I woke up from a bad dream last night. I dreamt that I was watching television. Bolt had just run like lightening and secured the 200m sprint. In my dream he ran it it in 3.4 seconds. Dreams are like that you know. He had celebrated by shaking his thang as only a Jamaican can do and it cut to an Ad .. A community services announcement.
The Ad had a child, boy or girl I cannot recall. The child was signing on the screen. Looking rather sad. The dialogue went something like this:
” This is how i used to communicate” (Signing in stilted Auslan)
There was then a flash, fire works and inspiring music. (Weirdly enough in my dreams i am never deaf)
Then in a loud and beautiful voice the child speaks:
“Now there is a better way! – Donate to us and make sure all kids speak like me!”
I woke up in horror. It was just a dream. Things like that just did not happen in the real world and then I remembered. My dream, although in dream state and slightly exagarrated, had actually happened. The emails on my computer were sad proof of that. The dream resulted directly from reading them.
I fear being sued so I cannot name the organisation, but an organisation somewhere in Australia has actually put an Ad on television that mirrors my dream, albeit without the special effects – thank god! But it is true, someone has had the gall to create an advertisement to raise money for an organisation that suggests that signing is ann undignified way to communicate, a lesser means of existing. The Ad suggests that if you donate money we can do away with sign language forever – “Speech is the future, give your money to us to make this possible.” (Authors words – not those of the Ad)
Now I have not seen the Ad, I am only going on what I have been told. But if the Ad mirrors what my emails have told me then the creators and the organisation that allowed it to go to air need to bow their head in shame. I showed the emails to my wife, she was utterly speechless.
When will this sort of garbage stop. When will professionals acknowledge the beauty the worth and benefits of sign language. When will they look at the research and acknowledge that sign language actually assists the acquisition of speech and does not hinder it. And more importantly when will they accept and stop oppressing people who are Deaf and who exist in perfect harmony with our society.
Deaf people from the state where this Ad is being shown, if the Ad is as bad as it sounds, PLEASE, PLEASE complain for all you are worth. This Ad is a step back to the dark ages, MIlan has raised its ugly head. Stop the world now please, I want to get off!
The Rebuttal 
I just stopped by your blog and thought I would say hello. I like your site design. Looking forward to reading more down the road.
How dare they show that it is sad to communicate in Auslan? How dare they demean our language? Many children who uses oral method turns to Auslan as they grow up – Mainly because it is a BEAUTIFUL langauge and it allows them to communicate their feelings, thoughts and opinions perfectly. They realised their right to access to perfect communication. This organisation does not respect Auslan, hence they do not respect deaf people including children. They are breaching the human rights of the deaf child – to have a choice on how to communicate.
Indeed Meg … Its just outrageous.
Yep — we have a long way to go before they will stop demeaning and belittling sign language. That is their tactic to keep getting more money out of us and our families!
I’m despairing again of this oral vs signing debate ever ceasing. Why can’t the two co-exist peacefully. There is a place for both and that can be done together, not spearately.
I am sick of hearing professionals who have never walked in a deaf person’s shoes and yet dictate to us how we should live.
I am sick of not being treated with respect in my professional and personal life.
I am sick of being made to justify my communication choices and seeing other families and deaf students beaing made to do so.
Perhaps this organisation did this advert deliberately hoping we would react and thus they would gain more attention. The ignorants in the community would naturally go fo oralism and speech over sign language and we would have played right into their hands.
I don’t know. I get tired of all this sometimes.
It is clear to me that this article is referring to the disgraceful Cora Barclay tv campaign.
Cora Barclay have sullied their wonderful legacy with this opportunist and insulting advertisement.
I hope that they can see fir to publicly apologise and withdraw the tv campaign.
Is there any link to this ad online? If I cna see it, I can then write a blistering blog post.
No…only those in south australia can access the ad. I think its being screened under community awareness advertisements.. Not one hundred percent sure. I haven’t seen it but a reputable person in adelaide informed us of it.
Can it be downloaded and uploaded here for us to see it? If you give me the link!
No Tony, it seems not. Its a crying shame!
Finally got to see that AD.
Thanx Garry for getting me a copy.
As for Cora Barclay, what a piece of crap! Now I can blog abt it!
I’m sharpening my claws.
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