Cain and Abel V the Prodigal son

Anything you can do,
I can do better.
I can do anything
Better than you.

No, you can't.
Yes, I can. No, you can't.
Yes, I can. No, you can't.
Yes, I can,
Yes, I can!

Once upon a time, there were two brothers, both were deaf, somewhere along the line, one decided he didn't want to use sign language any more, and practiced and practiced until he could understand people talking simply by watching their mouths move, and using his voice. His relationship with his other brother broke down, and each devoted their lives to promoting their own 'brand' of communications. Many years passed, and as each grew stronger in their belief, that their way was the best, and their schools and groups were always in confrontations. Then one brother suddenly became ill, and the other came to realize he loved his brother and decided to visit him. When they got together, old rivalries vanished, and they fell into each others arms, crying, reminiscing, and vowing never to be separated again. Their Oral schools and the Signing schools joined together, and they all lived happily ever after.

OK so Hans Anderson has no worries ! (Nor Stephen King but...) The idea is that all the aggravations that we endure can be settled simply by sitting down in the same room and talking about it, as we are all the same under the deaf skin. We have two eyes, ears, legs and arms the same as anyone else. Deaf America desperately need dialog to exist.

Ground Rules: The purpose of dialog is to understand and learn from one another i.e.

(1) Treat everyone as an equal, regardless of status, beliefs, roles, or views
(2) Share your observations and perspective, but reserve judgment
(3) Respect people and views that different from your own
(4) Speak from reason and logic rather than emotion and ideology
(5) Acknowledge you have heard others views, especially when you disagree
(6) Say what is true for you, without making others be wrong
(7) Express disagreement in terms of ideas and practices, not personalities or motives
(8) Explore disagreement for areas of agreement, or common ground
(9) Search for assumptions (especially your own)
(10) Listen to learn, rather than to confirm your own thinking

BREAKING NEWS ..... ?

Next Year A G Bell and the DBC are to hold its first ever JOINT conference in a ground-breaking attempt to understand where each comes from.

Well, America can hope can't It ? They are two children of the same parent.

Other News: Malta Deaf celebrate.