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Friday, April 13, 2007

Jordan refuses to apologize for obvious wrong perpetrated against deaf community

Disgraced former Gallaudet President Irving King Jordan, Jr, yesterday refused to apologize for his labeling Unity for Gallaudet protesters as being "absolutists." In characteristic obfuscatory form, he commented: "I didn’t intend that word to label all those who participated."

Here is a transcript of the confrontation which occurred Thursday morning at the Gallaudet University Kellogg Conference Center, after Jordan had delivered a speech (a speech which he had invited himself to present, because the conference was organized last year under his administration):

TRANSCRIPT:

PATTI DURR: I have a invitation for you. I’m sure you heard about the recent controversy surrounding Don Imus and his public apology. There are some issues that people have with you, for example, your calling the people here ”absolutists,” and I’m wondering if you could offer an apology for that statement in working towards peace and healing.


IRVING JORDAN: I used that word about some who I believe are absolutists. Is everyone an absolutist who participated in the protests? No, there were absolutists who participated in the protest, but no, it’s not true all were absolutists. If the impression is that I meant everyone, that’s wrong.

DURR: The impression was given to the general public that this statement was coming from the university’s former president as though that label extended to everyone that was really just engaging in civil disobedience. You have a powerful position and high name recognition but I personally feel you owe the community an apology because of that statement and the perceptions now created in the community [audience applauds in agreement]. For you to say that is very hurtful, and it would be nice if you apologize because it’s not helping the healing.

JORDAN: I didn’t intend that word to label all those who participated. I also believe in civil disobedience and the right to protest.

Thank you.

UNQUOTE

Jordan is referring to his editorial which appeared as an op-ed in the Washington Post on January 22, 2007 wherein he resorted to the smear tactic of attempting to bring discredit to the Unity for Gallaudet protesters and the vast majority of members of the deaf community who supported the protest by creating an imaginary group of people he calls "absolutists" (i.e. people who do not actually exist at all.)

Jordan resorts to the obvious smear technique of attempting to bring discredit to the large majority of Gallaudet's constituents by attempting to claim that the concept of Deaf culture does not include the concept of academics, when in fact, academics is the core of Deaf culture (due to Deaf culture's origins in the famous school for the Deaf in Paris and due to the manner in which Deaf culture is transmitted from generation to generation in the US residential schools for the deaf, and also at Gallaudet University.)

Deaf culture has already been inclusive for over 200 years, accepting all types of deaf people, whether they use technology to take advantage of their residual hearing, or whether or not they have cochlear implants.

Not only did Jordan slander the entire deaf community by using the term "absolutists," but his propaganda amounts to smearing the reputation of the US Federal Government also, since the Federal Government has a long history of being involved with Deaf culture since the time of Gallaudet's origins in 1864.

When Jordan said in his editorial: "If we give in to the absolutists, Gallaudet’s future will be severely, and adversely, affected"--That was actually code language for Jordan's true intentions. What he really means is that he disagrees that Deaf culture is a bona fide culture.

It would be the same as if Jordan went to France and pointed to a few French people who made comments about the purity of the French language and then called them "absolutists" who should not be allowed to control French universities. Jordan (in this analogy) would then smear the validity of French culture and claim that French people need to be "more inclusive" and should attempt to speak French and other languages simultaneously in order to accommodate anyone in the world who wants to attend a university in France.

He would neglect to mention (in this analogy) that it is the responsibility of people wishing to attend French universities to immerse themselves in the culture and learn to speak the French language, and that if they refuse to learn French, then that has nothing to do with the imaginary claim that French universities are not "inclusive."

For more discussion on Jordan's smear technique, check the GPLI Commentary titled: "Jordan's Long Legacy of Lies, Distortion and Deception", which is a multi-part exposé of the lies of the Jordan Era at Gallaudet.





7 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

IKJ had a chance to do the right thing-again- and once again he choose not to! He deserves to rot in hell for all the pain he caused.

Raphael J. St. Johns C-87, G-00

April 13, 2007 at 12:05 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i doubt that he will apology for his behaviors over 18 years. Healing will not start until he recognizes his behaviors, oppression, maniplative, putting fears among the workers, egomatic by naming one of the buildings, etc. No wonder he won't admit his mistake. Remember Hitler killed himself... one of the last few days, he still blamed Jewish people for everything... Same for jordan.. he blamed "absolutists" for everything. he is no longer a KING of Gallaudet as well as Hitler was no longer KING of Germany.

April 13, 2007 at 4:31 PM  
Blogger Barb DiGi said...

I saw the whole thing and I wanted to add that when Patti Durr first introduced her name durng the questioning and answering period, Jordan reacted by vocalizing uh-oh (he didn't sign it out but blurted) that the terp and the C print recorded it.

It is interesting to note how he reacted with this uh-oh since he is aware of Patti Durr's work who wrote an article in ASLCommunity Journal who rebuttted his article.

He had an opportunity once again but blew it. It is really a shame that he is digging his own grave.

April 13, 2007 at 4:45 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

as i said before...forget him!

April 13, 2007 at 6:13 PM  
Blogger David Ennis said...

I believe that IJK is still in his denial stage. if he stays unchanged for a long time, then his mind becomes unstable and then his health leads to collapse. That case is so familiar to President Nixon's health problem became worse when his stage iwas in denial. I never understand why IJK worked as psychology professor. I begin to wonder if he is simply habitual liar.

April 14, 2007 at 1:00 AM  
Blogger Beaux Arts de Boutjean said...

To graciously apologise to the Gallaudet community would wound his pride an awful lot, for his egomania is so vast he is blind to see his mistakes. He reminds me of a character in Oscar Wilde's novel,
"The Picture of Dorian Gray."

April 14, 2007 at 1:26 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous said... "as i said before...forget him! "

Oh, no, not as long as IKJ is still
around at Gally daily & will teach
psy next fall.

April 17, 2007 at 7:08 PM  

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