An excellent article, although don't forget the third leg of that tripod: the deaf bloggers themselves left many comments and such that give credence to the Gallaudet administrations "not deaf enough" mantra.
There's lots of repair work to do, and I'm not sure how many at Gallaudet realize that. In some defense, though since they're at the center, they've got plenty on their plates as it is, but this will have to be addressed eventually, as this perception also sideswiped (regardless of the fact that a wide spectrum of deaf folk, from oralists to CI wearers, and so on supported the protests) a good portion of the deaf population that would not consider themselves Deaf (or fear that the Deaf would not accept them as Deaf).
There's a long road ahead, unfortunately.
An excellent article, although don't forget the third leg of that tripod: the deaf bloggers themselves left many comments and such that give credence to the Gallaudet administrations "not deaf enough" mantra.
There's lots of repair work to do, and I'm not sure how many at Gallaudet realize that. In some defense, though since they're at the center, they've got plenty on their plates as it is, but this will have to be addressed eventually, as this perception also sideswiped (regardless of the fact that a wide spectrum of deaf folk, from oralists to CI wearers, and so on supported the protests) a good portion of the deaf population that would not consider themselves Deaf (or fear that the Deaf would not accept them as Deaf).
There's a long road ahead, unfortunately.
Yeah, some bloggers did-- others didn't. Most didn't, but their commenters certainly didn't pull any punches when it came to their own biases. Still, I think the administration shot itself in the foot-- after all, everyone knew the protest would end one way or another. How would Gallaudet be viewed afterwards? I think a lot of people on both sides didn't choose their words or arguments as carefully as they could have.
I agree- the internal campus has quite a bit to deal with, and thus is probably not prepared yet to be objective. That's where those of us on the outside can help. Healing may have begun among the protesters themselves, but I think it is a process that needs to happen externally as well. Working together is the only way we're all going to get through this. We may still have a number of differences afterwards, but I'm hoping a new sense of respect develops. We'll see...
Yeah, some bloggers did-- others didn't. Most didn't, but their commenters certainly didn't pull any punches when it came to their own biases. Still, I think the administration shot itself in the foot-- after all, everyone knew the protest would end one way or another. How would Gallaudet be viewed afterwards? I think a lot of people on both sides didn't choose their words or arguments as carefully as they could have.
I agree- the internal campus has quite a bit to deal with, and thus is probably not prepared yet to be objective. That's where those of us on the outside can help. Healing may have begun among the protesters themselves, but I think it is a process that needs to happen externally as well. Working together is the only way we're all going to get through this. We may still have a number of differences afterwards, but I'm hoping a new sense of respect develops. We'll see...
Sandman: I think you give far far too much weight to being concerned with what Hearie America thinks about Gallaudet and Deaf America.
Face it-Hearie America doesnt care about what happens in Deaf America. Why should they-we don't impact on their lives at all. Most have never met a deaf person and couldnt tell you where Gallaudet is located if their life depended on it!!!
Sandman: I think you give far far too much weight to being concerned with what Hearie America thinks about Gallaudet and Deaf America.
Face it-Hearie America doesnt care about what happens in Deaf America. Why should they-we don't impact on their lives at all. Most have never met a deaf person and couldnt tell you where Gallaudet is located if their life depended on it!!!
Mr. Coyne-- perhaps. But if that was true ("Hearie America doesn't care about what happens in Deaf America"), then why are the newspapers covering it? Why are people bothering to comment on blogs, such as Marc Fisher's? Why would "Not My Tax Dollars" make such an acid observation? Why would people take sign language classes? Why would people react positively or negatively to deaf people they encounter? If you say you're from Gallaudet, and they've heard of the school, they'll comment or say something about it (usually, "Oh, yeah.. the deaf president [King Jordan], right?")
Like it or not, people ARE aware of Gallaudet. This story was heavily covered in the Post, true, but it was in the L.A. Times, it was in the NYT, it was in lots of other papers. People DO read it, and it may not be in the forefront of their minds, but it could pop out years later.
Witness the reactions nationally after DPN-- some of the anecdotes are in the books on the subject-- people getting promotions, or being recognized because of DPN. Think that won't happen or isn't happening again? Wrong.
So while I agree with you to an extent-- the average American couldn't care less, and probably doesn't know where Gallaudet is, *enough* people have and do and CARE that it could affect us down the line. They may not have met a deaf person YET, but what about *tomorrow*?
I could say more on this, but I think that this will do. 
Mr. Coyne-- perhaps. But if that was true ("Hearie America doesn't care about what happens in Deaf America"), then why are the newspapers covering it? Why are people bothering to comment on blogs, such as Marc Fisher's? Why would "Not My Tax Dollars" make such an acid observation? Why would people take sign language classes? Why would people react positively or negatively to deaf people they encounter? If you say you're from Gallaudet, and they've heard of the school, they'll comment or say something about it (usually, "Oh, yeah.. the deaf president [King Jordan], right?")
Like it or not, people ARE aware of Gallaudet. This story was heavily covered in the Post, true, but it was in the L.A. Times, it was in the NYT, it was in lots of other papers. People DO read it, and it may not be in the forefront of their minds, but it could pop out years later.
Witness the reactions nationally after DPN-- some of the anecdotes are in the books on the subject-- people getting promotions, or being recognized because of DPN. Think that won't happen or isn't happening again? Wrong.
So while I agree with you to an extent-- the average American couldn't care less, and probably doesn't know where Gallaudet is, *enough* people have and do and CARE that it could affect us down the line. They may not have met a deaf person YET, but what about *tomorrow*?
I could say more on this, but I think that this will do.
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