I am LIVID. No, make that BEYOND LIVID. PepsiCo decided to affirm natural signed languages by airing a 60-minute SuperBowl ad (found here: http://www.pepsi.com/bobshouse/) featuring ASL users looking for a friend’s house. I was thrilled to pieces, because there is so much media attention focused on “the miracle of cochlear implants” and on speaking deaf children. I thought to myself, “Finally! Some balance!” This post is not about whether implants are right or wrong. It is about balance in the media, so please do NOT insist that I’m some militant who hates implants, okay?
Well, it took AGBell all of one week to decide that they had to start an e-mail campaign objecting and urging its members to contact Pepsi to protest the “lack of diversity” and, in AGBell’s own words from the e-mail they sent out, “…to educate the public…and promote appreciation for those individuals that go above and beyond to overcome the absence of something many of us take for granted – the miracle of sound.” I am appalled and disgusted at AGBell and any members who support this absurd course of action.
I have never, ever, not once ever seen ASL advocates argue for ASL WITHOUT English. Everyone I’ve talked to who promotes ASL ….ALSO…. believes in the importance of the Deaf child acquiring English. We see TV shows and movies show Deaf characters/people speaking ALMOST EVERY TIME. We don’t start mass e-mails urging people to contact the sponsors of that show/movie to apologize for the lack of diversity, for perpetuating a myth (even though they do!), and to, twist their quote, promote appreciation for those individuals that go above and beyond to immerse themselves in a beautiful world and a beautiful language. (but, hey, maybe we should!)
I’m not going to sink to their level by calling them names or calling them wrong, even though AGBell’s argument is ridiculous. The message is already out there in many, many ways that there are deaf people who don’t sign. I’ll just let the facts speak for themselves and I’ll call for a more positive course of action.
This is a call for action for you to contact PepsiCo, thanking them for promoting diversity and for giving ASL the attention it rarely gets, and whatever else comes to mind.
Here is the URL: http://www.pepsiusa.com/help/help.php?or=
And let’s call on the NAD to take STRONG action: http://www.nad.org/site/apps/ka/ct/contactus.asp?c=foINKQMBF&b=2296273&en=dvJVK8PLKdLQJ2NMIfIZJaPOIfIZJfOTLoK1IhN3LuJ9KsK
I’d also like to call on signing AGBell members to speak up. Is this okay with you that your organization did this? I’m wondering whether you’re questioning the entity you’ve joined and supported? If you object, use your status as a member to speak up within AGBell.
(FYI – I’m too furious to allow comments at all. I just do not want to deal with hearing moms telling me I’m wrong, or deaf Uncle Toms telling me I need to be open to diversity. I am. I’m just objecting to AGBell’s action and to the general imbalance in the media about us. I apologize to anyone else who wants to comment and ask for your understanding.)
