Call Congressmen Now!
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/congdir.tt
ITS TIME TO CALL MORE CONGRESSMEN AND GET THEM INFORMED!!!
What can you do?
1. Call EACH person in Congress - click on names to get local phone
contact numbers.
2. When you reach them on the phone - if you get an answering
machine…you can repeat this statement
“Hi my name is (your name). I want to make you aware of the current
situation at Gallaudet University in Washington DC and the outrage from
the larger community including alumni, family members of students, Deaf
people, and many other bystanders watching. There was a flawed process
in the selection of the 9th president of Gallaudet University and they
want to be heard - they do not want Dr. Fernandes presiding the
university. There has been very little support and votes of “no
confidence” in Dr. Fernandes’ ability to lead this cherished and
renowned place called Gallaudet. The University’s Public Relations
office has continued to cover up flaw after flaw made by the
University’s administration and the Board of Trustees. The
administration continues to distort images of what is really
happening. I am requesting your immediate intervention. The
community wishes for two things to happen:
1. Dr. Fernandes to resign and to re-open the search for a new
president of Gallaudet
2. no reprisals be given to any faculty member, staff member, or
student for their involvement in this protest.
Thank you for your time”
BE SURE TO FORWARD TO OTHERS ANYWHERE!
UNITY FOR GALLAUDET AND SOCIAL JUSTICE FOR DEAF PEOPLE!
October 15th, 2006 at 9:04 am
I would like to correct something:
“1. Call EACH person in Congress - click on names to get local phone
contact numbers.”
Please do not do that. Call YOUR representatives for Congress. You have three — 2 senators and 1 representative.
Your representatives will be more than willing to listen to people that are their direct voters than they are to anyone else. Especially with the amount of contacts they get these days, your efforts will be ignored.
Secondly, say this:
“Hi my name is (your name). I am a registered voter from your region in (city, state) [as part of your district (number). (only valid for HOR members)] …”
Make it immediately clear that you are their voters. They will more likely listen to your message.
If you are not a registered voter, well for god sake, GO AND GET YOURSELF REGISTERED!
October 15th, 2006 at 9:59 am
Um, for all the scorn you’re heaping on those dreaded oral deaf people, you’re happy to make use of them, right?
October 15th, 2006 at 10:30 am
Thanks for the advice.
October 15th, 2006 at 11:14 am
Deaf Gadfly,
Every single one of YOU to respond to this, whether or not you are Deaf, indirectly involved with Deaf Culture, or merely an interested spectator, this strikes at the heart of what it means to be Deaf.
“Unfortunately, this long-standing international reputation has been seriously tarnished in recent days by the Board of Trustees’ lack of leadership and lack of action and by the blatant disregard of FSSA’s demands by President I. King Jordan and his administration.
The Board of Trustees did not take proactive steps at its biannual meeting last week to increase communication among the many constituents at Gallaudet University. The Board of Trustees has not quelled the increasing discord that is happening on Gallaudet’s campus. As a result, the Board of Trustees has shown its ineffectiveness as a governing Board and should take responsibility for allowing the tensions on campus to escalate further.
In addition, President Jordan’s administration has severely damaged its credibility by the lack of leadership in effectively addressing FSSA’s concerns the last few months. The administration has had chances to address the issues of discordance with the campus as a whole. Instead, President Jordan proclaimed at the National Association of the Deaf Biennial Convention in July that “there was no crisis at Gallaudet.” And, instead, President Jordan has not allowed Gallaudet University Alumni Association access to its own email list to communicate with alumni. It should come as no surprise to anyone that the crisis at Gallaudet has reached a boiling point now.”
(An Excerpt: Open Letter to the Gallaudet University Board of Trustees and the Community)
Whether or not they were right about the protest, or if you believe in what they did, the very fact that they were arrested is a complete travesty and an utter injustice. Do you know what it means for a Deaf person to have their hands handcuffed? Please offer your support, your thoughts, and your prayers! Check for more details: http://www.gufssa.com/