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In 1878, a group of about 26 French Oralists
gathered to set up a "steering committee" with the goal of establishing an "International convention of educators of the Deaf".
That group had an agenda: to support Oralism for ALL Deaf children.
Two years later, they held their convention in Milan, Italy in 1880.
At this convention, they made their agenda clear: That they were there to support Oralism.
How many Deaf people were there at that convention? One.
That Deaf person did try to take the stand to discuss why Oralism does not work,
but the President and others running the convention
dismissed him and Deaf people as having nothing worthwhile to say,
and would not let him take the stand to make his points.
Even Edward Miner Gallaudet wanted to take the stand to discuss the issue,
and the Oralists wanted to suppress his testimony, but they couldn't,
because EMG was too famous, so they had to grudgingly allow him to speak.
After he spoke, they just nodded their heads and went ahead with their plan to pass the Milan Resolutions.
Twenty years later, that group called another convention in Paris
with the goal of ratify the Milan Resolutions.
This time, the Deaf people were forewarned,
and so they went in great numbers to Paris to counteract the vote
Over 200 Deaf people went to this 1900 Convention in Paris --
This group of 200 Deaf people greatly outnumbered the Hearing Oralists there.
This meant that they could vote the resolutions down and overturn them.
So what did the Oralists do? When the Deaf arrived to register for the convention,
they told the Deaf people "Sorry, you're Deaf. You don't belong here. Shoo!"
The Deaf repressed their feelings, and held their own convention at a hotel next door.
Meanwhile, the Oralists were free to go ahead and ratify the Milan Resolutions.
More than 130 years later,
we have now another group established by a Hearing person, who handpicked people to establish
a "steering committee" to establish a convention to discuss issues in Deaf education.
On this "steering committee", how many are Deaf? Two:
Drs. Steve *** and Jamie Tucker.
All the others are Hearing.
Most of them support Oralism, Cued Speech, SEE, Cochlear Implants, AVT, and so on.
Do any of them support ASL or Bilingual Education? I doubt there are very many.
What does this mean?
Once again, the Deaf perspective will be too easily suppressed.
I don't know what the ultimate goal of this convention is supposed to be.
You can read about this convention in the link below.
It looks to me like again, History is repeating itself.
Again, Hearing people are deciding ABOUT Deaf people, FOR Deaf people.
and WITHOUT Deaf people.
Anything Deaf people might have to say can be dismissed .
This "steering committee" or "think tank" is CLOSED to the public,
which means that not only are we not involved, we have no opportunity to WATCH and be sure they're doing the right thing.
See my shirt?
This committee, like anything about Deaf people, should involve a MAJORITY of Deaf people.
Nothing about us, without us!
For us, BY US!
Not "For us, by others".
Are we going to allow these Hearing people to decimate our community, our culture, our language,
without our full and equal representation?
Will we allow these "false prophets who know nothing
of the Deaf's souls, hearts and bodies"
and let them determine our future?