Gears of paranoia

During the days of the anti-AB2072 protest there were several articles (here, here, and here for example) that were against the California AB2072 bill where they have reached Godwin's law status. Words were peppered with analogies of Nazi's own eugenics experiments as being the equivalent to what was happening with the AB2072 bill. Not only was this wrong but it's an insult to those who have died from such experiments of the Holocaust Days. Not only does this reek of paranoia it also potentially left a bad taste in many people's mouths about the Deaf community (in general) in California. It certainly didn't help for one Deaf organization in California that sent a flyer to California senators basically accussing them of eugenics if they support the AB2072 bill. Not a smart tactical move there. How would you feel if you got a letter saying if you don't support us then you're a Nazi sympathizer! Or something to that effect.

What would hearing parents of deaf/hh children think of the Deaf community in general now? What are hearing people's own perception in California after they watched the news on their television sets, accessed the internet, read the articles or saw Edwin Black do a lecture and become familiar with the whole AB2072 brouhaha? In Russell's own words in one of my blog comment section he said this.

You're right about parents accessing internet and would say WTF. More than half of the parents that I've talked to for the last 3 months were aware of AB 2072 fiasco. Most feel disturbed about the opposition of the bill and they questioned why they're always negative when there's an opportunity for everyone.

My experience from their reaction was not positive. The image of the community does taint into parents' minds. That's beyond my hands

I think those articles have hurt more than it has helped. Such use of Nazi analogies shouldn't be used. Even Dianrez agreed with this notion back in 2008 and it should not be any different in applying that opinion to that of today though she is curiously quiet about this part in relation to the AB2072 protest and use of Nazi analogies in the Deaf community.

Let’s not use Nazi analogies in our Deaf community. No one is plotting to exterminate us. Even exterminate ASL, since that has endured over 100 years despite oralism.

Saying otherwise would be an example of paranoia manifested in the form of hateful use of Nazi analogies and words of eugenics tossed carelessly about. The difference between a sane person who knows with utmost confidence about their own culture and language in its ability to survive and expand while gaining acceptance versus a desperate person who resorts to ad homenim attacks and Nazi analogies who thinks nothing but the worst that the Deaf community and its culture will come down to a crashing halt. What drivel. Signs of desperation and lack of faith.

The gears of paranoia churn in the heads of many. It's fine to be concerned but it gets to the point of ridiculousness by jumping into a sea of hyperbole in order to try and scare people over something that's not. And when that happens you'd have multitudes more gullible people believing in such nonsense information.

The Eugenics of Deaf Indian Sign Language and culture through ASL?

A little thought-provoking exercise here and hold back your tongue lashing and the gnashing of the teeth while you're at it, too.

Read on.

A few years back I did a blog how one kind of American Indian Sign Language (ISL) used by deaf native American Indians was already vanishing (or it may have vanished by now) because, ironically so, young deaf Native American Indians were forced to use or in this case had no recourse but to communicate in ASL at deaf residential schools they were sent to. And by doing so they gradually lost an important identity and Indian heritage when Indian Sign Language was passed on down through generations. A sign language that was used by both deaf and hearing Indians within their own community or tribe. This disappearance was an unplanned but systematic move over time by a predominately white Deaf culture and community where ASL gradually overtook their ISL preferences even though historically many of the signs in ASL today were derived from or have similar signs seen in Native American ISL.

Below is a passage on how ASL (supposedly the 3rd or 4th most popular language in the U.S. - a highly dubious claim.), English (number one language in the U.S.), and American Deaf culture have helped erode the Keresan Pueblo Indian Sign Language (KPISL) in New Mexico into extinction already. A native Indian sign language used by both deaf and hearing Keresan Pueblo indians.

KPISL is not much used among the pueblo’s younger generation owing to their learning school English, ASL, or signs that follow the spoken English word order. Before the 1990s, American Indian Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing tribal members usually left home to attend a residential school for the deaf located far away. At the school, there was usually no formal instruction of American Indian or American Indian culture and signs; only Deaf culture and ASL were taught, leading many American Indian students to join the “Deaf World.” After graduation, the students had to make difficult decisions about where and how to establish themselves: on the pueblos with hearing families and friends, in urban areas with other Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing people, or in border towns with limited access to both groups.

English has now become the dominant language for many Pueblo Indians. Its use, as well as continued contact with and influences of the dominant culture, has served to erode some of the traditions and values of the Pueblo Indian culture. As a result, KPISL, a valuable piece of American Indian heritage, may be slipping into extinction as well.

Now, I'm curious.

Has Mr. Edwin Black actually discussed native American Indian tribes and their culture throughout the U.S. and how they were essentially but systematically "eliminated" in favor of having them integrate into a predominately white culture and English language at his lecture in California to willing Deaf audience? Did he also discuss the eradication of the Keresan Pueblo Indian Sign Language with the help of a predominantly white Deaf culture in favor of ASL along with English, too? Noticed the eerie similarity?

A challenge to the great Mr. Edwin Black, the "eugenics expert."

If you truly think ASL, the Deaf community and culture are in danger of going "extinct" or "eradicated" anytime soon by means of eugenics then best pay attention to the plight of KPISL first which was pushed aside in favor of ASL, English and, ironically, by a pre-dominantly white Deaf culture world. For all we know now it's probably an extinct Indian sign language and Deaf/hearing Indian culture by now a la the "Martha Vineyard" of the southwest. After all, you are the proclaimed "eugenics expert" and should have no problem in writing the next few eugenics articles on Indian Sign Languages used by deaf Native American Indian people and how such a language disappeared in favor of ASL. This is almost exactly how our English language and culture helped nearly destroy North American Indians’ own heritage, language and culture by forcing them to learn English and have them assimilate into American culture in order for them to “survive.” Not quite the Spanish Inquistion led by the great and cruel Torquemada. Yet they did survive and many of these North American Indian culture and heritage remain intact, even growing allowing them to pass on their heritage to the next generation. The forcing of Deaf North American Indians use ASL away from ISL could be seen as doing the same selfish act. And end up abandoning their own ISL for the sake of integration with the rest of the Deaf culture and community. The irony is overwhelming here considering what has happened with the Keresan Pueblo Indian Sign Language and the eugenics lip service on the so-called quickly disappearing Deaf culture, community and ASL.

What is rather disengenuous is to use emotionally laden words by Mr. Black such as "Eugenics – From California to Auschwitz, Implications for the Deaf Community" in the effort to appeal to emotions from the people of California. That's really reaching, not to mention doing the whole nine yards using Godwin's Law.

Now, folks. I could be wrong. Perhaps Mr. Edwin Black is truly concerned about the plight of a disappearing Deaf community, sign language and culture which has grown from few tens of thousands during the Martha Vineyard era of the mid- 1800s to now probably close to a million Deaf people in the United States today. General rule of thumb of my own is that the Deaf population accounts about 1/33rd of the current general population size and apply that ratio to any population year but it probably becomes an increasingly rough estimate going further back in time. With nearly a million Deaf people today using the 3rd most popular language in the United States I suppose all that is considered a vanishing act to Mr. Black for his podium thumping lectures on eugenics. Maybe he's seeing this an opportunity to push his books and stir his name into this pot of mess and gain a bit of notoriety and name reconition in the process? Free publicity I suppose. Who knows what his real agenda and feelings are but it's rather curious to use eugenics as a mean to help stop the AB2072 bill and put it out of existence. All in all this bill is a good bill and it will pass. As for the title of my blog? I'm making a point here if that's of any help.

AG Bell on AB2072

The AB 2072 bill is about choices, obviously. It discusses that parents of newborns with hearing loss get information that covers,

American Sign Language(ASL), Total Communication, Cued Speech, and Listening and Spoken Language communication options for children with hearing loss, including, but not limited to, information about deaf and hard-of-hearing organizations, agencies and early intervention centers, and educational programs.

The problem is that those who oppose this bill often spend more time going after AGBell and other similar organizations rather than to focus and promote ASL itself. AGBell has a position paper written up some 5 years ago on their position on ASL.

AG Bell acknowledges that a chosen approach depends on culture, family interests, and desired communication outcome. AG Bell believes that the language and communication approach chosen should be based on an informed decision made by the child’s parents/family and based on their own unique circumstances.

With respect to American Sign Language (ASL), AG Bell acknowledges ASL as a language in and of itself. AG Bell also recognizes ASL’s importance in Deaf culture as a unique feature, and a language that many take pride in learning. AG Bell does not believe that ASL should be prohibited or restricted as a choice, nor does AG Bell advocate against learning ASL as part of a child’s overall development if that is what the child’s parents desire.

Regardless of chosen language or communication approach, AG Bell believes that families should have early access to professionals with specialized education and training in the desired language or communication method."

Again, it's about parental choice but parents need to be informed of all communication options, including ASL, the educational choices and the many services and advocacy groups on hearing loss that are available to the parents. AGBell believes in choices and believes that the AB2072 bill is about that in a letter to Tony Mendoza.

AG Bell believes that the language and communication approach chosen should be based on an informed decision made by the child's parents/family and based on their own unique circumstances. Regardless of chosen language or communication approach, families should have early access to professionals with specialized education and training in the desired language or communication outcome.

AG Bell believes it is important that organizations that advocate for or work with individuals with hearing loss work together to broaden health care providers' understanding of all communication methods so that upon identification, unbaised information about all options can be made available to parents and their children.

Senator Elaine K. Alquist who is the chair in the Senate Health Committee wrote up an analysis (on June 9, 2010) on the AB2072 bill, deafness, the issues involved, and about the deaf culture and community. This analysis has a firm grasp of everything. Senator Elaine K. Alquist makes a conclusion and recommendation to the committee (note the bolded portion):

Both supporters and opposition to this bill agree that any information provided to parents of deaf children should be unbiased, based on scientific facts, and come from a reliable, neutral third-party source. To address this, the committee suggests amendments to require that either DDS or CDE develop or approve the use of standardized, objective pamphlet of information about communication options for children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, that is sufficient to allow the child's parents to make an informed decision. This information shall be decided upon by the department in conjunction with a stakeholder panel, comprised of representatives of the various communication options. The cost for developing the pamphlet and conducting the stakeholder panel shall be covered through the development of an additional state fund to accept private donations for this purpose. The provisions of the bill shall only be made operative after sufficient funds have been collected to cover necessary expenses.

Both parties agree that information ought to be in an unbiased format and that stakeholders in each of the communication option shall be a part of helping the development of this pamphlet for parents of newborn babies diagnosed with a hearing loss.

No conspiracy theories.

No AGBell boogie monster under the bed.

No Godwin's Rule of Nazi Analogies in the attempt to label this bill and Tony Mendoza.

And none of the eugenics stuff that Edwin Black erroneously tried to infer about the Deaf community and culture's own future.

Just a straight up bill that is designed to help parents make an informed decision regarding their child diagnosed with a hearing loss.

If you disagree, disagree on the merit of the argument itself and not about trying to concoct some "end of the world" scenario here. The bill does include ASL as one of the many communication options whether used alone or in conjunction with other options. So, that is an important step. The ASL community will still have a stake in this once this bill is signed by the governor which, ironically so, at one time played a deaf and mute hit-man for a mob in a 1973 movie "The Long Goodbye."