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From: James.Womack@f14.n300.z1.fidonet.org (James Womack)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: Hearie signers
Message-ID: <18401@bunker.isc-br.com>
Date: 28 Mar 91 05:32:58 GMT
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[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

I may seem overly defensive to you and that would be understandable.
Understandable how that I may seem to come off to you that way. However,
on this echo, at my workplace and in the realms where hearie-forced
philosophy is crammed downthe throats of Deaf people, a saturation
point has been reached. Others like me are saying no more! Back off!
Let's try things differently now and givethem the same chances that
you gave your failures. In our efforts to be resp[ected as people and
professionals we are stoned-walled, we find our language belittled,
our ideas trivalized, words and characteristics attributed to use that
are not factual, systems orientated to keep us out while ips speak
of the new inclusion of deaf people and in some cases, outright lies
and even being laughed and treated like children. Many of us have just
reached to point where we are saying, "Ok, I am not backing up anymore,
you back up now." Yes, I may seem overly defensive to you but guess
who made me and others like me this way? Guess how many years of frustration
from seeing what we have known in our gut is right being ignored and
derided? Heck, even a log in a river reaches a point where the water
makes it sink rather than float. Sunken and semi-emerged logs can be
quite a danger, I tell you.

You reach a point where you are less tolerant of attacks on things
, especially when you perceive them as unjust. In your case, theon-going

battle here in Tucson and some rather serious put downs of ASL and
residential schools were just other examples of out right attacks onthe
dignity of Deaf people that kind of all come together at the wrong
time. I suppose I should beg your pardon for being human- a Deaf one
to boot.

Gee, am I really writting all this? Guess so. Boy what a day. Hard
to believe what happened at work today. My deaf staff colleagues had
their proposals shoot to hell. When we voted on a structure for meetings
with the administration, the meeting was terminated. Boy, did that
set off some of the deafies!

Ok, Steph, I might have jumped you unfairly at the time. I will even
concede that it might have been unjust as well. However, are you 100%
innocent of such a sin? Are you immune to seeing "your" people treated
in the manner I mentioned earlier and along withthem reaching a point
where you say, "We aren't going to take this muck anymore, now move
over or get run over"?

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