Deaf Group Smears Administration in Tiff Over Funding

[atomicpossum]

I've never before seen the actual birth of an Urban Legend, but it is an illuminating process to witness.

In an editorial on the Palm Beach Post, columnist Dan Moffet publishes a scathing indictment of the Bush Administration's Department of Education for an under-the-radar attempt to puritanize the materials that the government closed-captions for deaf children. It paints a picture of a paternalistic government, fueled by fanatical Christianity to the point that it merits comarison to the Taliban. It warns that even now a 'puritannical' government seeks to protect the 'impressionable' from 'inappropriate' influences. It warns that the government is 'refusing to reveal the names of the panel members whose opinions determined the caption grants,' implying a druidic cabal of religious psychotics extending the reach of radical Christianity from the hidden cloisters of Washington.

The only source cited in this story, however, is Kelby Brick, director of the National Association of the Deaf's law and advocacy center. No one from the administration or the Department of Education is quoted. But, most important, neither NAD nor Moffet reveal that NAD is the party which administers this program, funded by the Education Department. NAD also does not mention that its true concern is to keep its government money flowing in the face of cuts in the Bush administration's attempts to reduce the deficit.

NAD's website is filled with similar screed. NAD's position is that the goal of these reductions is to censor, to take prevent any unclean influence from influencing the deaf. However, looking at the list of programs losing their funding, it's hard to make that case.

The list ishere. Take a look. The programs who had their grant request disapproved includes sports programming (NASCAR, NBA, College Football), entertainment programs (Digimon, PokeMon, The Simpsons, Malcolm in the Middle), a bible program (did the puritans miss this one?).

The approved list includes most major news outlets, PBS programming, NASA programming, educational programs for adults and children alike, and a small selection of movies based on literary classics.

Apparently, given a tightening of available funds, DoE has decided that it would be better spending its money to educate rather than just entertain.

NAD, of course, wants to keep all the funding it can. In short, a non-profit organization that receives government benefits engages in hate speech, religious baiting, and simple incitement against the Administration when it might face a reduction in its benefits.

Author further raises the stakes in his weblog, inventing the charge of censorship of any program 'mentioning witchcraft' because I Dream of Jeannie, Bewitched, and Scooby-Doo will no longer be closed-captioned at government expense (Mr. Gaiman conveniently overlooks the fact that "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "Pinocchio" are still included). Readers of Mr. Gaiman take the sensationalistic charges and spread them in a panic throughout weblogs, Usenet, and web forums with the panic of that psycho-Christian Bush out of control and taking us back to neo-Puritanism. Cory Doctorow of the popular www.boingboing.net picks up Gaiman's rant and runs an article that spreads throughout the internet.

With a gullibility produced by pure hatred of the Bush administration, the Left takes NAD's distortions at face value and runs with them. Critical thinking, in their case, isn't neccessary, since it fits their preconceived template.

[atomicpossum]

Since I cocked up the Gaiman link in the post above, here's the link to the actual blog entry: http://www.neilgaiman.com/journal/2004_02_15_archive.asp#107696669154613046.

[EllaMinnow]

Unbelievable, but somehow not at all surprising.

Welcome to FR.

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

Is this the Neil Gaiman of Sandman fame? Sigh....

[CougarGA7]

Read my lips...

[Mr. Bird]

I was bummed when I heard the sports programming would no longer be captioned. It's a big help in a crowded, noisy bar. Oh well. I didn't know it was federally funded either (I thought the networks did it out of kindness, silly me), so no complaints from me to see it gone.

[NJConservative]

I am hard of hearing and rely heavily on closed captioning but I have a real problem with the government paying for it on commercial broadcasting with tax dollars.

[atomicpossum]

I'm not bothered that people with hearing difficulties would like to see funding restored for closed-captioning. But I do get steamed when the organization that appears to benefit from it uses inflammatory and anti-religious rhetoric to turn it into a culture war.

[Cinnamon Girl]

The ASL sign for receiving benefits from the government comes to mind.