"i apologize in advance for a long comment - but here are my thoughts:

i also think a big issue is this misguided belief that there are two camps - one pro-asl and one pro-ci.... as if they are incompatible and it denies the reality of many deaf people. when rhi brought up the question of: "are you anti-ci?" it made me think of statements like "deaf schools only teach ASL" or "it's either ASL or speech" and so on. it's always this or that-- never allowing for gray areas, never allowing for individual experiences. i'll say this again- i've never seen a strictly "pro-asl" position. and what's up with this notion that *only* those who use ASL will be depending on the government? yet, those falsehoods are spread over and over again... usually by those who directly profits from oralism. 

just the other day i read an article promoting CI's. it had the usual stuff-- deaf people who sign cost the government thousands of dollars a year. it's always a "choice" - deaf children can hear and speak fluently if their parents choose ci's and private oral schools over ASL. they can be normal (not like those dirty signers). it ended with a deaf high school girl saying something like "if i signed, i don't think i could play sports." (where did she get this idea?)

where does this mindset come from? those type of statements are incredibly offensive and oppressive. again, it denies the reality of so many deaf people... including those in this group. how can one be neutral and support so-called parental choices then go around making dehumanizing statements? this is not supporting choice. this is promoting hate and ignorance.

personally, i think we need to better understand intersectionality and it's implications for social justice. what does it mean for deaf people? what does it mean for deaf children? are opinions from the two "camps" equal? are resources equal? is there a power imbalance. hell, are there even TWO camps? who has the power, money, and influence here? who is controlling information about deaf people, especially when it comes to ASL and the deaf community? why hasn't things changed in 100 years despite generation after generation of deaf people attempting to reclaim our truths? my answer is: audism and ableism. the american dream of "normalcy" at all costs.

i hope we all here can agree that it's not acceptable to discriminate, oppress, demean, and insult a group of people, especially when they are already marginalized in society. if we can agree on this, then it doesn't matter what kind of background you have or whether you consider yourself a member of the deaf community.

research is bullshit when you are talking about the reality of many deaf people. let's not deny ourselves the right to tell our truths. if you were successful with an oral education, i will not deny you the right to talk about that. i also ask that we don't deny the fact that the ideology of oralism has also hurt many many many deaf people. i ask that we listen to those who work with deaf children and their truths. on the same note, if you don't use ASL, let's not deny the fact that it is a cherished part of a culture - one that has "saved" the lives of many. a community that includes most who were raised orally.

i ask everyone here to please not support the spread of falsehoods about my language and my culture. i ask us all to attempt to better understand intersectionality and avoid using absolutes when discussing things like language (ASL) and hearing tools (CI's, hearing aids, etc). it is not about one or the other-- it is about social justice and honoring the human right to language. let's honor all deaf people past, present, and future that have been denied that right because of audism, linguicism, and ableism of varying degrees. 

i will continue to stand up and speak out against those who insist on continuing this attack on ASL/deaf culture."