Double Standard? About "My Son Is Deaf, Finally!" Video...

[cat2cute]

Let's say it's the year 2050, a simple pill could cure any deafness. Would you take it ? ? Or how about this a pill that could turn anybody deaf, would you take it? I think majority of the people would agree taking the cure for deafness would be benefical. Screw the deaf pride propaganda that C.I. is evil.

[ashNpaul909]

@ bokoNOM-- I'm a CODA (child of deaf adult). U may think of it as "TAKING something" and "GIVING something", but... to decide to have ur child receive the CI, u feel as if ur GIVING them a "gift", but to remove a child's Coc is STEALING? I assume ur hearing urself.....? A child that is NATURALLY born deaf, was meant to be that way, & by TAKING away their deafness, ur TAKING a gift from them. A gift of a different culture than what is preceived to be "normal". Ur taking away the oportunity

[CaptAwesome7]

@ashNpaul909 in response to your first paragraph, You're a fucking moron. are you trying to say that people born with illnesses and birth defects shouldn't seek help? of course hearing is a fucking gift. what do you gain from being deaf that you couldn't achieve with hearing? put fucking ear plugs in for one day and see how miserable it is not hearing anything.

[phaze101200oo]

Why are so many people against giving some one a chance? Are you telling me that if you were implanted at a early age and could hear and found out that you were supposed to be deaf you would choose not to hear your baby speak? I wear CI on both sides and love them.

[Dallas537186]

I agree with you partial but I still do very against both things: 1. hearing-to-deaf for hearing children 2. cochlear implant. God created the way and leave them alone as natural.

[RightASL]

HEARING HAVE NO COMMON SENSE!

[sabslack]

my thought is biologically if someone is deaf they are deaf having a CI is hardly saying someone can hear... but it does put the deaf person in an interesting place, they would most likely be Hearing culturally but deaf physically so who are they? Anyway I don't know if what I just said is even clear to other people that will be reading it. In my opinion there is something wrong with saying "my son/daughter is hearing now, finally!" so wrong to me that it was even hard to type...

[rossyfox]

@sabslack It is entirely possible to introduce hearing children to Deaf culture at a young age. Unless, of course, Deaf culture decides to reject all people with CI.

[BokoNOM]

And to the author of this video: "What's wrong with this picture?"

You can compare it to stealing and giving someone a gift..

If you take something away from someone (the capability to hear), you're stealing from them.

If you give something to someone (capability to hear), you're giving them a gift.

You cannot compare the 2 considering they are morally different..

It's like finding out you have cancer because you smoke, then forcing your children to smoke so they get cancer too.

[ACastill09]

@BokoNOM To you it may seem like a gift in comparison to the Deaf, however they may not feel the same way. Deafness should not, in any way be compared to cancer when most Deaf don't even consider it a handicap, which I agree with. And saying the two are morally different is just furthering the double standard. They are not that different. Look at it from a Deaf perspective.

[1RavynSkye]

@BokoNOM Or you're stealing the child's CHOICE away from them, and also the right they were born with to learn ASL and live in a Deaf Culture which fully accepts them. Cochlear Implants do not give a person 'normal' hearing, and in order for them be successful you have to do BRAIN SURGERY (not ear, BRAIN) on a kid, some as young as six months old. You can't compare Deafness to cancer as Deafness doesn't kill you and many Deaf people do not consider themselves to be 'missing' anything important.

[ashNpaul909]

@BokoNOM-- I can't locate my original posting but... to say ur "giving them a gift" and "stealing from them" isn't really the case here. I'm a CODA myself, & I see BOTH sides.Deaf look @ it as-we're GIVING them a gift, the gift of being DEAF! The gift to sign, the gift to use all ur other functioning senses. Just as a child born deaf & forced 2 have the CI, ur STEALING the gift of deafness & gift of using ASL. The ONLY thing a hearing person can do that a deaf can not-is hold a PHONE 2 their ear

[ashNpaul909]

@BokoNOM cont--- they're ALL "gifts" in their own way. It's how 1 CHOOSES to see a "gift". I always wanted my father to HEAR my voice (as a child), but now as an adult, I know he WILL hear it, when we're in Heaven. But he knows my laugh, my smile, my tears, my pain, my joy, etc. And he SINGS : ) he was just in the local cape gazette in delaware, photo & article, about being a DEAF MAN THAT SINGS in his church choir. N watching him sing w/his hands is the most beautiful thing I've EVER HEARD : )

[ashNpaul909]

@BokoNOM cont---- Just as hearing ppl think they're NORMAL & wouldn't want to be deaf, a deaf sees themself as "normal" and wouldn't want to hear. It's a touchy subject & every1 has OPINIONS as to what they see as NORMAL, or a gift, or a loss. But I think being deaf is beautiful. I wouldn't want my parents in any other way. Wld I force my child the gift of deafness if born hearing? NO. But would I force my child the gift of hearing if born deaf? NO. God makes them that way for a REASON!

[ashNpaul909]

@BokoNOM cont--- and if 1 chooses to TAKE what God GAVE them, ur ruining his creation and creature. It's not the same as having cancer, not even close! So think abt it frm a different perspective. Some ppl (kids mostly) make fun of a deaf person b/c they speak w/their hands, but when I was a kid, I was making fun of those who CAN'T speak w/their hands : ) Singing in my little girl voice, "nanny, nanny, boo-boo, ha ha haha ha, u can't talk w/ur hands & IIIIII CCAAAAANNNN"... : ) Think b4 u speak!

[snowb99]

You want people to accept deafness, though you don't accept the CI. There is nothing wrong with being deaf. Though you should understand there is nothing wrong with CI.

It's just a different choice. There are many choices you will face in life and many you will see others make that you disagree with. Shunning someone for something they believe will improve the quality of their (or their child's) life is wrong ... even if their belief is wrong.

[1RavynSkye]

@snowb99 I don't think most Deaf people are rejecting the person with the CI... They are upset that that person's parents likely made the choice for them; and that the people with CIs grow up learning to reject Deaf culture and ASL in favor of oral training. I'm a CODA and if my child was born deaf, I would NOT implant my child. The risk of invasive BRAIN surgery (not ear, BRAIN) is not worth the "benefit", because CIs don't give a person "normal" speech-range hearing anyway.

[AJ3389]

The difference is that deaf children have a physical defect. Hearing children, at least as far as their ears go, don't.

Deafness is not a culture. It's not a physical variation like skin, hair or eye colour. It's a broken ear, nothing more, nothing less. It's fine to be concerned about the medical implications of putting in the implant, but don't you dare suggest it's okay to deny your child the ability to hear because you did just fine without it.

[bunny7161]

well, hearing folks do not accept deaf child. because deaf child cannot speak without sound. therefore, They do not wish deaf child at all.. Some hearing do not like using sign language or rusty voice.

[brabon1]

as i get older my vision is getting worse...should i chose not to wear glasses and learn braille?

this is a mostly hearing world

ci is a tool to help those who cannot hear get along in a mostly hearing world...thats it

if you choose not to get ci for your kids...fine

but dont condemn those that do

[1RavynSkye]

@brabon1 Your glasses aren't the same as invasive BRAIN SURGERY being done on a child where the risks are great and often times the benefit is very low. Speech-range hearing is rare to recover and with CI's the implants that are done younger are the "most" successful; but, I'm not doing invasive surgery on my six-month old just so they can MAYBE hear when there is a rich and wonderful Deaf culture out there.

[mavacat]

I AGREE WITH YOU!

[jjester999]

Well, I agrees with this host here. I see the host's point as well as James's. I do not like the idea about the deaf parents trying to take away the healthy babies' hearing. I am also hard of hearing. I born hearing. I used to be. illness issue. It disappointed me that i will never be hearing again. I always wish that I will be hearing one day. I have this naturally desire that I WANTS to be hearing. ME. I WANT TO BE HEARING because so i can communicate easily with hearing people all around me.

[lovejunior19]

I am CI user and doesn't enjoy it at all. i got it since i was 7 year old and never has understand any words at all no matter how hard i tried to learn hear things or words. and im fully deaf and i wish i never got the CI first place but yes i know i wanted to know what its like to hear things out of my quite world wheres there no sounds but i won't give CI to my deaf kids in future so i rather let them be normal people cuz thats who we r and god choice us to be.

[firegirlemtcop]

I am hearing ASL student and I completely agree that deaf children should not be made to be hearing. We do not take a blind child and say, have surgery with big painful things implanted in your eyes and make you see! I don't understand why it is so difficult for hearing parents to learn ASL for deaf children. Deaf ASL-users learn English for the hearing world, and it is OK for Spanish/English families to have bilingual kids, why not Deaf/Hearing families?

[BokoNOM]

@firegirlemtcop As far as I know, it's not yet possible (feasible) to give vision to a blind person.. that's the only reason you don't hear much about that. If we could, we would..

You shouldn't take something away from someone just because you don't have it, it's completely selfish.

English is a dominant language in this word compared to sign language.. if you were to go abroad you'd face complications considering a lot of people don't learn sign language..

[grandma2jam]

Ditto to bluedragon674! I am the hearing mom of a deaf son and granddaughter. I only learned SEE and I so wish my brain was not at middle age so I could learn ASL. My granddaughter's hearing mom, got her bilateral CIs. I am happy to talk to my granddaugther but I think it is sooo sad that her mom has gotten a judge to decree that she must wear CIs ALL the time and never be deaf! The mom has filed contempt of court charges against my deaf son too. What do you think of that!

[myangelica02]

hey I am Filipina Deaf & my husband's America Deaf also but my daughter is hearing, she's 2 yrs old nw!.. we don't want to her ears surgery to make deaf so we will teach her learn how to ASL cuz my husband have 3 daughters hearing from his ex-wife and they're already grow up SO his 3 daughters are skilled ASL and help deaf for interpreter that's better. we let her hearing learn how to ASL! clear understand.. my parent hearing love me so much cuz I am special deaf and my 3 brothers hearing..

[myangelica02]

hey I am Filipina Deaf & my husband's America Deaf also but my daughter is hearing, she's 2 yrs old nw!.. we don't want to her ears surgery to make deaf so we will teach her learn how to ASL cuz my husband have 3 daughters hearing from his ex-wife and they're already grow up SO his 3 daughters are skilled ASL and help deaf for interpreter that's better. we let her hearing learn how to ASL! clear understand.. my parent hearing love me so much cuz I am special deaf and my 3 brothers hearing..

[TheJudy40]

Sorry, I can't understand a word he's saying and neither can 95% of people with hearing loss.

[Banerika]

TheJudy40, that's so sad that you never learned ASL. It's such a fascinating and beautiful language. Luckily, you can take classes if you want to know what he's saying. That's what I did! You can learn at any time!

[jgoujon]

@TheJudy40 He is pretty clear to me. I would try and type it all out for you but that would take forever ;)

[Dollydale]

Dfcs should charge hearing parents for getting their deaf children to become cochlear implants,,,,the children are not at legal age to make their own decision ,,,,but parents do what they want to kids it is not 100% guarentee that it works and we born should leave as natural as we are ,,,,,,,,

[ROCKU999]

if you 4 year old son is blind and there is a surgery to make him see again, would you wait till he is 18 to have the surgery ?...................

if you 4 year old son crippled and there is a surgery to make him walk again, would you wait till he is 18 to have the surgery ?

....

if you 4 year old son is has cleft lip and there is a surgery to make him look normal again, would you wait till he is 18 to have the surgery ?

[treeman15]

You make good points but it's the deaf culture we cherish. Are there blind, hare-lipped, cripple culture??

[treeman15]

You make good points but it's the deaf culture we cherish. Are there blind, hare-lipped, cripple culture??

[PWR7549]

@ROCKU999

Gee, you can teach your kids to learn to speak in American Sign Language..

You can teach crippled kid to learn how to walk as much possible. None of doctors can play God to fix their body.

You can teach a blind kid to learn to read a book with braille.

Doctor can fix cleft lip at any age! He will have nothing to lose but delaying his time.

[ROCKU999]

if you 4 year old son is blind and there is a surgery to make him see again, would you wait till he is 18 to have the surgery ?...................

if you 4 year old son crippled and there is a surgery to make him walk again, would you wait till he is 18 to have the surgery ?

....

if you 4 year old son is has cleft lip and there is a surgery to make him look normal again, would you wait till he is 18 to have the surgery ?

[HenCucco]

I think that it's not something that can be compared equally on both sides. Turning a hearing child deaf does not equate the same thing as turning a deaf child hearing.

Raising a child with a certain culture and language is one thing. Removing a part or a function of their body to force that to happen is something else.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not sold on CI's at all. I don't think I'd ever allow a child of mine to have one.

I just disagree with your comparison. It's not apples to apples.

[RLove52]

The vlog is a well point made!!! Need to protect deaf children period!

[beepamy11]

Your response was very clear and has a valid point. I like that. Thanks for sharing.

[bluedragon674]

that's awesome video and yea i agree with u that's good point and u should put subtitle on it so hearing people can understand u if u know what i mean thanks :) have a good nite dude and nice to meet ya

[HighAway]

Let say we're actually living life on E A R T H.

We all born with ears... but with dysfunctional ears!

[wildstarfuture]

I'm deaf and 4th deaf generation.. I remembered how pissy I was looking at "my son is deaf, finally" but I'm glad to watch it all the way and found it is funny! but great point! however you said something is wrong with this? no it isn't since our life is in "Hearing society" so they think hearing is better way to blend in our society than being deaf.

cheers!

and pls WATCH that issue before you RANT! watch it all .. that person who called social service embarrassed him!

[pahman1954]

I agree with him

[kisuketimu]

Interesting, thanks for sharing with us.

If my future children are hearing, I won't make them to be deaf, so I can teach them sign language for sure. =)

[eaviio]

wow .

[pahman1954]

I agree with you 100 % I am deaf since birth. I am married to deaf woman and have 3 hearing sons. You know Deaf people always in shadow,means deaf people find out or learn news in last, ( in work ) Deaf rarely find out before hearing people hearing. You know what I mean. I always say That is hearing joke who do not understand deaf culture. James's prank story is BIG HIT and Wake CALL BUT good point ! CI and deafness are always in HOT issues ! ASL and SEE also are in HOT issues !

[pinkulla1]

wish i could understand the signing....im deaf from uk its so hard to get wot he says

[lexie8907]

wow i feel bad for the guy who made that video he already caused a national wide.... reaction! weird how everyone have a different point. i do have a ci but i was 12. i WISH MY MOM GAVE IT TO ME WHEN I WAS YOUNGER! i think the problem is that drs are only giving hearing parents ONE option. ci, comeon, give more options,. n i do agree with your point. if i had a deaf baby i'd still give her or him a ci, no different than hearing aids! he/she can always take it off whenever, i'll still teach sign

[pinknike1964]

helloi was trying to find ur email so i can send u email hope to hear from u soon