Sound and Fury : Deaf Culture with Sign Language

SOUND AND FURY documents one family's struggle over whether or not to provide two deaf children with cochlear implants, devices that can stimulate hearing. As the Artinians of Long Island, New York debate what is the right choice for the two deaf cousins, Heather, 6, and Peter, 1 1/2, viewers are introduced to one of the most controversial issues affecting the deaf community today. Cochlear implants may provide easier access to the hearing world, but what do the devices mean for a person's sense of identity with deaf culture? Can durable bridges be built between the deaf and hearing worlds? Find out. (http://www.pbs.org/wnet/soundandfury)

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Deaf
• Culture
• American
• Sign
• Language
• ASL
• Cochlear
• Implants
• Sound
• and
• Fury

[elidontlie]

I am hearing but i know ASL and really respect the deaf community for being so strong, people who hear and automatically think they are superior really must now know any deaf people.

[elidontlie]

@JUSTIGNOREDEM1 You obviously know little about cochlear implants, they are neither safe or reliable, check the FDA website before you make yourself sound so ignorant.

[Deafies4life]

The Deaf are neither missing or lacking anything. They do not have the ability to hear, but so what? Human evolution does not give purpose to our organs, nor does it attribute some human model of hearing for which we are to shoot for. Indeed, there is no biological basis to look at deafness as a disability, pathology, or anything of the sort.

In hearing world, that girl will always be looked at as a lacking-a person with a deficiency. Only in the Deaf world is she complete and whole.

[JUSTIGNOREDEM1]

Of course there is nothing "wrong" with being deaf. No one chooses to be deaf, but with this new technology, now people can choose whether or not their children will continue to be or not.

Anyone who would willingly deprive their child of the ability to hear, when there is now a safe and proven way to give them this ability, is a completely selfish person and horrible parent. NO EXCEPTIONS.

[BoricuaChevere0420]

Let the child grow up and when she's older and more experienced, let her make that decision. She's not ready to make it yet. Like the mother said, she doesn't know d/Deaf life yet.

[Monica17N]

I think it should be up to the person, and no hearing nor deaf person shoud pressure someone into doing it, even if it would help. The father is deaf and knows what it is like to be deaf, he has accepted it as who he is, but I feel bad for him because he might feel upset that people are pressuring him and suggesting that he is a bad parent for making this desicion when he isn't

[Tylex715]

Just because someone is different from you, doesn't make them any less.

[nataliexvip]

@prettypurloinpie Hearing is missing.

[prettypurloinpie]

It's infuriating that people think there is something wrong with being Deaf. Deaf people are not missing anything.

[101perspective]

@delohester Its not up to her to say the parent's made the wrong decision.

I would agree normally, but they are making the decision based solely on their prejudice and selfishness. Seriously, denying your child the chance to hear is almost as bad as removing that ability. Well, not exactly but you get my point. Now, if they came up with medical or other reasons then that would be diff. But their main reason is that they just want a deaf child and they have the power to keep her that way.