There was a specific time period in the USA where deaf retards (To use another term, deaf mutes or trainables...) which are old words not used today too often because it hurts sensitive PC generation. But specifically if you were deaf you did not drive period. No license no nothing. That lasted I think until about the early 70's and not too long after the DOT issued a rule that HOH Truckers with hearing aids can now drive big rigs. Provided they passed a medical audiogram or a whisper test from 5 feet behind. (In a room with 60 other people talking, aint no way so I use audio gram)
In 40 years Ive only met three truckers who were deaf or HOH in hearing aids and knew specifically of 4 high school class mates who were also deaf but engaged in heavy equiptment, construction and one family in Frederick were tractor dealers for farmers. I used to deliver tractors and combines etc to them now and again. That was pretty special.
I remember the day I got my Class A which was pre CDL in those days in the 80's and allowed to drive anything up to the maximum allowed on our Highways (Around 520,000 to 690,000 or so with special permits etc) There were about a hundred or so in my family who were old fashioned. They were horrified that I am now considered a trucker and licensed to do so by the State and then expressed old fashioned discrimination. I let it go, and they were no longer part of family. It was narrowed down to a few people who were supportive and curious actually as to how am I going to be trucking at that time (Pay phones, no cell, no computers no internet none of that. Just a pencil and ledger pad etc) So discrimination was very strong at that time.
Once in a while I'll run into someone even today who thinks deaf should stay home staring at 4 walls. And it wont take but a hour of a little schooling and teaching as to what it was really in history using myself as a example. When I was 6, the State sent me and my parents to a special doctor who was a mixture of several specialties including mental health. At the time everyone else thought I was deaf mute or actually a retard unable to function. Well that doctor set some toys in a quiet room and then sat to watch what happens, they were new toys at the time and engaging in learning how to work them. Then after about 40 minutes while I was deep in toyland mentally he called my name. Then louder. And louder until he reached my hearing point. I turned to him and said yes?
That was the key and a day to remember. Years later I was told that day would have determined me to go to a deaf school which was new in Maryland or get sent to Springfield hospital to live out my life in a rubber room under very strict rules and very basic existance which itself is not really living classified as a mental retard. That would have been a great loss. We ran into a few who had challenges in life later in the high school and middle school part of the deaf, I remember one in particular. He was borderline crazy. But knew right and wrong and thats what did it as far as him being able to function later in life very well (And with many children hopefully) after graduation.
I don't seek combat or conflict when people display discrimination or ignorance etc. Those are the ones who are set in their ways and if communication is not possible then there is no teaching them. I just let em go. And think back to the bad old days of the 60's where we essentially did not get permission to do anything at all. A land of "No" as it were.
Trucking was something I understood and eventually later in the years was doing very expensive and important cargos (Medicines, narcotics, cancer drugs etc and especially Blood Plasma with my wife. Truck loads of human blood plasma straight from LA California to Avenel NJ in about 52 hours straight through twice a week, 7000 miles a week. When you are doing something that important the money is not the only reward.
