Earth vs. Eyeth

Please read Radicalism in Deaf in the Culture under Language Articles on my blog. Then, answer the following questions.

a) What is the primary argument of the students representing Deaf Culture?
The argument of the students representing Deaf culture is that deafness is not a disability but is "an oppressed minority status akin to race, and also as a unique linguistic culture. " They believe that society treats deaf people wrong, like disabled people, when really they have much to offer and should be educated so that they can communicate effectively.

b) Why would the Deaf Culture students value a President of Gallaudet who spends more time in Eyeth over Earth? Shouldn't a President of a college represent all students?
The Deaf culture students would value a president who spends more time in Eyeth (is more deaf) because that president would better understand Deaf culture since they are forced to use it and become it more than a person who spends more time on Earth and might view the deaf students differently (subconsciously thinking of the students as more disabled, less fortunate, etc.) The students of Deaf culture would probably also feel that a more Eyeth member would be a better symbol for the deaf school, and a show of how deaf people can function just as well as hearing people in positions of power/responsibility.
It is pretty much impossible to represent ALL students or all members of any group, because each individual is different, but I do think that a president should represent the majority of the students (or else most of the school will be unhappy). However, I think just because the president may spend a little more time in Earth than Eyeth (i.e. Fernandes) compared with the students, that does not mean he/she cannot represent them. As long as they still have the same interests and understand what it is like to be deaf and the hardships/abilities one encounters as a deaf person, I think they can represent the students if lines of communication remain open between president and students.

c) What are the advantages and disadvantages of a Deaf person spending too much time in either Eyeth or Earth?
Spending more time in either world will make the person more able or more equipped to communicate with other people in that world, and maybe not quite as easy to communicate with people in the OTHER world (i.e. a deaf person living in Eyeth will probably be able to communicate with/understand other Eyeth members more easily than with an earth member.) I think it would be better to spend some time in both 'worlds' (if possible) because then you would get both perspectives and experiences and be able to communicate with a larger number of people, rather than if you spend too much time in either 'world'. When time is spent in Eyeth, the other senses can be more developed to make up for hearing (i.e. more acute vision), but time spent in Eyeth can also be more dangerous if you cannot see a car coming up behind you or something.

d) What is your opinion of the fight at Galludet? Should Jane K. Fernandes be President of Gallaudet?
I think they are making a bigger deal out of it than it needs to be; if noone can determine any specific problems with Fernandes, and the only real problem is that she is not "deaf enough", I think she should be allowed to take presidency if there is not someone clearly more enabled for the job than her. She is still DEAF and can relate to the students, and she does know sign language, she just also knows how to speak and lipread, which I think would be good for the deaf students because it really is helpful in the real world. To be practical, most hearers do not know sign language, and if the deaf culture/community wanted to be respected and viewed as an equal, non-disabled group, I think they would have more luck if they, or at least their leaders, could effectively communicate with the outside world in more ways than one (sign language can be used too, but speaking and lipreading won't hurt to have in the cart).