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From: Jack.O'keeffe@p0.f26.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Jack O'keeffe)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: what about ....
Message-ID: <15856@handicap.news>
Date: 30 May 91 04:06:26 GMT
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[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

 AS>> I can't see trying to separate folks who use ASL and those
 AS>> who are oral - that's the whole problem right there - we need
 AS>> to work together as a team and respect others regardless
 AS>> of whether they speak or sign.

 ST> I agree.  Many of us use ASL and are oral.  I am hearing
 ST> impaired. It is the first conference where I can openly discuss
 ST> the benefit of oral, ASL, and lipreading.  We should have an
 ST> open mind, listen to other's opinions and find solutions.

Hi Annie.

The concept of a separate ASL only echo is about as good an example
as one could find of the "Deaf Apartheidt" mentality.  While there
is nothing that could (or should) be done to impede any who are so
inclined from establishing such an echo, I think it would be a loss
to SilentTalk.  And a far, far greater loss to those who would thus
isolate themselves from mainstream society.

I agree with you and Susanna and Jessica that we must keep this an
open forum where all opinions are welcome.   Hey, we need all the
help we can get to communicate with the hearing world.  IMHO, an
ASL ONLY echo would be a gross denial of this.  Even if such a
conference were established, ASL along with the other signing
dialects would continue to be an important element of SilentTalk.

BTW, the ST> quoted above is not the distinguished co-moderator of
this conference, but another nice person with the same initials :-)

... Jack.

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