At The Rim writes:
The ‘non-Deaf’ are inheriting the deaf world, and will change it probably to suit them.
The old ways can’t go on…
…deaf schools have been decimated, inclusion is here, and despite frantic and heated repulsion of these changes, they continue unabated…
I cannot see deaf culture surviving against the odds, and against other deaf too.
We are ALL being assimilated…
We all just have to go with it.
Here is the comment I left for At The Rim in response to this post: Deafhood in Discourse?
“Good morning.
Reading this blog, I found myself both agreeing and disagreeing with different parts throughout. I appreciate you sharing this perspective. However, it makes me sad.
I am reminded of how Native Americans were forced to assimilate into the White man’s world. The Native Americans fought for many years in opposition of what they saw as the ending of their people. And yet some of them, whether by choice or because they had no other choice, chose to give up their culture, language and identities and accept the White man’s ways. Perhaps it was an act of survival.
Yet today, we know that the identity of Native American tribes are still there. They have never completely gone away. In fact, the White world has given notice and honor to these people and even encouraged the preservation of their cultures and language by supporting them in various ways.
They remain minorities, but they have been recognized as a people with a language and culture that should not be destroyed. We erect museums in honor of their sacred items. Our history books tell of their stories. My son’s heart breaks, just as mine did as a child, when he reads about how the language and culture and land of these people were stripped away and taken from them.
I cannot help but compare Deaf people with Native Americans. Your post makes me sad. You wrote,
“We can all be allies, or be entrenched in opposition..”
Can people be allies through mutual respect, letting each other be who they are rather than forcing them to become one? Can we not achieve a greater sense of unity by honoring our individual identities and respecting them and living in the same world together in peace?
I do not think we have to all be “the same” in order to achieve a sense of unity. The answer is “respect.” Live and let live.
Thank you for letting me share my thoughts. I do so peacefully.”
~ LaRonda
www.earofmyheart.com
Superb post, LaRonda!
At the Rim (ATR) seems to be picking a fight with his/her choice of words…
ASS-imilation!
ATR’s perspective is so disrespectful of Deaf culture and leaves me quite sad, angry, and offended. Thank you, LaRonda for finding the balance and, what I think, is a much more constructive perspective to this ongoing debate.
Luv ya!
Brent
Left by Brent on June 7th, 2008
Agreed, LaRonda!
Left by DE on June 7th, 2008
We all can’t be the same and in order for unity to happen, we all need to respect each other. And, LaRonda, even you agree with that too! Problem here is many are not accepting or respecting others. I think many of us, including myself have been trying to say the same thing, we all can’t be the same and we can’t expect others to see ONE view…respect all views and respect all ways. Unfortunately, that has not been happening as evidenced here on DR. Most of us WANT what you want. Most need to open their minds a bit wider and see that truth. What is also interesting is most of those that are on the other side do have respect for ASL and the deaf culture. Just that those on the opposing side are not seeing that. They chose to be blind to the other side’s view just because their view is different.
Left by Candy on June 7th, 2008
Hi LaRonda,
I so appreciate the way you write and your views. I agree the Native American analogy is similar. But there’s one big difference.
–Deaf parents have the right to raise their children as they see fit and still do. Deaf culture is their culture. They may raise their Hearing or Deaf children in Deaf culture. No one takes kids away from Deaf parents to raise them in a Hearing environment.
Hearing parents also have a right to raise their kids as they wish– in Hearing culture– whether their children are Deaf or Hearing. Today, with the CI, Hearing parents have an option that allows them to give their Deaf children aspects of Hearing culture that weren’t previously possible. I realize many Deaf people don’t value the ability to hear speech or music. Still– Hearing parents have the right to raise their own children in their own culture, just as Deaf parents have that right.
Personally I am against AVT. I believe all deaf/Deaf children should be exposed to ASL. But I don’t have a right to impose my values onto ANY parents of Deaf children– whether Deaf or Hearing. It’s the same as religious or political views. I wish everyone believed the same as me, but I have no right to tell them how to raise their kids.
MM laid out the hard facts as they are. I agree its sad. Hearing parents have this right and unfortunately for Deaf culture, the vast majority of children born Deaf are born to Hearing parents. The only possible solution is to accept these children and their parents into the deaf/Deaf community and move on. They are the future of deaf/Deaf Culture.
This isn’t wishful thinking on my part, nor is it meant to hurt. It’s simply a fact. How Deaf people deal with deaf children raised in Hearing culture will make a huge difference whether the culture survives. If they are welcomed with open arms, they may enjoy learning more about Deaf Culture. If not, they’ll turn back toward Hearing culture where they feel more comfortable and secure.
Smiles and Hugs,
Kim
Left by kim on June 7th, 2008
LaRonda,
Your response to AT The Rim post is a good rebuttal of ATR’s message, which seems to be saying, “Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.” Your message offers a voice of reason, which is all the more powerful coming from someone who used to be hearing, but became deafened.
Shelley
Left by Shelley Potma on June 7th, 2008
Wow, beautiful post!
I agree with you 100 percent.
The only answer is to let both groups live.
-Ali
Left by Allison Tyler on June 7th, 2008
LaRonda,
Me nodding my head in total understanding. I liked how MM described the resilience of the Gaelic/Welsh speaking people. They are still around even after 600 years of assimilation. I know ASL speaking Deaf people will continue to thrive in every nook and cranny. I am not at all worried. I just hope for the day when both groups could co-exist.
LaRonda, I hope you will ask Paotie to add your blog. I am going to be a frequent visitor of his aggregator.
Left by anna s on June 7th, 2008
Anna S,
Pardon me, but I do believe I was the one who described the resilience of the Gaelic/Welsh speaking people on MM’s post.
I LOVE taking credit for good stuff, eh! LOL
Seriously, Anna, I agree with your sentiment about coexisting. This will happen when both sides respect each other. There’s a lot of anger and pain on both sides at the moment for sure.
Shelley
Left by Shelley Potma on June 7th, 2008
I particularly liked Kim’s comment.
At work, I take upon my own responsibility to try to communicate with hearing co-workers and I do insist on them writing on paper when they have something to say to me, because if I don’t they’ll speak faster and faster each time around assuming since I read lips they can speak normally as they do with other hearing peers. I let live, but don’t allow people to assume.
But I’ll speak if they can understand me as long they communicate in writing to me, I respect them and earn their respect in return.
I don’t have to be like a hearing person and they don’t have to be like deaf people, but I’ll meet half way and consider life to be a two way street. The political arena for deaf rights is a place where we can choose to go, and how we go about it.
When I chat, my deaf accent is very evident. People will pick that up and ask me about sign language. A good intro, huh?
Left by John Critser on June 7th, 2008
It really breaks my heart to see what’s happening lately– I haven’t been able to keep up with it all–I love what you have to say here:
“Can people be allies through mutual respect, letting each other be who they are rather than forcing them to become one? Can we not achieve a greater sense of unity by honoring our individual identities and respecting them and living in the same world together in peace?”
Honoring the individual identities and reveling in the diversity is the way to go.
Left by Karen Putz / DeafMom on June 8th, 2008
Shelly, I didn’t say resistance was futile, I said you can’t bat the system, so going with the flow, or bending with wind is the only way to go. As I stated via my own Language (Welsh), it can then thrive, it is enshrined in Law too here). This hasn’t to my knowledge erased the welsh language, or, prevented its use, indeed most signposts in Wales HAVE to carry the welsh equivalent by law, this HAS nor prevented us integrating into the ‘English’ way of life, not, prevented us learning or speaking welsh either, I don’t say it’s easy.
I do say, the right way to go about it is NOT gung-ho and may the best language win, because we were hopelessly outnumbered, if the ‘Deaf’ approach is ASL or bust, it will mean bust in the long run. Even ASL pundits like Carl, accept the reality, and try to bolster ASL against the onslaught of English…albeit they regale against the inclusions of English as such, it is there, the question is only, how can we utilize BOTH and still survive as a ‘community’ Wales has managed it, even with ‘natives’ that NEVER spoke Welsh, how ? that is for the ‘Deaf’ to learn. But, It wasn’t by being dogmatic.
We would have been wiped out. Assimilate may be contentious a word, but perhaps integrate is a better one ? Both demand a compromise the ‘Deaf’ seem to be opposing.
Left by MM on June 8th, 2008
MM - your comments, as frequently the case, are misleading and not factual. In this case quoting the Welsh language history / present day as wrong, and out of context.
Welsh language is oppressed, and its usage has taken a sharp downfall. Currently only 21% of Wales are Welsh speakers (once upon a time that figure was near 100%). Only within the last census has a trend being able to be reversed.
It is only through the Welsh Language Act 1993 (and its predecessor), schemes within Education etc, that has ensured its survival. In other words, the Welsh language has equal status to English in law.
Remember, the Blue Books (for other people on here - its the Welsh equiv of Milan). Welsh language speakers AS A FIRST LANGUAGE continually feel oppressed, and this “integration” thing as you put it …. its very much having to conform to English speaking rules. E.g. why was Gwynedd council (and now its devolved local authorities) the only local authority in Wales that assumed an internal working language of Welsh? Every other authority assumes English, unless you specifically ask for it.
MM - I know of a few Welsh speakers in Wales that know little / no English. Other Welsh speakers prefer to revert to their mother tongue, i.e. Welsh (have people in my own family who do this). There’s nothing wrong with this … same goes for BSL, ASL etc.
No-one has said that only sign language exists, and 99.9% of sign language using deaf people I know are bilingual. However, bilingualism takes different degrees.
The Deaf to learn?
The Deaf compromise
…………… erm! You’re missing “people” out of that, and as usual extremely patronising. Says whom we need to learn / compromise / change? Are The Deaf (as you put it) stupid by default?!
BSL users have been asking for legislative protection in the same way as Welsh has, but you’ve been overly critical of BSL users for a number of years … often for the sake of disagreeing.
Left by Alison on June 8th, 2008
MM,
Thank you for your clarification.
Your experience as Welsh living under the British is pretty much similar to that of Canada. Wales is obviously an officially bilingual country. Canada is officially bilingual-English and French.
We MUST have both languages on all signs, cereal boxes, etc… everywhere. This hasn’t eradicated the French language, which was the concern of the Quebecois in the 1960’s-70’s. The most bilingual people can be found in Quebec whose residents are mostly francophones.
As for ASL, I believe there is a bit of miscommunication. I have not seen anywhere in discussions in (or out of) the deaf blogosphere that ASL must be taught to the exclusion of English as a spoken language? Who are “they” that you mention that “regale against the inclusions of English as such”?
The question you ask: “ How can we utilize BOTH and still survive as a community…?
Part of the answer lies here:
Ontario has just passed a bill last July recognizing ASL and LSQ (Lingua Signes Quebecois) as official languages of the Deaf community in Ontario. There is ASL curriculum implemented in the provincial schools for the Deaf to teach children ASL as 1st language from kindergarten on, with English being taught as well. (Bilingual and Bicultural approach).
What I am saying is that it is possible to utilize BOTH languages and still survive as a community. (We saw this in Wales and in Quebec and Ontario.)
The problem here is that there are people who have the misconception that ASL will detract from the child’s learning of the English language when nothing is further from the truth. The problem is that so many monolingual people do not respect ASL as a language in its own right because it is not a spoken language. Hence they reject ASL as an option for Deaf babies yet they provide Hearing babies with ASL as “a tool” much in the same vein as Mozart music, and the like, to boost their babies’ IQ status.
Your contention that the “Deaf” seems to be opposing a compromise. My question is this: Who is really opposing a compromise: the Deaf, OR the AVT professionals and those who subscribe to the AGBell premise that spoken language MUST be provided to the deaf child to the EXCLUSION of ASL?
I believe THAT is the bone of contention here.
MM, thank you for a very thought-provoking comment. In fact, I believe I’ll blog this… with your permission, I would like to include your comment in my blog.
Laronda, excuse my longwindedness.
Shelley
Left by Shelley Potma on June 8th, 2008
MM,
Here’s the link re: the bill recognizing as official languages, ASL and LSQ:
http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bills_detail.do;jsessionid=c72d607830d7a2f8e8ac228445368629c5ec66307cce.e3eQbNaNa3eRe38PaxyQch8Oby1ynknvrkLOlQzNp65In0?locale=en&BillID=1619&isCurrent=false&ParlSessionID=
This is the most recent information I could find.
I wish to add this version of the bill was revised before it was passed in July.
I would like to make a correction to my previous comment: ASL/LSQ is recognized as the languages of instruction in schools, rather than as official languages. I will continue looking to find the correct web address.
Shelley
Left by Shelley Potma on June 8th, 2008
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Left by DeafPulse.com - the one-stop pulse for all Deaf-related news and blogs. on June 11th, 2008