First Historical AGBell Protest
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Deaf Bilingual Coalition to Protest AG Bell’s Summer Conference
HAM LAKE, Minn., July 10, 2007 – Does the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AG Bell) promote a damaging, outdated ideology? Yes, says the Deaf Bilingual Coalition–and it’s time for the organization to recognize American Sign Language(ASL) as the only genuine cognitive language for the deaf. To that end, the Coalition has organized a protest of AG Bell’s summer conference in Arlington, Va., July 27-28.
Founded in 1887, AG Bell has always promoted Dr. Bell’s belief that deaf children should not be taught the use of sign language. Today, according to AG Bell’s Web site, the 501(c)(3) organization is “a lifelong resource, support network and advocate for listening, learning, talking and living independently with hearing loss.â€
That seems pretty positive, however, AG Bell’s refusal to introduce parents of deaf children to a visual language(ASL) has proven harmful.
“Alexander Graham Bell’s ideology was to have all deaf children learn oral communication methods and eliminate any form of visual language,†explained John F. Egbert, deaf author and founder of the Deaf Bilingual Coalition. “We are letting AG Bell know that philosophy must be revised. Thousands upon thousands of deaf people’s English language and education have gone downhill since 1880. That trend must be reversed.â€
Egbert understands this firsthand. Born deaf to hearing parents in 1947, he was introduced to speech therapy early on. Egbert speaks as clearly as any hearing person, something less than 2% of the deaf population can do. And he is passionate about making sure today’s deaf children have the opportunity to learn a visual language–the opportunity he was denied.
The task before him is not easy. AG Bell receives significant financial support from the Volta Bureau. The Volta Bureau’s bylaws, written by Alexander Graham Bell himself, state that if AG Bell ever promotes the use of sign language, it will cease to receive funding from the Volta Bureau.
But Egbert is not about to give up. “This protest is the first step toward future prosperity for deaf children,†he stated. “Deaf children deserve a cognitive language and better education with bilingual programs. The deaf community will no longer accept AG Bell’s discrimination against sign language(ASL). Just as there is a place in our community for the oral method, so is there a place for cognitive visual language.â€
The Deaf Bilingual Coalition will peacefully protest AG Bell’s “Talk for a Lifetime Summer Conference†at the Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington, Va., July 27 and 28, 2007. To learn more, contact Egbert at egbertpress@mac.com.
About John F. Egbert
John F. Egbert is the author of MindField (ISBN 978-0595421589, iUniverse, Inc., http://www.egbertpress.com), a fast-paced suspense novel in which a terrorist cell unleashes a virulent bacteria on the U.S., causing millions of Americans to become deaf almost overnight. The book is available at Amazon.com.
Contact:
John F. Egbert
Egbert Press
egbertpress@mac.com
http://www.egbertpress.com
More information about meetings in Washington DC coming.
Your protest will be watched heavily and used against visual communication zeals.
Comment by gnubber — July 11, 2007 @ 1:19 am
I was born with nerve deafness. At age 5 I was enrolled into Davison School of Speech in Decatur, Georgia. Using hand gestures was forbidden. Whoever got caught using hand gestures got punished. Punishments were severe. Standing in a corner with hands in back for an hour. Turn around, get an extra 30 minutes. There were no second chances. We all became obedient from the headstart.
We hid and used hand gestures. It was scary. This type of life…espionage-styled atmosphere and sneaking around in the name of Freedom became Deaf Children’s well known way of life before the age of 6 and before the age of 10.
We, the Deaf Children of all centuries will always find a way to use hand gestures. The hand gestures we used at Davison School of Speech was not ASL. Students before us invented it and we carried it on.
AG, Volta Bureau and other organizations against ASL and all forms of hand gestures lost the war since Time began.
It is time for these organizations to meld with the DEAF WORLD. Once they meld, wonderful things…………amazing acceleration in education.
I talk Engish. I write English. I sign ASL which has no effect on my English the tinest bit. I am a living proof against any theory claiming a Deaf Person cannot talk if allowed to use ASL.
I can contacted through my e mail address Wandadaxx1@aol.com for exhibition and for speaker engagements. I will talk for everyone to hear my voice and my speech.
Stanford University tested my hearing when I was a small child. The conclusion: Unknown. It is not hereditary.
No one can stop small Deaf Children from inventing hand gestures for the sake of a freedom to use total communications.
To prevent Deaf Children from using hand gestures resulting corporal punishments is a state of totalitarianism in existence in the United States of America. The state of totalitarianism for Deaf Children AND for Deaf Adults has always existed in the United States of America.
Comment by Wanda — August 6, 2007 @ 7:37 am
Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts. It is always great pleasure to read your posts.
Comment by Ann — August 27, 2007 @ 5:35 am