GUESS WHAT?

In the past two weekends ago, I really couldn't believe what happened at the Stork's coffeehouse in Fort Lauderdale, Florida for the monthly deaf social gathering.

Few remaining of us, deaf guys were on our way out of the coffeehouse. One hearing
guy attempted to speak to us. One deaf young 20s guy with cochlear implant, struggled
and struggled and struggle to understand what the hearing guy tried to tell us for more
than five minutes. That deaf guy with CI just stood NEXT to the hearing guy!

Guess what? I CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD what the hearing guy said without any use of
cochlear implant (CIs). The deaf guy with cochlear implant ever could not possibly understand
the lipreading. Jesus Christ!

I had to intervene and inform another deaf guy what the hearing guy said without any delays.

That was not very first time for me to witness too many communication incomptences by cochlear implant users, then saved by culturally deaf individuals and signers!

WHAT GOOD ABOUT HAVING COCHLEAR IMPLANT IF SOMEONE WITH CI COULD NOT UNDERSTAND ANY HEARING PEOPLE'S SAYINGS???

WE MUST GET OUR ANTI-CI MESSAGES OUT IN THE OPEN ON DAILY BASIS AND EDUCATE IGNORANT PARENTS OF DEAF YOUNGSTERS FROM COCHLEARIZING THOSE POOR CHILDREN.

ASLIize yours,
Robert L. Mason
RLMDEAF blog