From: fak9957@ritvax.isc.rit.edu (Frank Kruppenbacher)
Subject: re: 60 mins story
Reply-To: fak9957@ritvax.isc.rit.edu
Organization: Rochester Institute of Technology
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 19:05:50 GMT

As the hearing half of a deaf/hearing marriage here are my thoughts on the 
"60 Minutes" piece called "Caitlin's Story."

1.  The parents made the right choice for their [at the time of the implant
    surgery] 2 month old, then recently deafened, child.  The parents were
    in the best position to make that decision.  The promise by the implant
    specialists and the surgeon was that Caitlin would only be able to hear
    "environmental sounds" at best.  I think that if the surgery was not a
    success, the parents were ready and willing to pursue other avenues
    which would have included lipreading and sign language.

2.  The NAD position paper on cochlear implants presents a very weak
    argument for their nonuse.  Harlan Lane talks out of both sides
    of his mouth.  Harlan Lane is a member of a cochlear implant team
    at a Boston area hospital.  He also denounces the implants use and
    has stated so in the position paper he wrote for the NAD.  A couple
    of years ago he came to NTID.  In a presentation to our faculty he
    said that, after touring our facility, our faculty were doing a great
    job in educating young deaf adults for technical careers.  A few hours
    later, during a presentation to students, he said that our faculty
    were oppressors of deaf students. And the whole time he was here he didn't
    sign for himself at all! He didn't even sign for himself on "60 Minutes". 
    I can't for the life of me see why deaf people love this man so much. 
    He is the ultimate "waffler."

3.  The NAD embarrassed itself by all the name calling and claims that the
    main reason they object to the implant procedure is because the
    cochlear corp. is profiting greatly from implants.  Harlan Lane profits
    from implants. He holds a position on a cochlear implant team at a 
    hospital in Boston. And at 40 grand a pop, not everyone is running out
    to the hospital for implant surgery.  The doctors bill for what they
    can, but they don't always collect.  

4.  The NAD would have us believe that they are the ones who should decide
    if a child or anyone should have the implant or not??  I think the NAD
    should support ALL deaf people regardless of communication choice,
    cultural background, or amount of hearing loss.  To the NAD deaf means
    the culture that is American Sign Language.  The NAD would have a much
    greater "voice" if they could include those who are outside of the deaf
    culture and those who are hard-of-hearing.  Look at the SHHH lobby in
    Washington,DC, it's huge.

5.  Look, as long as there are broken bones, doctors will seek to fix them.
    As long as there are blind eyes, doctors will seek to fix them. As long
    as there are diseases, doctors will seek to wipe them out.  And so it
    goes with ears that are deaf.  But the NAD would have you believe that
    these doctors along with the cochlear corp and audiologists nationwide
    are seeking to destroy sign language and deaf culture as we know it today.
    Don't you believe it for a minute.

6.  The Cochlear Implant is an ALTERNATIVE that can work to restore some
    level of hearing in some people.

What's next for the NAD, "rescue missions" at audiology clinics worldwide?
What's next for Harlan Lane, a run for the Presidency in 1996?  Why not!
He's got the waffle part down perfectly.

I hope that "60 Minutes" follows up with Caitlin in 5 or 10 years.

  
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