Students Need Support From Faculty And Staff

I read the heartfelt letter of Leala Holcomb and applaud her for being so honest with the audience. I agree with her. The students only represents one fourth of the FSSA entities.  The students have spoken up. The Alumni have shown their support. The momentum is building up rapidly. The media are now riveted on campus.  It is time for the faculty and staff to do their part.

 I do understand the atmosphere of fear, especially for those who don’t have job security. However, the students got hurt last Friday. The PR Dept is still misleading the public about these injuries and insisting that the pepper spray was never used.  The PR Dept is still insisting that it is all about cultural identity crisis, helping Jordan and Fernandes promoting a big lie that hurts the image of Gallaudet and the deaf students it is entrusted to teach and nurture.

 You need to look deep inside yourself and talk with your peers. Do the right thing. Stand up for your rights and convictions.  If you don’t feel safe coming out alone, don’t. Come out in groups.  There is safety in numbers.  The time is right.  The media are now finally hearing the real truth and reporting the real issues to the public. The time is right for you to come out of the woodwork and tell the world how you feel.  elizabeth
The Buff and Blue
[Gallaudet University]
Volume CXV
Sunday, October 8, 2006
Special Edition #8

UNDERSTANDING
Written by Leala Holcomb

I do not understand. I do not understand how can you not understand.
The critical situation we are in right now, the future is in our hands.

Yesterday, I cried. The last time I cried this hard was at my
cousin’s memorial service. After hearing depressing results from the
‘five-minute meeting’ with Board of Trustees, finding out that
Brenda Brueggemann publicly thanked the Gallaudet security system and
videophoning with my mother in California, I broke down.

To my dismay, I walked around inside the HMB building with tears
rolling out of my eyes. Some people asked me “what is wrong?” Some
people gave me sympathy. Some people looked at me funny. I do not
understand how can you not understand.

I cannot grasp the fact that you do not understand. This amount of
knowledge I have about the corrupted system in the university has been
haunting me every passing minute. The more I know, the more depressed I
become. I know that Gallaudet University’s Board of Trustees does not
care about me. I know that I. King Jordan and Jane Fernandes will lie
through their teeth to the entire world in order to get what they want.
I know that a lot of faculty members are counting days to their
retirement. I know that almost no staff is here because they are living
in fear everyday at this university. I know that my mother along with a
lot of alumnus and friends of Gallaudet are supporting us and praying
for our safety. I know that a lot of students are ignorant about the
stake of Gallaudet’s future. But, I also know that a lot of students
care but chose to party on this very Saturday night instead. Still, I
do not understand how can you not understand.

How can I continue to go to school while I know that my safety is not
ensured? How can I go to my American History II class, where my teacher
cannot sign and the only way I can communicate with him is through a
voice of an interpreter? How can I cheer in my Buff and Blue uniform
for a university that does not respect my rights? I paid to be here. I
chose this university. Instead, I got oppressed. I do not understand
how can you not understand.

Yes, I bawled like a baby. I wept because I was not valued as a student
in the university I love and cherish. I wept because I got so much
support from people outside the university, but so little from people
on the campus. I wept because I saw a lot of people who are aware of
this fraudulent system and still choose to leave this building. Yes, I
do not understand how can you not understand.

I am in this fight not just for myself, but for all faculty, staff and
alumni who suffer from this corrupted system. We should not be in this
fight alone. I feel so much support from people but I do not see them
here with me. Despite the atmosphere of fear here, we need every single
body here, regardless who you are or what job position you hold. I am
risking my position as a student here, why can’t you risk yours?

http://www.joeybaer.com/buffandblue

Or:

http://eyethstudios.com/bnb/index.htm