Response from Gallaudet Pres. to AFA about BELL! play

Gallaudet President Hurwitz's reply to Audism Free America's letter about the BELL! play being promoted to Gallaudet students

(to see AFA's letter go to http://audismfreeamerica.blogspot.com/2013/09/21-september-2013-dr.html or scroll down below Dr. Hurwitz's letter) 

AFA's original letter to Dr. Hurwitz:

21 September 2013

Dr. T. Alan Hurwitz, President

Gallaudet University

800 Florida Ave NE

Washington, DC 20002

Dear Dr. Hurwitz,

We are contacting you because it has come to our attention that the National Geographic Society’s play, BELL! has been promoted by Gallaudet University and students have been informed of discounted tickets for this event. Perhaps in celebrating Gallaudet’s sesquicentennial there has been a lapse in institutional memory.

In 1891 during a Congressional committee hearing concerning appropriation for a request to establish a teacher training program at your college, AG Bell said: “The employment of deaf teachers is absolutely detrimental to oral instruction, and the training school proposed by President Gallaudet should therefore not be supported by the United States….we cannot trust it to train teachers…” 

When AG Bell addressed the Literary Society at the college he said, “…I am sure there is no one among the deaf who desires to have his affliction handed down to his children.”  These words of such an influential person certainly impacted how Deaf college students and organizations viewed their own future and community.

The world of the play BELL! ignores these and other grave injustices that Alexander Graham Bell has fostered upon Deaf people.  It ignores his systematic attempts to deny Deaf children sign language and efforts to “teach” Deaf people “to forget they are Deaf.”  It ignores his work to abolish Deaf publications, organizations, conventions and schools.   It is a tragic legacy of the father of audism which still “shapes the world we live in today” and which many of your students still experience.

It is appalling to imagine that Deaf college students today are expected to passively accept the sanitized version of “AG Bell the genius inventor” (and what of the plagiarism and forgery charges?) celebrated by the play, BELL!  This appears to be a shameless attempt to eradicate the true history of AG Bell and to minimize the detrimental role he has played in the education of Deaf people.

As an educational institution of higher learning, it is your responsibility to educate your students. Promoting the play without first hosting a forum to educate students about AG Bell sends the wrong message—both to your students and people beyond Gallaudet. 

Unfortunately, the deadlock between your venerable President of 50 years, Dr. Edward Miner Gallaudet and AG Bell did not end with their fight over the establishment of a teacher-training program.  It simply went national, and reverberates even today as your students sit and watch BELL! ignorant of how this man impacted their college, their history, and their lives. 

Let freedom roll!

Ruthie Jordan, Patti Durr and Karen Christie for Audism Free America

Cc:

Genie Gertz, PhD, Dean

College of Arts and Sciences

Catherine Murphy

public.relations@gallaudet.edu

Stephanie Johnston

via sbg@gallaudet.edu 

AFA Source lists on AG Bell

AFA's Source list on the truths about AG Bell.  Scroll down for Facts of AG Bell Card

Sources:

Baynton, Douglas C. Forbidden Signs: American Culture and the Campaign Against Sign Language. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996.

Baynton, Douglas, Jack Gannon, and Jean Lindquist Bergey. Through Deaf Eyes: A Photogrpahic History of an American Community. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press, 2007.

Bell, Alexander Graham Memoir upon the Formation of a Deaf Variety of the Human Race. 1883.

Black, Edwin. War Against the Weak: Eugenics and America's Campaign to Create a Master Race.   NY: Four Walls Eight Windows, 2003.

Branson, Jan and Don Miller.  Damned for Their Difference: The Cultural Construction of Deaf People as Disabled.  Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press, 2002.

Edward, RAR, “Chasing Aleck: The Story of a Dorm”, The Public Historian, Vol. 29, Nov 3, pp. 87-107, Summer 2007.

Gallaudet, Edward Miner. Some Incidents in the Progress of Deaf-Mute Education in America - 1890 - 1895 address at tje Fourteenth Convention of the American Instructors for the Deaf, 1895.  http://handeyes.wordpress.com/2008/05/29/em-gallaudets-full-address-at-caid-re-ag-bell/

Lang, Harry. A Phone of Our Own. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press, 2000.

Lane, Harlan. When the Mind Hears: A History of the Deaf. New York: Random House, 1984.


Lane, Harlan L. The Mask of Benevolence: Disabling the Deaf Community. New York: Knopf, 1992.

Schulman, Seth. The Telephone Gambit: Chasing Alexander Bell’s Secret. New York: W.W. Norton, 2008

Van Cleve, John V. and Barry A. Crouch. A Place of Their Own: Creating the Deaf Community in America. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press, 1989.

Veditz, George, De Moruis Nil Nisi Bonum, Obituary for AG Bell, The Jewish Deaf, October 1922, pp. 13-15.

Veditz, George, Dec. 29, 1909 letter to AG Bell, retrieved 5/18/08 http://memory.loc.gov/mss/magbell/169/16910210/0001.jpg

Veditz, George, February 15, 1915 letter to AG Bell, retrieved 5/18/08 http://memory.loc.gov/mss/magbell/169/16910212/0001i.jpg

Winefield, Richard. Never the Twain Shall Meet: Bell, Gallaudet and the Communication Debate. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press, 1987.

National Geographic Response: Evolving???

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National Geographic's Response to AFA's letter about BELL! play (to see our letter go to this link or scroll down http://audismfreeamerica.blogspot.com/2013/09/18-september-2013-john-m.html)

Dear Karen Christie, Ruthie Jordan and Patti Durr:

Thank you for contacting the National Geographic Society regarding last week’s performance of Jim Lehrer’s “Bell.”

National Geographic is fully aware of the fact that many members of the Deaf community do not hold Bell in high regard.  Instead of avoiding this issue, we chose to address it in the play, and also during a post-performance panel. Dr. Brian Greenwald of Gallaudet University, an expert on deaf culture and history, who is also completing a biography about Bell and the deaf community was a member of the panel.  He mentioned Bell's evolving views on this issue. Whatever Alexander Graham Bell's early views on deafness, please know that National Geographic fully appreciates a supports a culturally diverse world. 

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

Sincerely yours,

Julie Crain

National Geographic Society

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rescor@ngs.org
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AFA's original letter to the National Geographic Society

18 September 2013 

John M. Fahey, Jr.,

President/ CEO

National Geographic Society

1145 17^th Street N.W.

Washington DC 20036-4688

Dear Mr. Fahey,

This letter serves to express serious concerns related to how your organization “reflects the world” through the National Geographic Live: BELL! play. 

The world of the play BELL! ignores the grave injustices that Alexander Graham Bell has fostered upon Deaf people.  It ignores his systematic attempts to deny Deaf children sign language and efforts to “teach” Deaf people “to forget they are Deaf.”  It is acknowledged that AG Bell was the Chief architect and advocate of the oral/aural only method of educating Deaf students in the United States, and

-worked to ban the use of ASL in the classroom

-worked to deny Deaf people the right to be educators

-worked to stop Deaf people from socializing with

and marrying other Deaf people

-worked to abolish Deaf publications, organizations, schools and conventions

Today, we know that pure oralism--the denial of a fully accessible visual language—leads to language and cognitive deprivation as well as lags in social-emotional and identity development.  In practice, many oral/aural only programs have resorted to physical and emotional abuse to stop Deaf children from using sign language or gestures.

In his ‘love for the Deaf,” AG Bell consistently refused to work with our organizations when they reached out to him.  As ex-President of the National Association of the Deaf, George Veditz wrote in AG Bell’s obituary (1922):

“ It was not so much the education of the deaf, per se that Dr. Bell was interested in as the oral method…The deaf as a class have had little cause to love him because of the nature of his interference in their affairs… Dr. Bell’s influence upon the American deaf has been negative. They would have welcomed him with open arms and gloried in his interest in them had this interest been expressed in a manner they could approve. He did not choose this last.‘Tis true, ’tis pity; Pity ’tis, ’tis true.”

As a grassroots Deaf social justice network, Audism Free America (AFA) works to challenge the ideological foundations of audism in America---foundations that were put into place by Alexander Graham Bell.   Audism is attitudes and practices based on the assumption that behaving in the ways of those who speak and hear is desired and best. It produces a system of privilege, thus resulting in stigma, bias, discrimination, and prejudice—in overt or covert ways—against Deaf culture, American Sign Language, and Deaf people of all walks of life.   Sadly, one of the legacies of AG Bell, which still “shapes the world we live in today,” is audism.

Furthermore, it is appalling to learn the Deaf people today are still expected to passively accept the sanitized version of “AG Bell the genius inventor” (and what of the plagiarism and forgery charges?) celebrated by the play, BELL!  The efforts on the part of your organization to promote the play to Gallaudet University students is a shameless attempt to eradicate the true history of AG Bell and to minimize the detrimental role he has played in the education of Deaf people.  Are the students to forget that in 1891 during a congressional committee hearing concerning appropriation for the college, AG Bell criticized the training Deaf teachers as “detrimental?”  Are they to forget he said when addressing Gallaudet students in the past, “…I am sure there is no one among the deaf who desires to have his affliction handed down to his children?”

Your organization professes to “promote the conservation of the world's cultural, historical, and natural resources” and to “care about the planet.”  Does the National Geographic Society today, unlike its second president, care about and appreciate the natural human biodiversity represented by Deaf individuals globally?  We call on you to celebrate your 125 years by making a public statement to Gallaudet students as well as Deaf people worldwide that the National Geographic Society acknowledges the harmful history of AG Bell and today embraces the human, linguistic, economic and civil rights of all peoples—including Deaf people.

Let freedom roll!

Karen Christie, Ruthie Jordan and Patti Durr for Audism Free America

Cc:

Gary E. Knell, next President/CEO

 gknell@ngs.org

Meg Calnan

 mcalnan@ngs.org

Mary Jeanne Jacobsen

 mjacobse@ngs.org

AFA Letter to Dr. Hurwitz of Gallaudet: Promoting BELL!

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21 September 2013

Dr. T. Alan Hurwitz, President

Gallaudet University

800 Florida Ave NE

Washington, DC 20002

Dear Dr. Hurwitz,

We are contacting you because it has come to our attention that the National Geographic Society’s play, BELL! has been promoted by Gallaudet University and students have been informed of discounted tickets for this event. Perhaps in celebrating Gallaudet’s sesquicentennial there has been a lapse in institutional memory.

In 1891 during a Congressional committee hearing concerning appropriation for a request to establish a teacher training program at your college, AG Bell said:  “The employment of deaf teachers is absolutely detrimental to oral instruction, and the training school proposed by President Gallaudet should therefore not be supported by the United States….we cannot trust it to train teachers…” 

When AG Bell addressed the Literary Society at the college he said, “…I am sure there is no one among the deaf who desires to have his affliction handed down to his children.”  These words of such an influential person certainly impacted how Deaf college students and organizations viewed their own future and community.

The world of the play BELL! ignores these and other grave injustices that Alexander Graham Bell has fostered upon Deaf people.  It ignores his systematic attempts to deny Deaf children sign language and efforts to “teach” Deaf people “to forget they are Deaf.”  It ignores his work to abolish Deaf publications, organizations, conventions and schools.   It is a tragic legacy of the father of audism which still “shapes the world we live in today” and which many of your students still experience.

It is appalling to imagine that Deaf college students today are expected to passively accept the sanitized version of “AG Bell the genius inventor” (and what of the plagiarism and forgery charges?) celebrated by the play, BELL!  This appears to be a shameless attempt to eradicate the true history of AG Bell and to minimize the detrimental role he has played in the education of Deaf people.

As an educational institution of higher learning, it is your responsibility to educate your students. Promoting the play without first hosting a forum to educate students about AG Bell sends the wrong message—both to your students and people beyond Gallaudet. 

Unfortunately, the deadlock between your venerable President of 50 years, Dr. Edward Miner Gallaudet and AG Bell did not end with their fight over the establishment of a teacher-training program.  It simply went national, and reverberates even today as your students sit and watch BELL! ignorant of how this man impacted their college, their history, and their lives. 

Let freedom roll!

Ruthie Jordan, Patti Durr and Karen Christie for Audism Free America

Cc:

Genie Gertz, PhD, Dean

College of Arts and Sciences

Catherine Murphy

public.relations@gallaudet.edu

Stephanie Johnston

via sbg@gallaudet.edu 

AFA letter to National Geographic Society about BELL

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18 September 2013 

John M. Fahey, Jr.,

President/ CEO

National Geographic Society

1145 17^th Street N.W.

Washington DC 20036-4688

Dear Mr. Fahey,

This letter serves to express serious concerns related to how your organization “reflects the world” through the National Geographic Live: BELL! play. 

The world of the play BELL! ignores the grave injustices that Alexander Graham Bell has fostered upon Deaf people.  It ignores his systematic attempts to deny Deaf children sign language and efforts to “teach” Deaf people “to forget they are Deaf.”  It is acknowledged that AG Bell was the Chief architect and advocate of the oral/aural only method of educating Deaf students in the United States, and

-worked to ban the use of ASL in the classroom

-worked to deny Deaf people the right to be educators

-worked to stop Deaf people from socializing with

and marrying other Deaf people

-worked to abolish Deaf publications, organizations, schools and conventions

Today, we know that pure oralism--the denial of a fully accessible visual language—leads to language and cognitive deprivation as well as lags in social-emotional and identity development.  In practice, many oral/aural only programs have resorted to physical and emotional abuse to stop Deaf children from using sign language or gestures.

 

In his ‘love for the Deaf,” AG Bell consistently refused to work with our organizations when they reached out to him.  As ex-President of the National Association of the Deaf, George Veditz wrote in AG Bell’s obituary (1922):

“ It was not so much the education of the deaf, per se that Dr. Bell was interested in as the oral method…The deaf as a class have had little cause to love him because of the nature of his interference in their affairs… Dr. Bell’s influence upon the American deaf has been negative. They would have welcomed him with open arms and gloried in his interest in them had this interest been expressed in a manner they could approve. He did not choose this last.‘Tis true, ’tis pity; Pity ’tis, ’tis true.”

As a grassroots Deaf social justice network, Audism Free America (AFA) works to challenge the ideological foundations of audism in America---foundations that were put into place by Alexander Graham Bell.   Audism is attitudes and practices based on the assumption that behaving in the ways of those who speak and hear is desired and best. It produces a system of privilege, thus resulting in stigma, bias, discrimination, and prejudice—in overt or covert ways—against Deaf culture, American Sign Language, and Deaf people of all walks of life.   Sadly, one of the legacies of AG Bell, which still “shapes the world we live in today,” is audism.

Furthermore, it is appalling to learn the Deaf people today are still expected to passively accept the sanitized version of “AG Bell the genius inventor” (and what of the plagiarism and forgery charges?) celebrated by the play, BELL!  The efforts on the part of your organization to promote the play to Gallaudet University students is a shameless attempt to eradicate the true history of AG Bell and to minimize the detrimental role he has played in the education of Deaf people.  Are the students to forget that in 1891 during a congressional committee hearing concerning appropriation for the college, AG Bell criticized the training Deaf teachers as “detrimental?”  Are they to forget he said when addressing Gallaudet students in the past, “…I am sure there is no one among the deaf who desires to have his affliction handed down to his children?”

Your organization professes to “promote the conservation of the world's cultural, historical, and natural resources” and to “care about the planet.”  Does the National Geographic Society today, unlike its second president, care about and appreciate the natural human biodiversity represented by Deaf individuals globally?  We call on you to celebrate your 125 years by making a public statement to Gallaudet students as well as Deaf people worldwide that the National Geographic Society acknowledges the harmful history of AG Bell and today embraces the human, linguistic, economic and civil rights of all peoples—including Deaf people.

Let freedom roll!

Karen Christie, Ruthie Jordan and Patti Durr for Audism Free America

Cc:

Gary E. Knell, next President/CEO

 gknell@ngs.org

Meg Calnan

 mcalnan@ngs.org

Mary Jeanne Jacobsen

 mjacobse@ngs.org

When Taking a Stand...

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When Taking a Stand...

AFA has been hosting events beginning with the 2009 AG Bell Volta Rally.  We would like to share with the community responses to our advocacy. The most inspiring experiences, of course, have been the folks who have shown up with really pure hearts to take a stand for Deaf children’s rights and take a stand against the continued suppression of the language and culture of Deaf people via various institutions/organizations and systems such as AG Bell and EHDI.  These individuals have been amazingly courageous---they have stood on the grounds of their previous oral only schools and institutions in their hometowns and said ‘enough!’  They have rallied at AG Bell conferences in a 100+ degree heat wave; they have marched and celebrated ASL and Deaf pride at our nation’s capital.    These folks have shared their own experiences at vigils and we all have worked together to move ahead as survivors of an audist society.  We celebrate you and you have kept our spirits on the right path.  Thank you for standing.

At the same time, we feel we need to share with all of you other responses to our activism.  In response to the on line article in the Atlantic (http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/08/understanding-deafness-not-everyone-wants-to-be-fixed/278527/), the AG Bell representative accused protestors of having “made bomb threats at a convention center, stormed into conferences, defaced historical property, and harassed parents of children.” 

For the record, since AFA is made up of truth seekers -
1. We have never made any bomb threat at any convention center - it would not be in alignment with our principles of peaceful nonviolent resistance. 

2. We have never stormed into any AG Bell conferences – we did walk into one AG Bell 2011 conference session on Cultural Competency and engage in a peaceful sit-in.  

3. We have not defaced historic property – we did apply a bit of blue painters tape on the AG Bell Volta Bureau’s bronze plaque while a patrol car drove by and a civil rights lawyer was present. Nothing was desecrated or defaced.  Just AG Bell’s true face being shown and that is what they are objecting to.

4. We have not harassed parents – We have stood on sidewalks with signs of truth and flashing “I-LOVE-YOU” waves and we have engaged in honest dialogue with parents. 

We are making the invisible visible and that has resulted in AG Bell Association, a leader in the EHDI movement, and other groups and individuals to categorize us as extremists and lop outrageous and false accusations against us in an effort to discredit and distract.  AG Bell’s defensive reply to the Atlantic article and other attacks against us are indication that we are getting the truth out there.

But though I was initially disappointed at being categorized as an extremist, as I continued to think about the matter I gradually gained a measure of satisfaction from the label. And John Bunyan: "I will stay in jail to the end of my days before I make a butchery of my conscience." And Abraham Lincoln: "This nation cannot survive half slave and half free." And Thomas Jefferson: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal . . . ." So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of justice?

~ Martin Luther King, Jr “Letter From Birmingham Jail” April 16, 1963

Criticism leveled at AFA also happens from Deaf people in the blogspere in response to our events.  We have been criticized for exercising our first amendment rights of freedom of speech and assembly and to petition the Government.  We have been attacked and slandered over standing for justice and equality for all.  The latest attacker is criticizing AFA for not welcoming abusers into our activism.  AFA stands with survivors of oppression such as racism, sexism, heterosexism – not just audism.  It is flabbergasting and disappointing to see Deaf individuals and organizations invest more courage in unjustly criticizing AFA while protecting or ignoring the true oppressors.  Again, we take these defensive reactions as indicators that we are making positive impacts.

 AFA recognizes that some people and/or organizations are not comfortable with soul force, truth force or think it should only be applied selectively.  AFA understands that not everyone is comfortable with peaceful direct confrontation.  We call upon those who are not able to abide by peaceful civil disobedience and truth force, to not become obstructionists or detractors. 

In looking back to 50 years ago this month and the civil rights march on Washington,  Martin Luther King Jr. said, “In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds.”  We, AFA, have been striving truthfully to follow this principle and we express our heartfelt gratitude to all of you who have stood with us. 

AFA Rally Part 1

Ruthie Jordan shares the events that took place on July 18, 2013 at the Omni and the AFA rallies at the AG Bell Symposium.  Text summary below the video box.  To see schedule of events to July 19 and 20 go to http://audismfreeamerica.blogspot.com/2013/07/afa-la-rallies-schedule-tentative.html


http://www.youtube.com/user/AudismFreeAmerica?feature=watch

Ruthie Jordan explains that in walking through Omni hotel to find the restaurant & bar, Judy Harrison, AG Bell Program director, called Omni hotel security on her.  Security and Judy Harrison proceeded to follow and surveillance Ruthie as she sat peacefully having a drink in the Omni cafe.  Security spoke at Ruthie without any attempt to make their words accessible until Ruthie requested they get an interpreter or write.  They returned with Judy H. and an interpreter.  Security questioned her numerous times if she had a room in the Omni.  Each time Ruthie assured them she did and was just waiting for the 3 pm check in time.  (Note: Ruthie had already asked the Cafe server if non-Omni hotel guests could patron the Cafe which is situated as part of the Omni hotel and the Plaza space and the Cafe rep. said yes.)  Finally security, Judy H and the interpreter left Ruthie to enjoy her drink in peace.  She checked into her room at 3 pm and then met Deaf rally folks with open arms and hugs before the 5 pm Rally.

Ruthie reports that the rally went beautifully with some KODAs signing ASL IS A GIFT, Jon Savage sharing a poem, John Maucere performing and leading a chant, Guy Wonder giving a wonderful message and more.  People created signs and posters.  There police cars had arrived and Ruthie checked in with them ensuring that AFA was aware of the rules in using the public sidewalks - no obstructing of traffic and being peaceful. 

At one point the hotel manager had come out and even sent out staff to try to block AFA ralliers away from people exiting the hotel.  The managers behavior was reminiscent of the Marriot Hotel manager at the first AG Bell protest in VA hosted by DBC in 2009.  At one point the hotel security came out with Judy Harrison, AG Bell Program director, and she proceeded to try to interpret for the security.  Ruthie made it clear that there were ASL certified and qualified interpreters at the rally and at no point should the security or police utilize AG Bell staff members as interpreters.  The peaceful protest is a direct confrontation to illuminate the truths of AG Bell's conduct and practices and for security or the police to use an uncertified staff member of AG Bell Association to interpreter what Deaf ASL people are signing to the police or security opens things up for the Deaf peaceful protestors words to be twisted or misunderstood.  Ruthie explained to Judy Harrison that it is not right for her to take up this role of being "interpreter."  Ruthie also explained to the hotel manager and security that their treatment of Deaf ASL people - speaking at them or pulling at them - is not acceptable as we are not animals and should be treated as humans.  They simply either need to get an ASL interpreter or write.  She asked what they would do to insure no further mishaps take place the next day and they said they would be posting notes of what areas are restricted to AG Bell conference registrants only and will not be physical but rather write or get an interpreter if needed.

As the hotel manager and security walked away the police asked the hotel manager why she was behaving in the manner that she was - sending out staff to control people's movement out on the sidewalk and approaching the protestors outside etc.  She evasively said she was just doing her job and wasnt in favor of AG Bell or anything but just doing her job.  The police officer explained that it is THEIR - the Police - job to make sure traffic is not obstructed on the side walk and everything is in order at the rally - it is NOT the hotel or security's job. 

Ruthie gives her heartfelt appreciation to all the people who attended the rally, performed, made signs, stood and for all the members of our community who took pictures signing STAND or other artwork and posted them online in solidarity.  Ruthie explains AFA's commitment to PEACE and Justice and that is the strongest thing in the world.  She explains todays schedule of morning rally at Advanced bionic, afternoon at House Ear Institute, and evening vigil at John Tracy Clinic where candles will be lit for all the survivors of Oralism and cochlear implants.  We will also light a candle for John T. Williams, Native American Deaf woodcarver who was killed by a cop and for Trayvon Martin in solidarity with all injustice. 

Ruthie concludes with a message of gratitude, inspiration, peace and love as we STAND against audism.

Let Freedom Roll

AFA Announcements

AFA Announcements

Audism Free America, AFA, wishes to express our heartfelt upset, dismay, and shock at the George Zimmerman verdict of not guilty for the murder of Trayvon Martin.  We call upon members of our community to stand in unity with the Martin family against this injustice.  Hood up.

July 20th, 2013 - 12:00 PM "Justice for Trayvon" National Day of Action Vigils in 100 Cities (including Los Angeles) Federal Court Buildings Nationwide.

At the July 19th vigil - AFA will light candles in memory of Trayvon Martin and John T. Williams (Native American Deaf woodcarver who was killed by a cop)and others.

For the AFA L.A. rallies and events - pls wear black, yellow or blue.
Black is for mourning the suffering and loss of members of our community and represents strengths
Yellow is for caution against the Bermuda Triangle of Oralism and also a sign of hope in resistance
Blue is for Deafhood (Deafhood is about challenging audism and celebrating Deaf gain)

URGENT: The A-Deaf Team van was in an accident and is totaled. The A-Deaf team members are OK but unsure if they can get to LA. Pls make posters and banners to bring to the L.A. rallies - the A-Dream Team van was carrying banners, posters and flags for the rallies.  Also pls keep your thoughs on the A-Deaf Team members - that no serious injuries pop up later.

Join the AFA L.A. CA rallies at AGBAD LSL Symposium facebook page for more info as it comes in at https://www.facebook.com/events/498019840271640/ or follow AFA on twitter @endaudism

 L.A. Rallies schedule: http://audismfreeamerica.blogspot.com/2013/07/afa-la-rallies-schedule-tentative.html 

 

AFA L.A. Rallies Schedule - Tentative

“I hope that we all will love and guard our beautiful sign language as the noblest gift God has given to deaf people.” 

~ George W. Veditz (1913)

Note - schedule is subject to change

July 18, 2013 Thursday 5pm - 9 pm 

AG Bell LSL Symposium

Omni Hotel 251 South Olive street, Los Angeles, CA 

Peaceful protest of the AG Bell LSL (language and spoken communication) which mandates Deaf children be denied visual acuity and American Sign Language

July 19, 2013 Friday 10:00 am to 12 pm 

Advanced Bionics 

28515 Westinghouse Place, Valencia, CA 

Peaceful protest against Advanced Bionics – a cochlear implant company which has been find by the Food & Drug Administration, sued by parents for $7.25 million dollars for shocking their Deaf daughter due to a leak in the seal of the internal part and had numerous recalls of past devices (one of which has a positioner for the internal part near the brain and lead to infections and deaths)

2:30pm to 430pm 

House Research Institute

2100 W. 3rd Street LA, CA Peaceful protest of this institute which advocates for eradicating Deaf people and promotes a “medical cure” over language and cultural opportunities and rights.

530pm to 9pm 

John Tracy Clinic

806 West Adams Blvd Los Angeles, CA 

Vigil in memory of Deaf children who have suffered under the John Tracy Clinic’s method which denies sign language and visual acuity.

July 20, 2013 Saturday 10:30 am to 3 pm 

AG Bell LSL Symposium 

Omni Hotel 251 South Olive street, Los Angeles, CA 

Peaceful protest of the AG Bell LSL (language and spoken communication) which mandates Deaf children be denied visual acuity and American Sign Language

July 20, 2013 Saturday 7pm to 10pm

Deaf Victories Forum 

UCLA, 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095

DODD Building – Room #170 

(http://maps.ucla.edu/campus/) and type "DODD BUILDING" and you will see the building on the map.

Presentations and closing of the L.A. Events

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Audism Free America’s Three Demands:

• AGBell Association, John Tracy Clinic, House Research Institute, and Advance Bionics stop excluding a natural and fully accessible language (American Sign Language - ASL) from Deaf children, and

• Stop misinforming the public and the media about Deaf people, and 

• Stop the incestuous relationship with cochlear implant manufacturers and

LSL programs.

Resources:

-the ASL petition to the White House officially recognize ASL as a community language and language of instruction in schools (see https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/officially-recognize-american-sign-language- community-language-and-language-instruction-schools/CRPw2JLk)

-the movement toward ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities which would ensure justice and equality for Deaf infants, youth and adults in areas of expression, access, education, and employment (see: http://audismfreeamerica.blogspot.com/2012/07/urge-ur-us-senators-to-ratify-un- crpd.html).

-the 2010 International Congress on the Education of the Deaf’s historical announcement rejecting an 1880 resolution banning sign language in the education of the Deaf people. In addition, the Congress expressed regrets concerning the 130 years of detrimental effects of this resolution and called upon all nations to ensure a new era of respecting all languages and promoting collaboration with Deaf citizens (see: http://deafbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/ICED-Document.pdf)

The linguistic, cultural and human rights of Deaf children have been asserted by a number of International bodies including the United Nations (UN), the World Health Organization/World Bank (WHO), the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD), and the International Convention on the Education of the Deaf (ICED). (see http://audismfreeamerica.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2011-12-30T17:45:00- 05:00&max-results=5&start=5&by-date=false