"Message for Rally Supporters of Indiana DBC"

This is a video message for those who will attend and support Indiana Deaf Bilingual Coalition Rally at Purdue University this weekend, Nov 30th - Dec 1st.

Hi, I'm here to keep communication open with you all. This message is for those rally supporters who are thinking about going to Purdue University for the Indiana DBC rally this Friday and Saturday. I want to share with you all that I have been in communication with the police. The police have shared their communication with me regarding the planned rally. I want to share what was communicated to me to make sure we are all on the same page so that there will not be any misunderstandings. Purdue itself is a public university and Stewart Center, where we will go for the rally, is also a public place. We can enter the building, we can be in the hallway, we can mingle in the lobby and we also can be on the sidewalk outside of the building. What is important is that we do not block the doors to the building, we have to let people walk in and out of the door freely. We cannot block the hallway, we have to let the people walk freely in the halls. We cannot go near where the registration table for "Hear Indiana Conference", we need to stay back from that area. Also Purdue has other activities and events on campus where students coagulate, we cannot disrupt these events and activities on campus. We need to respect these activities and events occurring on campus.

Remember our purpose to go to the rally is to support ASL for Deaf babies. We are not there to protest or complain. For those of you who will go to the rally, please be friendly, smile, stay positive, keep the peace and be respectful to everyone. I want to mention a word often mentioned in statements by some people which have labeled us as "protestors", I want to be clear in informing the public that we are not protestors. We are supporters.

DBC, Deaf Bilingual Coalition, has a purpose and that is to inform, educate, and raise public awareness. ASL is truly important. ASL improves education and literacy for all deaf babies and children. DBC wants to make sure that families who have deaf children and babies are able to succeed and grow. It is true that ASL provides the best guarantee of good education, literacy and happiness for all families, deaf babies and children.

The goal for us at the rally is to keep an open dialogue and to give support to families that have deaf children and babies. We want to raise awareness about AGB's oral training method which is called AVT, Auditory Verbal Training, AGB's principles which is outlined in their website, #3 which states that "families should train and not use sign language or lipreading..." and #5 and #6 which states "families should use listening skills at all times in their child's life....". Also AGB provides assistance by giving funds to families who files a lawsuit against schools that promote ASL education. It's called "Children Legal Advocacy Program". DBC does not agree with AGB's approach.

The BEST guarantee for deaf babies to succeed and improve their literacy skills, education, English skills, learning other languages, speech, family relations, etc. is ASL.

DBC is concerned that AGB has labeled us as "hearing loss" which causes nothing but stigma and negative view of us which prevents people from embracing deaf babies. DBC hopes that AGB will understand our concern, be more aware of, and embrace deaf babies so that families can grow, succeed and be happy.

Babies between the age of 0-5 years old are in the most critical period for language learning. ASL is guaranteed, 100%, for access to success!

DBC does not agree with AGB's "one way approach" which rejects ASL.

As most of you are aware, hearing parents are teaching their hearing babies, "Baby Signs". Research have shown that those babies have improved their English development, which shows that ASL is important and critical for deaf babies as well.

DBC is interested in the deaf child's "whole, healthy family approach".

So, the purpose for us to attend the rally is to make sure there is open dialogue to show the truth. The truth is that ASL is definitely "Success for Life".

Thank you.