From: Daniel.Laflin@f98.n374.z1.fidonet.org (Daniel Laflin)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: New Born Deafie
Date: 18 Nov 92 21:24:00 GMT
Reply-To: Daniel.Laflin@f98.n374.z1.fidonet.org
Organization: FidoNet node 1:374/98 - The SCAM, Rockledge FL
X-Fidonet: Silent Talk Conference
Originator: wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com

Index Number: 25715

[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

SC>Deafness as a culture and not a Physical Handicap! I Have Learning

It IS a physical Handicap, in the sense that a part of your body is non
functioning... no different then if the nerves for your Legs will not
work, its the SAME thing, in that sense, a physical defect in the
nerves.

No Matter how you feel, it is a handicap, it is a disability, and the
refusal to accept that it is, can only hold you back, once understand it
is, then the point is to learn how to get past the disability, ASL is
only a stopgap, to really FUNCTION in the world one needs to Lipread and
TALK orally.

If you came up to me, trying to tell me someone is dying, I would have
no idea of what you are saying, nor would any normal hearing person, and
so the fact YOU refuse to get past your handicap, to learn lipreading,
ti use oral skills, a person would die.

I do not think anyone whos deaf, who is HIDINg in the fact their deaf,
and trying to hide from the world, will ever be anythiung but a fully
disabled person, a ASL only person is More disabled then a lipreading
deaf.

And even more then a lipreading/ oral speaking Deaf.

All of you talking of culture are only trying to hide from the hearing
world, and not face the facts of life.

Im very thankful that my parents wanted me to go back into public
school, at 7, enough to threaten legal action vs the schools, and also
glad that the NJ school of the DEAF, recommended ,me to be mainstreamed,
saying that being put in a DEAF school, when I was ORAL, and already
knew speech, would have only been to Handicap me, and limit me, While I
can say it was not fun, nor did i get as much help, the challenge  to do
as good as those who could hear and to overcome my limits was important,
in a deaf school, in a PROTECTED area, your not being challenged as
much, and are being protected from the HARD, COLD, REAL World.

The most satisfying point i remember too is geting a score on my 12th
grade areawide test that put me in reading in the top 5 pct of all
taking the test, county wide, a score meaning i did better then 95 pct
of all tested... thats better then 95 pct of HEARING people in High
school at that time.

Im Stone Deaf... and I lipread, I can talk to almost ANYONE, i dont
usually need help like someone who only signs, You people talking
Culture, talking of ASL as a language are deluding yourselfs.

SC>Disabiities and I would not change a thing! I believe deafness to be a
SC>characteristic just like a person as an ethnic group which Deaf Community

Deafness is a STIGMA not a Charastic, And like a ethic person who talks
in a language unlike english, your considered odd, strange, unwelcome.

As to Deaf Community, I consider myself part of such, insofar, that the
community is of those who are Deaf, however i simply dont consider it a
CULTURE.

SC>          True empowered Deaf people dont obsess about wanting to
SC>hear and think that Deafness is their Idenity!

those BORN deaf, or deafened before learned much of sound, simply have
no knowledge of what they lost, since they never had it, they never knew
it, and so, you may think your of a group/culture, however all you are
is a small part of the vast number of hearing impaired, and nothing but
a person who has a part of their body crippled, that you are disabled,
that your not NORMAl, you would make a better case if the Deaf were a
NATION, and it was a NATURAL thing, Deafness is NOT natural, so it is a
abberation.

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