Butch Zein's Open Letter
From Butch Zein
Mon, 16 Oct 2006 20:59:10
Fyi..here's my ltr to BOT.
Open Letter to the Gallaudet University Board of Trustees
Dear Honorable Chair, Ms. Brenda Bruggeman and Board of Trustees:
I wish to call your attention to the oft controversial phrase of “Uncle Tom” within the African-American culture. I have gleaned the definition of these terms from Wikipedia:
Uncle Tom is a pejorative for a black person who is perceived by other blacks as subservient to white authority figures, or as seeking ingratiation with them by way of unnecessary accommodation. It is commonly used to describe black people whose political views or allegiances are considered by critics detrimental to blacks as a group.
Let me attempt to define Uncle Tom in the context of Deaf Culture and replacing the term Tom to Irving for clarity.
Uncle Irving is a pejorative for a deaf person who is perceived by other deaf people as subservient to authority audists, or as seeking ingratiation with them by way of unnecessary accommodation. It is commonly used to describe deaf people whose political views or allegiances are considered by critics detrimental to Deaf culture.
The new meaning immediately brought me to you all as well as Jordan and Fernandes, Uncle Irving, sadly described you all to its every letter. Not one of you has attempted to open an honest dialogue with faculty, staff, students and alumni. Not one of you has attempted to validate our concerns on the selection process. Not one of you have responded letters sent from hundreds of concerned faculty, staff, student and alumni. Not one of you have stood up and intervene I. King Jordan when he deliberately ordered arrests of protesters during night time which compromised the visual acuity and thus crippling the communication endeavors amongst themselves.
I, along with the rest of the Deaf Community world wide, was aghast to witness such an atrocious and unspeakable act from a deaf person to another. Never have we witnessed such oppression within our culture until that night which shall go down in history as Deaf’s Black Night. You all have shunned yourselves from what was unfolding before our eyes. Your silence is deafening. Your inactivity had led I. King Jordan to use tactics was by far detrimental to us as a whole. In essence, the Board of Trustees has failed us.
NAD, GUAA and FSSA has already made it clear that the situation has spun out of control. You cannot wash your hands off from this mess. You all are ultimately responsible for everything that happened at Kendall Green. Are you willing to remain as Uncle Irving as the fissure gets deeper and deeper? How far are you willing to go to appease audists? Don’t be an Uncle Irving and stand up for social justice! It is time for you all to take over and restore Gallaudet University’s stellar reputation and to pave way for a brighter future. We will stand behind you as you make necessary changes to bring about positive changes. Together…we will make Gallaudet University stronger and brighter than ever before! The time is now!
Gallaudetially yours,
George “Butch” Zein, Class of ‘89
Mon, 16 Oct 2006 20:59:10
Fyi..here's my ltr to BOT.
Open Letter to the Gallaudet University Board of Trustees
Dear Honorable Chair, Ms. Brenda Bruggeman and Board of Trustees:
I wish to call your attention to the oft controversial phrase of “Uncle Tom” within the African-American culture. I have gleaned the definition of these terms from Wikipedia:
Uncle Tom is a pejorative for a black person who is perceived by other blacks as subservient to white authority figures, or as seeking ingratiation with them by way of unnecessary accommodation. It is commonly used to describe black people whose political views or allegiances are considered by critics detrimental to blacks as a group.
Let me attempt to define Uncle Tom in the context of Deaf Culture and replacing the term Tom to Irving for clarity.
Uncle Irving is a pejorative for a deaf person who is perceived by other deaf people as subservient to authority audists, or as seeking ingratiation with them by way of unnecessary accommodation. It is commonly used to describe deaf people whose political views or allegiances are considered by critics detrimental to Deaf culture.
The new meaning immediately brought me to you all as well as Jordan and Fernandes, Uncle Irving, sadly described you all to its every letter. Not one of you has attempted to open an honest dialogue with faculty, staff, students and alumni. Not one of you has attempted to validate our concerns on the selection process. Not one of you have responded letters sent from hundreds of concerned faculty, staff, student and alumni. Not one of you have stood up and intervene I. King Jordan when he deliberately ordered arrests of protesters during night time which compromised the visual acuity and thus crippling the communication endeavors amongst themselves.
I, along with the rest of the Deaf Community world wide, was aghast to witness such an atrocious and unspeakable act from a deaf person to another. Never have we witnessed such oppression within our culture until that night which shall go down in history as Deaf’s Black Night. You all have shunned yourselves from what was unfolding before our eyes. Your silence is deafening. Your inactivity had led I. King Jordan to use tactics was by far detrimental to us as a whole. In essence, the Board of Trustees has failed us.
NAD, GUAA and FSSA has already made it clear that the situation has spun out of control. You cannot wash your hands off from this mess. You all are ultimately responsible for everything that happened at Kendall Green. Are you willing to remain as Uncle Irving as the fissure gets deeper and deeper? How far are you willing to go to appease audists? Don’t be an Uncle Irving and stand up for social justice! It is time for you all to take over and restore Gallaudet University’s stellar reputation and to pave way for a brighter future. We will stand behind you as you make necessary changes to bring about positive changes. Together…we will make Gallaudet University stronger and brighter than ever before! The time is now!
Gallaudetially yours,
George “Butch” Zein, Class of ‘89
posted by DeafBayBlogger at 9:35 PM
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