0:00:00.033,0:00:04.435
[ This video has no audio, in honor of 'No Audio Day' ... ]

0:00:04.435,0:00:07.477
[ ... and a good No Audio Day to you! ]

0:00:07.477,0:00:08.958
Hello ASL Community!

0:00:08.958,0:00:12.234
I usually post my vlogs on the 1st and 15th of each month,

0:00:12.234,0:00:14.206
but one viewer

0:00:14.206,0:00:16.412
notified me of something; when I looked into it,

0:00:16.412,0:00:21.006
I was so disturbed that I just had to let you know about it.

0:00:21.006,0:00:24.335
If someone were to tell you that ASL wasn't a true language,

0:00:24.335,0:00:26.607
that it was all just a bunch of rudimentary

0:00:26.607,0:00:29.652
miming and gesturing, how would you feel?

0:00:29.652,0:00:32.016
Sad to say, that's precisely what's happening here in Italy.

0:00:32.016,0:00:35.966
For years now, the Italian signing community,

0:00:35.966,0:00:39.208
comprised of both Deaf and hearing signers,

0:00:39.208,0:00:42.751
have been striving to convince their government

0:00:42.751,0:00:46.486
to recognize their signed language: LIS.

0:00:46.486,0:00:50.596
They've submitted a document regarding LIS to the government,

0:00:50.596,0:00:53.615
which the government is ready to officially recognize

0:00:53.615,0:00:57.894
<i>however</i> they want to replace the acronym 'LIS' with 'LMG',

0:00:57.894,0:01:00.976
essentially meaning 'Language of Miming and Gesturing'

0:01:00.976,0:01:01.858


0:01:01.858,0:01:03.609
… 'Miming and Gesturing'???

0:01:03.609,0:01:07.059
Hey, I've got an idea: Maybe we should start referring to

0:01:07.059,0:01:11.263
spoken Italian as 'LMG' - Language of Moans and Grunts!

0:01:11.263,0:01:17.028
[ terrible imitation of spoken Italian… but you get the point ]

0:01:17.028,0:01:18.551


0:01:18.551,0:01:22.294
If you'd like more information, check out the links below.

0:01:22.294,0:01:25.904
Click on them for more videos and articles on the topic.

0:01:25.904,0:01:28.277
Anyway, I didn't make this video simply because I wanted

0:01:28.277,0:01:31.286
to share this information with you and have that be it.

0:01:31.286,0:01:33.693
No, this is a call to ACTION.

0:01:33.693,0:01:36.641
These are our Italian brothers and sisters! Though they have

0:01:36.641,0:01:39.033
a different signed language, they <i>are</i> a part of the

0:01:39.033,0:01:42.145
global signing community, and as such, share our interests.

0:01:42.145,0:01:44.079
… but how can we lend our support?

0:01:44.079,0:01:49.000
Well, I'm glad you asked. You can do three things.

0:01:49.000,0:01:51.038
Here's the first, and most significant way

0:01:51.038,0:01:52.064
to lend your support:

0:01:52.064,0:01:55.553
The Italian signing - LIS - community has set up an

0:01:55.553,0:01:58.817
online petition; you can show your support

0:01:58.817,0:02:01.626
by logging on to that petition and signing it.

0:02:01.626,0:02:04.134
The petition's link is below, the first one listed.

0:02:04.134,0:02:09.057
Since the petition is in Italian, you may feel a bit lost,

0:02:09.057,0:02:13.057
unsure of how to fill it out. No worries, simply click here.

0:02:13.057,0:02:16.208
You'll see a video explaining and demonstrating

0:02:16.208,0:02:18.948
the process, it's really easy, so simple.

0:02:18.948,0:02:21.826
One thing to keep in mind, though: Unless you confirm

0:02:21.826,0:02:24.869
your email address, your signature is not valid.

0:02:24.869,0:02:27.676
Some have signed the petition thinking all is well,

0:02:27.676,0:02:29.351
when in fact, they've missed one step,

0:02:29.351,0:02:30.717
thereby invalidating their signature!

0:02:30.717,0:02:32.095
How so? Click on that there video.

0:02:32.095,0:02:35.295
The second way to lend your support? If you have

0:02:35.295,0:02:38.941
a Facebook account, log in, enter the name

0:02:38.941,0:02:41.313
of this group, and join 'em. That way you can keep

0:02:41.313,0:02:43.051
updated on any developments.

0:02:43.051,0:02:45.458
The third thing you can do? Tell your friends!

0:02:45.458,0:02:48.165
If you're Deaf, tell your Deaf friends.

0:02:48.165,0:02:50.773
If you're an ASL teacher, tell your students.

0:02:50.773,0:02:53.046
If you're an interpreter, tell your colleagues.

0:02:53.046,0:02:56.455
Send an email, tell them in person, forward this vlog,

0:02:56.455,0:02:59.328
make your own vlog! The important thing is that

0:02:59.328,0:03:01.769
you get the word out. It doesn't matter if you're Deaf,

0:03:01.769,0:03:06.075
Hard-of-Hearing, hearing, a CODA, or a NERDA…

0:03:06.075,0:03:10.038
point is, we're all a part of one big community:

0:03:10.038,0:03:13.301
the global signing community.

0:03:13.301,0:03:15.303
As for those who do not understand sign language;

0:03:15.303,0:03:17.814
we need to <i>help</i> them understand.

0:03:17.814,0:03:20.853
Sign the petition. Join the Facebook group.

0:03:20.853,0:03:22.193
Tell your friends.

0:03:22.193,0:03:24.405
Sign

0:03:24.405,0:03:26.193
Power.

0:03:26.193,9:59:59.000