goalie4hawks

I am an ASL student in HS and I want a bunch of Opinions. My topic for writing my midterm paper is "Are deaf people disabled." I want to get opinions on both side of the fence. Your imput is greatly apreciated. Thanx.

Deafness

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deafinitely

It depends on which deaf individual you ask. Some deaf like to think of themself as a poor disabled sad creature. Thinking the world owes them! These are those deaf who you will find handing out the "ABC sign cards" asking for donations. However, other deaf like to take the opportunity of being deaf as a SIGN to say...I CAN.. and I WILL! These deaf individuals are not disabled. But very much abled and willing! We are proud and function fully in the ABLE range.

deafdyke

Well why should disabilty be thought of as "bad"? Disabilty is just a nautral part of the human condition. I AM disabled, but it's just a part of me, the way my blue eyes are or my passion for folk music is.
People can adapt to disabilty and live rich full lives just as good and equal to those without disabilties! Sure, people with disabilties are "different" but they don't face anything different then do other minorities! Disabilty isn't a horrible limiting condition.....it's people's attitudes which are limiting!

VamPyroX

I think that word is something that's abused. I've seen deaf people taking advantage of that word and getting themselves handicapped parking passes for their cars because of their so-called "disabled" hearing.

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rjr2006

"Deafness is the biggest problem for me because I have very limited speech. It is very difficult for me to communicate with hearing people because they don't have time to learn how to use sign language". this is my quote from my state essay. Hope that it helps. Good luck!

deafdyke

Something to think about.....in our society we tend to equate disabilty with being sick/chronic illness, or wanting to get well. Yet there's a HUGE difference betweeen someone who uses a wheelchair but is otherwise healthy and someone who has cancer or something that causes chronic pain or something else that causes sickness. Sure someone who has a disabilty does spend a lot of time with the medical establishment, just as people with chronic illnesses do, but there's just something different about that.
Yeah, they both go for treatment, but one can function perfectly well as a disabled person (with some adaptations) but someone can't function as a sick person...does that make any sense?

goalie4hawks

Thanks for all the great opinions. I really value what you say and appreciate you taking the time to help a highschool kid . Thanks again!

Nesmuth

Deafness is defined as a physical disability in which affects major life activities such as speaking, hearing, independently using the phone, listening to the radios and tv's, listeining to people's conversations, and relying on assistance to be able to achieve such activities affected by the loss or absence of the sense of hearing.

Richard

NeilMcD

I. King Jordan (President of Gallaudet Univ) had a great quote in regards to this question:

Think about that. It's a profound statement.