Generation ASL

Standing with outright confidence, wonder and angst, I can tell, this fall will be the best yet. My colleagues and I are letting go our mindset of the "norm", and delving deep for broader linguistic and cultural consciousness. We don't know what we are doing, but understanding Socrates, the ancient Greek philosopher, as a wise one is one of our first steps. (Check Plato's book Cratylus and discover that Socrates knows deafmutes.)

Here we are, in the prime of our lives, with practically nothing to lose. We have aspirations, places to go, people to meet, and unknown adventures lurking like Kula, my yellow lab, out there. I believe that we are preparing ourselves for the experiences that will define American Sign Language (ASL) in the long run. One day we too, as our Deaf parents before us, will reminisce and remember our days of language and culture oppression.

Time is coming for our linguistic independence and cultural self-discovery. I know that I'm not the only one. We are being called to go out and manifest ASL, as we are supposed to do.

As older generations of the Deaf bicker over linguistic hinderances and cultural conflicts and rhetorical solutions, my colleagues and I are preparing for a greater social change. Greater because ASL isn't all theory and talk. We are collecting information that may reinforce our knowledge and communication.

Self-discovery is a re-discovered obsession for me. I don't want to live in the past and I don't want to sign in the English word order for the sake of someone ignorant and therefore rude. There's so much waiting for Deaf babies around every corner, under every rock, behind every tree. They're having so many opportunities and many voyages to embark upon.

As I'm joining the faculty at Western Oregon University in fall, my colleagues and I know that all Deaf babies have full potentials for ASL. We have so much to offer to these little people; they are the new members of Generation ASL.