JAMAICA – Three men were recorded on camera arguing at a grocery store in Jamaica, VT. WCAX in Burlington reports that Terrence Russo was having a conversation in American Sign Language (ASL) with a hearing companion in the check-out area of D&K’s grocery store when another man in line interrupted the conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a video posted on social media, the man points to Russo\u2019s hands and verbally tells him to stop making \u201cgang gestures\u201d or he would \u201ccall ICE on [him].\u201d The video goes on to show the man getting angry with Russo and telling him he should \u201cgo back to [his] own country.\u201d He is also caught saying he hoped that President Trump would deport Russo and others like him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Russo\u2019s companion, who recorded the video, can be heard telling the man, \u201cHe\u2019s deaf. He can\u2019t hear what you\u2019re saying,\u201d as Russo tries unsuccessfully to communicate with the man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell obviously he\u2019s not listening,\u201d the man responds angrily. \u201cA real American would talk to me instead of making crazy devil signs at me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo, no,\u201d says the companion. \u201cHe was born like this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh, yeah?\u201d says the man, and gets in Russo\u2019s face. \u201cIf you can\u2019t talk and act like a real American then go back to where you were born!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A visibly shaken Russo puts his hands up and steps back, trying to keep some space between him and the other man, who continues the encounter for nearly two minutes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
At one point, the man turns to other customers in line. \u201cAre you blind to what\u2019s going on?\u201d he shouts, gesturing to Russo. \u201cOur country is being overrun by half-wits!\u201d One of those customers, who happens to be blind, can be seen in the video turning up the volume on their air pods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A lawyer for the National Deaf Education Center confirmed that deaf American-born individuals are, in fact, legal citizens as much as Americans who can hear. \u201cCitizenship has never required the ability to listen to another person,\u201d she noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although police responded to a call from the scene, Russo told WCAX that he declined to seek any charges. He also says he regrets throwing in some insults of his own. “I should not have responded in anger,” he said through an interpreter. \u201cBut I think the only thing he understood was my middle finger.\u201d
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