Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!think.com!mintaka!yale!bunker!wtm From: wtm@bunker.uucp (Bill McGarry) Newsgroups: misc.handicap Subject: Genetic Engineering? Message-ID: <17796@bunker.UUCP> Date: 21 Feb 91 02:01:24 GMT Sender: wtm@bunker.UUCP Reply-To: wtm@bunker.uucp (Bill McGarry) Distribution: misc Lines: 171 Approved: wtm@bunker.UUCP Fidonet: Split Index Number: 13669 [This was originally posted by Todd Elliot (11TELLIOT@GALLUA).] Date sent: 15-FEB-1991 11:16:27 This was orignally posted on WHATSUP3, a public conference at Gallaudet University. It has been wholly unedited in any way. Any comments? <<< USER$DISK1:[NOTES$LIBRARY]WHATSUP3.NOTE;1 >>> -< WHATSUP3, Granddaughter of WHATSUP >- ================================================================================ Note 325.0 Deaf Community- Dying? 5 replies GALLUA::11TELLIOTT "Profile Under Construction" 37 lines 7-OCT-1990 02:23 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The deaf community always had a foe: Paternalism. Now it has another foe: What is it? Science and Technology. To be more specific: DNA Engineering. Read on... Now, the technology is increading rapidly and what happens if a young Dr. Salk discovers the DNA genetic link that causes deafness and isolates it? Think of the implications- Many hearing parents *will* opt for that recourse as their hopes to get their children hearing. And- if they are unborn, then a little of genetic twiddling is needed to make it hearing. This reduces the deaf population significantly. It will come to a point where only the deaf parents will continue to produce deaf children. And not all deaf parents produce deaf children- some have hearing children. Then, deafness will reach its last gasp in a couple of centuries. In essence, we are truly the last of the mohicans and will witness the dying of the deaf community when we are in our 70's and 80's. But- there's a way of preventing that: Pass a law banning DNA research *now* regarding the DNA chromosomes suspected to have the trait of deafness. But it poses a question: Is the right of a culture (read: deaf) to exist precedes the right of a mother/father to have a child free of any disabilities (read: The inability to hear)? But- DNA isn't the only enemy. There are medications that remove the effectiveness of rubella symptoms. (Rubella is a major cause of deafness. The last explosion was in 1964-68. When's the next one? Never, methinks.) Spinal menegitis can be performed with surgical precision that won't jeopardize the hearing ability. So in a nutshell: Do you think the Deaf community of today is truly the last of the Mohicans? Do you really think the Deaf community will last forever? Or will Gallaudet University become a museum, bearing silent testimony to a grand, vibrant culture of eons past? What's your opinions, and better yet- solutions to this science explosion which is killing us. Todd Elliott ================================================================================ Note 325.1 Deaf Community- Dying? 1 of 5 GALLUA::11RVORECK 15 lines 7-OCT-1990 04:41 -< True but.... >- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Elliot raises some good points. It IS possible that genetic engineering can eventually result in deafness being banished from the face of the earth. But why ban such engineering? Admittedly, deafness IS the loss of hearing which signifies an incomplete "wholeness" of the human body and I'm sure that a majority of deaf parents would opt for such "tampering" in order to make their kids "normal" (Now, don't assume that I say that being deaf is not normal...I'm speaking from a universal viewpoint.) It'd only be a lie if people say that they wouldn't go for such genetic alteration if their kids had the possiblity of having Downs', MS...or even deafness. But then, there ARE those people who would rather let nature decides its' course...they'd only be a small majority though. Technology has influenced us so much to the point that we would eventually see genetic engineering as a normal thing to indulge in. ================================================================================ Note 325.2 Deaf Community- Dying? 2 of 5 GALLUA::CADS_COLE "Kevin Cole (Flatline)" 27 lines 17-OCT-1990 10:36 -< Ban DNA gengineering? No way! >- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I think there have been several instances where Christian Scientists have been held responsible for the death of their own children because they refused to allow the medical community to "interfere with God's will". At what point does it become legitimate to refuse treatment? More and more people consider living wills, and death with dignity to be an individual right... But who's making the decision for whom here? Another couple of question: How many hearing children would have preferred to be born deaf? How many deaf children would have preferred to be born hearing? I think you'll find more in the second group than the first. Personally, I don't think you'll be able to hold back the technology. For better or worse, people want the ability to chart their own destinies and the destinies of their offspring. Leaving the deafness issue alone for a minute, don't you think deaf parents might want to choose the hair color, sex, eye color, etc. of their child? I'm sure that some (maybe not the majority, but a healthy percentage) will want to know that they have the option. And what about other stuff like blindness, CP, etc. Many people who are blind would probably tell you they are not in any way disabled, impaired or handicapped. So, if the doctors told you your child would be born blind unless they did some tinkering with the DNA, what would you choose to do? The decision is probably going to be based on whether or not YOU personally believe blindness is an impairment. ================================================================================ Note 325.3 Deaf Community- Dying? 3 of 5 GALLUB::TRHARRINGTON 14 lines 9-NOV-1990 19:02 -< It wouldn't eliminate all deafness. >- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Genetic engineering would NOT eliminate all deafness...only the hereditary type. Deafness would still result from such things as disease or physical trauma. Genetic engineering could eliminate deaf families, where the kids inherit and perpetuate their parents' deafness. In this respect, "genegineering" could be viewed as the modern-day equivalent of Alexander Graham Bell's crusade to eliminate hereditary deafness through banning marriage between deaf persons. Would the elimination of hereditary deafness have a profound impact on deaf culture? The answer to that depends on the ratio of hereditary-deaf people vs. those deaf from other etiologies. I don't know what that ratio is today. ================================================================================ Note 325.4 Deaf Community- Dying? 4 of 5 GALLUA::11MMURTHA "Marsa" 13 lines 11-NOV-1990 05:35 -< genetic Deafness and unknown cause in deafness. >- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If the deaf people who did not inherit their deafness was to marry other of the same deafness.. that is that it is not genetic to either of them, then the children born by them will be hearing. That is my opinion. I am of this category and I think that unless the people who inherit deafness intermarriage with the deaf people who happen to be deaf by unknown cause, then there can not be any more deaf children. So, genetic engineering may be bad in the sense for genetic deafness but might be good for other types. Still there is still the risk of the deaf culture and population dying down unless there is a way to preserve it. Marsa ================================================================================ Note 325.5 Deaf Community- Dying? 5 of 5 GALLUA::11AGREGG 9 lines 21-NOV-1990 13:51 -< My mommy is a private interpreter. >- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yeah...it'll be dead far more soon than what we had expected. There are even mothers, who are interpreters, interpreting for their deaf kid. One example is my mom. So, signing mothers are beginning to send their deaf kid to public schools. That way is reducing the number of deaf organizations...into deaf organization taken care by hearing people. We are facing this consequence nowadays. -Stolichnaya- *********************************************************************** ^ ^ Todd Elliott / / 11TELLIOTT@GALLUA /. / |/___\| / / | __\ O O/ Professional Student / / | _/\ / / Currently Studying / / | _/\ '@___@ At Gallaudet / / | _/\ | University / / | /\ | /_ / | / ) / _|_ .-^~~~-. ~-./_ _ | .- ; ( /_ _ _,/' .` ~. .-~-.|.-` _ {-, Go FSD Dragons! / .-^~-. ~-. _ .-~ / \/' / / } { .` .-^\ .` / ~. '-\ \.-~----. _-^ `-^ .` ~- _ \ c >..----./// ~-. ,--~ ~ - - - - ^}_ _ _ _ _ _ _.-///