Re: Deaf and Cochlear Implants

[Guest guest]

Some blind people, such as those who are members of the National Federation

of the Blind, do not see blindness as a disability, but as a trait like

blond hair or short stature. Some deaf people don't view deafness as a

disability either.

[Guest guest]

That sign has been around long before CI's were even invented

it just takes on additional meaning as times change the same way any

living language does.

> > >

> > > Dear ,

> > >

> > > I understand what you mean by that. I even saw a program on TV

> > about that a couple of years ago, where deaf parents refused to

> > implant their deaf children only because they were afraid of losing

> > the deaf culture. I am of course very much against blocking the

> > childrens' way to success with an implant, a thing that can for sure

> > enhance their ability to integrate in the world. Yet, those parents

> > and everyone that expresses hostility and contempt to those who

choose

> > to be implanted are afraid of losing their own " deaf heritage " .

> > They're afraid that their own children will look down at them once

> > they can hear almost normally and " go with the hearing people " .

> > Personally, I know it's impossible to do so when the children are

> > raised to be tolerant and have an endless love for their parents. But

> > it's still something they fear. Every parent wants its child to

follow

> > him, even if it means to live in the darkness of not being able to

> > hear when there's a " cure " for it. I'm so thankful

> > > for every day I can hear with an implant (I heard another new sound

> > just yesterday!) and wouldn't giveu p on that now I know how it is to

> > hear for real!

> > >

> > > Don't let those people take your motivation away with their

> > hostility and contempt. There are so many other deafs who will

support

> > you, especially people from this group! Keep up the way of obtaining

> > yoru own CI with pride and determination. Good luck and many

blessings!

> > >

> > > Yours, Gilad

> > >

> > >

> > > Gilad Borisovsky

> > > Implant: Advanced Bionics, HiRes 90K

> > > Implanted: April 10th, 2006

> > > Activated: May 8th, 2006

> > >

> > > 11 Malkin st. apt. 9

> > > 46403 Herzliya

> > > Israel

> > >

> > > +972 (0)9 9552 656

> > > +972 (0)52 4893 277 (SMSs only)

> > >

> > > Additional e-mail addresses:

> > > borissovsson@

> > > borisovsson@

> > >

> > > ---------------------------------

> > > Messenger with Voice. Make PC-to-Phone Calls to the US (and

> > 30+ countries) for 2¢/min or less.

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

Yep - that sign has been around for a long time. I remember volunteering at

a residential school for the deaf 20 years ago. I was going to school to

become a teacher of the deaf/HOH, but I used my voice, wore hearing aids, and

was

learning sign language. I kept seeing everyone use that sign everytime I was

introduced...... I realized that I never would be accepted in the deaf

community because I was oral and was not a native signer. It was pretty sad as

when

you lose your hearing later in life, you no longer felt like you fit in the

hearing world, but you never would fit in a the deaf world either. I felt

pretty isolated and sad a lot. The CI sure changed that

Pam

[Guest guest]

,

What you heard about the sign, and yes it's ASL, is true. I've not only

been told about it by several Deaf adults, I've seen it used in reference to

me. I had Deaf protestors outside the hospital when I got my CI. So I saw

it then, but had no idea what it meant. When I started my D/HH ed. degree,

I then learned what it meant when the Deaf ASL instructor, two Deaf

counselors, and a Deaf teacher at a school for the Deaf told me what it

meant after I had seen one of them use it. My D/HH prof also told me what

it meant. It is very much an insult towards people with CIs. The Deaf

teacher also told me it's child abuse to implant a child. When I was

looking into foster care and/or adoption of a deaf or hard of hearing child,

I had a Deaf social worker tell me that she would take the child back

(adopted) if I chose a CI. So there is some really strong sentiment in the

Deaf culture against CIs.

Beth

The mere imparting of information is not education. Above all things, the

effort must result in making a man think and do for himself.-- G.

Woodson

[Guest guest]

Oh.........wow. I'm sorry to hear that. It's rather shocking. It's also

kind of contradictory to what DJ said earlier, (or someone did) that the

sign had been around before CI's, and wasn't particularly directed at CI

users, but I can certainly see from your experiences.

Binns

----Original Message Follows----

From: " Beth Ward " <beth_brittney@...>

Reply-

Subject: Re: Deaf and Cochlear Implants

Date: Sat, 05 Aug 2006 11:49:41 -0500

,

What you heard about the sign, and yes it's ASL, is true. I've not only

been told about it by several Deaf adults, I've seen it used in reference to

me. I had Deaf protestors outside the hospital when I got my CI. So I saw

it then, but had no idea what it meant. When I started my D/HH ed. degree,

I then learned what it meant when the Deaf ASL instructor, two Deaf

counselors, and a Deaf teacher at a school for the Deaf told me what it

meant after I had seen one of them use it. My D/HH prof also told me what

it meant. It is very much an insult towards people with CIs. The Deaf

teacher also told me it's child abuse to implant a child. When I was

looking into foster care and/or adoption of a deaf or hard of hearing child,

I had a Deaf social worker tell me that she would take the child back

(adopted) if I chose a CI. So there is some really strong sentiment in the

Deaf culture against CIs.

Beth

The mere imparting of information is not education. Above all things, the

effort must result in making a man think and do for himself.-- G.

Woodson

[Guest guest]

I learned that sign at Gallaudet in the early 1980s, and it was referred to

anyone who " think hhearing " , meaning anyone who mainly used the English

language, not just CI users.

[Guest guest]

I second the " Thank God for the CI! " sentiment. It really can give you your

life back. I have heard from many people that they had similar experiences

as me with the Deaf community. Pam's experience is another that shows how

hard it can be to try to fit in with the Deaf community when you aren't

raised in it. Many Deaf attack CIs now, and they used to attack HAs, as

being bad for the Deaf and the Deaf culture. I wish that they could see

that their own insularity and lack of willingness to help late deafened

adults or deaf adults who were raised as oral deaf hurts their cause far

more than a HA or CI ever will. I have been lucky in that I have met some

Deaf adults who are very supportive of my CI (the president of KAD asks me

tons of questions about my CI every time we meet, he wants to get one

himself), but for every Deaf adult I've met who accepts me and wants to help

me, I've met one who thinks I don't belong and wants to keep me away from

the Deaf community. It is this attitude that will cause the Deaf culture to

die, if it ever dies.

Beth

The mere imparting of information is not education. Above all things, the

effort must result in making a man think and do for himself.-- G.

Woodson

[Guest guest]

Hi Beth,

I am so sorry that you encounterd some strong sentiment from the deaf

community.

I am certain that you may know this already. A deaf social worker cannot take

the adopted child away from you for any reason unless there is a harm to a

child. Getting CI isn't always perceived as a harm. Since the child is already

adopted, it is legally yours. That social worker is unethical to make a threat

like that.

Warm regards,

Kent

Beth Ward <beth_brittney@...> wrote:

When I was looking into foster care and/or adoption of a deaf or hard

of hearing child, I had a Deaf social worker tell me that she would take the

child back (adopted) if I chose a CI.

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