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From: James.Womack@f14.n300.z1.fidonet.org (James Womack)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Hardliners
Message-ID: <15774@handicap.news>
Date: 23 May 91 19:27:11 GMT
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Index Number: 15774

[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

Stephen, don't come down so hard on Jay as a hardliner. Recently there
was a post from a person rejoicing that so many residential schools
for the deaf are closing so more deaf kids can be mainstreamed. This
poster claimed at another time to believe in letting the Deaf be exposed
to more than just one communication (and I think educational) method.
Yet this statement of "rejoicing" betrays a hardliner position far
greater than a great of flexibility on various topics including cochlear
implants shown by Jay and others.

I have seen the Jay-type "hardliners, myself included I suppose, state
more than once that the other side definitely has a place as long as
it is not a wholesale push down the throat of Deaf people. On the other
line, I have seen the other side showing that contrary to lip service,
throat cramming is what is really in their hearts.

I have no doubt that Jay, myself, Tim and others will make statements
contending with ideas held by oralists that will get us branded as
"hardliners" , "Deaf Apartheits" and worse. But kindly look at what

the other side is also saying and you will see why lines are so starkly
drawn. I think we "hardliners" see so many statements that say outright
or imply wholesale hearizing Deaf people that we do what is natural
to any people who are or perceive themselves as being forced to be
something they are not. We resist with considerable force. I will be
the first to say that animosity is not the answer, but we are humans
; whether we are "hardliners" or not-we are human. And ever have humans

been a contrary lot. I guess that's why we need angels, super heroes,
thumbs to suck and homemade biscuits.

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