All throughout history when an issue or problem presented it's self to a group of individuals. Their voices together would bring about change through toil and determination. However, what if the world couldn't hear your "voice" or understand your language? The degree of effort and work for such a group of people would seem futile. For the students of Gallaudet University, the barrier between the hearing world and the Deaf world could not have stopped them."On March 6, the decision of the university's Broad of Trustees to name Elisabeth Ann Ziner, a hearing women with no previous knowledge of the deaf community, the university's seventh president." (Van Cleve p.170) Brought about a great disturbance within the deaf community and student of Gallaudet University. This event marked the beginning of the "Deaf President Now" (DPN) movement. The movement last week and during that time all activities and classes at Gallaudet had come to a complete halt. While drawing national attention to the movement it's self. However, what would cause such a ripple in the community of the Gallaudet student body, to start "small revolution?"The more interesting question to be asked isn't what happened to cause DPN, but rather, what didn't happen? Of all the candidates who were up for the presidency of the university, only one of them was not deaf. This fact only fueled the fire when candidate was chosen. More or less sending a message into the deaf community that deaf people still seemed to be less capable or qualified as a hearing person. Yet, although DPN was a movement for equality and many other issues, it was a milestone in the Deaf Culture. "Deaf President Now" showed the world that deaf people and the deaf world could be united around a common issues and "fight." Especially one of this importance. "Gallaudet University represents the pinnacle of education for deaf people, not only in the United States but throughout the world." (Van C...
