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Do you think it is ok for Spanish speaking people to speak only Spanish in front of people who speak only English? Or is it disrespectful? It is ok to speak Spanish, but if you are in front of people who don't understand Spanish, you should communicate in THEIR language. Ever hear the saying..when in Rome do as the Romans do? Gallaudet will always have 3 groups: oral people who choose to communicate through voice; dual communicators who choose to communicate through both voice and sign; and ASL-only communicators who choose or are only able to, communicate through sign language. To me the issue is not cell phones - of course it is ok to use voice on a cell phone - but rather of communication and respect for each other's communication needs as opposed to communication preferences.
It's a communication choice, not a language issue. It is about respecting each individual choice.
It is a bit of nonsense to talk about "do as the Romans do" yet you outlined three different communication preferences among deaf/hh groups.
Now, it's no different for a hearing person speaking to a deaf and hearing crowd with an interpreter than a deaf/hh person choosing to speak to the crowd with an intpreter.
As for cell phones, yes, they are a big issue among some Deaf people being used on the campus of Gallaudet University. It is no different than using their Sidekick on the campus of George Washington University.
What this person, who is a "leader" of the Deaf community in many ways, did goes totally against the "unity" concept for all Gallaudetians. He doesn't want inclusiveness. He wants restriction. That's the bottom line.
Good grief! Why should anyone care if I use my cell phone at Gally? I don't care if they use their TDD! We use what resources we are able to use.
And if in "Rome", should anyone care that I can't speak Italian? I'd get an interpreter if I needed one! Or an Italian/English dictionary!
But don't take away my right to choose.
And that's exactly what this guy is advocating...big time. No voice. No cell phone allowed anywhere on the campus of Gallaudet or on any "deaf dominated" areas. And he's all for this "unity"? Bull! He's been exposed, again, like a deer caught in the headlight. It's right there. In black and white what he said. The signature of a Deaf militant.
Not to take issues here but: do we all realize that the root of this is not deaf militancy but immersion? Deaf school campuses all over have teachers and staff who don't sign in front of their students, and deny them much of their incidental education.
Sorry, I didn't finish the previous post.
The root of this is, as I said, immersion. Following that logic, a "deaf" workplace should be accessible and allow deaf employees the same opportunities for incidental training, learning, surveillance, etc.
By incidental learning, I mean comments that are thrown around just because. Since these comments aren't private, it'd be good to have them accessible.
As for phone calls, either via cell or videophone, and msgs via pagers, we can assume them to be private. There is no case for incidental learning, and so I'd say yes, people (deaf, hh, and hearing) should feel comfortable with making voice calls in front of deaf people.
Deaf militancy can be a bad thing sometimes. Those opposing it aren't doing any good at times. I think this post was a good example of lashing out at deaf militancy yet achieving nothing, maybe even exacerbating animosity. We should always try to understand why things are as they are and present new alternatives.
for what it's worth, someone mentioned to me that in Japan, hearing people consider it very rude to talk on cell phones in public places. So what do they do? They use text pagers! I am liking this. No, I ain't moving to Japan, thanks anyway.
Folks conducting their private business loudly and in public on cell phones, not to mention driving in their cars, are a nuisance and a danger to others. People have the right to not be annoyed and/or endangered in public places. The deaf/hearing and communication issue is simply another variant on this theme, I think. This whole cell phone business as one of good manners, not militantism.
Besides, people who use cell phones in front of me should know that I lipread really well and can probably understand everything they say anyway! 
on the subject of speaking other languages in front of others who only speak English or use ASL: I have several acquaintances who speak languages other than English and/or ASL. Sure, it's possible that some are doing it on purpose to be rude, and exclude to hurt and/or exert power over others.
But it's my general sense that the great majority of the time, they are simply using L1 to get clarification or say something briefly that isn't related to a group topic. It's up to the person who knows L1 and L2, L3, etc., whether to be a communication facilitator and include L1's in every single little word spoken or signed. I've been in that position more than once myself, and I tell you, it's exhausting. It surely makes me respectful of what ASL interpreters do for a living... keeping two different and distinct languages going at the same time.
I'd be careful about ascribing negative motives to people who revert back to their L1 on occasion. But I think every hearing person who knows anything about Deaf culture knows that it's appropriate and considerate to sign at all times, and to do otherwise is a big no-no. Even if they privately don't agree with it, they have to do it if they want to keep Deaf friends or any credibility in the deaf community.
A.Eyes,
Pardon my language, but that's pure bullsh*t about the cell phone camera on manners. This is one of his quote:
"So it is my duty to make sure that the cell phones or using the voice in a "deaf-dominated places" are discouraged. Period."
And then promptly whined:
"It is always offensive and discouraging when a hearing person picks up the cell phone and yakked in front of us, leaving us pretty much clueless."
That alone is a Deaf militancy message. This is America...not Japan. Our social space is quite different than that of Japan. But realize this, the use of a cell phone occurred in a college C..A..F..E..T..E..R..I..A. full of students where everybody's using Sidekick and Blackberry. There is no difference from somebody taking a message from a cell phone call via voice or take text messages from their Sidekick. It's a very open and public space.
It's about acceptance, not manners. See the dichotomy? Sidekick...ok in the cafeteria and anywhere else. Talk on the cell phone, not ok and banned everywhere else. This isn't about talking on a phone while you're in class, or in a theatre when in fact you can get away with it with texting. But what little Ricky is advocating is a total ban on cell phone and the use of voice in any "deaf domminated" areas, that includes the whole campus...even in my dorm room! Or even outside! The cafeteria is a public place, not a classroom. If I get a call on my cell phone, I, as well as many others, will pick it up and talk depending the circumstances (e.g. classroom, lectures, etc).
I'll be damned if some yahoo come up to me at the cafeteria and tells me to stop talking when nobody can hear me talk anyway.
As for lip-readers, I'll cover my mouth just to piss more guys off who want to be rude by trying to "listen" in on private calls. Hey, maybe when you get a call on your Sidekick I'll go and look over your shoulder to see what your talking about. Eh?
Google,
It's about pointing out the painfully obvious and ludicrous example of a person's attitude toward people who talk on cell phones (hearing or hard of hearing) and want to institute a campus wide ban on cell phone and voice with the Gestapho-like order that everybody must use ASL at all times. It's more of highlighting the ludicrousness than lashing out at Deaf militancy. And check out the latest poll on cell phone acceptance on whether deaf/hh be allowed to talk on cell phones on the campus of Gallaudet. So far, nearly 75% said 'yes'.
http://kokonutpundits.blogspot.c...y-do-i-
ask.html
What the **** you complaing and whinning about using voice on cell phone in Gally cafeteria?
I am a total deaf person, so I have the right to use any mode of communication as I please with my cellphone or blackberry. The same goes to any one on Gally campus. You, the ****, get lost.
Scott
(profanities edited by Kokonut Pundits. Please observe posting rules)
I am not complaining about using voice on a cell phone at Gallaudet. You've totally misread the whole blog. Did you read it at all? In that blog I am pointing out is that Ridor is the one who has complained about hearing or even hard of hearing person who choose to talk on a cell phone in any "deaf dominated places" such as Gally cafeteria.
Remarkable! Isn't it?
Read carefully next time before you start throwing cuss words all over at me.
Any deaf/hh person has the right to choose their mode of communication when it comes to cell phones whether it's texting using Sidekick or Blackberry, or talking on the phone in "deaf dominated places." I guess there will be a policy that owners of cell phones be left at the gate entrance of Gallaudet University.
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