Symbols and Identification

What is there about this current Gallaudet protest that all deaf people can identify with? Unlike what happened in 1988, that seems to be missing this time around. In 1988, it was simple - Gallaudet had never had a deaf president, and that was something all deaf people could identify with and rally around. Deaf President Now became symbolic of the oppression deaf and hard of hearing people felt nationally and internationally.

I have talked with several deaf people in my generation (mid 30s through mid 40s) and none of them have expressed enthusiastic support for what the students at Gallaudet are doing. Instead, they have expressed amusement, disgust (with students' behavior), and embarrassment. Even I feel something of a disconnect despite the fact I myself had one bad experience with Fernandes before.

The protestors saying they need alumni support and the support of the greater deaf community. I ask the protestors, explain clearly to us in the greater deaf community outside of Gallaudet why we should be supportive this time around? When I express my confusion and the cynicism that comes with being older to certain protestors, they yell at me, "whose side are you on?"

For example, I discussed with one deaf blogger my confusion over the anger students expressed regarding Brenda Brueggemann, chair of Gallaudet University Board of Trustees, using SimCom (total communication) at the gallery naming cermony. She used both voice and sign language - not ASL alone. I asked, "What's so wrong with that?" After all, that is how I communicate and that's how most deaf and hard of hearing people who use sign language, communicate. Yet the students seemed to feel that because Brueggemann is chair of an ASL department, she should have been using voice-off ASL and not using an interpreter.

So many issues this time around - oppression? audism? personal character? a board not listening? a manipulative president? a flawed search process? manipulation of the outcome of the search process? police not using sign language? police brutality? disrespect? favoring speaking deaf over non-speaking deaf? failure to get a good government rating? and more! It is enough to make one's head spin. I find myself in search of the one clear message that I, and all deaf people out there, can identify with. Where is the symbol this time around?