In the spirit of Surdism (expressions of the Deaf experience for social change), we have two poems that address oppression via Oralism and audism via the institution of AG Bell Assoc and co. The first poem is by Karen Christie from 2015 and the second is by Merv Garretson from many many moons ago. Ain’t it unfunny how history repeats itself when it goes unchallenged? Truth telling via the written word – mighty fine indeed. Thank u KC and Merv (we miss you).
#AGBellLIES
by Karen Christie
How did it start?
Was it playground shame, denial of your Deaf mother?
Was it telling her, that yes, you understood what she said?
Was it boasting that you had taught your dog to talk?
After that, you couldn’t stop
It was a charm, so easy, after the first time,
to tell the parents their unhearing children would speak
to tell Deaf people you were studying their family histories
to tell the patent office that you had invented the phone
And then, held up by those lies
And to ensure they would not be examined
And would propagate
You established
Oral Deaf schools
The Volta Bureau
The AG Bell Association
Even in the time of Veditz,
Deaf folks invited collaboration
Even in the time of Veditz,
Deaf folks ultimately condemned you
Today, your Association carries on your legacy of lies
I’ve gotten a lot of emails about AG Bell Association insulting Nyle, insulting Deaf people, insulting sign language, insulting research, insulting facts, and insulting truths. (see http://www.agbell.org/in-the-news/response-nyle-dimarco/)
Yep, that is what AG Bell does. It’s really nothing new. That is their way since the beginning.
Many of you are upset and that is good. We should be upset. What they are doing is unacceptable! I’m here not to show the errors of their ways – the falsehoods behind their offending statements. Am i here to be on the defense against their lies – NO – I don’t feel a need to do that. It is obvious that they are 100% wrong in what they are saying. I hope that other linguists and psychologist will post up facts. I don’t feel we need to be on the defense. Who should have to defend their words? They – AG Bell – should. Why? Because AG Bell has been practicing AUDISM against Deaf people since its conception. It has been practicing PHONOCENTRISM (the belief to speak is superior to signing or writing) since its conception. AG Bell has the STRONG belief that Speech is superior. It practices the belief of lingiucism – it believes that English is superior to ASL.
The recent statement from AG Bell Association (http://www.agbell.org/in-the-news/response-nyle-dimarco/) is BIGOTRY – Cultural and linguistic BIGOTRY against Deaf people, against Deaf culture, against Sign Language. They have been doing this since their beginning and its nothing new – in fact it’s their MISSION in life.
AG Bell, the man, himself was against sign language with Deaf children in schools, against Deaf teachers, against Deaf marrying Deaf. He wanted a perfect race (eugenics) – he did not want to see more hereditary Deaf children created. So he founded the AG Bell Association and it adheres to his principles. AGBAD is against sign language. At times they have tried to word smith and cloak their bigotry but every once and a while they overtly show their true colors by making public statements in the media. But regardless of their public actions – throughout time they have enforced a strict practice of Oralism. Fiercely supporting it. Occasionally they get in hot water for making a public statement and its good that their masks comes down and people see them for what they are but we should know that they have been doing this since their origins and it really is NOTHING new for them.
I’m here to sign out what? Number one – that the NAD (National Association of the Deaf) must stop being on the same committee as the AG Bell –(Deaf and Hard of Hearing Alliance) http://usicd.org/doc/DHHA%20CRPD%20Letter%20FINAL%20%282%29%206_2_2014.pdf (added here since the DHHA website is down – AG Bell and NAD also sit on the Council on Education of the Deaf http://councilondeafed.org/member-organizations/) NAD should not serve on the same taskforce / councils /committees with AG Bell. They should step down from such affiliations in protest showing that they will not do business with such a bigoted association. NAD needs to make a strong statement. Previously the CEO of the NAD promised they would make a strong statement against any organization or individual that campaigned saying oralism was superior to ASL but then later the NAD got evasive and backed down. NAD needs to confront AG Bell’s conduct. They need to.
If people want to demand an apology from AG Bell that is fine but for me – I am not interested in an apology. I want them to stop – to cease and desist from their persistent campaign against ASL. Enough is Enough.
EHDI on the state level across the country and NCHAM, which gets a lot of funds from NIH and CDC and is responsible for gathering information and disseminating it related to Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (note I do not sign the recommend “grab/seize opportunity or Involve sign” for intervention because EHDI is still about INTERRUPTING parent and Deaf bodies via “deafness” frame) – NCHAM is run by Dr. Karl White and the NCHAM lists different resources and services for parents etc. – lists AG Bell Association. Many State level EHDI services lists AG Bell Association. If you look around to various agencies, programs, etc who do they list for referrals, resources, services? AG Bell Association will often be at the top of the list. It’s often at the top because it starts with an A and A is the first letter in the alphabet – when in fact it shouldn’t be listed at all. AG Bell Association should be REMOVED from any such listing because they practice bigotry – they promote hatred of ASL and Deaf culture. This has been proven throughout time.
Us being upset about AG Bell’s response to Nyle and the Pepsi commercial is fine and right. At the same time before AG Bell had sent out a letter to Deaf schools with membership cards. When the teachers all over the country went to their school mail box and saw they got a letter from AG Bell Association they were disturbed and upon opening up the letter they found a unwanted, unsolicited, offensive membership card with their OWN names on it with their title as “Hearing Specialists.” NAD said and did nothing to protect Deaf teachers from this tactic by AGBAD.
Many people were upset as was AFA Audism Free America so they held a vigil at AG Bell Headquarters in Washington, DC and made copies of these offensive “Hearing Specialist” AG Bell membership cards and distributed to folks to burn in protest. A symbolic measure to communicate to AGBAD to stop sending out such “membership cards” and since then they have not done that again.
Thus it is important for us to confront such oppressive practices – not just when famous people are attacked or because of the Pepsi letter. It’s important to challenge the everyday oppressive practices of the AG Bell Association and its promotion of the falsehood that speech is superior.
Last year or the year before that, the president of AG Bell Association wrote a horrible letter in response to an article – she wrote about how superior cochlear implants were since her Deaf son has cochlear implants and when he is on his bike riding she can call him home to eat and he will hear her and come back thus making life easier for her and all hail to the powers of CI and speech and all curses for the inferiority of ASL. http://www.agbell.org/AGBellResponsetoPediatrics/
People should host vigils and rallies at AG Bell Headquarters periodically so that the public is aware of what AG Bell Association is playing at. Now with the Nyle’s incident – it would be a good time for folks to have a peaceful rally at AG Bell Headquarters – to practice their first amendment rights of freedom of speech/sign and assembly.
Last summer some of us went to AG Bell Headquarters – called Volta Bureau – which is near Georgetown University. We put 12 black flags in memory of 12 Deaf children who died from Cochlear Implant complications way back in the beginning of experimenting with implanting children. Since that time many others have died from CI complications in the US and other countries – although it is hard to get those facts and details out to the public. (see https://usdeafhistory.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/final-transcriptforpanelexcerptpetitto1.pdf) 12 flags were planted in their memory. AG Bell Association has gotten a lot of money from CI corporations. They have had their circle alliance with different cochlear implant companies that have been sued for fraud and faulty cochlear implants that leak and cause shocks and have had recalls.
AG Bell should be challenged not to be pushing cochlear implants onto innocent parents when they first learn their newborn or infant is Deaf and are looking for answers.
It’s important to watch the various systems that we often allow to go unchecked without our challenging them and holding them accountable. We also need to watch our organizations and leaders that some time refuse to see the truth or even work with various oppressive systems and then later those systems like AG Bell and EHDI say “we work very closely with the NAD” or “we work very closely with Deaf leaders.” They take advantage of those associations and claim that they are not at fault while scapegoating the Deaf orgs and individuals because those Deaf folks are allowing it. We need to challenge and not just passively accept the status quo.
Yes I predict the NAD will write a letter to AG Bell wagging their finger at them “tsk, tsk, tsk AGB. Don’t do that” and then be done with it allowing AG Bell to continue doing OTHER THINGS that are much worse. ADDED 4/4/201One write up by AG Bell with misinformation which is wrong and bad and should not be tolerated – at the same time have a fit over that one action when there is a long history of much great bad deeds that directly adversely impact Deaf children due to Oralism – we need to stand oppose all forms of oppression. Not just today’s situation but 3 weeks from now, 3 month from now, 3 years from now. Confront, Confront, Confront. bye
so a few weeks ago CEASD Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf http://www.ceasd.org/ met in Indiana and they had a presentation / panel about ALLIANCES AND PARTNERSHIPS with Option Schools, Inc. Option Schools are Oral /Aural Only programs – IE they EXCLUDE / BAN/ DENY ASL http://optionschools.org/
NAD & AGB & CEASD
The NAD National Association of the Deaf was there too. the NAD already serves on an ALLIANCE with the AG Bell Association (AG Bell Association is the # 1 – Oral / Aural Only promotor – IE they EXCLUDE / BAN / DENY ASL and refuses to apologize for its offensive letter to Pepsi portraying signing Deaf folks as isolated and dependent). See the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Alliance membership http://www.dhhainfo.com/members/ to see that the NAD (and CEASD) has been k-i-s-s-i-n-g with AG Bell for a mighty long time now.
CEASD & NAD & OPTION INC.
Option Schools, Inc is having a conference in Buffalo, NY May 18-21, 2014 and CEASD and the NAD will be there.
This is very De Ja Vu folks.
we already been there, done that.
ie – we already tried to work with the Oralist Oppressors.
NOTE: there is nothing wrong with developing oral skills – there is EVERYTHING wrong with insisting it is the only / exclusive / mandatory way to “function” in society and listening and talking create independence. Speaking and listening does not equate intelligence nor independence folks. The notion that to speak and listen (ie Oralism) is superior to being Deaf is bigotry and bias speaking . Audism anyone?
from Option Schools, Inc website:
Our Vision
OPTION Schools, Inc. will be a recognized authority on listening and spoken language education for children with hearing loss. We will be known for our work in, and dedication to helping children with hearing loss to listen and talk and reach their full potential. We will continue to provide a wide variety of programs and services that will increase the effectiveness of schools and centers that teach children with hearing loss. We will be an unfailing source of information and training for our members, and in our field.
Yawn!
this is so same ole same ole
so why praise tell is the CEASD and the NAD teaming up with Optionless schools?
Why is CEASD and the NAD making ALLIANCES with OptionLESS schools & AG Bell Association?
one Deaf leader in Facebook said with dismay “I put my trust in our Deaf leaders to do right by the Deaf children”
yep. Tis a pity.
why oh why?
NAD is saying its not happy happy about OptionLESS schools inc and CEASD k-i-s-s-i-n-g cuz NAD got stung by some Option School folks in the FLA legislative meetings
bbuuuuuuttttttt – it supports CEASD cuz it supports the Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy bill – See HR 4040
This bill was never impressive cuz its like ‘Oral only is ok’
(which we know it is NOT)
and now the bill has been expanded to include Blind and Deafblind folks and the Blind provisions are MUCH STRONGER than the provisions originated by the NAD and CEASD. The blind folks are asserting their rights mighty nicely methink. (ie we dont see any provision saying the denial of the use of a cane or braille is ok)
the CEASD’s reasons for having an ALLIANCE with OptionLESS schools has not be clearly articulated.
According to tweets from the Indiana CEASD conference – CEASD said the big elephant in the room was Option Schools going after Deaf school funding while OPTION Inc said the big elephant was that folks dont understand what Option Inc is about.
really the BIGGEST ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM IS – ORALISM
Oralism is THE DENIAL OF A NATURAL SIGNED LANGUAGE
ORALISM CAN NOT BE DONE WITH OUT EXCLUSIONARY AND ABUSIVE PRACTICES. THAT IS THE BIGGEST ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
WILL CEASD AND/OR NAD STATE THIS FACT IN BUFFALO, NY NEXT WEEK?
not likely
why?
cuz when u put money over children
cuz when u pursue unjust and unwise ALLIANCES
cuz when u pretend that Option Schools, Inc really provide options
cuz when u draft bills that are devoted to saving your schools and positions and not saving the children
cuz when u create illusions of equality (Deaf at EHDI, Deaf on ALLIANCES with AG Bell, Deaf at Option Conferences) without any demands for equality of condition for the CHILDREN
cuz when u dont address the TRUE elphant in the room
cuz when u dont release the Language Deprivation bill by Dec 1 as promised (hello, NAD we see you)
cuz when u wheel and deal – gala here, meeting there, super bowl rah rah rah
cuz when u never invest in ASL and the Deaf -world – always fighting for things to serve the elite and privileged over the most down trodden of us
cuz when u dont heed the words and actions of our ancestors who have already encountered the deadly tango with the Oral / Aural ONLYIST
cuz when u dont know history
you fail the children
miserably!
There is NOTHING wrong with demanding that Deaf children have a right to a fully natural and accessible signed language. They can also learn oral and aural skills
There is EVERYTHING wrong with being in alliance with organizations, groups, associations, and business (ie Inc and Ltds) that advocate for the denial of ASL and for oral / aural ONLY
sure you can go the route of “you get more flies with honey” or whatever that bloody idiom is
or the one about “building bridges instead of burning” them but
the truth is – we dont want flies we want justice
the truth is – the bridge was burned a long time ago and is STILL burning – anytime an organization, institution, inc, ltd commits itself to be Oral / Aural ONLY – it is burning the bridge
the CEASD and NAD crossing over the burning bridge thinking its gonna give them a wee measure to limp a long a bit more is reckless and UNJUST
LGBTQ have not gained the rights they are gaining today by having acquiesced to the oppressors
African-Americans have not gained the rights they have today by acquiescing to the oppressors
Women have not gained the rights they have today by acquiescing to the oppressors
etc
CEASD and NAD – ya can continue down this path and we know where it will lead – we already done played this one out – u r ushering in the 2nd wave of Oralism because u feel there is no other choice but in fact we do have OPTIONS
awake and stand
if u must be in Buffalo – you MUST stand and testify to all the abuse that goes on under the cloak of “restoring the Deaf to society” IE ORALISM
cuz it still goes on
kids are still being rapped on the hand with rulers and YARD STICKS (this happened 2 years ago to a Deaf 16 year old man (yes 16 is considered legal age in some states) with a CI, who said to his speech pathologist – i dont want to do speech therapy any more – WHACK! Take that)
there is more folks – MUCH MORE
AWAKE
OH and check out how effective the visibility at EHDI is working out for Deaf folks – audiologist blogs that Deaf signing folks at EHDI made a parent cry – ahhh inclusion
STAND
We demand it cuz Deaf folks are worth it
or dont and SINK
Remember and heed the words of the first president of the National Association of the Deaf. NAD was founded in 1880 and 2 scores later, six years before his death, The McGregor was still calling for the NAD to stand strong and do what it was formed to do – oppose oppression via oralism.
Excerpt from Robert McGregor’s Address to the NAD December 1920
See Robert P. McGregor’s Irishman’s Flea – that has great relevancy today:
In this 1913 classic film, The McGregor compares an elusive and pesky flea to the irksome myth of the “restored to society deaf” which can never be found because they do not exist.
Ella Mae Lentz’s classic vlog about the true Elephant in the room – ORALISM – which depends on falsehoods and deceit and ALLIANCES to continue its reign of error.
my gem of a friend sent me this today and it made me cry.
look, im doing it again. crying. my nose stings, my eyes water.
i weep. why u ask? well cuz we slow folks. we mighty slow. The McGregor – the first president of the NAD, which was formed in 1880, is two-score later reminding the NAD of its duty in 1920 and…. the NAD listened not.
This was near the end of McGregor’s life (he was hit and killed by a car while walking to mail his Christmas cards in 1926) and around the time that the NAD’s rudder had completely fallen off – Oralism having infiltrated the minds of its organizers – survival by conceding and ignoring instead of by peacefully and persistently confronting.
I weep cuz we are not all heeding our duty. We are not opposing the oralists with all our power. (Note: oralist does NOT mean people who speak and hear some – it means folks who push Oralism at the expense of ASL).
I weep cuz we have not been doing our duty of enlightening the public concerning the Deaf.
i know some of us have tried and i know that when we have done the good work we have always been met with surprise and interest and shock that Deaf children are being denied the right to learn ASL (they are – it is still happening today folks – get ur heads out of the sand and your oars out of that denial river. don’t be saying oh but with implanting of babies they are nearly hearing – it aint truly so and u know it and studies show ASL is an assets to those babies and language deprivation harms and sometimes CI fail hot and cold and. .. ).
i know we need to keep signing those songs of truths.
But i weep because we are looking mighty late folks.
so so late. and cuz its true – when u dont study history you are doomed to repeat it
It is happening all over again – from 1920 when nearly EVERY school for the Deaf in the US had become oral / aural ONLY to 2013 when more and more oral / aural only schools and programs are being set up and taking away funding & pupils from signing schools for the Deaf. (see indiana and see florida folks)
i weep because you sleep.
i whisper to you as firmly and as loudly and as sweetly and as sincerely and as purely as i possibly can – wake up
wake up – the hour is late
wake up – before it is too late
do your duty or prepare to say you did nothing
i love you
it is OUR business
thank you McGregor – our Rob Roy then and now. Thank u kc. its a gem u brought to my inbox and yes – im crying all over again.
wake up people of the hand eye.
wake up
– oppose oralism and oralists who promote it
– enlighten the public about this travesty of justice inflicted by doctors, oralists, and professionals
its not hard – come take our hands. we have hope,faith and love and we have lots of fun too. resistance to oppression is the secret for possessing joy. you only need to first – w a k e u p
“A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history.” – Mahatma Gandhi
In this series examining the Bermuda Triangle of Oralism in L.A. we have covered: Point A
Advanced Bionics (a Cochlear Implant corporation outside of LA that has had numerous deaths, complications, recalls, fines, and lawsuits – the latest of which they have to pay damages of $7.25 million dollars to a family who’s daughter was shocked to the point of convulsions and vomiting)
Point B
John Tracy Clinic (a longstanding Oral / Aural Only institution devoted to indoctrinating parents and potential teachers into the doctrine of audism – the belief to hear and/or behave as a hearing person is superior to being Deaf.)
and now Point C
The House Research Institute
i.e. is there a Doctor in the House?
ABSOLUTELY. There is. For those of you who never heard of Dr. House as me, myself, and i had never heard of him until a couple of years ago – Dr. William House (real name and no relations to the TV show character) – was the first bloke in the US to insert electrodes into a Deaf person to stimulate their brain artificially. You can see the video of Dr. House with his human subject – Jack Urban. It’s not captioned and the auto caption is way way off the mark.
I first learned of Dr. House when Dr. Tom Humphries mentioned that many moons ago when he was serving on an ad hoc committee to come up with a position on Cochlear Implants, he sat across the table from Dr. House and Dr. House asked “Tom, can’t you see that I have the deaf children’s best interest at heart?” to which Dr. Humphries replied, “No. I’m sorry to say this but no, you do not.”
When Dr. Humphries told this story several people in the audience reacted to the name Dr. House. So i asked my pal who grew up in Ca. – “Dr. House?” and she said “L.A. Dr. – famous – my parents took me to him.” and i asked my other friend who i knew grew up on the East coast but also reacted when his name was mentioned
I signed – “So Dr. House?” She replied, “He implanted me. I was one of the first kids to be implanted.”
and i said “oh”
wow – the things i dont know. Yes, I knew my friend had gotten one of the first implants for children as a teenager but i didnt know anything about this Dr. House guy.
He is big as is the INSTITUTION his brother (Dr. Howard House) founded – it has gone through many name changes but it is now called the House Research Institute and it is HUGE and running in LA. Their version of their history at http://www.hei.org/about/history/history.html
What are they researching? Well it used to be called the House EAR Institute so …
they be researching how to make folks as unDeaf as possible. They got $ and they also have lobbyists (lobbying re: Defense legislation? hope its not more of that Acoustic Kitty espionage bonkiness)
This is what the House Ear Institute had to say about the advent of pediatric cochlear implants. (see quote below) Please note the absence of any mention of the courage of the CHILDREN who under went this experimental surgery and please KNOW that not all children survived.
“Although there a many reasons why cochlear implants have become as successful as they are in helping deaf people with profound hearing loss to hear sound, it is the courage and commitment of a small group of clinicians and parents of deaf children who were instrumental in the eventual success of this technology for children,” continued Eisenberg, who was an audiologist on the first pediatric cochlear implant team in 1980.
Yep. The child who was implanted is not even worthy of being mentioned in that tribute. “object” and “objectification” anyone? I for one object to the treatment of children as things to be experimented on.
It is also note worthy that the AG Bell Association used to have Advanced Bionics as its banner on its website then Advanced Bionics had its cochlear implant failing hot so they POOFED IT and replaced the banner with the House Ear Institute but that got POOFED too.
hmmm – they are now easing out the name of AG Bell and playing up all things LSL (as if the selling of a clinical service as a “language” and a bigoted mentality as “independence” was gonna sell with any of the folks beyond those who depended on the myth being real – oy – such hubris and spin)
Now we see what there is to see see.
L.A. has a Bermuda Triangle of Oralism via John Tracy Clinic, Advanced Bionics and the House Research Institute and hence AG Bell Association has selected L.A. as this years LSL Symposium cite. A G Bell, the man and the Association, have been propagating and proselytizing their unholy gospel of it must be oral / aural only by any mean means necessary for a might LONG TIME.
No worries – some good folks plan to have their feet on the ground making the invisible visible.
We all are created equal and thus should be treated as such.
Systems that resort to “by any mean means necessary” can not last. Truth and love win – think of it always said Gandhi.
so now ya all see the pattern right – get ’em YOUNG, implant, do oral / aural only LSL, get private and public programs to do oral / aural only and when they graduate with any language deficiency blame it on the parents for not working hard enuf or not implanting young enuf or for letting them watch switched at birth or …. but NEVER NEVER question the system. NEVER tell AG Bell, Dr. House and his Institute or John Tracy Clinic that NO THEY DO NOT IN FACT HAVE THE DEAF CHILD’s BEST INTEREST AT HEART – for if they did they could NEVER justify the unjust practice of INSTITUTIONALIZING the forbidding of a fully natural and fully accessible language from the minds of those who most desperately deserve it.
Geez L.A. Bermuda Triangle of Oralism = JTC + HRI + AB = AGBAD – don’t y’all have any shame.
keep STANDing Truth Seekers. They may run and spin and hide but we on the MOVE!
“Until justice rolls down like water and
righteousness like a mighty stream.”
So is there a Dr. in the House? – surely there are and have been more than a few. Read about what Dr. Itard did to Claude Forestier while he was a student at the Paris Deaf School – “a regime of daily purgatives, and his outer ear was covered with a bandage soaked in a blistering agent. Within a few days, his ear lost all of its skin, oozed pus, and was excruciatingly painful. When it scabbed, Itard reapplied the caustic soda to the skin behind Forestier’s ear. All this was to no avail, no more for Forestier than for thirty other pupils on whom it was tried.” (From When the Mind Hears by Dr. Lane p. 134)
We got Drs too folks. (Dr. Petitto, Dr. Hauser, Dr. Lane, Dr. Ladd, Dr. Cummins, Dr. Skutnabb-Kangas, Dr. Nover, Dr. Humphries, Dr. Padden, etc.)
Drs who say – not cool – depriving Deaf children of a fully natural accessible signed language in order to sacrifice them to the oral Moloch – totally not cool. Deaf people are NOT children of a lesser god.
VL2 (Visual Language & Visual Learning) Parent Toolkit http://vl2.educ.ualberta.ca/
A tool that shocks – more troubles for CI corporations
– Touting cochlear implants as if they are just another tool is not cool.
For they are not.
If they are just another tool, we must ask what they are a tool of?
Tools of false prophecies from the false prophets,
Tools of forced assimilation by the Pharaohs that knew not Joseph,
Tools of corporate greed,
Tools of fraud and deception,
Tools of bodily abuse (see remote control and “complications”)
Tools of cultural and linguistic genocide?
NOTE: this truth seeking entry is in no way an admonishment of folks who have Cochlear Implants or parents who have chosen them for their children. This is about the system and the auditory industrial complex which couples CIs w/ Oralism and deceit and profit.
Cochlear implants certainly are not a tool for leveling the playing field because we know many Deaf folks who have been implanted still experience job discrimination, for many children who have been implanted still experience complications and failing of the cochlear implant & LSL practices, for the children who have had 2 or 3 or 4 or 7 surgeries on the same ear with replacement CIs, for many parents believe what the doctors and specialists tell them and they then forbid their children from signing and send them to Oral / Aural only programs where they are banned from gesturing and using their visual acuity, for many survivors of oralism who are dependent on their cochlear implants still sue colleges to get CART and AG Bell helps them. So while they may create a bit of a have and have not paradigm – Deaf folks with CIs are still Deaf even when they are awake and the CIs are on and in use – they are not profoundly Hearing and at “best” they may be “elevated” to “hard of hearing” but they are in fact still people of the eye.
For if the cochlear implant is just a tool …
– it is a bloody expensive one. It is way over priced and far more difficult to take into the shop for all the repairs that are commonly needed.
For if it is just a tool – it is an utterly unreliable one. The external part often has to be sent in for repair and sometimes explants and new implants are required for the internal part – built for life – they are NOT. They also glean very inconsistent results and require a huge amount of auxiliary items and work (LSL, audiology, etc etc)
There is no rhyme or reason why some have an easy time with their CI why others suffer language deprivation and physical complications.
For if it is just a tool – it is a faulty one as some corporations say they are designed for life but some fail shortly after being implanted in the 1 year old and then the child has to be put under again (and this is not good because too much anesthesia exposure for a wee developing brain can CAUSE permanent learning disabilities). Not to mention all the CT and MRIs the kids need before implantation and all that radiation exposure is really not a great thing for the wee things.
For if it is just a tool – why are more and more survivors being willing to take the risk of having it explanted rather then just leaving it inoperable in their heads?
There are more questions and there is more proof that cochlear implants are NOT JUST ANOTHER TOOL.
But the lastest is the lawsuit against Advanced Bionics (Ca. based co.).
See the case of Breanna Sadler of Kentucky. A Deaf child who was implanted with the Advanced Bionic HiRes 90K at age four. “Four years later, an electrical short from the device shocked her so violently that she was thrown to the ground, vomiting and convulsing.” See article Louisville jury punishes company with $7.25 million verdict for selling Meade County girl defective ear implants that shocked her at http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20130418/NEWS10/304180041/Louisville-jury-awards-girl-7-2-million-hearing-aid-gave-her-shocks. The article says it is the first of 40 lawsuits coming.
And what does Advanced Bionics – the company with numerous recalls, meningitis deaths post surgery, and failing hot shocks due to moisture leaking into the internal implant part do after getting back in the market again? it invents a waterpoof CI that folks can wear in the swimming pool. Yep all the waking hours a Deaf person should “have their ears turned on” even if its at risk of sparking and sputtering and a one year old can’t tell you its doing so.
NOTE: the AG Bell LSL Symposium is taking place in Los Angeles in July and ADVANCED BIONICS is the main sponsor.
Totally UNCOOL AG BELL. You know you should divest from a corporation that has killed some Deaf kids and more recently has been shocking them to the point of vomiting and convulsions.
There have been fines by the Dept of Justice against Cochlear America (Colorado based co) for fraud and kickbacks and previous fines by the Food and Drug Administration against Advanced Bionics. There have been numerous recalls for cochlear implants failing cold (just stopping and not working any more so they need to be explanted or left in the brain as duds just sitting there) or failing hot (causing shocks because the seal for the internal part has opened over time and moisture seeps in causing shocks).
There were numerous deaths after people came down with meningitis post cochlear implant surgery (mostly children and very old people succumbing from it).
There have been facial paralysis, nausea, dizziness, headaches and other complications from the surgery and cochlear implantation. There is more – corporate deviance deep sixs alot of truths.
See the FDA’s list of risks at the bottom of this entry.
Cochlear implants have been the main conduit for the 2nd wave of Oralism – (almost no Deaf child will be able to get through childhood without being implanted now)
prior to their wild fire spread, Oralism had been proven to be abusive and ineffective but with the advent of the unjust “tool,” Oralism reared its ugly head again and now Oralism is billed as a NECESSITY – a REQUIREMENT with false-proof being fabricated on a daily basis of how signing is BAD for children with Cochlear implants which is not true at all – just how they like to spin it.
AH the jealous mistress syndrome. binary – oral / aural ONLY is all the rage despite the ICED 2010 New Era Agreement and Accord of the Future saying absolute Oralism is NOT cool!
So to any Deaf person who gets interviewed or asked to present, we call upon you to expose the truth about all the cochlear implants failings and about corporate deviance.
The profit margins on cochlear implants is HUGE and immoral. They cost more than a car and run far less long or reliably.
Truly truly wrong. Tell the newspapers, TV reporters, etc – “i can not discuss this with you unless you also commit to interviewing a cochlear implant survivor and unless you inquire about the moratorium on implanting Deaf children back in 1985 and what prompted it.”
We call upon Dr. Karl White, of NCHAM and EHDI fame, to share the Language acquisition for deaf children: Reducing the harms of zero tolerance to the use of alternative approaches paper by Dr. Humphries et al (see http://www.harmreductionjournal.com/content/9/1/16) and to share Dr. Petitto’s proof about the wonders of visual Language and the brain. http://fb.me/23YsIWPkQ . This Power Point is packed with FACTS and real research studies showing how critical a fully natural and accessible language is to babies. We call upon you to list the recalls and lawsuits on the NCHAM website. We call upon you to explain how the Stem Cell study on newborns and toddlers in Houston, Texas stopped after just one subject. We call upon you to heed, respect and follow the ICED New Era Agreement and Accord for the Future.
Come on karl – your bias is busted.
We call upon the NAD to actually do something with the Language Deprivation priority – it has almost been a YEAR NOW. WOW! You slow!
We call upon the US government (local, state, and federal) not to finance language discrimination. See how Bulger (of OPTION Schools & AG Bell affiliation and anti-ASL and anti-UN CRPD fame) is lobbying FLA gov’t to have $500,000 go to two oral / aural only schools that serve a maximum of 65 Deaf children for the whole state when they already get oodles of money from the Oberkotter Foundation
We call upon the Deaf community to exercise the greatest form of community accountability and STAND and speak out against language bigotry and audism. The 2nd wave of Oralism is HERE. Where you be?
STAND and be counted folks cuz you count and community acCOUNTability can not happen unless you have the courage of your convictions – that some day Deaf children should not be judge by the dip of their audiogram but rather by the content of their characters.
ADVANCED BIONICS – have you no shame?
FDA benefits and risks list of CI (copied and pasted 23 May 2013)
FDA (Food & Drug Administration)Benefits and Risks of Cochlear Implants
What are the Benefits of Cochlear Implants?
For people with implants:
Hearing ranges from near normal ability to understand speech to no hearing benefit at all.
Adults often benefit immediately and continue to improve for about 3 months after the initial tuning sessions. Then, although performance continues to improve, improvements are slower. Cochlear implant users’ performances may continue to improve for several years.
Children may improve at a slower pace. A lot of training is needed after implantation to help the child use the new ‘hearing’ he or she now experiences.
Most perceive loud, medium and soft sounds. People report that they can perceive different types of sounds, such as footsteps, slamming of doors, sounds of engines, ringing of the telephone, barking of dogs, whistling of the tea kettle, rustling of leaves, the sound of a light switch being switched on and off, and so on.
Many understand speech without lip-reading. However, even if this is not possible, using the implant helps lip-reading.
Many can make telephone calls and understand familiar voices over the telephone. Some good performers can make normal telephone calls and even understand an unfamiliar speaker. However, not all people who have implants are able to use the phone.
Many can watch TV more easily, especially when they can also see the speaker’s face. However, listening to the radio is often more difficult as there are no visual cues available.
Some can enjoy music. Some enjoy the sound of certain instruments (piano or guitar, for example) and certain voices. Others do not hear well enough to enjoy music.
What are the Risks of Cochlear Implants?
General Anesthesia Risks
General anesthesia is drug-induced sleep. The drugs, such as anesthetic gases and injected drugs, may affect people differently. For most people, the risk of general anesthesia is very low. However, for some people with certain medical conditions, it is more risky.
Risks from the Surgical Implant Procedure
Injury to the facial nerve –this nerve goes through the middle ear to give movement to the muscles of the face. It lies close to where the surgeon needs to place the implant, and thus it can be injured during the surgery. An injury can cause a temporary or permanent weakening or full paralysis on the same side of the face as the implant.
Meningitis –this is an infection of the lining of the surface of the brain. People who have abnormally formed inner ear structures appear to be at greater risk of this rare, but serious complication. For more information on the risk of meningitis in cochlear recipients, see the nearby Useful Links.
Cerebrospinal fluid leakage –the brain is surrounded by fluid that may leak from a hole created in the inner ear or elsewhere from a hole in the covering of the brain as a result of the surgical procedure.
Perilymph fluid leak –the inner ear or cochlea contains fluid. This fluid can leak through the hole that was created to place the implant.
Infection of the skin wound.
Blood or fluid collection at the site of surgery.
Attacks of dizziness or vertigo.
Tinnitus, which is a ringing or buzzing sound in the ear.
Taste disturbances –the nerve that gives taste sensation to the tongue also goes through the middle ear and might be injured during the surgery.
Numbness around the ear.
Reparative granuloma –this is the result of localized inflammation that can occur if the body rejects the implant.
There may be other unforeseen complications that could occur with long term implantation that we cannot now predict.
Other Risks Associated with the Use of Cochlear Implants
People with a cochlear implant:
May hear sounds differently. Sound impressions from an implant differ from normal hearing, according to people who could hear before they became deaf. At first, users describe the sound as “mechanical”, “technical”, or “synthetic”. This perception changes over time, and most users do not notice this artificial sound quality after a few weeks of cochlear implant use.
May lose residual hearing. The implant may destroy any remaining hearing in the implanted ear.
May have unknown and uncertain effects. The cochlear implant stimulates the nerves directly with electrical currents. Although this stimulation appears to be safe, the long term effect of these electrical currents on the nerves is unknown.
May not hear as well as others who have had successful outcomes with their implants.
May not be able to understand language well. There is no test a person can take before surgery that will predict how well he or she will understand language after surgery.
May have to have it removed temporarily or permanently if an infection develops after the implant surgery. However, this is a rare complication.
May have their implant fail. In this situation, a person with an implant would need to have additional surgery to resolve this problem and would be exposed to the risks of surgery again.
May not be able to upgrade their implant when new external components become available. Implanted parts are usually compatible with improved external parts. That way, as advances in technology develop, one can upgrade his or her implant by changing only its external parts. In some cases, though, this won’t work and the implant will need changing.
May not be able to have some medical examinations and treatments. These treatments include:
MRI imaging. MRI is becoming a more routine diagnostic method for early detection of medical problems. Even being close to an MRI imaging unit will be dangerous because it may dislodge the implant or demagnetize its internal magnet. FDA has approved some implants, however, for some types of MRI studies done under controlled conditions.
neurostimulation.
electrical surgery.
electroconvulsive therapy.
ionic radiation therapy.
Will depend on batteries for hearing. For some devices new or recharged batteries are needed every day.
May damage their implant. Contact sports, automobile accidents, slips and falls, or other impacts near the ear can damage the implant. This may mean needing a new implant and more surgery. It is unknown whether a new implant would work as well as the old one.
May find them expensive. Replacing damaged or lost parts may be expensive.
Will have to use it for the rest of life. During a person’s lifetime, the manufacturer of the cochlear implant could go out of business. Whether a person will be able to get replacement parts or other customer service in the future is uncertain.
May have lifestyle changes because their implant will interact with the electronic environment. An implant may
set off theft detection systems
set off metal detectors or other security systems
be affected by cellular phone users or other radio transmitters
have to be turned off during take offs and landings in aircraft
interact in unpredictable ways with other computer systems
Will have to be careful of static electricity. Static electricity may temporarily or permanently damage a cochlear implant. It may be good practice to remove the processor and headset before contact with static generating materials such as children’s plastic play equipment, TV screens, computer monitors, or synthetic fabric. For more details regarding how to deal with static electricity, contact the manufacturer or implant center.
Have less ability to hear both soft sounds and loud sounds without changing the sensitivity of the implant. The sensitivity of normal hearing is adjusted continuously by the brain, but the design of cochlear implants requires that a person manually change sensitivity setting of the device as the sound environment changes.
May develop irritation where the external part rubs on the skin and have to remove it for a while.
Can’t let the external parts get wet. Damage from water may be expensive to repair and the person may be without hearing until the implant is repaired. Thus, the person will need to remove the external parts of the device when bathing, showering, swimming, or participating in water sports.
May hear strange sounds caused by its interaction with magnetic fields, like those near airport passenger screening machines.
I’ve had this entry in the queue to click publish for a long time but i delayed and delayed cuz well, i was paddling that denial river. I just did NOT want to come to terms with the fact that the NAD was not shaping up to be the organization that it could and should be.
big OY and GRR and BOO to the NAD’s lack of activism from NAD’s education committee, lack of response to AG Bell Association’s mailing of unwanted and offensive membership cards to teachers of the Deaf at Deaf schools, having another Miss Deaf Pageant, and the latest – a Plenary Presenter who is anti-equal marriage rights (if he has changed this position GREAT – pls do share that here). (thanks Mz for tweet of the link)
many folks have expressed concerns about the NAD’s direction, focus, activism or lack there off – too many for me to list here for fear of missing some folks.
Below we see see how true blue George W. Veditz was.
We gotta know our own history in order to not repeat it and in order to stand on the shoulders of giants. As we rediscover our roots and our ancestors may we also see the power of taking a stand for that which is right, just, true and good.
NOTE: Veditz’ paper was written in 1933 for a 1934 NAD convention and Veditz passed away in 1937. He must have been so sad when he wrote the last sentence here.
Thanks KC for finding the gem below.
blue emphasis added by me
NOTE: Aug 12, 2012 will mark the end of Veditz 150 year and Aug 13 will begin his 151st birthday. See ya in Colorado Springs, folks, to ring out the 150th and ring in the 151st. if u cant go, do something locally in honor of Veditz and US or honor a local Deaf hero/ine
—————–
Excerpts from The Genesis of the National Association
George William Veditz
Deaf-Mutes Journal
Thursday June 1, 1933
[paper prepared for NAD Convention in New York, 1934)
“The meeting was called the National Convention of the Deaf-Mutes, and that’s that. If oral magicians, who can yank educational rabbits out of silk hats and pearls of speech out of the mouths of those who have never heard, choke over it, why bless ’em.”
“1880, the year that saw the birth of the infamous Milan Resolution, that paved the way for foisting upon the deaf everywhere a loathed method, hypocritical in its claims, unnatural in its application, and mind-deadening and soul-killing in its ultimate results.”
“The fact should never be lost sight of that the deaf do not object to the teaching of speech and lipreading as such, but they utterly condemn making them the soles means of mental development, aside from the reading and writing that must always have their place in every educational theme.
“I would venture to suggest that the deaf stop using the designations ‘Combined System’ and ‘Pure Oral Method.’ Call the one the American Method and the other the German-Bell Method. Smash the hoary lie that the German-Bell Method is the newest and most up-to-date and scientific method of educating deaf children.We must smash the ridiculous, untenable claim that once a deaf child has been taught speech and lip-reading it has been restored to normalcy.”
“Speech is merely the sign-language of the lips. Every bit of knowledge that reaches the mind through the eye is conveyed through some kind of sign-language, whether it be this typed page, or a book, or a penciled pad, or a fingerspelled communication, or a moving throng in our streets, or a landscape or an approaching or passing auto.”
“What our Association [now] needs is a ‘Committee on Education’ to co-operate with similar committees of the State associations and try to bring home to the minds of parents as well as of teachers and superintendents what deafness really means….”
“The Association has been drifting like a ship without a compass or rudder.
…I do not expect to figure on the program of any future National convention, and this is goodbye.”
I write you yet again in the hopes that you will stop the unjust HB 1367 bill from passing and tainting your legacy. While I commend the Senate appropriation committee for trying to improve the flawed HB 1367 bill and while I know they did not have much to work with given that the original bill was biased beyond compare, the amended HB 1367 is still riddled with wrongs. The band aids can not cover up the bias. The original HB 1367 was originated and backed by Oral ONLY organizations and/or representatives that adhere to audism. Audism is attitudes and practices based on the assumption that behaving in the ways of those who speak and hear is desired and best. It produces a system of privilege, thus resulting in stigma, bias, discrimination, and prejudice—in overt or covert ways—against Deaf culture, American Sign Language, and Deaf people of all walks of life.
Added to the bill is the statement: Sec. 3. (a) The center for deaf and hard of hearing education is established.
(b) The purpose of this article is to support parental choice under the Constitution of the State of Indiana, including the full continuum of communication options
The amended legislation does not specify which part of the Indiana Constitution applies to parental choice. Perhaps you are referring to:
Article 9 Section 1. It shall be the duty of the General Assembly to provide, by law, for the support of institutions for the education of the deaf, the mute, and the blind; and for the treatment of the insane. (History: As Amended November 6, 1984).
If so, this is an indicator that the state of Indiana should be empowering and investing the Indiana School for the Deaf with implementing the Intervention part of EHDI and the First Step program not an indicator that such services should be removed to a NOT YET created new “unbiased” center when there is no proven need for such.
There is nothing in the Indiana School for the Deaf (ISD) Outreach Center current practices that denies parental choice. Furthermore, ISD Outreach Center already provides strong and effective intervention for Deaf infants and families. There has been no evaluation or independent assessment to indicated that ISD Outreach Center is not providing these services well. Nor is there any proof warranting the disbanding of the ISD Outreach Center and the removal of these services from ISD. The Office of Management and Budget’s December 2011 review of ISD actually harshly criticized the State of Indiana’s EHDI and First Step routing system. The OMB’s report says the scattered systems and services prior to the state referring families to ISD Outreach Center is flawed and results in Deaf infants and children falling through the cracks. This report actually offers more justification for the legislature to adhere to its own state constitution and perform “the duty of the General Assembly to provide, by law, for the support of institutions for the education of the deaf” not to withdraw its support.
It is also noteworthy that in the latest version of HB 1367 the omission of any bilingual (ASL+English) adults specified in the listing of whom “The office of management and budget shall develop the transition plan in consultation with.” Oral adults are specified but no equal notation of ASL +English Deaf adults are noted. How can the new center be unbiased when the bill itself is not?
American Sign Language is mentioned only once in the entire legislation. There is no mention of a bilingual and/or ASL specialist while speech therapists and audiologists are mentioned several times.
While we understand that there is an inordinate amount of pressure on parents to choose an exclusionary and antiquated method of educating their Deaf child under the falsehood that being Oral ONLY will ensure that their child never experience discrimination and will be “successful,” four major international documents have declared that it is unjust and wrong to deprive a Deaf infant and child from a fully natural and accessible language of which Hearing children are automatically afforded regardless of their nationality, race and ethnicity, or sociology-economic background.
No child should have to work for their words all their waking hours. While parents may choose private programs to pursue such a regime, state legislature’s should not sanction, support, and legitimize such practices. See:
From INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON THE EDUCATION OF THE DEAF (ICED) 2010 NEW ERA AGREEMENT
From Statement of Principles: Reject all resolutions passed at the ICED Milan Congress in 1880 that denied the inclusion of sign language from educational programs for Deaf students
From Accord for the Future:
Call upon all the Nations to involve their Deaf citizens to assist parents of Deaf infants, children and youth in their support services for both Deaf and hearing family members
Call upon all Nations to refer all identified Deaf infants to regional and national organizations of the Deaf, schools and programs for the Deaf for support with early intervention
From WORLD FEDERATION OF THE DEAF POLICY – EDUCATION RIGHTS FOR DEAF CHILDREN
To ensure that the educational rights of Deaf learners are fulfilled, WFD therefore:
• Reaffirms its position that all Deaf people, including Deaf children, have the right to full access to quality education through visual modes, including indigenous sign languages. This position is supported by several international conventions of the UN.
• Supports early identification of Deaf infants and youth, followed promptly with sign language environments and educational intervention strategies and programmes, in partnerships between families, Deaf adults and professionals.
• Calls upon governments to ensure full and equal access to and educational success for Deaf learners based on regular education goals, standards and curricula.
• States, furthermore, that such curricula should provide the opportunity for students to learn in and study both their local/national sign language and the local (written) language as academic subjects.
From UN CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
States Parties shall enable persons with disabilities to learn life and social development skills to facilitate their full and equal participation in education and as members of the community. To this end, States Parties shall take appropriate measures, including: b. Facilitating the learning of sign language and the promotion of the linguistic identity of the deaf community
From World Health Organization (WHO) and World Bank – WORLD REPORT ON DISABILITY
Promote Deaf children’s right to education by recognizing linguistic rights. Deaf children should have early exposure to sign language and be educated as multilinguals in reading and writing.Train teachers in sign language and provide accessible educational material.
I have tried to keep an open mind that the Indiana legislature has simply been misinformed and misguided by some of their very own employees who have been pushing forward this legislation; however, to see the latest version of the bill cite your OWN state Constitution without specifying which provision endorsed and justified the government financing an exclusionary practice of Oral ONLY education – especially in light of Indiana being the first state to unconstitutionally legislate eugenics and having engaged in genocide – if HB 1367 passes the Indiana Senate, I will have to conclude that your state Constitution and our national one – most especially the 14th amendment – mean little to nothing and Deaf infants and children as well as adults mean even less to you.
I truly hope I will not have to reach such a conclusion.
“Dr. Laura-Ann Petitto and VL2’s research into bilingualism and the early visual language shows that there are specific advantages, namely:
–increased visual sensory experience can alter the human brain in ways that afford higher cognitive advantages, and this is especially true of early signers.
–infants exposed to signed languages attend to adults’ use of sign language and eye gaze; this ability to track an adult’s eye gaze is vital to early vocabulary, language, and literacy in English.
–language development milestones for ASL happen at the same rate as spoken language development milestones.
–early exposure to a signed language affords surprising cognitive, linguistic, and reading advantages over age-matched monolingual children and adults.” (See gallaudet . edu / news. php?id=207)
Furthermore, while over 86% of Deaf children and youth spend most if not all of their school day in mainstream settings and there has been a huge increase in implanting Deaf children, the literacy scores are not indicating a marked gain.
There is no proven harm in providing Deaf children with a fully accessible language in addition to clinical services of audition and speech therapy. There is a wealth of evidence that prohibiting a Deaf child from using ASL is harmful (cognitively, emotionally, and socially) – for congressional studies see Babbidge report and the COED report. If you truly want to be unbiased, you can not pass this legislation that is backed by exclusionary promoters.
Please stop putting band aids on a biased bill and don’t allow Indiana’s Constitution and legislature to be marred by its earlier history of perpetuating injustices. This bill will be costly in more ways than one.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
because we whos and whoville are starting to tell the truth – we are starting to let that mighty collective yelp come forth from the shadows where folks have stored them – kept them tight, sqeezed them shut with all their might, numbed them with addictions – be it booze, pot, coke, meth, women, men, both, gambling, and/or violence.
this is what oppressed folks do
they hurt
and to escape the hurt they turn to things that will numb the ouchie (see this very POWERFUL blog entry http://sayno2hate.blogspot.com/2012/02/what-have-i-lost.html – warning graphic pix when you scroll down. READ it in FULL because it is part of OURstory)
in addition to addictions many will contemplate suicide. some will attempt it and some will succeed. I remember reading long ago about how there was a much higher rate of suicide for gay lesbian bi and transgender teenager due to the stigma and stress of trying to be something they are not and i thought what of our Deaf youth. And since that time i have known many Deaf people who have shared with me their thoughts of suicide and some have attempted suicide. Still others have succeeded. Of the ones who shared with me – their pain was often related to their family not accepting them as Deaf people. Some of them can hear and speak a plenty but still were Deaf beings forced to be something they were not. Some of them could not hear and speak and felt if they could then they would have been loved and accepted. Which is false. They were lovable from the beginning. the intervention they needed and deserved from the get go should have been a humane one – not one that required extraordinary means and not one that always makes them feel not quite good enuf.
This is painful for me to write about because in doing so i see actual faces of these people. People i love or wish i had the opportunity to know better. They also encountered this rejection for who they were as Deaf people in school – from their teachers who tried to make them hear and act like hearing people do, from their peers who could be very cruel especially during adolescence. Of course all the while there is the “specialist” and the “professionals” who have been advising and at times even intervening in the parents wishes (see the case in Mich where the CPS tried to mandate two Deaf boys be implanted – that must have been such a confusing court case for those kids. see the case Mississippi where specialist testified against a Hearing mother because the specialist felt the son should be implanted and needed a guardian that would ensure he used it all the time and worked on his speech skills etc., see how a judge can court order a child to wear her cochlear implants all her waking hours against her & Deaf father’s wishes)
All of this stigma and negativity towards BEING Deaf is harmful folks. Nothing wrong with speech and hearing but there is plenty wrong with overvaluing it and using it as a bullyclub and a rationale for oppressing and excluding sign language.
while i myself was not raised with ASL and thus i was raised accidentally orally – no one OVERTLY denied it to me, my hands were never slapped, my body was never manipulated and contorted to do things it really wasnt comfortable doing. I did have speech therapy K-12 which was no fun and tedious and i dont think it really improved my speech much at all. but if the SYSTEM found it important for me to have speech and to sit in the front of the class (no notetakers / cart or interpreter – this was pre-ADA days folks. yes i am OLD) they should have found it fit to give me some sign language and to have someone come to my home and teach my family some basic sign.
Thankfully my mom is Italian and she can NOT NOT use her hands to save her life. she is a gesturer and she can read my mind before i even speak it but see here – the beauty and the truth of things: my mom at the age of 80+ still endeavors to learn sign language. She first attempted it when i began to learn ASL in my 20s – i came home to find her signing “Sunshine on My Shoulders” – yes it was slow but a beauty to behold because SHE WANTED TO. I just wished the BOCES teacher had taught them conversational signs because you can only say so much with “sunshine on my shoulders.” And again many moons later i see my mommy is learning some signs from the Signing Times video – for me and her twin Hearing grandbabies. And this reminds me of how my mother in law in hospice before slipping into a coma and i was struggling on a word she was saying with her tired lips – lifted up her fingers to fingerspell to me and then said “see Patti you will get me to learn sign” see how she shined!
these beautiful folks never had any opposition to ASL – there just was none to be had in our town and in my school while i was growing up
There is no reason why ASL can not be provided today – we have the technology and we have the skills and we have all this beautiful data that shows that signing is good for babies. so aint it interesting how the 2nd wave of Oralism is trying to push their way back into state legislatures to validate, sanction, and finance their unjust and inhumane practices.
Do we really want to see more young folks experience childhood like the Sayno2hate 23 year old blogger?
I definitely do NOT and pls do not fool yourself to think that everything is fine now that they have cochlear implants. I can not tell you how many young people have had cochlear implants fail them, how much they fear another failure for fear of another surgery, how many of them wished their families would sign.
This is an ole cycle folks
there is absolutely no EXCUSE or JUSTIFICATION for making children work for their words when ASL is a fully natural and accessible language that could be at their fingertips along with English.
oh and do ya know that Olof Hanson, Deaf architect and advocate, wrote to AG Bell asking him to endorse a proposal that fingerspelling be taught in all public schools to which AG Bell replied something to the effect – it is not right to expect the majority to change for the minority (see A Place of Their Own)
He was xenophobic and propagated language bigotry that we r still suffering under. im sorry ag bell but i gotta call it like it was and is. lives are at stake.
so while im VERY blue to be seeing these truths – i feel them so incredibly deeply that i weep – i am GRATIFUL and UTTERLY THANKFUL at the courage folks are displaying in the singing of their songs of freedom
no more secrets folks
Deaf survivors of Oralism say – we will NOT forget and we will NOT let this happen AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN….
see u in st louis folks – EHDI does not understand HUMANE and HUMANITY and we aim to help them SEE!
Oppose HB 1367 -we are with ya in spirits today at the Senate hearing on the bad bill.
Spirits = To impart courage, animation, or determination to; inspirit.
All of you who have been standing long and hard on this issue – u have given us courage to speak out and stand up (see the #liesagbelltoldmyparents campaign) and also enabled us to see the ever increasing pattern to re-institute Oralism in the US of A
We hope that the courage and truth you have instilled in us will in return serve as a guide and determination for you at the legislature today and onward.
As Gandhi wrote: “They say, ‘means are, after all, means’. I would say, ‘means are, after all, everything’. As the means so the end…”
So this means that today we should be sending forth love and truths in the capitol of Indiana. The truth being that the state has a history of injustices against disenfranchised people – Native Americans, the incarcerated, and the developmentally disabled. And that they should not continue such an unholy legacy by sanctioning and endorsing Oral ONLY programs and services.
Some TRUTHS that the Indiana Legislature must be lovingly shown TODAY are:
Oral / Aural ONLY is wrong and unjust. this is a truth folks
The means to make Deaf children talk and hear by depriving them of a fully natural and accessible language is WRONG.
As Gandhi wrote: “They say, ‘means are, after all, means’. I would say, ‘means are, after all, everything’. As the means so the end…”
– Babbidge Congressional report, COED, low performance of Deaf children despite a HUGE spike in cochlear implantation, AVT / LSL services and mandates, oral / aural only schools, and mainstreaming all show beyond a shadow of a doubt that Oralism is not right. They got alot of might – the oral backers via their pocketbooks and money banks but might does not make right.
Furthermore, there is AMPLE proof that signing actually HELPS babies – Deaf and Hearing alike so there is no just cause and no justice in denying ASL to Deaf babies.
– Oral ONLY proponents like Hear Indiana which is a chapter of the AG Bell Association advocate for language bigotry and actively deny the option of a fully natural and accessible language and cultural identification. Not cool, not cool.
4 International documents declare that signing is a birth RIGHT of the Deaf child and shall not be denied!
(bold emphasis added below)
From INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON THE EDUCATION OF THE DEAF (ICED) 2010 NEW ERA AGREEMENT
From Statement of Principles: Reject all resolutions passed at the ICED Milan Congress in 1880 that denied the inclusion of sign language from educational programs for Deaf students
From Accord for the Future:
Call upon all the Nations to involve their Deaf citizens to assist parents of Deaf infants, children and youth in their support services for both Deaf and hearing family members
Call upon all Nations to refer all identified Deaf infants to regional and national organizations of the Deaf, schools and programs for the Deaf for support with early intervention
From WORLD FEDERATION OF THE DEAF POLICY – EDUCATION RIGHTS FOR DEAF CHILDREN
To ensure that the educational rights of Deaf learners are fulfilled, WFD therefore:
• Reaffirms its position that all Deaf people, including Deaf children, have the right to full access to quality education through visual modes, including indigenous sign languages. This position is supported by several international conventions of the UN.
• Supports early identification of Deaf infants and youth, followed promptly with sign language environments and educational intervention strategies and programmes, in partnerships between families, Deaf adults and professionals.
• Calls upon governments to ensure full and equal access to and educational success for Deaf learners based on regular education goals, standards and curricula.
• States, furthermore, that such curricula should provide the opportunity for students to learn in and study both their local/national sign language and the local (written) language as academic subjects.
From UN CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
States Parties shall enable persons with disabilities to learn life and social development skills to facilitate their full and equal participation in education and as members of the community. To this end, States Parties shall take appropriate measures, including: b. Facilitating the learning of sign language and the promotion of the linguistic identity of the deaf community
From World Health Organization (WHO) and World Bank – WORLD REPORT ON DISABILITY
Promote Deaf children’s right to education by recognizing linguistic rights. Deaf children should have early exposure to sign language and be educated as multilinguals in reading and writing.Train teachers in sign language and provide accessible educational material.
Let there be the light of truth and love today and let the Indiana Senate do right and say ¡Ya basta! to that bad bill HB 1367
PEOPLE OF TH HandEYE -…first, last, and all the time” – g. veditz 1910 