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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: <16067@handicap.news>
Date: 17 Jun 91 15:33:51 GMT
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[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

 TS> Sometimes, we just need a place to plan things out on our own,
 TS> in private without having to argue with the people aganist ASL
 TS> about the various benfits of ASL v. SEE...
 TS> Arguing doesn't help get things done...

Amen to less arguing, Tim!  But I don't understand why you view
ASL and SEE as rivals.  Are not both valid means of communication?

Discussing things here gives us insights into others thinking and
a better understanding of each other.  That's what this echo is
about, Tim.  It is not for arguing, or promoting any one means of
communication by denigrating others.  And it especially not for
mounting personal attacks on others whose views may differ from
our own.

I am encouraged that most all SilentTalkers seem to be developing
a better understanding of acceptable echo behavior.

If any two people ALWAYS agree - one of them is unnecessary :-)

 TS> Besides, simply having a separate echo doesn't mean we want
 TS> to detact from society.. Call it our "meeting room" if you like!

I, for one, would sincerely hope that you and James and other ASL
advocates would not abandon SilentTalk if you do establish an echo
that is exclusively for ASL.  I think all of us have a great deal
to learn from one another, and I still believe that we can do it
if we try.  In a collegial - non adversarial - manner.

 TS> discouraged with the extreme ratio of SEE and ASL supporters in
 TS> here.. Seems like just three or four of us ASL supporters and a
 TS> MILLION others!

Actually it's more like 21,585,000 others, Tim.  Aren't we lucky
that all of them don't post here on SilentTalk :-).  We'd never get
all the mail read.

The Federal Bilingual Courts Study estimated that less that one half
of one percent of the U.S. population, 972,000 individuals, depends
on sign language as their primary means of communication.  And this
includes not only ASL, but SEE, PSE, etc., etc.

The hearing impaired population is somewhere around 22 to 24 million.
It is roughly 82% hard of hearing and 18% deaf.  Less than one in
four DEAF persons depends on signing (ASL, SEE, or whatever) as primary
mode of communication.  Most are oral.

 TS> Seems to me that many ASL people don't take part in this
 TS> conferennce... In no way does this conference reflect the true
 TS> percentage of the deaf's attitude of ASL vs. SEE....

I don't have any statistics on ASL vs. SEE, Tim.  If you have some,
why not share with us?  But if we can believe the Federal statistics
cited above, signing is represented quite well here in comparison to
oralism.

I'm a TC person myself.  If it helps me communicate, I'll use it.

... Jack.

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