Thread: Deaf Activism?
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Old 08-22-2005, 12:58 PM   #5 (permalink)
hevusa
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Re: Deaf Activism?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tabris
Quote:
Originally Posted by hevusa
I'm sure there is a very strong deaf culture that they take great pride in. And why not?? It is a language all its own.

If two deaf parents have a child who is naturally deaf I see no problem in letting them raise that child deaf as they see fit. When the child becomes an adult they can choose if they want the operation or not.
Come on. Deafness is a disability. ASL is an extremely limiting language in itself and being deaf puts one at a huge disadvantage in life in general. The culture isn't even a culture.
A quick search on deaf culture provides 1.5 million links. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=deaf+culture
The culture is alive and well.

Quote:
What if the child decides to get the operation when they're 18 or 19? They'll have the vocabularly not even of a 3 year-old. That leaves the child at a distinct disadvantage as the child would obviously prefer to "speak" with ASL. There are too many barriers to overcome that late in life. Seriously, what culture does being deaf entail? ASL isn't unique to deaf people, since "hearies" can sign as well. So the child would still learn sign language, in addition to being able to live a decent life. There's no reason to deny the child a cure for a handicap like that.

The child will relate to her family in a much deeper way if she remains deaf. Yes, this puts her at a disadvantage over hearing kids, but what about advantages of the deep connection that will be made with her parents? But like you say, even if she heard she could still learn to sign and communicate with her parents.

You are right, if there are minimal risks involved she should have the operation.
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There is little doubt that the world in general is more liberal than it was 50 years ago and beyond. Conservatives are simply roadblocks on the path to an ever more progressive and liberal world. What a sad existence.