Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!sdd.hp.com!think.com!yale!bunker!hcap!hnews!300!14!James.Womack
From: James.Womack@f14.n300.z1.fidonet.org (James Womack)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: ASL and Deafies part 3
Message-ID: <15738@bunker.UUCP>
Date: 19 Nov 90 04:01:29 GMT
Sender: wtm@bunker.UUCP
Reply-To: James.Womack@f14.n300.z1.fidonet.org
Distribution: misc
Organization: FidoNet node 1:300/14 - The Emerald Isle, Tucson AZ
Lines: 41
Approved: wtm@bunker.UUCP

Index Number: 11830

[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

However, your experience is yours. It does not apply to all 
other deaf people. Nor does mine. Family background includes 
degree of parental involvement, whether or not the parents 
were deaf, whether or not they signed at home, whether or not 
they used ASL or a coded English sign system and so on. For 
every person who is like you, there is one or more who 
resents the English only focus they were forced through. 
 
AT ASDB, we keep getting mainstreamed kids whose parents 
finally realize how restricted the educational environment is 
for their kids. AT PCC and the UA, I bump into deaf people 
who repeatedly say they wish to God they had learned ASL 
earlier now that they see how it makes it easier for them to 
learn. Too many blame their parents and schools for their 
plight. They do not see that these persons did the best they 
could the best way they believed was right. They are so 
bitter. And their numbers are increasing. Nonetheless, there 
will always be that core who never really become a true part 
of the deaf culture experience or the deaf community They 
will see things contrary to what I have talked about here. 
 
Being a part of the deaf community does not mean closing off 
to the remainder of the world. It means having a cultural 
identity. Birds of a feather do flock together after all. 
What it should also mean is that we deafies start taking 
control of our own lives. We should be putting ourselves in 
positions in educational programs and other aspects of our 
lives and cutting down on the monopoly that hearies have in 
controling so many aspects of our lives. We need deaf 
superintendents, deaf principals, deaf post-secondary 
instructors and program coordinators. We need to be more a 
part of the agencies that evoke policy about our affairs. 
It is time we begin doing that. 

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!300!14!James.Womack
Internet: James.Womack@f14.n300.z1.fidonet.org