click this link to read the poem;
"The Rectitude of the Deaf Community"
The ASL-Cochlear Implant Community: Poem by an ASL-CI User
"The Rectitude of the Deaf Community"
The ASL-Cochlear Implant Community: Poem by an ASL-CI User
Check out the poem: "The Rectitude of the Deaf Community"
- Thread starter Boult
- Start date
I clicked the link and got a page that says the blog is open to invited readers only?
I know but it is not the only blog I see this "invited readers" Raychelle's blog and Kokonut's and probably several other Google Blogger sites might have that "invited readers only" So I have no idea why... Anyway, Let me try to pull text from Google Reader, If I do I'll post the text in full hang on...
Poem by an ASL-CI User
by ASL CI Users
The Rectitude of the Deaf Community
It saddens me, the ignorance of those in the Deaf Community.
They fail to understand cochlear implant users and judge their every move.
They are blind to see that they are so close-minded.
Hypocrites! They are the ones that are so “hearing”, using ipods and hearing aids.
Crabs! Rejecting those whom become successful.
Audist! Judging those with cochlear implants and deciding who’s “deaf” or not.
Liars! Creating false tails and fibs about the implant out of fear it will destroy the community.
Critics! Blaming hearing parents and the implant itself for the decline in the deaf community.
Who’s missing out? Me, or you?
I have no fear of the hearing community and will bravely take them on any given day.
I will break from the flock of sheep and graze in a much larger field.
I will expand my options and become successful in the “outside” world.
I will have an open mind, open to learn from and experience new things.
My deaf culture will be able to always be within me, no matter where I go.
You will stay close, not out of love of the community, but out of fear of those unlike yourselves.
You will end up alone, despite those who say they will support you forever.
You will be hurting the deaf community by shunning those away who grow up differently and aren’t “deaf enough” or involved in the culture enough to meet your standards.
You will be isolated and unaware of the marvelous discoveries in the world, the “hearing” world.
You will see my success and grow angered within, at your own ignorance.
We are one. “Gallaudet-United-Stay”.
Yet, we continue to segregate and categorize each other based on hearing status.
You judge me because I am different.
Jewish people were judged because the color of their hair and eyes.
African American’s were judged because the color of their skin.
“Ghetto” people are judged for the way they talk and what they wear.
And I am judged for the way I hear and what I hear with.
I am here to be part of the community that I’ve grown to love.
And yet, I am pushed away because of the tool, the device that I use.
Where is my support? The hand that I may hold to add a longer link to the human chain to make this community grow?
I now see, you clearly don’t know what unity and acceptance means.
Inclusive and cognizant.
We are all humans, entitled to make our own mistakes.
We only hurt ourselves if we continue to be ignorant and close-minded.
This is the time we began to step out of the past and build for our future.
As the world changes, so must we.
This is not about tradition anymore. It’s about our community as one: cochlear implant users; hearing aid users; non-hearing aid users. We all fall under the same category: Deaf.
Tradition becomes worthless when the right values are lost.
If this community really means something to you, then you will know when it’s time to make a change. Be prudent and the community will thrive.
-Poem was written on November 9th, 2007 by Nicole LaMont, an ASL-CI User and Senior at Gallaudet University
*Disclaimer: This poem does not represent the feelings or experiences of all ASL-CI Users, but one's own. Although there is an increasing body of CI students at Gallaudet and everyone has their own opinion of Cochlear Implants, this is one of many messages of some ASL-CI Users who feel rejection because of their personal decision. We hope that this poem will make people aware of the impact of negative attitude towards ASL-CI Users. Nicole learned ASL at Gallaudet and learned to embrace it along with Deaf Culture, but does not abandon her cochlear implant because "people don't like it". She is a shining example for those who have "discovered" sign language and keeps Deaf Culture in her heart.
Thank you, Nicole, for being brave enough to submit this poem for the world to see and disclosing your name.
by ASL CI Users
The Rectitude of the Deaf Community
It saddens me, the ignorance of those in the Deaf Community.
They fail to understand cochlear implant users and judge their every move.
They are blind to see that they are so close-minded.
Hypocrites! They are the ones that are so “hearing”, using ipods and hearing aids.
Crabs! Rejecting those whom become successful.
Audist! Judging those with cochlear implants and deciding who’s “deaf” or not.
Liars! Creating false tails and fibs about the implant out of fear it will destroy the community.
Critics! Blaming hearing parents and the implant itself for the decline in the deaf community.
Who’s missing out? Me, or you?
I have no fear of the hearing community and will bravely take them on any given day.
I will break from the flock of sheep and graze in a much larger field.
I will expand my options and become successful in the “outside” world.
I will have an open mind, open to learn from and experience new things.
My deaf culture will be able to always be within me, no matter where I go.
You will stay close, not out of love of the community, but out of fear of those unlike yourselves.
You will end up alone, despite those who say they will support you forever.
You will be hurting the deaf community by shunning those away who grow up differently and aren’t “deaf enough” or involved in the culture enough to meet your standards.
You will be isolated and unaware of the marvelous discoveries in the world, the “hearing” world.
You will see my success and grow angered within, at your own ignorance.
We are one. “Gallaudet-United-Stay”.
Yet, we continue to segregate and categorize each other based on hearing status.
You judge me because I am different.
Jewish people were judged because the color of their hair and eyes.
African American’s were judged because the color of their skin.
“Ghetto” people are judged for the way they talk and what they wear.
And I am judged for the way I hear and what I hear with.
I am here to be part of the community that I’ve grown to love.
And yet, I am pushed away because of the tool, the device that I use.
Where is my support? The hand that I may hold to add a longer link to the human chain to make this community grow?
I now see, you clearly don’t know what unity and acceptance means.
Inclusive and cognizant.
We are all humans, entitled to make our own mistakes.
We only hurt ourselves if we continue to be ignorant and close-minded.
This is the time we began to step out of the past and build for our future.
As the world changes, so must we.
This is not about tradition anymore. It’s about our community as one: cochlear implant users; hearing aid users; non-hearing aid users. We all fall under the same category: Deaf.
Tradition becomes worthless when the right values are lost.
If this community really means something to you, then you will know when it’s time to make a change. Be prudent and the community will thrive.
-Poem was written on November 9th, 2007 by Nicole LaMont, an ASL-CI User and Senior at Gallaudet University
*Disclaimer: This poem does not represent the feelings or experiences of all ASL-CI Users, but one's own. Although there is an increasing body of CI students at Gallaudet and everyone has their own opinion of Cochlear Implants, this is one of many messages of some ASL-CI Users who feel rejection because of their personal decision. We hope that this poem will make people aware of the impact of negative attitude towards ASL-CI Users. Nicole learned ASL at Gallaudet and learned to embrace it along with Deaf Culture, but does not abandon her cochlear implant because "people don't like it". She is a shining example for those who have "discovered" sign language and keeps Deaf Culture in her heart.
Thank you, Nicole, for being brave enough to submit this poem for the world to see and disclosing your name.
yes indeedy. Maybe if the seperatists were a little more accepting, about CIs more hearing parents would decide that "heck maybe the asl community is something that my kid could benifit from"
It is getting better thou. I predict in about five or ten years, the anti ciers will be like the anti hearing aiders. (a very small minority)
It is getting better thou. I predict in about five or ten years, the anti ciers will be like the anti hearing aiders. (a very small minority)
R2D2
New Member
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2005
- Messages
- 2,605
- Reaction score
- 1
I agree. Having lurked on some parent sites there is actually quite a lot of interest in sign and frustration at so little information about it but the parents are very much aware of the strength of feeling in the deaf community about CIs for children as well.
jillio
New Member
- Joined
- Jun 14, 2006
- Messages
- 60,232
- Reaction score
- 19
Agree, but so often these parents have not actually ventured into the deaf community, but are relying on hearsay regarding attitudes. If they actually approached the community asking for information on ASL, and asking them to share their experiences, they might encounter different attitudes than they have been led to believe they will encounter.
I hope and pray with all my heart that it never happens. The day that frowning upon parents who risk their children's lives for the sake of hearing is a tiny minority... is a sad day indeed.
neecy
New Member
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2006
- Messages
- 1,403
- Reaction score
- 2
Life is full of risks. Parents risk their child's life every time they put them in a car, let them on a bike, not to mention just being in a home is fraught with danger (read up on how many kids die from drowning in their own home!) And if you are relating the danger with meningitis - that was a scare several years ago and now getting meningitis vaccinations prior to implantation is required.
Drew's Dad
Member
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2007
- Messages
- 227
- Reaction score
- 0
Don't worry, your heart should be bursting with joy with the realization that you'll always be able to frown upon the way that others live, and with a bit of hard work, perhaps you can influence others to join in your frowning efforts.
Maybe you can even buy some T-Shirts with a bunch of these on 'em:
.
Cloggy
New Member
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2005
- Messages
- 4,703
- Reaction score
- 0
Don't worry, your heart should be bursting with joy with the realization that you'll always be able to frown upon the way that others live, and with a bit of hard work, perhaps you can influence others to join in your frowning efforts.
Maybe you can even buy some T-Shirts with a bunch of these on 'em:
R2D2
New Member
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2005
- Messages
- 2,605
- Reaction score
- 1
It isn't just hearsay - there are people on the internet who have stated clearly that any hearing parent who implants their children are "child abusers" and that CIs is genocide of deaf people. So a parent who wishes to go the CI route but also has an interest in sign may deduct from these views that they would not be very welcome at deaf community events.
I think the problem with the internet is that any person with any opinion can post their beliefs and it can be hard to separate internet beliefs against what they may realistically experience in real life if they were to approach a community centre.
neecy
New Member
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2006
- Messages
- 1,403
- Reaction score
- 2
I don't think its a case of them not being open minded, but more a case of them being afraid to contact the deaf community to help them with their sign/ASL BECAUSE of the attitudes they have either witnessed firsthand, or read about/viewed via v-logs/blogs etc.
I kinda think its a two way street. I also think that some of the more moderate folks might have been scared off by the oral extreme types. You know....the kind who have a supieror attitude b/c they got an oral education and are therefore better then signers/people who went to deaf schools/programs.
I just wish there was a way to tell parents that the amount of loss doesn't really matter all that much......it really depends on your attitude. If you're oral and wanna learn sign you're generally accepted. After all, it wasn't THAT long ago that tons of people discovered sign as a second language.
I just wish there was a way to tell parents that the amount of loss doesn't really matter all that much......it really depends on your attitude. If you're oral and wanna learn sign you're generally accepted. After all, it wasn't THAT long ago that tons of people discovered sign as a second language.
jillio
New Member
- Joined
- Jun 14, 2006
- Messages
- 60,232
- Reaction score
- 19
What happens on the internet, and what happens in real life, day-to-day contact are quite often two different things. If one has limited their contact with the Deaf community to what is found on the internet, one has severely restricted their experience, and it is not reflective of actual experience. To have a realistic perspective, one must actually interact with the individuals on a personal level, not from behind a computer screen.
One certainly would not consider going through the entire qualification process from internet contact, would they? No, you want face to face meetings with medical professionals. You want personal contact, and one on one coversation. The same can be said for contact with the deaf community when one is making decisions that will affect their child for the rest of his/her life.
We would like to have you,..... for dinner.........
neecy - I too believe that the choices of hearing parents with deaf children, with/without CI's, choosing not to be involved with the Deaf community can be construed as fear.
IME, face to face with Deaf community members in my area, some will present themselves quite differently individually than they do would as a collective group. This, imo, can also be construed as fear on their part.
The interent is a huge resource. People choose to present themselves in whichever light they feel is their right. Some doing more harm than good. Readers will take from it what they want, but presentation/tone having a huge impact. It is like the old adage, "don't write it down, if you won't sign your name to it."
neecy - I too believe that the choices of hearing parents with deaf children, with/without CI's, choosing not to be involved with the Deaf community can be construed as fear.
IME, face to face with Deaf community members in my area, some will present themselves quite differently individually than they do would as a collective group. This, imo, can also be construed as fear on their part.
The interent is a huge resource. People choose to present themselves in whichever light they feel is their right. Some doing more harm than good. Readers will take from it what they want, but presentation/tone having a huge impact. It is like the old adage, "don't write it down, if you won't sign your name to it."