Oral Deaf Writer Attacks Luke of Amazing Race and Deaf People
An oral Deaf writer attacked Luke of Amazing Race and Deaf people in her op-ed article First Person: I can so talk! Many deaf people can, despite what you might hear elsewhere
Apparently the fact that Luke was interpreted during an interview as saying that he wanted to disprove people’s perceptions and show that, “Deaf can do it, they can do exactly what hearing people can do, but not talk’ made Lisa Goldstein go after Luke and Deaf people in general.
Two days ago I contacted Lisa Goldstein to provide evidence for a statement she made on the op-ed: “According to the Gallaudet Research Institute, cochlear implants are common, with over 87 percent of students who are deaf wearing one.” I already knew the 87% figure was grossly inaccurate. She responded, claiming that the 87% figure was an error and she meant 1 in 8. I thought that was a big typo for someone to overlook , not once, but twice in a row. A 87 percent of students wearing cochlear implants is quite a leap from the actual 12.5 percent, in my opinion.
At first I tried politely to educate her about the inaccuracies in her op-ed, but apparently she wasn’t interested. The more I thought about it, the more disturbed I was regarding the hostile tone of her article. The extent of the author getting bent out of shape was way out of proportion to the statement made by Luke’s mother. When I brought up the possibility that Luke may have been misquoted, she insisted she got the same comment from lipreading Luke.
I don’t watch this show, but I wanted to see that statement for myself. A vlogger, Seek Geo, provided me the link to the tape. Running the tape, I’ve read his lips where he allegedly made that statement. He was emotionally overwrought, making it a little difficult to lipread him, but the statement she claimed he made didn’t match the movements of his mouth. After reviewing the tape, few Deaf people with strong oral backgrounds agreed with me that Luke didn’t say these words.
Yet this author claimed she lipread him saying “Deaf can do it, they can do exactly what hearing people can do, but not talk’. She reported to me that she is one of the best lipreaders, according to her former teachers. Perhaps she is, but the fact still stands: Luke didn’t make that statement she accused him of.
During the on site interview, his mother, not a professional interpreter, was voicing for him. She made that statement.
Did anyone else catch the irony? Luke was talking during the show. Why would he make that kind of statement about Deaf people not being able to talk if he was already speaking?
The whole article was just a litany of criticisms levied against Luke and Deaf people, denigrating them. I am disappointed to see a diatribe against Deaf people published in a newspaper.
Here are some of her comments:
“…children who are educated using a spoken-language approach are proficient in spoken language and have high levels of intelligibility. They also possess reading abilities that are approximately double the national average for children with hearing loss”
“Not only does he denigrate all the hard work that goes with being able to speak and function independently in society, but he’s also sending the wrong message to current and future parents of deaf children. They will incorrectly believe that their children won’t be able to talk.”
“Mr. Adams’ abandonment of his implant is unusual. Only 7 percent of students with implants elect not to use theirs. Maybe he has a good reason for not taking advantage of a device that could help him win a race and $1 million, but he has a different mindset than I do.”
“Mr. Adams may have been tired but he knew what he was saying when making that inflammatory comment. He had a platform and was taking advantage of it. Because he has admitted to being a part of deaf culture, he is well-versed in its philosophies. As a big fan, he knows “The Amazing Race” is a popular, Emmy-award-winning show. He was exposed to deaf people who talk — imagine that! — at the university he attended, but still he denied their existence.
I can only hope that viewers will recognize his lack of independence as his teammate — his mother and link to the hearing world — interprets everything for him.
I was worried that Mr. Adams’ participation in the show would perpetuate the myth that all deaf people sign, but it ended up being worse. There have now been four episodes of the show, and he continues to do well. Adding to the irony, he has been shown talking to his mother. When this happens, the show subtitles him, because most people probably can’t understand him. Those who are used to hearing deaf speech, like my husband, have no trouble.
I wanted to root for Mr. Adams, as I did for Christy Smith, a deaf contestant on “Survivor” whose ability to speak and lip-read allowed her to compete on her own. But now I hope one of the other couples wins the million instead. Someone who dashes the hopes of millions is no winner in my book.”
What a nice writer…. not. This article was more inflammatory and inflicted greater damage than the misinterpretation of Luke’s statement. The viewers can see for themselves that Luke was talking while signing. To read the full article, click First Person: I can so talk!
To see Luke’s comment.. watch 36.30 to 36.40 The Amazing Race Video – Episode 1 – CBS.com
I’m rooting for Luke and Margie. Go for it! 
Thanks to the Deaf people, M, B, G, S, D, B, and S, who lipread Luke on the tape and agreed with me that Luke didn’t state what Ms. Goldstein claimed he did. Thanks to Jes for interpreting what Margie said. MZ
Update: 5/31/09. This writer is currently a board member of PA AGBell Association. This isn’t surprising since AGBell Association has a long history of attacking Deaf people using ASL in the media. Here is the link showing her official AGBell Association position http://www.agbell-pa.org/BoardOfDirectors/Index.html MZ
An oral Deaf writer attacked Luke of Amazing Race and Deaf people in her op-ed article First Person: I can so talk! Many deaf people can, despite what you might hear elsewhere
Apparently the fact that Luke was interpreted during an interview as saying that he wanted to disprove people’s perceptions and show that, “Deaf can do it, they can do exactly what hearing people can do, but not talk’ made Lisa Goldstein go after Luke and Deaf people in general.
Two days ago I contacted Lisa Goldstein to provide evidence for a statement she made on the op-ed: “According to the Gallaudet Research Institute, cochlear implants are common, with over 87 percent of students who are deaf wearing one.” I already knew the 87% figure was grossly inaccurate. She responded, claiming that the 87% figure was an error and she meant 1 in 8. I thought that was a big typo for someone to overlook , not once, but twice in a row. A 87 percent of students wearing cochlear implants is quite a leap from the actual 12.5 percent, in my opinion.
At first I tried politely to educate her about the inaccuracies in her op-ed, but apparently she wasn’t interested. The more I thought about it, the more disturbed I was regarding the hostile tone of her article. The extent of the author getting bent out of shape was way out of proportion to the statement made by Luke’s mother. When I brought up the possibility that Luke may have been misquoted, she insisted she got the same comment from lipreading Luke.
I don’t watch this show, but I wanted to see that statement for myself. A vlogger, Seek Geo, provided me the link to the tape. Running the tape, I’ve read his lips where he allegedly made that statement. He was emotionally overwrought, making it a little difficult to lipread him, but the statement she claimed he made didn’t match the movements of his mouth. After reviewing the tape, few Deaf people with strong oral backgrounds agreed with me that Luke didn’t say these words.
Yet this author claimed she lipread him saying “Deaf can do it, they can do exactly what hearing people can do, but not talk’. She reported to me that she is one of the best lipreaders, according to her former teachers. Perhaps she is, but the fact still stands: Luke didn’t make that statement she accused him of.
During the on site interview, his mother, not a professional interpreter, was voicing for him. She made that statement.
Did anyone else catch the irony? Luke was talking during the show. Why would he make that kind of statement about Deaf people not being able to talk if he was already speaking?
The whole article was just a litany of criticisms levied against Luke and Deaf people, denigrating them. I am disappointed to see a diatribe against Deaf people published in a newspaper.
Here are some of her comments:
“…children who are educated using a spoken-language approach are proficient in spoken language and have high levels of intelligibility. They also possess reading abilities that are approximately double the national average for children with hearing loss”
“Not only does he denigrate all the hard work that goes with being able to speak and function independently in society, but he’s also sending the wrong message to current and future parents of deaf children. They will incorrectly believe that their children won’t be able to talk.”
“Mr. Adams’ abandonment of his implant is unusual. Only 7 percent of students with implants elect not to use theirs. Maybe he has a good reason for not taking advantage of a device that could help him win a race and $1 million, but he has a different mindset than I do.”
“Mr. Adams may have been tired but he knew what he was saying when making that inflammatory comment. He had a platform and was taking advantage of it. Because he has admitted to being a part of deaf culture, he is well-versed in its philosophies. As a big fan, he knows “The Amazing Race” is a popular, Emmy-award-winning show. He was exposed to deaf people who talk — imagine that! — at the university he attended, but still he denied their existence.
I can only hope that viewers will recognize his lack of independence as his teammate — his mother and link to the hearing world — interprets everything for him.
I was worried that Mr. Adams’ participation in the show would perpetuate the myth that all deaf people sign, but it ended up being worse. There have now been four episodes of the show, and he continues to do well. Adding to the irony, he has been shown talking to his mother. When this happens, the show subtitles him, because most people probably can’t understand him. Those who are used to hearing deaf speech, like my husband, have no trouble.
I wanted to root for Mr. Adams, as I did for Christy Smith, a deaf contestant on “Survivor” whose ability to speak and lip-read allowed her to compete on her own. But now I hope one of the other couples wins the million instead. Someone who dashes the hopes of millions is no winner in my book.”
What a nice writer…. not. This article was more inflammatory and inflicted greater damage than the misinterpretation of Luke’s statement. The viewers can see for themselves that Luke was talking while signing. To read the full article, click First Person: I can so talk!
To see Luke’s comment.. watch 36.30 to 36.40 The Amazing Race Video – Episode 1 – CBS.com
I’m rooting for Luke and Margie. Go for it!
Thanks to the Deaf people, M, B, G, S, D, B, and S, who lipread Luke on the tape and agreed with me that Luke didn’t state what Ms. Goldstein claimed he did. Thanks to Jes for interpreting what Margie said. MZ
Update: 5/31/09. This writer is currently a board member of PA AGBell Association. This isn’t surprising since AGBell Association has a long history of attacking Deaf people using ASL in the media. Here is the link showing her official AGBell Association position http://www.agbell-pa.org/BoardOfDirectors/Index.html MZ
March 16th, 2009 at 7:37 am
I feel that Lisa Goldstein’s comments are extreme and oppressive. The comments are misleading and harmful that Deaf community and Mr. Adams do not deserve. I have ZERO, NADA, ZIP, NOTHING, NO respect for her. Lisa is NO WINNER in my book.
March 16th, 2009 at 7:53 am
After Lisa Goldstein bashed Luke Adams, we’re going to see a lot of bashing of this writer from the deaf community. So much for harmony.
The controversy was kicked off by an accidental mistranslation by Luke’s mother under the pressure of the moment. A shade of meaning was overlooked. Luke might have meant “couldn’t say”.
To Lisa: why get childish and jump on someone else’s bandwagon if he is working his heart out? The mature thing to do is to recognize his courage and applaud him.
Lisa’s attempts to “educate” the public is actually a demonstration in how oral deaf can be hypersensitive about their abilities.
March 16th, 2009 at 7:54 am
Well, I don’t think like deafchipmunk, so I am just taking an objective outlook and try to understand what makes Lisa click… maybe to her, that is truth, but to us, it is misleading or wrong facts, either way. I see that media is manipulated (fairly and unfairly) to represent us deaf community as whole. We see what we want to see and we interpret what we want to interpret.
I see there are no comments on Lisa’s article, so too bad that we can’t leave the comments presenting the facts so that the readers could have a well-balanced understanding instead of hearing only one side (Lisa’s side.)
The fact that Luke is still in the race speaks loud
)
March 16th, 2009 at 8:23 am
Maybe Lisa is jealous because she is not in the race! Go Go Luke and his wonderful Mom! Diane
March 16th, 2009 at 8:57 am
Glad you made sure to get it all cleared up! That was a big turn-off what Lisa said because I get tired of some people trying to find a thing or two about others’ faults then they’d bitch about it.
Every one of us do have faults, it’s no secret… we all have our own faults so some people need to stop trying to find one or two fault(s) then make a big deal out of it. *rolls*
There are a lot of sayings on TV that people did not tend to meant that way when they get overly excited, tired, etc so I don’t take it seriously.
I had a couple of people coming to my site whining that Margie is not “pro” ASL signer while other person bitched that Luke is not pure ASL signer.
I think the whole picture is really that I am sensing “crab theory” that people get jealous so they feel the need to put down on others rather than looking at bigger picture.
My favorite quote by Rene Godefroy:
“Jealousy is a symptom of a severe case of low self-esteem,
and it’s a disease that can eat us alive.”
Like Margie, I praise her because even tho she is not so-called “pro” ASL signer, she CAN communicate with her son unlike many parents out there who do NOT sign at all.
I am rooting for Luke because I want to see a DEAF person to win something which makes me feel good because I am also Deaf so what’s wrong with that.. why can’t every deaf person sees that, too? Ok, even if they don’t win at the end, I’m still proud how much they have accomplished in past weeks.
Way to go, Luke/Margie!!
Beside Lisa said “I can so talk”, alright we get it. Luke spoke a few words on TV, didn’t he? I can speak a few words, too but I don’t walk around telling people that I CAN talk! Who cares.
-SG
March 16th, 2009 at 8:59 am
*applaud* for Seek Geo
March 16th, 2009 at 9:05 am
There’s an extra dot int the cbs.com link
March 16th, 2009 at 9:52 am
I agreed with Diane.. Luke is “deaf” period and everyone is deaf and have their experiences with oral, readlip, speaking, or speech. There is no way to be against everyone’s life who have the experiences. I was so excited for Luke and his mother. He is so brave and courage. I get up and applaud him no matter what. He is still to be winning to our world that Deaf can do anything. THUMBS LUKE
March 16th, 2009 at 10:40 am
I watched the video which you provided with the link. I replayed several times, and it does not MATCH to Goldstein’s interpretation. Simply said.
March 16th, 2009 at 10:45 am
What a debacle. It’s no accident Purple Communications, Inc. (HOVRS, etc.) has Lisa Goldstein on board. Don’t you forget that. One way or other civil liberties prevails. People and their choices.
March 16th, 2009 at 10:49 am
And, for some of you people who take things literally and way out of context Lisa Goldstein isn’t part of the board OF DIRECTORS of Purple Communications, Inc. She’s just onboard jotting away for i711.com.
March 16th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Yikes. Shades of AGBell’s letter response to the Pepsi commercial of the two ASL Deaf people signing.
Drats! I just tried to open the Amazing Race Episode 1 link, but seems the video is unavailable? Can someone give me another link to the same episode?
Hmmm. Inferiority complex rearing its ugly head? Seems to me that Lisa has something to prove to the world …wanting to FIT into the hearing world?
As for the deceit being practiced…hmmm.
All I have to say, if one bashes someone else, or anything, at least get the facts straight, and be truthful or credibility is irrevocably lost.
March 16th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Thanks, Diane! Your message is well-said, too!
Hey Shel,
There is other link you can check out on youtube which is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AybF0A53P_4
Start at 1:08 to 1:23
-SG
March 16th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
Margie can understand Luke’s abilities, anything from A to Z, Oral and Sign Language. She raised him normally like the way our parents raised us normally. I was oral and did not speak perfect but my parents understand me pretty well.
Margie and Luke have proved to the world that they can able to develop the relationship unconditionally. They can live, laugh and love, the 3L’s.
Being a human is all it matters. We are all human being. How can Lisa Goldstein handle if she approach people in other country that don’t provide and speak in English? So, what was she thinking?
March 16th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
Thanks, SeekGeo!
I finally saw the tape myself, and I have to concur with Amy.
I’m the first to admit I’m not the best lipreader in the world (I’m pretty terrible, in fact), BUT it was pretty clear, even to me, that he did NOT say what Lisa claims he did.
So, what does that says about Lisa’s lipreading skills?
SeekGeo, I like that quote by Godefroy… quite apt in this situation.
March 16th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
Typo: I meant to say “So, what does that say about Lisa’s lipreading skills?
March 16th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
Chipmunk, Karen, and Diane, I think her diatribe was very disappointing and uncalled for.
Seek Geo, a great quote
Bill, thanks for alerting me. It worked earlier. I don’t know what happened. I got a different link and it works so far.
Robert, so she is a writer for i711 that has a large Deaf audience. Is i711 aware of her op-ed bashing Deaf people and filled with misinformation?
Amy, yes, it was very obvious Luke didn’t say that.
Shel, she is supposedly one of the top lipreaders, yet she cannot lipread Luke accurately. She should be more careful about bragging.
Goldstein drips of pure AGBell indoctrination. This is for hearing parents of c.i. kids. This is another proof of how AGBell turned the products of its system against culturally Deaf people.
White Ghost, you got it right.
March 17th, 2009 at 6:13 am
I am not deaf but my parents are and we watch this show together. I think it is awesome that they are on here to prove to people that he can do it. I always had to tell people that my parents are no different than us, but no one understands unless they are in our shoes. I don’t understand why she had to bad mouth him anyways if anything she should be proud that he is on here to prove to the world. Pretty offensive i think! I am rooting for margie and luke all the way. They are doing great and i hope they take home the money!
March 17th, 2009 at 6:17 am
I did want to add that i had watched this episode before but i went back to watch it and luke did NOT mouth that out either! His mom may have said it by mistake but he never said that.
March 17th, 2009 at 7:23 am
Mishka Zena wrote ,”Robert, so she is a writer for i711 that has a large Deaf audience. Is i711 aware of her op-ed bashing Deaf people and filled with misinformation?”
I’m so sure Purple Communications, Inc. / i711.com knows of this while in the same vein aware there’s so many Lisa Goldsteins using their IP Relay service. Don’t forget that Purple is publicly owned and they’re accountable to investors. I’m not surprised if heavy-hitters in the oral deaf community and those of old-money favors Lisa =)
March 17th, 2009 at 8:10 am
It is totally improper to see a paid staff bashing a linguistic minority. It will not reflect well for the organization, especially if many of its clients are from this linguistic minority. In my opinion, this linguistic minority shouldn’t be accepting this behavior.
Let’s put it this way. Is it acceptable for someone who can walk to bash someone using a wheelchair? No? Then why is it acceptable for someone who can talk bash people, some who cannot talk clearly?
March 17th, 2009 at 8:48 am
You got that right, mishkazena!
-SG
March 17th, 2009 at 10:08 am
I hope Lisa reads your blog.
March 17th, 2009 at 10:18 am
Touche, MZ! I’m curious to know if Lisa Goldstein is informed of this blog, and if she responds to it, if only to admit she was intemperate.
I can’t imagine i711 not being concerned about this, as the majority of their customers use ASL. It would be like someone who is light skinned working in NAACP bashing darker-skinned people. Such things just don’t make sense.
March 17th, 2009 at 10:29 am
Lisa may speak good but probably little too loud. So just leave Luke and other Deaf people alone and they already have enough and all they want is enjoying life.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:25 am
My son,..who is hearing,..listened to the tape and watched the signs that Luke made. NADA about “not being able to talk!!!!!” I speak with both hand and mouth and son understands!! I am applauding Luke’s wonderful mother,..who is COMMUNICATING with her son AND participating in an activity with him which the “accuser” is probably very jealous of!1
I’m NOT Deaf,..but as a former educator of deaf kids,..all I can say is that mother and son can at least talk to one another which is a hell of a lot more than most Hearing parents of deaf or Deaf kids can do!!!
Especially ORALLY trained deaf kids!!!
I can talk with my mouth too,..so what? I don’t go around telling people,..who can talk on their hands and do it well and in an educated fashion that they can’t talk at all!! Nor do I claim that someone,..who is obviously NOT having communication problems with a very good mother and parent,..is saying something that they never said!!
Kids NEED to learn language,..damn it!! Can’t this oral idiot accuser person see that or understand it? language,..whether signed or spoken..is better than no language at all!!
this week,..I’m going to take some college student friends of mine to meet a man,..a deaf man,..who has NO language because he was misdiagnosed as mentally retaded and never learned any language at the crucial stages in his childhood!! i’m going to EMPHASIZE to these Hearing college students and one or two Deaf future educators that the most important thing that they will be teaching their deaf and Deaf students is some form of language!! any person,..Deaf, deaf,..or hearing,..with NO language is scarsely human!! they have only the trappings of humanity!! Anny language,..whether SIGNED or spoken,..or a combination of both is better than NO language at all!!
ORAL IDIOTS!!
I don’t have to tell anyone how angry this makes me!!
March 18th, 2009 at 11:26 am
I’m not culturally Deaf,..but because of hearing loss..could be called deaf.
March 19th, 2009 at 3:59 am
[...] crap endurance! Deaf person or no Deaf person. But thanks to Mishka Zena, and her article, Oral Deaf Writer Attacks Luke of Amazing Race and Deaf People, I was able to read Lisa Goldstein’s article, First Person: I can so talk! and I wonder if [...]
March 19th, 2009 at 6:21 am
A friend passed me one of her articles. I find one of her statements interesting.
“The fact that I can speak and read lips may make it easier for me to “pass” as a hearing person”
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/examiner/archive/1999/10/10/EDITORIAL14313.dtl
April 1st, 2009 at 9:20 pm
I’ve been watching Margie and Luke and Luke CAN talk and does frequently on the show. (Usually when excited or frustrated.) It’s just that he can’t talk that WELL and can’t be understood by the average Hearing person. (His mother can.)
It’s just that he and every other deaf person shouldn’t be JUDGED by how well they can or cannot speak! That’s a cultural Hearing standard which Luke chooses not to live by. Some deaf people can get by with Oral language and bully for them. NO ONE should judge those who can’t, especially other deaf people.
ACTIONS speak louder than WORDS and Luke has PROVED it, finishing Top 4 in every leg of the Race, winning TWO! (1-4-4-4-1-4-4) The most CONSISTENT Race Team the whole season!
March 22nd, 2011 at 10:06 pm
This article that Lisa wrote made me angry! As I recalled, Luke said “Deaf people can do everything a hearing person can, except HEAR”!!!! His mom may have misspoken “talk”, but it doesn’t give Lisa the right to be so arrogant, impulsive, stupid, and be judgmental. I am deaf myself and I do lipread and I have read Luke’s mouth several times, and I know that he may not form words properly, BUT that’s HOW deaf people talk! Props to you all above for defending for Luke. He’s a close friend of mine and it makes me FURIOUS to se an imbecile “Miss I know everything and I’m better than every deaf being” attacking Luke just because of something that was misinterpreted. Sometimes mistakes were made, but that does not mean it was 100% Margie or his fault. Now I understand his recent “Fame comes with a price” ‘s meaning. Horribe horrible woman! I have a CI and I do NOT use it. Does that make me stupid and unintelligentibly able to function in the world???