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<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>Please help us spread this petition in the UK
and overseas!!!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000
size=2>*****************************************************************************************************************************************************</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>IMPORTANT: </FONT><FONT color=#000000
size=2>Please do not delete this mail! Don't kill the petition!
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>PLEASE READ, COPY, SIGN, AND SEND
ON...!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2><U>RECOGNITION OF BRITISH SIGN LANGUAGE
PETITION</U></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2><U></U></FONT><FONT
face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><FONT color=#000000>British </FONT>Sign
Language (BSL) is the first language of 57,000-65,000 Deaf people in the
UK. Thousands more use it as a second language and over a million have
mastered a basic level of proficiency. In the past Deaf people have been
prevented from using their own language. In 1880, a Milan conference
banned it's use in schools but today it continues to thrive despite attempts to
squash it. British Sign Language is the language by which deaf people
achieve access to society since many have little or no access to spoken
English. Just as Welsh people have secured their right to be educated and
live their lives through the Welsh Language, so too should Deaf people be able
to take their place along side hearing English speakers as full and equal
citizens. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV>
<P align=justify><FONT size=2>The Federation of Deaf People (FDP) is organising
a march for the legal recognition of BSL by the British Government. The march
will take place on <STRONG>Sunday</STRONG> <STRONG>27th June 1999.
</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P align=justify><FONT size=2><STRONG></STRONG></FONT><FONT size=2>The march
will start from Temple Place, London WC2, a petition will be delivered to
Downing street and then continue to the finish at Trafalgar Square where a rally
will be held. </FONT></P>
<P align=justify><FONT size=2>We want the British Government to fully and
unconditionally accept British Sign Language as a true language, native to the
United Kingdom, with full access through it to all who wish to use it. The FDP
will ask for a British Sign Language taskforce to be set up to examine the
legislative development needed to protect British Sign Language and to enable
its users full and equal access as British citizens. </FONT></P>
<P align=justify><FONT size=2>The FDP will demand amongst other
things.</FONT></P>
<UL>
<LI><FONT size=2> a review of adequacy of current state provision of
interpreting services and ask that greater state funding is made available
for services and for training courses to alleviate the shortage of Sign
Language Interpreters. </FONT></FONT>
<LI><FONT size=2>a review of the use of British Sign Language in the
education to ensure that it is made available as a choice for all deaf
children.</FONT></LI></UL></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000><FONT size=2></FONT></FONT><FONT
size=2> <STRONG>We want official recognition of our language and our right
to use it!</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>Please add your name to the list and send it on
to all your friends, family and colleagues! </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>If you are number 20) on the list please continue the petition
by forwarding it to your friends but also send it to <A
href="mailto:bslmarch@hotmail.com">bslmarch@hotmail.com</A> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>It is better to <U>copy </U>this e-mail and then
send it on. You can forward it but the petition will end up with a long
list of names at the top of the e-mail. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>Even if you don't want to sign the petition
<U>please don't kill it </U>by deleting it. Instead, please just forward
it or send it back to <A
href="mailto:bslmarch@hotmail.com">bslmarch@hotmail.com</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>If you receive several copies of this petition, please don't
delete it but keep the chains going if possible!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> <FONT color=#000000 size=2>***if
anyone would like to receive a hard copy of the petition to print out and
collect signatures from friends without e-mail please contact <A
href="mailto:bslmarch@hotmail.com">bslmarch@hotmail.com</A> and we will e-mail
it to you as a WORD 6 attachment.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2> <FONT
color=#000000>NAME
AREA
COUNTRY</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>1. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>2.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>3.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>4.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>5.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>6.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>7.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>8.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>9.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>10.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>11.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>12.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>13.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>14.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>15.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>16.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>17.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>18.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>19.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>20.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT>
<DIV>> <BR>>
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