Did the "Really Deaf President Now" Protest Fizzled Yesterday?

Ok. So this "Really Deaf President Now" (RDPN) protest and coup-like attempt fizzled yesterday with some 300 to perhaps as high as 400 plus deaf students (no confirmation yet but based on pictures taken on the number of students at the rally in GallyNet-L) who stormed the front campus gate (what about the other two back gates?) a la DPN style, at Gallaudet University after hearing that Dr. Jane K. Fernandes was selected by the 17 member Presidential Search Committee to be the 9th president of Gallaudet University.

Now, harkening back to the days of DPN in 1988, this semi-large group of disgruntled, demoralized and unsatisfied Deaf students of Gallaudet University have been (or are so doing at this moment at 3:30 AM in D.C.) planning into the late hours of the night for their next round of protest. They have developed two demands and will rally again at 8 AM today (May 2nd) per the GallyNet-L.

The obvious first demand will be that the selection of Dr. Jane K. Fernandes be recinded or that she voluntarily step down. And I believe the 2nd demand will be about re-doing the whole presidential selection process again with more nominees, probably, especially of color. We'll see.

But on the Gallynet-L there was one demand suggested that the sign communication policy be replaced with an ASL policy. And this was an ironic demand since this same guy who made the ASL suggestion claimed that this RDPR protest was never about a person's fluency in ASL or that a person be born into a Deaf culture. Yet, this one guy suggested a change in Gallaudet University's communcation policy to strictly an ASL policy. This, of course, would fit well with the Deaf-centric attitudes on the campus of Gallaudet University (and elsewhere, too). Nothing about the issue of Deaf culture or ASL preferences? Right.

Ok. I have a question. Who are the new "Really Deaf President Now" leaders that will be leading the protest charge? Will there be the Hlibok, Bourne, Covell, and Rarus wannabes? We'll probably know soon enough when the continuing saga, if it doesn't fizzle out again, plays itself out later on today. I guess missing final exams are worth it in this last week of school compared to missing spring break, eh?

Helpful hint of the day: Be careful of what you say about Dr. Fernandes if you plan on libeling her for the press, it has a way of coming back to haunt you. Probably your wallet.

UPDATE: Check out Paradise Is blogsite. Lots of pictures and videos of the days event on May 1. Although one video is a bit dark. Others are fine.

New battle cry: "Better President Now!" BPN!