Detail View: Deaf Studies, Culture, and History Archives: Analysis of Birds of a Different Feather

Filename: 
ds_0027_bahanperformance_cap_01.mp4
Identifier: 
ds_0027_bahanperformance_cap_01.mp4
Title: 
Analysis of Birds of a Different Feather
Creator: 
Bahan, Benjamin J.
Subject: 
American Sign Language literature
Subject: 
Deaf, Writings of the, American
Subject: 
Storytelling
Summary: 
The 1992 video text is published by DawnSignPress and is entitled Bird of a Different Feather; A Decent Living. It includes a student video text, workbook and a teacher’s guide. Ben Bahan discusses the original ASL Literature video text narratives he and Sam Supalla created and their analyses. Bird of a Different Feather by Ben Bahan explores the experiences of a different-looking bird within a family of eagles. For a Decent Living by Sam Supalla is a novella in which the protagonist is a Deaf boy on a journey to find his deaf identity. Ben and Sam first analyzed the structure of their stories such as breaking up the narrative into chapters. Ben invites audience participation in analyzing the story further by applying literary and cultural analyses. Literary elements are discussed such as the story genre (his ‘Bird of a Different Feather’ is like a fable and allegory), themes and motifs such as the ‘different beak’ of the fourth baby bird, the time period of the story, the cultures in the story, the point of view of the storyteller, the mood of the story, foreshadowing, character development, characters’ names, the number of characters in the story, sign referents, body movement, facial expressions, writing and signing styles. ASL Literature is a body of work worthy of equal consideration in the literary world. There is evidence that it has literary elements common to all literature. Ben announces the publication of their narratives through DawnSignPress and hopes that more ASL Literature works will be published along with scholarly critiques.
Digital Publisher: 
Rochester Institute of Technology - RIT Libraries - RIT Archive Collections
Date of Original: 
1991
Date of Digitization: 
2018
Broad Type: 
moving image
Digital File Format: 
mp4
Physical Format: 
VHS
Dimensions of Original: 
56 minutes
Language: 
American Sign Language
Language: 
English
Original Item Location: 
RITDSA.0027
Library Collection: 
Sculptures in the Air: An Accessible Online Video Repository of the American Sign Language (ASL) Poetry and Literature Collections
Library Collection: 
Miriam and Kenneth Lerner ASL Poetry collection
Digital Project: 
2018-2019 CLIR Grant-ASL Poetry and Literature
Catalog Record: 
https://albert.rit.edu/record=b3955801~S3
Catalog Record: 
https://archivesspace.rit.edu/repositories/2/resources/815
Place: 
New York - Rochester
RIT Spaces and Places: 
Henrietta Campus
Rights: 
RIT Libraries makes materials from its collections available for educational and research purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. It is your responsibility to obtain permission from the copyright holder to publish or reproduce images in print or electronic form.
Transcript: 
WOMAN: SO THE BIRD THAT WAS BORN WITH THE FLAT BEAK-- HIS FAMILY HOPED AND HOPED THAT THEY COULD FIX HIM. AND SO THEY BROUGHT HIM TO A SHAMAN, AND THEY WENT AND THEY SAT AND THEY SAT AROUND THE FIRE. AND THE SHAMAN MADE THIS MAGICAL POTION AND THREW IN ALL SORTS OF THINGS--LIZARDS' TONGUES AND SPECIAL PLANTS AND STIRRED THE MIXTURE, AND IT COOKED ALL NIGHT. AND THEY TOOK A SIP, AND THEY GAVE HIM A SIP AND HOPED HE WOULD CHANGE. AND THEY DANCED AND THEY DANCED AND THEY WAITED, AND FINALLY THE BIRD STILL HAD A FLAT BEAK. SO, THE FAMILY CONTINUED. THEY TRIED EVERYTHING. THEY WENT TO DOCTORS. THEY WENT TO EVERY DOCTOR THEY COULD FIND, AND THEY FINALLY FOUND A DOCTOR WHO SAID, "WELL, LET'S TRY AN OPERATION." AND SO THEY SAID, "OK, HOW MUCH?" AND THE DOCTOR GAVE THEM THIS NUMBER. IT WAS SO EXPENSIVE. AND SO THEY DECIDED TO TRY A DIFFERENT DOCTOR. THEY WENT TO A DIFFERENT DOCTOR, AND IT WAS THE SAME. IT WAS SO EXPENSIVE. THEY JUST LOOKED AND LOOKED AND LOOKED. AND SO FINALLY, THEY WERE TOLD THAT THEY SHOULD GO TO AN ENT-- AN EAR, NOSE, AND THROAT SPECIALIST--AS A LAST RESORT. AND SO THE ENT EXAMINED HIM AND DID ALL THE TESTS AND USED ALL OF HIS EQUIPMENT. AND WHAT HE DECIDED TO DO WAS THIS SPECIAL TEST WHERE THE BIRD WITH THE FLAT BEAK WOULD GO INTO A GLASS ROOM. AND HE WOULD WEAR THESE SPECIAL THINGS ON HIS BODY. AND WHEN HE FELT SOMETHING IN HIS BEAK, HE SHOULD RAISE HIS WING ON EITHER SIDE TO SHOW WHERE HE FELT THAT SENSATION. AND EVERY TIME HE RAISED HIS WING, IT WAS DOCUMENTED. AND AFTER THE TEST WAS DONE, THE DOCTOR TOLD THE FAMILY. "THE RESULTS ARE 100%. HE IS A BIRD WITH A FLAT BEAK." AND THE FAMILY WAS SO DISAPPOINTED. AND SO THE ENT SAID, "WELL, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE SPECIAL SCHOOLS FOR BIRDS WITH FLAT BEAKS." AND THE TEACHING PHILOSOPHY OF THESE SCHOOLS IS THAT THEY WORK HARD. THE FLAT-BEAK BIRDS WORK AND WORK AND WORK AND THEN FINALLY THEY WILL BECOME A BIRD WITH A HOOKED BEAK, AN EAGLE. AND SO THE FAMILY DECIDED TO GO AND THEY WERE EXCITED. THEY WENT AND THEY MET WITH THE PRINCIPAL OF THAT SCHOOL. AND ON THE WALLS OF HIS OFFICE, HE HAD ACCOLADES AND AWARDS, AND HE HAD A Ph.D. IN EDUCATING BIRDS WITH FLAT BEAKS. AND SO THEY WERE VERY IMPRESSED. AND IT WAS AMAZING THE THINGS HE HAD DONE. HE HAD AN ACCOMMODATION FROM THE A.G. BEAK ASSOCIATION. SO THEY THOUGHT AND THEY SAID, "HMM...THIS MIGHT BE THE ANSWER TO OUR PRAYERS." AND SO THEY TALKED WITH THAT PRINCIPAL, AND HE EXPLAINED THEIR PHILOSOPHY. THEY WOULD TEACH THE BIRDS WITH FLAT BEAKS TO BELIEVE THEY WERE BIRDS WITH HOOKED BEAKS. AND THE STUDENTS WOULD THINK AND PUSH UNTIL THEIR BEAK BECAME HOOKED THROUGH SHEER WILLPOWER. AND SO COURSE, THE FAMILY JUMPED ON THIS OPPORTUNITY. AND THE BIRD WITH THE FLAT BEAK JOINED THE CLASS OF ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF BIRDS WITH FLAT BEAKS. AND THEY ALL LOOKED TO THE FRONT AT THE TEACHER. AND THE TEACHER WAS DOING THIS MOTION OF WIPING THE BEAK, WIPING THE BEAK. AND THE CHILDREN WONDERED WHAT IT WAS THAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. AND IT WAS EXPLAINED THAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE RESHAPING THE BEAK SO THAT IT POINTS DOWN INSTEAD OF POINTING OUT. AND THEY DID EXERCISES LIKE THIS EVERY DAY, AND THEY DID EXERCISES TO EXTEND THEIR WINGSPAN. THEY WOULD PUSH OUT THEIR WINGS, PUSH THEM OUT, PUSH THEM OUT, PUSH THEM OUT. AND THE IDEA WAS TO CREATE THIS LARGE WINGSPAN WITH THIS BEAUTIFUL HOOKED BEAK. AND SO THAT BIRD WITH THE FLAT BEAK WAS LEFT THERE, AND HIS FAMILY WENT HOME, AND HE WAS THERE IN THE CLASS AND HE DID THOSE EXERCISES UNTIL HE WAS AN EXPERT AT THE BEAK AND WING EXERCISES. AND HE DID THIS FOR MANY YEARS UNTIL HE WENT THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL. AND FINALLY IT WAS TIME FOR HIM TO THINK ABOUT HIS FUTURE, AND HE HAD TO WRITE AN ASSIGNMENT ABOUT WHAT JOB HE WANTED TO DO ONCE HE GRADUATED, AND THE TEACHER COLLECTED THESE ASSIGNMENTS FROM THE CLASS. AND THE MORE OF THE ASSIGNMENTS HE COLLECTED, THE ANGRIER THE TEACHER GOT. HE LOOKED THROUGH THEM AND HE FINALLY STOOD UP AND YELLED AT THE WHOLE CLASS AND SAID, "YOU! "WHO WROTE THIS THAT YOU WANTED TO SING SONGS? "WHO WROTE THAT YOU WANTED TO COLLECT BERRIES? "WHO SAID THIS? "YOU ARE AN EAGLE! "YOU'RE A HUNTER! "YOU DON'T COLLECT WORMS OR BERRIES OR SING SONGS! "YOU ARE EAGLES WITH HOOKED BEAKS. "THE BIRDS WHO COLLECT WORMS AND BERRIES AND SING SONGS "LIVE IN THE VALLEY. "THEY ARE NOT SMART LIKE YOU. "NOW LET'S MOVE ON TO THE OTHER ROOM WHERE YOU WILL LEARN THE LAST PART OF YOUR TRAINING." AND SO THE BIRDS WENT IN AND GOT READY FOR THIS VERY VIGOROUS TRAINING, THIS HUNTING. THEY HAD TO LEARN TO MOVE THEIR HEADS DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE THEIR EYES WERE NOT PLACED CORRECTLY TO BE EAGLES. AND SO THEY HAD TO LEARN HOW TO MOVE THEIR HEADS IN A PARTICULAR WAY TO IMITATE EAGLES. THEY HAD TO LEARN TO FLY IN CIRCLES UP ABOVE, LOOKING FOR PREY. THEY HAD TO CIRCLE AND CIRCLE AND THEN LOOK FOR WHAT THEY WOULD CATCH AND FLY DOWN GRACEFULLY. THIS WAS NOT AN EASY CHALLENGE FOR THESE BIRDS WHO DID NOT HAVE THE WINGSPAN OF EAGLES AND DID NOT HAVE THE EYESIGHT OF EAGLES. AND THEY WERE TAUGHT TO HUNT MICE ON THE GROUND AND TRY TO CATCH THEM. BUT AS THEY CIRCLED, THE BIRDS WITH THE FLAT BEAKS WOULD TRY TO GRAB THE MOUSE AS THEY FLEW DOWN, BUT THEY COULDN'T CONTROL THEMSELVES THE WAY AN EAGLE COULD. AND SO THEY WOULD FALL, FALL, FALL TO THE GROUND. AND THE MOUSE WOULD SEE THEM COMING AND THEY WOULD TRY TO COME AND GRAB ONTO THE MOUSE WITH THEIR TALONS AND PICK THEM UP TO BRING THEM AWAY TO EAT. BUT AS THEY CAME, THEY WERE FLOPPING AND GOING EVERY WHICH WAY, AND THEIR LEGS WERE FLAILING AND THEIR BEAKS WERE FLAILING. AND THEY WOULD TRY TO GRAB ONTO THE MOUSE, AND THEY WOULD GET THE MOUSE, BUT THEY WEREN'T STRONG ENOUGH TO PICK UP THE MOUSE AND FLY AWAY. AND SO THE INSTRUCTORS DRILLED THEM ON THESE EXERCISES. "KEEP GOING. FLAP YOUR WINGS. "FLY IN CIRCLES. TURN YOUR HEAD. TRY TO GET THE MOUSE. TRY TO GET THE PREY." AND THEY KEPT TRYING FOR SMALLER AND SMALLER PREY, BUT IT DIDN'T WORK. AND SO THEY KEPT TRYING TO GET THESE BIRDS WITH FLAT BEAKS TO THE POINT WHERE THEY WERE EAGLES. IT DIDN'T REALLY WORK. BUT ANYWAYS, IT CAME TO GRADUATION DAY, AND THEY ALL MARCHED TO GET THEIR DIPLOMAS. AND THE CROWD WAS CHEERING AND THE PARENTS WERE SO EXCITED, BUT IT DIDN'T SEEM THAT ANYONE NOTICED THAT THE BIRDS STILL HAD FLAT BEAKS. AND SO OUR LITTLE BIRD WITH THE FLAT BEAK FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE STORY WENT HOME AND WENT BACK TO HIS LIFE. AND THE FAMILY WOULD GO OUT HUNTING AND DOING THINGS, AND THEY DECIDED, "COME WITH US. WE'RE GOING TO GO ON A TRIP TO GO HUNT." AND HE WAS SO EXCITED TO JOIN, AND THEY ALL GOT UP INTO THE AIR AND THEY USED THEIR GIANT WINGS AND THEY USED THEIR EYESIGHT TO TRY TO FIND THE PREY. AND THAT LITTLE BIRD WITH THE FLAT BEAK, THEY SAID, "GO FOR IT!" AND HE WENT AND HE TRIED TO FLY DOWN AND GRAB A RABBIT. AND HE DID FLY DOWN AND LATCH ONTO THE RABBIT, BUT HE COULDN'T PULL THE RABBIT UP BECAUSE HE WASN'T STRONG ENOUGH. AND HIS FAMILY SAID, "JUST GO. JUST COME. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?" AND HE SAID, "I'M TRYING." AND HE KEPT TRYING, AND THE RABBIT KEPT SAYING, "GET OFF OF ME. WHY ARE YOU CLAMPED ONTO ME?" AND HE JUST KEPT GOING AND GOING AND GOING. AND IT NEVER WORKED. HE HAD TO GIVE UP. AND HE WENT HOME WITH HIS FAMILY AND HE WAS ASHAMED. AND HIS FAMILY WENT TO HIM AND SAID, "WHY CAN'T YOU HUNT? WE SENT YOU TO THIS SCHOOL TO BECOME AN EAGLE." AND HE EXPLAINED THE THINGS THAT THEY DID AND THE TRAINING THAT HE HAD. AND THEY SAID, "YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE "OF YOURSELF IF YOU CAN'T HUNT INDEPENDENTLY. "WE THOUGHT THAT YOU WERE LEARNING WHAT YOU NEEDED TO TO SURVIVE." AND SO THEY DECIDED SOMEONE NEEDED TO TAKE CARE OF THE BIRD WITH THE FLAT BEAK WHEN HIS PARENTS ARE GONE. WHO'S GOING TO TAKE CARE OF HIM FROM NOW ON? AND SO HIS BROTHER SAID, "I WILL DO IT." AND SO HIS BROTHER BECAME HIS GUARDIAN. AND ONE DAY, HIS FAMILY CAME HOME AND SAID, "WE'RE ALL MOVING. "WE FOUND A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE. "THERE'S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE THAT HAS SO MUCH FOOD "AND EVERYTHING WE NEED. LET'S GO." SO THEY ALL AGREED AND THEY ALL GOT THEIR THINGS AND PACKED THEM INTO THE MOVING TRUCK AND THEN THEY ALL WENT INTO THE AIR TO FLY TOGETHER IN FORMATION. AND THE BIRD WITH THE FLAT BEAK WAS TRYING TO KEEP UP BUT STARTING TO GET BEHIND. THE EAGLES COULD FLAP THEIR WINGS ONE OR TWO TIMES, BUT THE BIRD WITH THE FLAT BEAK COULD BARELY KEEP UP. HE HAD TO FLAP HIS WINGS 10 OR 15 TIMES FOR EVERY ONE FLAP OF THE EAGLE'S. AND SO HE FELL FARTHER AND FARTHER BEHIND UNTIL FINALLY, HE FELL AND COULDN'T FLY ANYMORE, AND HE LANDED IN THE VALLEY. AND HE TRIED TO GET HIS FAMILY'S ATTENTION, BUT THEY WERE TOO FAR GONE. AND SO HE FINALLY LANDED IN THE VALLEY AND TOOK A BREATH, LOOKED AROUND, AND HE THOUGHT, "WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? "HMM...THERE'S BIRDS SINGING. "THOSE ARE THOSE AWFUL SINGING BIRDS THEY TOLD US ABOUT IN SCHOOL." AND HE SAID, "OH, YOU GUYS ARE THE LOSERS, RIGHT?" AND THEY SAID, "WHO TOLD YOU THAT?" AND HE SAID, "OH, THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. THAT'S WHAT I WAS TOLD." AND THEY SAID, "YOU'RE ONE OF US. YOU LOOK LIKE US." AND HE SAID, "NO WAY. I'M AN EAGLE." AND THE BIRDS LAUGHED AND LAUGHED AND SAID, "THIS GUY "THINKS HE'S AN EAGLE. HE'S JUST ONE OF US. JOIN IN AND SING." SO HE SAID, "OH, OK." AND HE JOINED IN THEIR CHORUS, AND HE STARTED TO SING A LITTLE AND THEN SING MORE AND THEN SING LOUDLY, AND HE REALIZED ALL OF THESE YEARS, HE HAD SOMETHING TO EXPRESS, BUT HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS. AND IT WAS THIS! AND SO HE SANG AND HE SANG AND HE SANG, AND ALL THE OTHER BIRDS LOOKED AT HIM AND SAID, "THIS IS WONDERFUL." AND SO HE FINALLY SAID, "YOU KNOW WHAT. "THANK YOU FOR THIS. "I'M GOING TO DO YOU A FAVOR AND I'M GONNA HUNT SOMETHING FOR YOU." AND THEY SAID, "OK." AND SO HE SAID, "I'M GONNA GRAB SOMETHING FOR YOU. I'M GONNA GRAB YOU LIKE A SNAKE OR SOMETHING." AND THEY SAID, "WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? WE DON'T DO THAT." AND HE SAID, "WHAT DO YOU EAT?" THEY TOLD HIM, "JUST BERRIES." AND HE SAID, "BIRDS WHO EAT BERRIES--UGGH! THEY'RE THE LOSERS." AND THEY SAID, "WHERE ARE YOU GETTING THESE IDEAS FROM? JUST TRY THE BERRIES." AND SO HE TRIED THE BERRIES AND HE SWALLOWED, AND THEY WERE WONDERFUL. THEY WERE DELICIOUS. AND HE ATE THEM, AND IT WAS SO EASY AND NATURAL. AND SO HE BECAME IMMERSED IN THIS VALLEY BIRD WORLD THAT HE HAD NEVER BEEN TO AND NEVER EXPERIENCED, AND HE FELT SO AT HOME. AND HE LOVED IT. AND THEN, FINALLY, ONE DAY, ALL THE ANIMALS IN THE VALLEY SAID, "LOOK OUT! LOOK OUT! "THERE ARE EAGLES HERE! HIDE! HIDE!" AND SO, THERE WERE A GROUP OF EAGLES THAT CAME DOWN, AND THEY FOUND THE BIRD WITH THE FLAT BEAK, AND THEY SAID, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU EVERYWHERE!" HE TRIED TO EXPLAIN, BUT THEY DIDN'T LISTEN. AND THEY WERE ANGRY AND THEY SAID, "COME HOME." AND THEY BROUGHT HIM HOME AND THEY PUNISHED HIM. AND HE WAS SAD. AND THEY STARTED TO FEED HIM, AND HE THOUGHT, "MMM, THIS DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT." AND HE WAS LOCKED IN HIS ROOM, AND HIS FAMILY THOUGHT, "SOMETHING FUNNY IS GOING ON." AND THEY OPENED HIS DOOR AND HE WAS INSIDE SINGING TO HIMSELF. AND THEY SAID, "SINGING? "YOU'RE AN EAGLE. "THIS IS MY HOUSE. YOU DON'T SING UNDER MY ROOF. YOU ARE AN EAGLE." AND THEY SHUT HIS DOOR AND WALKED AWAY. AND HE THOUGHT ABOUT HIS DAYS WITH THE OTHER BIRDS WITH FLAT BEAKS IN THE VALLEY. AND HE MISSED IT AND WISHED HE WAS THERE, BUT OVER TIME, HE STARTED TO FORGET AS HE SOCIALIZED AND HUNG OUT WITH EAGLES AND WAS TREATED AS PART OF HIS EAGLE FAMILY. AND HE MOVED FORWARD. ONE DAY, HE FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A SPECIAL DOCTOR THAT COULD DO AN OPERATION TO CHANGE HIM TO MAKE HIM NORMAL. HIS FAMILY WAS SO EXCITED. AND THEY TOLD HIM ABOUT IT. AND HE SAID, "I DON'T KNOW THAT I REALLY WANT THIS." AND HIS FAMILY PLEADED WITH HIM AND SAID, "IT WILL MAKE "YOU AN EAGLE. "THERE'S A SURGERY THAT WILL MAKE YOU AN EAGLE. PLEASE DO IT." SO FINALLY HE SAID, "OK." HE WAS BROUGHT TO THE HOSPITAL, AND HE WAS PUT ON THE GURNEY AND BROUGHT INTO THE OPERATING ROOM WHERE THERE WAS A SINGLE HANGING LIGHT OVER HIS HEAD. AND HE WAS GIVEN ANESTHESIA. WHEN HE WOKE UP, HIS BEAK WAS WRAPPED UP. HIS FAMILY CAME TO HIM, AND THE DOCTORS UNWRAPPED HIS BEAK. AND HIS FAMILY SAID, "OH! HOW WONDERFUL!" AND THEY SHOWED HIM A MIRROR, AND HE SAW THAT HIS BEAK WAS HOOKED AT LAST. AND THEY ALL CELEBRATED. AND HIS FAMILY SAID, "THIS IS SO WONDERFUL. THAT'S IT. WERE GOING TO HOST A PARTY AND INVITE EVERYONE." AND SO THEY HELD A MASSIVE PARTY, AND EVERYONE CAME. AND THE ADULTS ALL SAID, "OH, HOW WONDERFUL. "YOUR BEAK LOOKS FABULOUS. YOU ARE NOW AN EAGLE." AND HE FELT GOOD. AND THEN HE PLAYED WITH THE OTHER CHILDREN AND THE CHILDREN SAID, "WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOUR BEAK? YOU'RE NOT AN EAGLE." AND SO HE WENT BACK TO THE ADULTS AND SAID, "WHY ARE "THE KIDS MAKING FUN OF ME AND SAYING I'M NOT REALLY AN EAGLE?" AND THE ADULTS SAID, "OH, THE KIDS DON'T KNOW. THE KIDS DON'T KNOW." AND THEY TRIED TO GIVE HIM SOMETHING TO EAT. AND HE SAID, "I DON'T FEEL LIKE EATING SO MUCH." AND SO HE WENT TO BED. THE PARTY RAGED ON, AND HE LAID IN BED, TOUCHING HIS BEAK AND THINKING ABOUT HIS FRIENDS IN THE VALLEY AND THE RED BERRIES THAT HE WANTED TO GO EAT AND THE SINGING THAT HE WISHED TO PARTICIPATE IN. SO WHEN HE WOKE UP IN THE MORNING, HE TOLD HIS FAMILY, "I'M JUST GONNA GO OUT FOR A LITTLE BIT." AND THEY SAID, "OK, BE BACK SOON." SO HE TOOK OFF, AND HE FLEW OFF TO THE VALLEY. AND HE WENT TO VISIT HIS FRIENDS WHO WERE ALL SINGING. AND SO HE CAME TO THEM AND SAID, "I'M HERE! I'M HERE!" AND THEY ALL LOOKED AT HIM AND SAID, "WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR BEAK?" AND HE SAID, "OH, WELL. YOU KNOW, IT'S AN ADULT THING. "THEY TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD-- UH, WELL, ACTUALLY, IT WAS "AN ACCIDENT. "I FLEW INTO SOME GLASS AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED." DECIDED TO NOT REALLY TELL THEM THE WHOLE STORY. AND SO THEY SAID, "COME, SING WITH US." AND SO HE JOINED IN THE CHORUS. AND THE CONDUCTOR BIRD WAS GOING ALONG AND SAID, "SOMETHING DOESN'T SOUND RIGHT." AND SO HE TESTED EACH BIRD TO FIND OUT WHO WAS SINGING OFF-KEY. AND FINALLY, HE IDENTIFIED THAT IT WAS THE BIRD WITH THE FLAT BEAK WHO NOW HAD A HOOKED BEAK. AND HE SAID, "IT'S YOU! YOU! GET OUT OF MY CHOIR." AND SO HE SAT WHILE EVERYONE ELSE SANG, AND HE FELT LONELY AND SAD AND WISHED HE COULD JOIN IN, BUT HE COULDN'T. HE COULDN'T SING ANYMORE. AND THE REST OF THE BIRDS SANG AND SANG AND SANG. AND THEN, FINALLY, THEY SAID, "OK, IT'S TIME TO EAT." SO THEY ALL RAN LOOKING FOR THEIR FAVORITE RED BERRIES. AND SO THE BIRD WITH THE FLAT BEAK WHO NOW HAD A HOOKED BEAK RAN FOR THE BUSH AND TRIED TO GET HIS FAVORITE BERRIES, BUT EVERY TIME HE GRABBED ONTO ONE, HIS NEW BEAK MADE THEM FALL OUT. HE COULDN'T EVEN EAT THE BERRIES ANYMORE. ALL OF HIS FRIENDS WERE SINGING AND EATING BERRIES AND HE WAS LEFT ALONE. AND HE LOOKED OFF INTO THE DISTANCE AND SAW EAGLES SOARING AND LOOKED BACK TO HIS FRIENDS IN THE VALLEY, AND HE WAS THE ONLY ONE IN BETWEEN. AND HE DECIDED TO TAKE FLIGHT AND FLY OFF INTO THE SUNSET ALONE. I'M VERY SORRY THAT I HAD TO TELL SUCH A SAD STORY TODAY. AS SOMEONE HERE SAID, "IT'S FINE. IT'S FINE." I KNOW, RIGHT? BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THIS. WHAT IS THE MESSAGE? ACCEPT CHILDREN. IF THIS CHILD HAD BEEN ACCEPTED, THIS WOULD'VE BEEN A VERY DIFFERENT STORY. YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN THINKING OVER THIS PAST WEEK. THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT WORKS OF ART--POETRY AND PAINTINGS AND PERFORMANCES THAT ARE ALL ABOUT THESE CONCERNS ABOUT COCHLEAR IMPLANTS. ARTISTS ARE VERY CONCERNED. PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY ARE VERY CONCERNED. WE ARE ALL TALKING ABOUT THE SAME MESSAGE. AND IT'S MADE ME THINK. CAN ALL OF THOSE OF US WHO ARE CONCERNED--CAN WE ALL COME TOGETHER AND FIGHT AGAINST THIS? IS THAT POSSIBLE? WELL, I HAVE ANOTHER STORY THAT MIGHT HELP US DECIDE WHETHER THE ANSWER TO THAT IS YES OR NO. SO THIS STORY TAKES PLACE A VERY LONG TIME AGO. THIS IS AN OLD STORY THAT'S BEEN PASSED ON FOR MANY GENERATIONS, AND I HAVE BEEN GIVEN IT AS WELL. SO THIS HAPPENED DURING THE CIVIL WAR. NOW, THIS IS A TRUE STORY I WILL TELL YOU. THERE WERE TWO GROUPS FIGHTING, THE SOUTH AND THE NORTH, AND EACH SIDE WAS FIGHTING A WAR. AND A DEAF SOLDIER JOINED THE NORTH AND A DEAF SOLDIER JOINED THE SOUTH. THEY WERE FIGHTING AGAINST EACH OTHER. AND THIS WAS IN VIRGINIA, WHERE THE STORY TAKES PLACE. AND IT WAS A HARD-FOUGHT BATTLE WHERE NEITHER SIDE WAS MAKING ANY PROGRESS. THEY'RE BOTH JUST FIGHTING AGAINST EACH OTHER, BACK-AND-FORTH. AND SO THE NORTH HAD THIS IDEA TO CALL A SPY, AND SO THEY CALLED THE DEAF SOLDIER THAT THEY HAD FROM THE NORTH AND THEY SAID, "GO OVER TO THE SOUTH AND COUNT HOW MANY PEOPLE THEY HAVE FIGHTING THERE." AND HE SAID, "OK." AND SO HE WENT. AND THE SOUTH HAD THE SAME IDEA. AND THEY TOLD THE DEAF SOLDIER, "GO TO THE NORTH AND FIND OUT HOW MANY THEY HAVE THERE." SO HE WENT. NOW, DEAF PEOPLE MOVE IN A DIFFERENT WAY FROM HEARING PEOPLE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT STILL HAPPENS. SO IMAGINE YOU HAVE A DEAF SOLDIER WHO HAS LIMITED ABILITY TO SEE--TO HEAR WHO'S BEHIND THEM SO THEY NEED TO USE THEIR PERIPHERAL VISION. SO INSTEAD OF WALKING A PARTICULAR WAY AND LOOKING ALL OVER THE PLACE, WHAT THEY DID INSTEAD WAS THEY WOULD WALK BACKWARDS SO THAT THEY COULD SEE EVERYTHING TO THE FRONT AND SIDES OF THEM. AND SO EACH SOLDIER WAS WALKING BACKWARDS, SURVEYING THE LAND AROUND THEM, MAKING SURE THAT THEY WERE SAFE. AND THEY BACKED UP AND THEY BACKED UP UNTIL THEY BOTH WERE BACK TO BACK WITH THEIR WEAPONS. AND THEY TURNED AROUND TO EACH OTHER AND THEY WERE FACE TO FACE, BOTH HOLDING THEIR GUNS. AND NEITHER WAS SURE WHAT TO DO NEXT. UNTIL ONE REALIZED THE OTHER ONE MIGHT BE DEAF. AND HE SAID, "ARE YOU DEAF?" AND HE SAID, "YES, I AM. ARE YOU?" AND HE SAID, "YES." AND SO THEY PUT DOWN THEIR GUNS AND ONE SAID TO THE OTHER, "WHERE ARE YOU FROM?" AND THE OTHER SAID, "WELL, WHERE ARE YOU FROM? OH, I KNOW PEOPLE IN THAT AREA." AND THEY TALKED ABOUT PEOPLE THEY KNEW AND PLACES THEY HAD BEEN AND ALL THE THINGS THEY HAD IN COMMON. AND THEY TALKED AND TALKED AND TALKED UNTIL IT WAS NEARING EVENING. AND SO THE GENERAL IN THE NORTH STARTED TO WONDER. "WHERE IS HE? HE SHOULD BE BACK BY NOW." AND SO HE SENT OUT SOME SOLDIERS ON HORSEBACK TO LOOK FOR HIS SPY. AND THEN THE SOLDIERS FOUND THE SPY, AND HE WAS TALKING WITH A SOLDIER FROM THE OTHER SIDE. AND SO THEY DECIDED, "OH, THESE SPIES ARE "TRADING SECRETS. THEY'RE COMMITTING TREASON." AND SO THEY POINTED THEIR GUNS RIGHT IN THE DEAF SOLDIERS' FACES AND THEY SAID, "NO, NO, NO, NO, WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING BAD." AND THE SOLDIERS DIDN'T BELIEVE THEM AND THEY TIED THEM UP WITH ROPES AND THEY PULLED THEM BEHIND THEIR HORSES ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE NORTHERN CAMP. AND THEY TOLD THE GENERAL WHAT HAPPENED. AND THE GENERAL SAID, "WHAT AM I GOING TO DO? "WHAT AM I GONNA DO? "YOU BOTH WERE TALKING TO EACH OTHER FROM OTHER SIDES? WHAT SHOULD WE DO HERE?" AND SOME PEOPLE SAID, "LET'S HANG THEM, HANG THEM." AND OTHER PEOPLE SAID, "NO, LET'S TRY THEM IN THE COURTS." AND SO THERE WERE A LOT OF DIFFERENT IDEAS ABOUT WHAT SHOULD BE DONE. SO, THE GENERAL SAID, "THIS IS TOO BIG OF A DECISION FOR ME. I'M GOING TO WRITE A LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT AND ASK HIM WHAT HE WOULD LIKE ME TO DO." AND SO HE WROTE A LETTER TO PRESIDENT LINCOLN, FOLDED IT UP, AND GAVE IT TO THE MESSENGER WHO BROUGHT IT BY HORSE. PRESIDENT LINCOLN RECEIVED THE LETTER. AND WHEN HE SAW IT, HE THOUGHT LONG AND HARD ABOUT IT. AND THEN HE RESPONDED AND GAVE IT BACK TO A MESSENGER WHO BROUGHT IT BY HORSE TO THE NORTHERN GENERAL. THE NORTHERN GENERAL OPENED THE LETTER, READ IT, AND PUT IT IN HIS POCKET. HE SAT DOWN WITH THE TWO DEAF SOLDIERS IN FRONT OF HIM AND EVERYBODY CROWDED AROUND. EVERYONE WANTED TO KNOW. WOULD THEY BE HUNG? WOULD THEY BE TRIED IN COURT? WHAT WOULD HAPPEN? AND HE SAID, "WHAT I HAVE LEARNED IS THAT YOU ARE "BOTH DEAF. "YOU HAVE SOMETHING DEEP INSIDE YOU "THAT IS AN UNBREAKABLE BOND WITH ONE ANOTHER. "WHEN EVERYONE AROUND YOU IS IN TURMOIL AND WAR, AND BOTH SIDES "ARE FIGHTING AGAINST EACH OTHER AND THE UNITED STATES "ITSELF IS BROKEN, YOU TWO HAVE A BOND THAT CANNOT BE BROKEN. "THAT IS THE GREATEST BOND THERE IS. AND SO YOU SHOULD BE FREE TO GO." THANK YOU. SO I HAVE ANOTHER STORY. HOW MANY PEOPLE HERE IN THIS AUDIENCE ARE DEAF? OK, OK. HOW MANY ARE HEARING? ALL RIGHT. HOW MANY ARE DEAF--KEEP YOUR HANDS UP--AND ONLY KEEP YOUR HAND UP IF YOU'RE DEAF AND YOU USE A HEARING AID. OK, SO THAT'S ABOUT HALF OF DEAF PEOPLE HERE THAT USE A HEARING AID. HOW MANY OF YOU DON'T USE A HEARING AID? OH! YOU'RE DEAF AND YOU DON'T USE A HEARING AID? SHAME ON ALL OF YOU! SHAME! SHAME ON ALL OF YOU WHO ARE DEAF AND DON'T USE A HEARING AID! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! THEY ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO DEAF PEOPLE! THIS IS TRUE. THIS IS TRUE. BUT HOLD ON. LET ME EXPLAIN WHY. LET ME EXPLAIN. THIS IS VERY SERIOUS. OK? I WILL TELL YOU WHY HEARING AIDS ARE A NECESSITY FOR DEAF PEOPLE. I HAVE A HEARING AID. OK. LET ME EXPLAIN. LET ME EXPLAIN WHY. YOU WILL GET IT ONCE I TELL YOU THE STORY. NOW, THERE WAS ONE WOMAN WHO--SHE GREW UP BEING ABLE TO HEAR, BUT AT SOME POINT STARTED LOSING HER HEARING, BUT SHE WAS IN DENIAL ABOUT IT. SHE WOULDN'T ACCEPT THE FACT THAT SHE COULD NO LONGER HEAR AS WELL AS SHE COULD. AND HER HEARING CONTINUED TO DECLINE UNTIL THE POINT WHERE SHE REALLY COULDN'T HEAR MUCH AT ALL. AND SO SHE WENT TO THE AUDIOLOGIST, AND THEY DID THEIR TESTING, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY MAKE SOUNDS AND YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO RAISE YOUR HANDS IF YOU HEAR A SOUND. AND HE TURNED IT ALL THE WAY UP BEFORE SHE RAISED HER HAND. AND SO, HE HAD TO TELL HER, "LOOK, YOU ARE DEAF." AND SHE WAS SO DISAPPOINTED. BUT HE SAID, "BUT, I HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU." AND HE OPENED A DRAWER OF BEAUTIFUL HEARING AIDS IN EVERY COLOR--PURPLE, PINK, YELLOW, CREAM--EVERYTHING. A RAINBOW OF HEARING AIDS. AND SHE SAID, "OH, I'D LIKE THE PINK." AND SO HE SHOWED HER THE PINK. AND SHE SAID, "HOLD ON, HOLD ON. HOW MUCH DOES THIS COST?" AND HE SAID, "$500." AND SHE SAID, "WHAT?" SO HE WROTE DOWN "$500" AND GAVE IT TO HER AND SHE SAID, "OH! "I DON'T HAVE $500. THERE'S NO WAY." AND SO THE AUDIOLOGIST CLOSED THE DRAWER OF BEAUTIFUL HEARING AIDS, AND SHE WAS SO SAD. BUT HE SAID, "HOLD ON, HOLD ON." AND HE OPENED A LOWER DRAWER THAT WAS VERY HEAVY. AND INSIDE IT HAD THESE LARGE BOXES WITH STRAPS AND WITH LONG WIRES THAT WERE CONNECTED TO THINGS THAT YOU WOULD PUT IN YOUR EAR. AND THESE WERE HEARING AIDS THAT HAD BATTERIES THAT LASTED FOR WEEKS COMPARED TO WEARING HEARING AIDS THAT MIGHT ONLY LAST LESS THAN A DAY. AND SHE THOUGHT, "OH, OK." AND HE SAID, "THESE ARE $75." AND SHE SAID, "THAT'S SOMETHING I CAN DO." SO SHE PUT ON THIS HUGE HEARING AID, TRIED TO HIDE IT BEHIND HER CLOTHES ON HER CHEST AND THEN PUT--LACED THE WIRES UP TO HER EARS AND PUT THEM IN. WHEN SHE TURNED IT ON, EVERYWHERE SHE WENT, SHE COULD HEAR SOMETHING. PEOPLE WERE TALKING, SHE COULD HEAR SOMETHING. WHEN PEOPLE WERE WALKING, SHE COULD HEAR SOMETHING. WHEN SHE MOVED AROUND, SHE COULD HEAR SOMETHING. DOORS OPENING, SITTING, ANYTHING SHE DID, SHE COULD HEAR SOMETHING IN HER EARS. AND SHE THOUGHT, "HOW WONDERFUL! "I FINALLY CAN HEAR SOMETHING. I FORGOT HOW MANY THINGS MAKE NOISE" BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN SO LONG. SHE TRIED DOING SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, TURNING ON A STEREO AND IT JUST BLEW HER EARS AWAY AND SHE JUST WAS SHOCKED. AND SHE JUST TESTED EVERYTHING. "OH, I CAN HEAR THIS. I CAN HEAR THIS. "I CAN HEAR TRAFFIC GOING BY. "I CAN HEAR CARS. "I CAN HEAR NOISES OUTSIDE. I CAN HEAR EVERYTHING." AND SHE JUST THOUGHT, "HOW WONDERFUL." SHE WALKED DOWN THE STREET AND LISTENED TO HER OWN FOOTSTEPS. SHE OPENED THE DOOR AND HEARD THAT THE DOOR WAS REALLY CREAKY AND NEEDED SOME OIL. AND SHE TOOK A SEAT IN A ROCKING CHAIR AND REALIZED THAT THE ROCKING MADE A LOT OF NOISE. AND SHE GOT UP AND THERE WERE A LOT OF NOISES JUST FROM HER MOVING AROUND. EVERYWHERE SHE WENT, THERE WAS NOISE. AND SHE JUST LOOKED AT EVERYTHING LIKE IT WAS NEW. SO SUDDENLY, SHE HEARD A NOISE AT THE DOOR OF HER HOUSE. AND SO SHE LOOKED, AND A MAN CAME IN WITH A GUN, A BAD GUY, AND HE SAID, "I'M GONNA GET YOU." AND SHE HEARD HIM, AND HE HIT HER IN THE FACE WITH THE GUN. AND SHE FELL ON THE GROUND AND HER HEARING AIDS FELL OUT OF HER EARS. AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOUR HEARING AIDS FALL OUT OF YOUR EARS IS THEY SOUND LIKE "EEEEEEEEEEEEE!" AND HE THOUGHT IT WAS A BURGLAR ALARM AND HE LEFT. AND THAT IS WHY DEAF PEOPLE SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE HEARING AIDS. YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO WEAR THEM. JUST PUT THEM IN YOUR POCKET AND THEN IF SOMEBODY ATTACKS YOU, JUST THROW THEM AND THEY'LL MAKE A SOUND. THEY'RE NOT ANY GOOD FOR HEARING, BUT THEY'RE PERFECT FOR THIS. THANK YOU.