Thursday, May 22, 2008

Alumni of RIT/NTID:Removal of AG Bell Plaque


Its funny, I used lived in Bell Hall Dormitory which is next to Lyndon Baines Johnson building when I attended RIT/NTID.

I graduated from RIT/NTID (Rochester Institute of Technology)back in 1981. Lately, there have been many conversations and actions about removing AGBell plague and renaming a dormitory. Before Superbowl game, Pepsi chose to air a 60-second commercial with no audio of a couple of guys looking for “Bob’s House”. The two Deaf men driving a car through a suburban neighborhood, looking for their friend’s house. Most of you know the commercial. Anyway, before the commercial came on the air, the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AG Bell) President Karen Youdelman sent a letter to a Senior Vice President of PepsiCo Communications regarding her views of the Deaf community. Many NTID Alumni and student were outraged at the response from AG Bell.

Since then, because of AG Bell’s views, many members of the Deaf/HoH communities no longer wish to honor. Its not about against oralism but rather against the promotion of cultural prejudice of the Deaf community.

I have found out as of this morning, the plaque of AGBell have been removed and now considering renaming the dormitory.

3 comments:

mdmhvonpa said...

Heh ... I graduated in 1991 ... work/study at NTID in the research dept ...

I wonder what they'll rename the dorm ... the Coke Building?

tayler said...

They're not renaming the dorm. The words will be re-written on the plaque, still honoring Alexander Graham Bell.

Unknown said...

The fight isn't over. It's just begun. Alan Hurwitz has choosen a poorly timed bit to defend a dorm before he takes his oath of office.