DBC, a pro-ASL advocacy organization, attempted to deride, smear and call names a deaf/hh private individual solely because of an opinion piece in a personal blog. DBC went so far as to advertise this unprofessional move using their blog section. This smear piece existed only for about an hour before it was conveniently deleted (note the URL address) for unknown reasons. This DBC blog piece was an objection over a blog piece that was done this morning by a deaf/hh individual. The link to this site was also recorded in the DeafRead extra section as well.
Here's the screen capture of DBC's blog piece.
A very unprofessional action by that organization allowing someone to use its blog section to personally try and go after individuals for having an opinion. If DBC wants to promote a positive image of their advocacy organization, the personal attacking needs to stop and focus on the pro-ASL advocacy only.
I have explained numerous times in the past, and as recently as this morning in my blog, I have no problems for parents making an *informed* decision regarding communication and/or educational options for their children with hearing loss. No one gets to decide except the parents. That is their parental right and duty. The where, who, and how this information are obtained is not the issue here as long as parents are well informed to make an informed decision based on circumstances, available resources and amount of hearing loss in question. ASL is no doubt an important part of the communication option yet it is the parents who make the final decision on how they will move forward.
This blog piece will remain available to the public so they can be well informed about this attempt which raises questions the professionalism of this organization. This should not have happened in the first place.
I will await DBC to make a formal apology to me and to the public for their gross oversight. And the person in question will need to agree to stop posting comments in my blogs as well and any references to me in any blogs from now on.
ADDENDUM: Please visit my recent blog of my video of my 1 year old hearing daughter who signs on her birthday. A video example on how to promote the positive value of ASL without the need to personally attack individuals or organizations for having different viewpoints or philosophies. Focus on the positive and you will go far.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
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25 comments:
Agreed. Professional Orgs normally don't comment to the opinions of small time bloggers They are usually too busy working on REAL issues.
They also don't write public statements with glaring grammar errors. "Another words" third sentence down should have been "In other words. . ."
If I were the parent of a Deaf child the lack of professionalism of this org would totally turn me off.
And yeah-- sure-- I get that we all make errors in our own little personal blogs, but since DBC is supposed to be a professional organization that promotes the ideology that learning ASL in the first year of life can improve the ability to learn English later, they should be sure their own posts have no obvious grammatical errors.
There are plenty of GOOD Deaf writers out there, so there's really no excuse not to ask someone to at least edit their posts for errors. I actually DO believe ASL in the first year of life CAN improve a Deaf child's ability to learn English later whether implanted or not.
Sadly, I think DBC does more harm than good. I cringe when I see stuff like this on their website and elsewhere because it SO supports the stereotype that we're all idiots.
Mike,
I am very upset that it had to happen to you.
This is the form of organizational cyberbullying action (disintegration) to the private individual.
I am also awaiting to hear the official apology from DBC to you.
Amy Cohen Efron
I'm not sure why people feel the need to get personal. You made valid points, and people ought to be able to agree or disagree with you on these points alone.
Thanks for filling in the puzzle. Was most curious what DBC's latest post that was hastily removed, was all about...
DBC does owe you an apology.
My parents, to their regret, did not have all the information to make an informed decision. They were brainwashed by John Tracy Clinic to communicate with me orally only. It wasn't until decades later that they regretted not learning sign language. When I started College, my mom told me the first class I should sign up is ASL.
They definitely owe you an apology but don't count on it. This heartless group of people owe me tons of apologies but never bothered to say it once.
Most people are already turned off by DBC and their leaders. Many of former DBC supporters even came out in the recent days, weeks, and months and acknowledged the death of DBC. They are not busy at all so that is why they're constantly attacking people like you and myself. They've disgraced themselves.
For the record that cannot be removed, many parents of newly diagnosed babies will dig up DBC's history and then they will kiss DBC a good bye.
It's been three years....nothing changed.
Mike, of course, they owe you a formal apology to you, Deafread, especially the public.
Clean up your act, DBC.
DBC leaders and members have a long history of attacking and oppressing people with different opinions. They act with impunity as if their actions aren't visible to outsiders, including the parents of recently identified deaf children. Few minutes on the Internet reveal the hostility of this organization to some deaf and hard of hearing individuals. Many parents with children wearing cochlear implants warn new parents against this organization.
It's a shame when they had a good concept. They had it and now this...it has no correlation to their original concept. They're desperate and they would do anything regardless of their credibility. They lost their game any they haven't learned to quit the game out of respect.
Yes, they owe you an apology but don't count on it. It's typical of them with a defiant behavior.
Russell
OMG - what an embarrassment that post is to anyone credible left in DBC. I would be the last person to disrespect a Deaf person's command of English, as I understand very well it's a sensitive and sore issue for many. But honestly, anything put in the public domain as representing an organization needs to be proofread rigorously. As for the content, whoever wrote that blog piece is exposing the fact that s/he can neither understand the literal meaning nor analyze the inferential content. It's one thing to say that you sincerely believe the Hearing Establishment has a stranglehold on the early hearing detection and parent-infant services. But it's quite another to slam a deaf/hh person simply for promoting informed choice. Shame on DBC. they really need to have an editorial board to keep any fool from posting that garbage.
Sorry to say that the DBC do not owe you any apology at all!
DBC done nothing wrong. It simply pointed out your illogical blog posting on so-called choices (fanasty thinking) to believe that
the medical and auxilary professionals will be not swayed with any bias.
Just quit yapping and get on with your life. You just are Rush Limbaugh wannabe. See that Rush mocked gays over year until he paid one million dollars for Elton John to sing at his fourth wedding. Uh-huh! What a hyprocrite and sucker Rush is!
RLM
There appears to be TWO blogsites with the name, Deaf Bilingual Coalition, in them.
One is "Deaf Bilingual Coalition", which appears to be the organization's official site.
The other one called "Deaf Bilingual Coalition's BLOG" is someone's personal blog, which has DBC trimmings, such as the org's logo and colors. (Look up DR's blog roll.) This "someone" has a reputation for attacking individuals without regard for how he represents DBC professionally. Based on this person's actions, I don't think you'll ever get an apology out of this person. :(
That's my 2 cents' worth.
Ann_C
Congratulations, RLM. You help make DBC look worse.
Ann, on the official DBC site there is a blog tag on it. Click on that and it'll take you to the DBC Wordpress blog website with all the DBC's trimmings. They are both one and the same. That blog is not a personal one and it isn't supposed to be used as one. Still, a black eye for DBC and its integrity.
mcconnell
Ann, email me please.
mcconnell
Never thought I'd see this day... John Egbert apologized.... but not to Mike... instead, he apologized to his very own movement for dragging it through mud. This guy's brain is definitely fried.
Barry,
So I noticed. Apologize only to DBC will not work. He is still seen as one of the leaders of DBC. Between the two cannot be separated. For leaders under the same roof as DBC to wantonly go on the attack against individuals over a difference of opinions or philosophies. Not only is this bad, it reflects poorly back onto the DBC as an organization as a whole looking something akin like an uncontrolled organization with a vendetta.
mcconnell
"The blogsite is not owned by DBC nor controlled by DBC. I have closed down that website."
Rats!
Apology to DBC from John Egbert is not enough. How could he access the DBC's both website and blog? Since he is the founder and an active DBC leader, how could he access the password on DBC's both website and blog? It's officially the same URL addresses that John and the board members can access.
How irresponsible and inexcusable of him to do that! He still needs to owe a formal apology to the deaf community, Deafread and Mike in front of the audience.
Look like DBC learn the strategic method from AFA (Audism Free America)
Shut up RLM again.
John makse no apology to you and show no remorseful. His behave as DBC leader is shame, a black smear on deaf community. Are he postive deaf role model for parents with deaf babies?
Upon to an anonymous at 2:48 PM,
Here's the link that John Egbert made is own blog:
https://johnfegbert.wordpress.com/2010/07/26/my-apology-to-dbc/
Read his statement.
anony,
John didn't apologize to mike and to the people he disappointed but only to DBC, the very organization he helped create. He's a gutless wonder. Like others explained both John and DBC are joined at the hip, what he says reflect on DBC entirely. You cannot separate the two!
I second the latest anony. John and DBC are joined at the hip. John feels and acts like he 'owns' DBC.
He didn't take my advice thru email exchange before the Milwaukee protest.
You know the video arcade infamous quote as "Game Over" without second chance to toss another coin to continue the game. I don't think he understands the rules.
GAME OVER. It's best for DBC not to continue this repetitive embarrassment.
Russell
That fool! What a coward he is with no humility in his bone. He does not care for DBC's own image. He does NOT!! No! He is a manipulating liar!
Darren
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