Discount for being Deaf

Opal

Active Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2003
Messages
3,761
Reaction score
1
If I read this correctly she wants a discount for being deaf but doesn't want it called a handicap or disability.

You can't have your cake and eat it too!!!!
********************************
I received this email from deaf friend:-


Hello everybody,

I do not know if you all will agree with me or not. But there's this opinion that I have right now that I would like to share with you all. I am planning to send a letter to government or to the president to give one idea where it would be easier for us who are hard of hearing and deaf. You can pass along to your friends who are hearing or deaf/hard of hearing. They may agree as well. I am not embarrassed that I will be writing this to you. Because sometimes it's good to take a risk and share your idea. You never know if they will agree with you unless you do it. One of my very good friend, Amanda, agree with me that there should be some kind of discount for us who cannot communicate as well as hearing people do. There are few examples:

1. Pagers: Most of us can not talk on the phone so we reply on pager to communicate with deaf/hard of hearing and hearing people. That is only way that we can really reply on because if there is any emergency, car broken down while driving, hearing people trying to get ahold of you, or people who are looking for jobs, people with jobs and so on; then there is pager for us to use. Getting pagers isn't affordable. It can be quietly expensive for who cannot afford that much of money. It would be fair if we got some kind of discount because we DO have a good reason. Hearing people use cell phone or pager with phone and can communicate. I was thinking about that because especially if you are living in Canada, it can be very expensive, maybe more than America.

2. Traveling (includes Amtrak, buses, transits, flying and so on): Most of us doesn't have a good hearing where we can understand well enough to hear what someone is saying on announce speaker. Sometimes we will miss something important or something that goes wrong. We should get discount because we aren't like hearing person who can hear everything what they are saying. That's not fair for us. That goes with flying. They don't have some kind of thing where there would be an interpreter or someone who work there aren't always nice enough to help us to understand what's going on. Sometimes we get really really lucky that we do find a nice person who is willing to help us, to make our traveling more comfortable and easy for all of us. In my experience, I took Amtrak one time. It was not a good experience because I would be honest and tell someone that I am deaf and need them to tell me what's going on if there is something happening or something you need to know. That person did not do that. And I could see some people's frustration. So finally I went up to one of them and asked "I'm sorry to disturb. But I'm deaf. Someone who work here was supposed to tell me what's going on if necarisally. But I could tell that something is wrong." He was nice enough to explain to me that there was some kind of problem and need to stop to double check to make sure everything was okay before we go ahead and go farther. I was very disappointed. We do deserve some kind of discount for that. And when we do ask for discount, we are called "handicapped or disability" Some of us doesn't like to be label as "handicap" or "disability" because we feel that we are same as hearing people where we can travel, drive a car, go to movies, listening to music (especially if it's really loud but who cares because some hearing people enjoy that ).

3. There should be a discount that can be only for deaf and hard of hearing, instead of using handicap or disability And if we get as many people as we can get (even if your hearing friends agree and want to sign then that'd be awesome). International and national are all welcome to sign their name and where they lives. If they want to write a message then they are also welcome to do that. Once we all do that, I will mail a letter to President or government. And hopefully we will get lucky that someone will listen to us and agree to make things easier for us. You can copy and paste and then add your name and (no message or message are welcome). If you want to add that you are deaf/hard of hearing or hearing you're welcome to. We have nothing to be ashamed of being who we are.

1.
2.
 
I received another email from my hearing Interpreter friend, here she wrote:-

Just wanted to let you know that many times those announcements on the speaker can't be heard even if you are hearing. Many times I have traveled and had no idea what was being said on the speakers. Either the speakers are not clear or there is to much noise in the area for them to be heard. Also it is not just the Deaf, HH, Deaf/Blind that don't get the announcements those that don't speak English have no clue what is going on either. --- But you are right it is their job to make sure you know what is going on. Here in the states many CO are starting to put announcements up on a board so people can read them to know what is going on.

One thing you might add to your letter. I know many times I have traveled with groups of Deaf and Deaf/Blind, the only reason I when on the trip was to help them travel easier (and some of the Airline, CO wouldn't let them go without someone being with them on the plane that could help the staff in case of emergency) BUT I still had to pay the full cost of the trip. There should be a discount or maybe 2 people going at the cost of one when someone is traveling for the purpose of helping someone else to travel. (going as a guide or an interpreter with someone)

Just a thought
Take Care
 
I also received this from Australian hearing Interpreter's

"Just to let you know that there is a new card called companion card for australians/victorians which if you care for someone to help them out you can get in for free talk to Dept of Human Services or contact VCOD regarding this."
 
Hmm... that letter sounds nice. That's going to be something that's hard to do. If it's a device that you cannot avoid or live without, then yes... it should be discounted. If it's something you can live without, then they probably won't discounted. Pagers are something that many of us can live with out. It's like cell phones and people aren't desperate to have them. I've never had a pager nor do I need one. I could use one, but I'm not crazy for them. However, I do have an alarm clock. That is something I cannot live without. I need it to help me wake up. Since it's needed, I should be able to get it cheap or discounted instead of the usual $60 like I spent on my recent alarm clock.
 
Back
Top