Silent No More!

Although, I’m not sure if this “Elisa” is the Elisa Abenchuchan that we know well. Regardless who the person was but thanks for stopping by. Here’s my response to Elisa's response regarding my previous blog post.

We all know that a deaf or hard of hearing person can have a host of communication skills under his/her belts and if that skill happens to be an oratory one, then that it is. A useful skill. If the person's skill is good and can confidently be used, then certainly no one can deny that person that skill should it be his or her communication preference. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

The key thing is this. As long as there are ample communications for everybody, then everybody should be able to respect that person’s own communication preferences. In Brueggemann's case at the Gallaudet University graduation ceremony, the audience had three available avenues on communication access that they could rely on.

1) ASL interpreters on stage captured via video and displayed on a very large screen.
2) Real time captioning that offers text translation.
3) Voice from Brueggemann while she speaks into the microphone.

It shouldn’t matter who is up on the stage doing the speaking whether using sign language or the spoken voice. Right?

Brenda Brueggemann should be respected (and even applauded) for her decision to use her voice that day without fear of intimidation or threats. She was bold to go up there and speak in her own voice. And by her presence on that stage that day, she made an obvious point for all to consider and that there is another kind of diversity that do exists on campus and throughout the deaf and hard of hearing community. What I’m talking about has nothing to do with the color of the skin. It’s not about ethnic culture or where we came from. It’s not about the various languages one is brought up on. The diversity that I’m talking about are those who have the skill and preference to use their voice or even use their whatever hearing they have to their benefits because it works for them.

Gallaudet University is a deaf and hard of hearing community campus with a range of communication skills, hearing levels, real life experiences and social and cultural preferences. Any attempt to try and stymie a deaf/hh person from, for example, using his or her own voice while on campus is not showing respect for this kind of diversity in a campus climate that proclaims "unity" and "deafhood". Whether it’s talking on a cell phone, congregating with deaf, hard of hearing or hearing friends in the cafeteria to speak, sign or even use CUED English amongst themselves if they wish, or even talk and banter with a bank teller at the campus bank who happens to be a hearing person. We should feel free and unobstructed on how each of us is able to conduct our own communication preferences.

Now, if you're in a classroom, fine. A student can use his/her ASL/PSE/SEE to communicate and participate in class. But if a student, for example, is having trouble understanding what was signed/spoken in class because of a lack of signing skill then he or she should have every right to request a CART, sign language interpreter (sign to voice), CUED English, FM loop, or whatever in order to fully participate in class as much as possible and not miss out.

Gallaudet University is all about equal communication access for all. Not just sign language alone but any and all communication access because we do have that kind of diversity out there. And choices and preferences are to be respected and honored.

Next, let me ask you a question, Elisa. Was it “audistic” of me to play the piano on the theatre stage at Gallaudet University in 1990 to a small attending audience my Ragtime piano music when I’ve been playing the piano since age 7? Let me answer that question for you. No. It wasn’t “audistic” of me to do that. Why? Because the group of people were hearing, hard of hearing and deaf people sitting in the chairs (I’d say about 25 people were there) who were either students or faculty members who do show an appreciation for music. They recognized my skill and love for piano playing and came to watch and listen.

Many of the people in the audience could hear well, some could not but they certainly learned what Ragtime music was all about for the first time. And since music is a form of communication in its own right it can evoke strong feelings and emotions. A pianist can easily convey his/her own emotions whether it’s joy, sadness, or even anger in the form of music. And the audience listening to it would be able to feel that emotional energy. The same would be true if I were a singer on a stage singing wonderously to the audience is another form of communication. Since a singer would need a great set of lungs coupled with an amazing voice in order to carry sounds across the room with such vibration and energy. So is getting up on stage to address the graduating class of 2005 using your oratory skills with aplomb and effectiveness. Nobody was left out in the process and everybody got her message of congratulations to the graduating students that day.

In light of all that, where would you be willing to draw the line when we have that kind of diversity on the campus of Gallaudet University as well as in the deaf and hard of hearing community? Gallaudet University students, faculty and staff have yet to fully recognize the true diversity among ourselves to give it enough credit and humble respect it sorely deserves.

If I may be so bold and not with the intent to offend anyone but since the majority of students do sign fluently at Gallaudet University compared to the minority student population who are more likely to be hard of hearing and are apt to use their voices regularly. They also stand a greater chance to be ostracized by the more "Deafer" crowd. To me, this is probably akin to black students seeing themselves awash in a sea of white people, where, ironically so, Gallaudet University is practically in the center of a city whose majority population is mostly African Americans. And, to boot, they are mostly hearing people, too. So, I could probably relate on how blacks students must have felt upon entering the school and seeing a bit of a discrimination going on by their own students. Somewhere along the line somebody was not being valued for who he is.

Elisa, I took a poll (several in fact) asking Kokonut Pundits readers about themselves and Gallaudet University in general. It was quite revealing. Although, we need to take these polling results with a grain of salt. Nevertheless, the results proved interesting and beg the question on this very diversity question I am addressing.

One of my polls asks the question “Why did you leave Gallaudet University?” Poll results? 17% of them said they left Gallaudet University because they were “Harassed for not being "deaf enough." There were 35 responses so far.

Poll #2 asks the question, "As a deaf or hard of hearing person were you ever accused by Deaf people who signed "hearing" to the forehead because you can or prefer to speak and/or can hear?" Poll Results? 75% of them said "Yes" while 25% of them said "No". Twenty responses total so far.

Poll #3 asks the question, “If you are or were a student of Gallaudet University, do you support Gallaudet's Cochlear Implant Education Center?" Poll results? 79% of them said “No” while 21% of them said “yes”. There were 58 responses so far.

Poll #4 asks the question, “Should deaf and hard of hearing students on Gallaudet campus be allowed to talk (as in voice) on their cell phones?” Poll results? 82% said “yes” while 18% said “no”. There were 50 responses so far.

Of course, these polling results are to be taken with a grain of salt due to the open nature of the poll over the internet with the hope that Kokonut Pundits readers followed the honor system by replying accordingly. But at the same time these results shouldn't be dismissed out right either. However, there is this issue that I've gone over where many people are unwilling to discuss or even acknowledge to a substantially large group of people who are a proud bunch with what skills they've developed by saying that the status quo doesn't mean that they have to be quiet, too.

As with any and all long-winded response, which is a bad habit of mine, I'll end this blog piece to let my readers think about on what I've just discussed today by saying - "I think I'll stop here."