Originally Posted by Buffalo

Cheri, I am sorry if I come across as judgmental. To tell the truth, I am baffled about how my comment could come across as judgmental. I would talk with people if they use ASL, PSE or even SEE. It is just that I prefer ASL as sometimes one would says something in ASL that hits me hard as I don't ever see anything like that in SEE/PSE. Berry said similiar thing in ""ASL, SEE, PSE, etc" thread and it didn't sounded like that you were that upset with Berry as you were with me.

I checked out your old posts to get the feel of who you are. It sounds like you are in your 30's because you have 2 boys. It won't be long before I hit the big '50'. I am telling you abit about me so you'll understand where I am coming from. I went to a deaf day school for the deaf. It was oral back then and that was also in the days of the corporal punishment. Teachers would punished us for any infractions including sign language. There was a particular teacher who would use a piece of wood, the size of a blackboard eraser, to rapped our hands for any infractions including sign language. I read your post in "Shut up and sign!!!!" thread, post #10: I agree with that two-way street bit. I did learn to speak for my family and did they learn sign language for me (especially that my eyesight could go bad later on)????? No, they made no attempt in learning the sign language. So where is the two way street? You are seeing Newton's third law in action. I am going all the way to ASL. SEE and PSE were invented by the hearing people who took Deaf people's ASL and change it. I just don't want the hearing people messing with Deaf people's way. When I read 'When the Mind Hears" by Harlan Lane, I was surprised that Clerc spoke of the same thing in his school. The French sign language had been changed by the hearing teachers. Nothing is new under the sun.

My best friend is hearing and she doesn't know any sign language. I appreciate her for leading a straight live (no drugs, no immoral behavior, etc) which in turn influenced me. She came from Mormon family and I came from non-practicing Catholic family. I know her ever since we were very little.

I am a big believer in Education for the Deaf. I believe that English is very important. The kids need to be taught over and over that ASL can't be written down and that English is a completely different language. Hence, I believe that the Bi-Bi method is the way to go. It is all because I got a substandard education in that oral day school.

I went to a deaf high school where sign language is allowed. Much better there. I can be impatient at times like this one: I was trying to hurry the principal along for my first(?) driving lesson. He (he's a catholic priest) said to me "Whoa! Whoa! Rome wasn't built in one day, so be patient". I said "No, but Rome sure was burned down in one night".

The one post of yours, I like the best came from "The Last Verdict: The Final Judgment" thread, post #101... Rubella had found my family at the wrong time and that caused my deafness. I have nothing against the rubella because it followed the law of nature. I did learn what it is like to be deaf. I learned that the oral only method is not good for all deafs, especially those with profound hearing loss. I learn that the hearing people still has too much power over the deaf people and I want to change that. If the deaf person has the knack and motive to speak, that person should go for it but s/he shouldn't forget the ASL. I also learned that deafness is not the problem, it is the certain hearing people who made things difficult for us. Oral-only philosophy, discrimination, etc.