Greetings everybody. My previous vlog made me think about something I never thought of previously. The confidence level deaf people have in their own language, that of American Sign Language.
If you followed the thread of video and text comments under my vlog and blog you will begin to sense a severe gap in deaf people's confidence in ASL. Allow me to explain further.
Several people explained why they did not want 'communication option' in this California bill known as AB 2072 and I took their argument to heart as I tried to understand the real reasons why they were afraid. The underlying point seem to be this;
DCARA, NORCAL and GLAD are spooked by the fact that they would be required to include ALL Communication Options in their written information. For years these deaf advocacy organization promoted ASL more than anything else and they see this bill as a threat to their entity. This, we can understand.
And then I remembered something. For many years these same deaf organization as well as Deafhoodized few went on a rampage and rallied against Audiologists, AG Bell and other Professional related services and demanded that they include American Sign Language in their option package. Some of you will remember what I had to say about 'the push' and the effects it would produce.
Well, these same people in turn decided to give us 'the push' by proposing an amendment that would create a level field for ALL by including ALL communication options. Guess who bailed out? Our own deaf leaders did.
Did these deaf leaders really understand the nature of politics and utilize 'two way street' approach? It's doubtful since they have fumbled once too often in the past two years. They fumbled in Milwaukee. They fumbled in Washington D.C.. They fumbled in Wisconsin. And now they appear to have fumbled this one in California.
And lastly, what message are we sending out when we said we did not like 'ALL Communication Options' language that was used in the bill?
I'll be frank with you. It basically says we have zero confidence in ASL. We're relaying the message that ASL can not hold its grounds and can not compete against other options. If we had total confidence in our own language we would not be worried about other communication options. We'd know that ASL was going to stand out and the language would prove worthy in people's eye. This is how I see ASL. I have total confidence in the language and know that the benefits will out weight the rest of the options.
But what about you? What's your confidence level in ASL? Think about it.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
What's your confidence level?
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Well, I wouldn't know anything about ASL, because I don't know it. Never taught it. I grew up with spoken language and public school. I have zero confidence.
ReplyDeleteHi deafA,
ReplyDeleteNaturally! In your case I understand.
The question was for ASL users and advocates who spewed so much hot air about it but fell short of giving it the vote of confidence.
I think most deaf people came from oral spoken language/ no ASL background. I believe they are ones who speaking out the most. Don't assume all of them are ASL native.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure native ASL are very confidence in their language.
deafA,
ReplyDeleteYou're right. Most deaf people came from oral spoken environment with no ASL background. This is what most ASL users fail to realize, perhaps because they've isolated themselves for too long, confining themselves to their so-called closed society. That's why it hurts their head when we spell 'ALL Communication Option'.
FYI, many of the opponent of AB 2072 are native ASL users. They are the very people that seem to lack confidence in their language, thinking it won't be able to compete against other options. This spoke in volume.
My confidence level in ASL is right up there in the upper half. I think that there are parents out there that will look to ASL as a choice. However, due to technology, many parents will opt for anything other than ASL. Yet, I believe we will be seeing more of a combination of both CI and ASL. A native signer myself, this is my view. I do not think that we deaf people as a group have any right to tell parents what to do. Many of these opponents are not taking advantage of marketing their language to the rest of the world in ways that will attract hearing parents. Their confident is probably low, that I will agree. Another problem here, they are not getting that they are responsible for the damage they have done to the deaf community by their actions.
ReplyDeleteYou are right, if they had confidence in ASL, they would have been Okay with that bill. Clearly, they're scared......
An update has been added into AB 2072 Bill; From the look of it they added new language in (a) section. Read below.
ReplyDeleteSECTION 1. Section 124121 is added to the Health and Safety Code to read:
124121. (a) Parents of all newborns and infants diagnosed with a hearing loss shall also be provided written information on all communication options for children with hearing loss, including, but not limited to, information about deaf and hard-of-hearing organizations, agencies and early intervention centers, and educational programs.
The information shall be provided:
(1) By an audiologist or other related professional at a followup appointment after diagnosis with a hearing loss
(2) By the Early Start Program, provided for pursuant to the California Early Intervention Services Act (Title 14 (commencingwith Section 95000) of the Government Code) when a newborn and infant enters the program and when the newborn and infant is referred to the program by a state agency.
(b) The state shall not incur any cost, nor shall the state be involved in the implementation of this section.
Sorry Patti Durr, I am not a society but an individual. Confused? Don't be.
ReplyDeleteHI Candy. Yes. Exactly my thought. They are scared and we can understand that but at some point they need to show some confidence in ASL knowing it will stand on its ground and compete against any options. Thank you for your comment. I agree with you.
ReplyDelete