The third news — the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported today that the number of measles cases in the U.S. this year has broken a record with 971 cases reported in 2019. This is the worst year since 1992.
The CDC warned that if the outbreaks continue, the measles virus may be no longer considered “eliminated” in the U.S. Most of the outbreaks were among children who were not vaccinated in ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities in New York.
Man sets himself on fire: https://wapo.st/2JLoBYN; https://www.tmz.com/2019/05/29/man-arrested-washington-dc-self-immolation-fire-white-house/
1,000 Migrants: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/border-agents-apprehended-over-1-000-immigrants-record-round-n1011956
Measles: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-measles-cases-set-record-11559242458
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Trump News: Russia election help; USS John McCain
Here are two news related with President Donald Trump.
The first — President Trump tweeted this morning that he had nothing to do with Russia helping him to get elected.
It was the first time he said that Russia had a part in helping with his election, but Trump emphasized that he had no part in it, that it was all them.
But he appeared to contradict himself later when he told reporters at the White House this morning, after his tweet, that Russia did not help him get elected, that he got himself elected.
Trump also criticized Special Counsel Mueller this morning, saying he was highly conflicted and couldn’t bring any charges after two years.
Attorney General Barr said in an interview with CBS News that he thinks Mueller could have had made a decision on if Trump engaged in criminal activity, but that he had his reasons.
He was referring to Mueller’s public appearance yesterday in which he said he couldn’t bring indictments against Trump concerning obstruction, that he couldn’t do this because it was the Department of Justice’s policy to not indict a sitting president.
Barr appeared to differ,, saying Mueller could have done this. So there remains a degree of confusion on criminal activity. Congress is still talking about it -- especially Democratic leaders -- on the topic of impeachment.
The second news — the Wall Street Journal reported that the White House sent an email to the U.S. Navy to ask them to move the warship USS John S. McCain out of sight when President Trump visited Japan last weekend.
The warship was named after the father and grandfather of Senator John McCain (R), who passed away last year from a brain tumor. Trump has been known to attack McCain’s POW status and has frequently criticized his vote against an effort to repeal Obamacare.
The ship was docked for repairs and couldn’t be moved, but there was a large tarp that covered the ship’s name.
Trump tweeted today that he was not informed about anything having to do with the ship.
Meghan McCain, John’s daughter, tweeted that it’s been nine months since he passed and Trump won’t let him RIP, so she has to stand up for him, and it makes her grief unbearable.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/30/us/politics/trump-russia-help-elected.html
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/william-barr-interview-attorney-general-says-mueller-couldve-decided-whether-trump-obstructed-justice-exclusive/
https://www.wsj.com/articles/white-house-wanted-uss-john-mccain-out-of-sight-during-trump-japan-visit-11559173470
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump
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American who died on Mt. Everest had connection with Deaf community
Christopher Kulish, a lawyer from Colorado, was the 11th person who died on Mt. Everest this season. He reached the summit, but died on his way down.
A deaf disabled woman, Kailyn Glassmacher, told “The Daily Moth” that she personally knows Kulish’s family because his sister, Claudia, taught high school classes at W.T. Woodson High School with deaf students and was a tutor.
Glassmacher said Kulish lived in Boulder and loved the Rocky Mountains and that his death shocked the family. She said when Kulish scaled Everest, he became a member of the “7 Summits Club.” This means he has successfully reached the highest peak on each continent.
There have been a lot of news coverage about overcrowding on the mountain that may have caused the spike in deaths, because people are forced to wait for longer periods of time in very high altitudes, which can damage and exhaust the human body.
Kulish’ family told news that he reached the peak with a very small group after the crowds had already left. The cause of his death is not clear and it is unknown if it was related with the overcrowding.
Nepal has given out a record number of permits to climb Everest this year.
https://people.com/human-interest/colorado-lawyer-11-person-dies-mount-everest-overcrowding/
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Canada’s House of Commons approves Senate version of Accessible Canada Act with ASL/LSQ/ISL recognition
Last night the Canadian House of Commons approved and passed the Senate’s amended version of Bill C-81, the Accessible Canada Act, that included an amendment to officially recognize ASL, LSQ, and ISL.
CAD/ASC President Frank Folino announced it in a joyful LIVE video outside of Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario.
FRANK FOLINO:
I want to announce a historical moment. Bill C-81, from the Senate, which was amended and proposed before the House of Commons, passed! Yeah! The next step is what? Royal Assent. Then it’ll become law. It’s very soon. It’s historical to get recognition of ASL, LSQ, and ISL as the primary languages of Deaf people across Canada. This means it is your right to communicate in sign language. It’s historical moment!
Alex: The final step is a Royal Assent, which is when a bill is officially adopted as law, which could happen in the next two weeks.
The Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility, Carla Qualtrough, spoke before the House of Commons to advocate for the ACA and to acknowledge ASL/LSQ/ISL recognition.
CARLA QUALTROUGH:
I have heard the strong calls of recognizing the sign language to the Deaf community in Canada. Bill C-81 was to recognize American Sign Languages and Indigenous Sign Language as a primary languages for deaf persons in Canada. I would like to acknowledge Mr Speaker we have interpreters on the Parliament today. (Applause, people say “Hear, Hear)
There was a part where a MP, Nick Whalen, asked about sign language recognition. Here is a video clip.
[Video clip — source, with captions: http://bit.ly/2EJxgGR]
Folino told “The Daily Moth” that this recognition gives “the human rights for Deaf person where their sign languages is the first language that can be used through accessibility to information, communication, and services in their sign languages from two spoken languages: English and French.
Deaf activist and leader Lisa Anderson told “The Daily Moth” that “she was proud to be there as part of the four-year journey as the public process began with consultations across the country.”
For Deaf Canadian activists, this is a huge achievement and something that they have fought for many months. Last fall, about 3,000 rallied across the country for this recognition.
They had a big setback several months ago when the House of Commons passed their version of C-81 without the sign language recognition in it. Folino and other leaders shifted their focus on the Senate and after his testimony before a Senate committee on May 1st, senators agreed to amend ASL, LSQ, and ISL recognition. It was then approved in a full Senate vote, and now it’s cleared the House of Commons.
The ACA bill aims to have a significant impact on the lives of not only Deaf people, but for all disabled people at the federal level. It aims to identify, remove, and prevent accessibility barriers in federal jurisdiction.
This means the ACA bill is not exactly the same as the Americans with Disabilities Act here in the U.S., because the ADA applies to all businesses and organizations, whether they are government entities or not.
The ACA changes won’t be overnight, as the bill has to be fully implemented by 2040, more than 20 years later.
Folino and Anderson, told “The Daily Moth,” that the original ACA bill had no timeline and they were able to push for a 2040 “deadline.” They said the words, “without delay,” was added to the legislation to make sure the work begins immediately.
They said there will be an organization called the CADSO that will work to set up accessibility standards without delay.
I asked them what their response was to criticism that the ACA bill was weak and does not have teeth in enforcing agencies to comply.
They said the next step would be establishing regulations and that they will be in force 2 years after the Royal Assent. They said regulations have the force of law and all federal jurisdictions and the federal-regulated private sector must abide by the regulations.
They said the Accessibility Commissioner can establish compliance and enforcement measures and impose monetary penalties.
So, congratulations to the CAD/ASC, Indigenous Deaf leaders, and the greater Canadian Deaf community on getting this recognition.
Folino Announcement: http://bit.ly/2EM7MZI
Moth Coverage of Fall 2018 ASL/LSQ/ISL Rallies: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1726308504144355
Folino Testimony: https://www.dailymoth.com/blog/canadian-senate-considers-asllsq-recognition-after-testimony-by-cad-president
https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/canada-s-first-accessibility-bill-could-become-law-next-month-minister-1.4433709
Clip with Nick Whalen: http://bit.ly/2EJxgGR
Entire Debate: http://bit.ly/30XP5vE
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Interview with Charlton LaChase’s Mother
Charlton LaChase, a DeafBlind man from Florida who was imprisoned for a year and three months after pleading guilty to sending threatening texts towards his sister in which he said he would carry out deadly ISIS-inspired attacks, was released from prison on Friday, but was placed in custody again just a few hours later.
He was arrested because he reached out to his sister Cassandra again and allegedly made threats, which was a violation of his probation.
The Daily Moth was in contact with LaChase after his release on Friday. He used his mother, Santa’s Facebook account to send us messages.
Charlton said his sister is “anti-deaf” and snitched to the FBI against him and wanted him to be imprisoned for life. He said he was pressured by the public defender to plead guilty. He was clearly agitated in his messages.
He sent The Daily Moth a video that showed group texts between him and what appears to be his sister and her husband. The dates were in January (2018). I’ve already discussed his case and those texts in a previous news report, the link is below.
Charlton and I had scheduled an interview for last Friday afternoon, but our communication stopped. Later that night his mother, Santa, informed us that he was arrested again.
There was a lot of coverage about this on local news in Southern Florida.
Yesterday The Daily Moth had interview with Santa via Convo’s Espanol interpreting service.
Santa was emotional in the interview — the interpreter said she was crying. Santa said she drove six hours to pick him up from a prison in Georgia and was ready to welcome him back home with a cake, but when they got home, there were 8 cars with FBI officers waiting for them.
Santa said it was because of the same situation with his sister.
LaChase is now in custody at the St Lucie County Jail and had a court appearance on Tuesday in which Santa attended.
She said the court appearance was only to hear the charges against LaChase and that it was the same thing as before and that his next date is on June 5th.
Santa said Charlton needs psychiatric help and that he is not a terrorist. She said she feels disgusted at how he is branded a terrorist and that his son’s life is destroyed.
She explained that there has always been tension and strifes between Charlton and his sisters, and that the tensions ramped up after their father and her husband, who is an Air Force veteran, died a few years ago.
She said Charlton suffers a lot in jail because of a lack of access to interpreters, TTY, or VRS services, is often isolated, and was put in the “hole” (solitary confinement) many times.
Court documents from his case showed that a psychologist who is fluent in ASL diagnosed him with bipolar disorder with psychotic symptoms and that he texted the threats to get his sister’s attention.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2296933777298596
https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/crime/st-lucie-county/2019/05/24/st-lucie-county-man-jailed-after-making-isis-related-threats/1231481001/
https://www.wpbf.com/article/an-isis-supporter-has-been-arrested-in-st-lucie-county/27587438
https://cbs12.com/news/local/isis-supporter-arrested-in-st-lucie-county
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Guest #DeafBing: Painting While Deaf
Credit: Brenda McMahon-Ashton
Brenda: Hi! What’s this #DeafBing? Here we’re having a painting night where anyone, hearing or deaf, can join in to paint, drink and have good times. Anyways, I noticed that deaf people tend to do this:
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Brenda: Hey, what did that man say about picking the color? Yellow?
Friend 1: They said to use gray on the rocks.
Friend 2: Wait, I missed it, can you say that again?
Friend 1: Use white and black mixed with gray on the rocks.
Friend 2: I can’t see you…
Brenda: Hey - how’s your painting look? Good?
Friend 3: Yup!
Brenda: You saw the man say mix gray with black, right? Ha, she’s in love with her painting.
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Brenda: That’s #DeafBing! Deaf people tend to stand up and down to see each other and we also get paint all over our arms while signing.