Saturday, October 21, 2006

Bus Incident: Two Different Sides of Story

Good morning, Deaf America! Finally, after such a busy week working on projects, I am back at my desk, sitting in my chair with a cup of hot coffee. Ahh, refreshening smell of coffee! Mmm...

Now, readers, I'd like you to first read my exchange of replies to the posters below. Second, I would like to share with you the links to two different sides of the story on the bus incident. This is especially for those out in the public who were behind in blogs and news. The critic of the Gallaudet protests, Mike McConnell, questioned the tactics of some protestors according to reports he read. One report he blogged on had to do with the allegation of protestors banging on the sides of the buses as they came in. Here is a link to his blog:

http://kokonutpundits.blogspot.com/2006/05/deaf-protest-soon-to-turn-violent

However, the allegation was denied by a father of a son who rode on the bus in the incident. His story was published on Mishka Zena's blogsite at this following link,

http://mishkazena.wordpress.com/2006/10/19/another-parent-disputes-allegations-of-threateningunacceptable-behavior/.

Also, read comments by posters on the story in this other link,

http://mishkazena.wordpress.com/2006/10/17/dad-speaks-out-about-the-bus-incident-yesterday/#comments

There are still questions over what exactly happened in the events leading up to the arrests on "Black Friday." Elizabeth Maynardie's statement was vague, too. I have emailed the FSSA coalition yesterday and asked for their statement in rebuttal to Elizabeth Maynardie's statement in regards to the allegation of school buses being blocked. I will post their statement here as soon as I receive it.

But for the time being, speaking as a MSSD alumnus I have some thoughts. In sympathy with those MSSD alumni who were arrested on "Black Friday," I think it would be wise to defer this inquiry to a later time after JKF is successfully evicted and the presidential search process is reopened. I think we should call for an independent commission, to be made up of neutral-minded MSSD alumni, MSSD or KDES faculty and staff, and any other community leader who was not present at the events, to lead an investigation of several allegations regarding the handling of the bus incidents on Gallaudet's side and the tactics of certain protestors. I won't be on this commission, as neither should be the bloggers or anyone from the FSSA or the Administration. It must be filled with unbiased people, so that they can study and vertify which information is accurate. Is this understood? Do anyone support this idea of an independent commission?

- D.

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11:42am

I would like to add that the purpose of the independent commission should be just to vertify facts, not to mete out judgements or punishment. I do not support reprisals for all the protestors, even if some of them were found to be guilty of breaking certain laws. I do not support expulsion of any one, period.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is an interesting idea. We, at DeafRead.com, are taking a neutral stand on the whole protest by showing all the well written blog posts from both sides.

I would be willing to be part of this independent commission to merely report the facts and create several vlogs.

The problem is that this will not be cost-free. Where and How would the money come in to support this endeavor? Would any organizations out there be willing to dolt out the cash to support the work for factual reporting without bias?

DeafCartoon.com said...

Hi, Jared,

Yes, that's great and I compliment all you and your staff for doing such a great job! You have opened a new frontier for the deaf media, smile. I find this blogging to be different from writing for newspapers. I'm still new and learning, but I'm enjoying it! Now asides from this, you raised a good question. Why don't we refer this to Gallaudet or MSSD alumni to make suggestions? Any idea or suggestion from anyone else would be welcome, too.

Thank you for your offer. We'll see what can be done.

Dan