Irma Sign Language Interpreter signing words like “pizza,” “bear,” and “monster,” among others.

Sep 16, 2017

An amateur interpreter for the deaf was tapped at the last minute to provide sign language during a press conference — and things got out of hand.

Before Hurricane Irma ripped through Florida, Manatee County leaders were preparing to address the public with “crucial” information.

That’s when, “in a pinch,” they called Marshall Greene to communicate using sign language, according to WFLA.

Greene, a lifeguard for the county, veered off course when he began signing words like “pizza,” “bear,” and “monster,” among others — words that had nothing to do with the press conference.

“I knew something went horribly wrong,” Charlene McCarthy told WFLA. McCarthy owns VisCom, a company that regularly provides interpreters for the county.

“It was horribly unnerving for me to watch that, knowing I could provide a qualified, certified interpreter,” she fumed.

Greene’s family told WFLA he was just doing what the county asked of him.

“He can’t expect to communicate something he doesn’t know,” Greene’s father told the station.

Social media users were outraged, writing that the bogus interpreter posed a “danger” to society.

“Who is this person you are using as a sign language interpreter? This person is not qualified!” Sandra Roche commented on the county’s video of the press conference.“It was obvious to me he wasn’t a professional interpreter. I was totally shocked,” Chris Wagner, former president of the National Association of the Deaf, told WFLA.

“It was obvious to me he wasn’t a professional interpreter. I was totally shocked,” Chris Wagner, former president of the National Association of the Deaf, told WFLA.

The deaf community is demanding an apology from the county for the blunder, according to WFLA.

 

Source  –  I guess every community everywhere has a group of assholes that wreck it for everyone else.  This poor bastard was only trying to do what was asked to do, and he’s shitty at sign language, but fuck did he give it the old college try.   For some asshole to call Marshall Greene a danger to the community “because he signed “Pizza,” “Bear,” and “Monster” instead of “Hurricane” or “Windspeeds of 200 mph.”  

Maybe he didn’t want to scare people, so he told them there was a “Monster” being chased by a “Bear, ” and if you made your way north, there would be free “pizza.”   Or maybe he wanted deaf people watching him call his gay brother who happened to be a “bear” who was having “pizza” with an old boyfriend who was a real “monster” to warn him about Irma.

And could these dick def people who complained the sign language wasn’t deaf enough for them not read?  Wasnt there seven days of text and script on TV that warned you about Irma?  Do you need the sign language guy to give you that last push to GTFO?

“Honey, They’re using a sign language guy, so this storm must be a bastard…we should leave now.”

“I can’t take him seriously.  He’s been signing something about a pizza monster eating a bear.  Fuck it.  We’re staying.  

Relax militant deaf people.  Everything is fine, and the dude tried his hardest.  You don’t see us shitting on you when you ask us to repeat something because you’re deaf.  

Just like sign language not being this guys thing and he did his best, you do too.  We all do. Instead of bitching, send him a note and thank him for trying.  At least he tried to help you not become fish food.

We all do. Instead of bitching, send him a note and thank him for trying.  He might be one of the reasons you’re not a bloated, floating shark snack.

 

 

 

 

 

Contributing Writers

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