Why I don't like Alexander Graham Bell

I understand that Alexander Graham Bell might be very familiar historical figure. I understand that the invention of the tlephone is one of the greratest inventions of all time. On the surface, Bell might be a hero. However, I have some issues with the man, and what he believed, and how those beliefs affect people, namely my kids, today.
First of all, Bell believed in the theory of Eugenics. I have a real problem with that. For people who do not know, Eugenics was a progressive movement in the early 1900's, which followed Darwin's theory of survival of the fittest to its logical conclusion in society. Progressives wanted to make society a better place, and felt that the government was the way to do that. One way to make society better was to eliminate certain aspects of society, like disease, retardation, blindness, deafness, or anything that could be considered a disability. Bell was a supporter of this idea. Many eugenisists, including Bell, felt that one way to eradicate these portions of society was to prevent them from reproducing. Bell strongly felt that this should apply to deaf people. If both members of a couple were deaf from birth, then they should not marry or reproduce because this would lead to more deaf babies. Laws, like this were passed in many states during that time to prevent certain populations from marrying. Some people were even encouraged to voluntarily become sterile. Eugenics had many supporters during this time, and was quite prominent in the United States. Only after Hitler and the National Socialist Party of Germany adopted the theory of Eugenics to justify the murder of millions of people, did it become unpopular in the United States. This idea of Eugenics is what led Bell into his life's passion and work.
That work was the oral education of deaf children. Along with being a eugenicist, Bell was also a Nationalist. Nationalism at this time meant a great fear for outside groups and cultures. Bell felt that the Deaf community fell under this umbrella, since they had their own language and culture. He felt that it would be important for them to abandon their language and culture, which seperated them from society. He came up with techniques and ways for deaf people to learn how to speak, and therefore become part of mainstream society. This new idea became very popular, and soon many deaf schools, that had previously taught ASL, switched to this new method. It was taught to students in very ruthless ways, where they were harshly punished for using their hands in communication at all. The goal was to eventually eliminate ASL all together, and only have oral deaf people in this country, until the actual goal was realized where deaf people were eliminated all together, and society would be wonderful and hearing.
Fortunately, students at these schools secretly taught each other ASL and deaf culture survived and was strengthened.
So what is the problem with oral communication for deaf people? For me, part of the problem is that it teaches deaf kids that there is something wrong with them, that needs to be fixed. On their own, they will never be happy or successful, or part of society, or any of that. When a child who is deaf is raised to be only oral, then he is constantly at odds with himself, about who he is and what his value is. His self worth takes a huge blow. Another part of the problem is that it is a hard way for deaf kids to communicate. Yes, there are cochlear implants and hearing aids, but it still takes a lot of effort. Communication is hard enough, without added complications. ASL is a beautiful language that enables deaf people to communicate freely and openly, or anyone who learns the language.
Now, my son is deaf. He has a cochlear implant, which means people automatically assume that we want an oral only lifestyle for our son. This is not correct. We see the implant as a tool for him to use to help him along the way. The harsh reality is that no one in our family is deaf besides our kids, so no one signs except for us, and one aunt. This is ok. It's the reality of the situation. We want to give Johnny the tools for communication in all aspects of his life, which includes his family. However, we will not force him to give up sign, or even encourage it. I have seen my son come alive through sign language. It is his first language, and I will not take it away from him. I do not believe that encouraging him to sign or to participate in the deaf community is going to hinder him. On the contrary, it will give him strength. I do not look at other kids who have cochlear implants who talk and listen only in the auditory world, and say to myself, "Finally I see that my son can have a happy, productive life." No! I see that as only one aspect of my child's life. I always believed that he would have a happy productive life, with or without hearing. I hope as he gets older, he is proud of who he is, and accepts himself, and does not view himself at all with shame. His success is not attached to the implant in his head. I want him to think, I am happy and productive, not despite being deaf, but because I am Deaf.
I hope the deaf community will accept him, despite his implant. We did not do it because we are ashamed of our son or because we did not think he could succeed without it. We did it to give him another tool to help him communicsate with others. The hearing world will not ever bridge that gap, so my son had to sacrifice to bridge it. Maybe this is wrong, but it's what I think.

Monthly Update

School has started for me, and that is why there has been such a long break in between blog posts. I wanted to take a few minutes to update everyone on everything that is going on in our lives, because life does not stand still!

Johnny is making great strides with both the implant as well as signing. He has started to imitate more sounds that he hears, including fire engines and the word "bye". He has also started to turn when we call his name, which is pretty cool.

Even cooler has been the increase in proficiency we have seen in his signing. He is starting to link bunches of words together to make sentences. Sometimes he will sign things so fast, I am not sure what he is signing. His favorite sign is Firefighter, since that is his current obsession. Today, we went to Erica's parents' house for a western night. They had a fire going, and as everyone was kind of leaving, and the fire was dying, Johnny waved his hand to get my attention and then signed fire, Firefighter, then water, and made the action of spraying water on the fire. Apparently, he wanted the fire department to come and put out the fire. It is amazing to me that he can put that all together. He has also begun to master the art of talking back in his signing, like when we tell him it is time for bed, or time to change his diaper. He is very good at signing no and shaking his head, then he looks anywhere, except at us. I would get angry, if it weren't so cute!

Johnny has also been enjoying the football season. I got him a little football outfit, that he wore for five days straight. I also took him to the first Utah home game, and he loved it. Now, every once in a while, you will find him getting down in his stance, and then jump up and run, sometimes he just runs, and sometimes he will run at me to tackle me. It is awesome. I think he is going to be a linebacker someday. Who knows?

Eliza is beginning to make more sounds as well. She just turned one on September 8, and it has been incredible to see how much of a little personality she has been developing. She smiles and laughs all the time. Her favorite game is to find a piece of clothing and drape it over her head and then walk around with it on up there. It's just about the cutest thing I have ever seen. She has begun to mimic more of the gestures she sees. Tonight at dinner, I signed eat to her, and so she moved her hand up to her mouth, copying me. Her favorite sign is what. She walks around all day doing that sign, nonstop. I think she must see us do it all the time, either that, or she really just wants to know what everything is.

Erica is doing well. We are getting more and more excited about our next little one on the way. At first it was a shock, but now we are just excited. Boy or girl, this little baby is coming to a great family, with awesome older sibling to show him or her the ropes.