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From: James.Womack@f14.n300.z1.fidonet.org (James Womack)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: (1 of 2): Genetic Engineering?
Message-ID: <18399@bunker.isc-br.com>
Date: 28 Mar 91 05:31:54 GMT
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[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

90% of the deaf children come from hearing parents. Now, if you are
going to do genetic engineering to wipe out deafness and consequently
, the Deaf Community, you are going to have to wipe out hearies. I

am not so sure that deafness can be identified the way an orthopedic
handicap or even mental retardation can be in the unborn child. With
other handicaps, medical imaging devices can identify visible handicaps.
With deafness, especially nerve deafness, nothing currently, nor do
I think in the near future exists to identify an unborn child as having
this handicap or disability. Now, I am not saying it is impossible.
I am saying the means to make it possible will take quite a bit of
doing and even then may very well prove to be ineffective.

The Deaf Community is here to stay. Many deafies resent the idea of
being made hearing medically. Since I could hear before, the idea is
not wholly unappealing to me. However, i know too many others who would
be offended at the idea. In these days and ages, many Deaf people prefer
to have a deaf child. But then, since we are responsible for only 10%
of the born deaf population, you may see a drop in the deaf populationoverall
due to some kind of genetic engineering, but you won't see a complete
elimination of deafies. Quite simply, deaf people refuse to let that
happen. You will see a kind twisted view of Veditz's statement. He
said, "As long as we have Deaf people on the earth, we will have sign
language." In this case, perhaps a new saying will have to be made.
"As long as we have sign language on the earth, we will have Deaf people."

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