In 1893 Bell wrote his Memoir upon the Formation of a deaf Variety of the Human Race. In it, he asserted that “evidence shows a tendency to the formation of a deaf variety of the human race in America.” While he could not alter the inheritability of deafness, he could address the issue of intermarriage among deaf people. He suggested two types of measures – preventive and repressive. Among the preventive measures were an end to the segregation of deaf children in special schools, an end to the employment of deaf teachers for deaf students, and an end to the use of sign language. (Van Cleve, 1987, Vol. 1, p. 139)

So, you may say, “Well, A. G. Bell is history.” I am warning you, history does repeat itself, if we do not learn from it. I predict there will be a “neo-Bell” movement in this country (just like there is a Neo-Nazi movement alive in the world today). When the movement comes it will be called “Neo-Bellism.” (Bahan, 1989, p. 87)

Impulses such as Bell's to eliminate deafness from the face of the earth are very much alive and real. My wife Brenda and I are witnessing a very powerful movement through government funding and support from influential organizations and individuals for eliminating deafness. The goal, for many, is the extinction of deafness. We have noted that serious investments have been made in genetic engineering and cochlear implants.