Note: My good friend Wade Engelsman wrote this as part of his
English Final paper. We thought it’s good way to share with
everybody. Please feel free to make comment. He made A on this
one! –gwlj Deafness: Is It a Disability? I am profoundly deaf. A
rock could hear better than I. However, I am much more useful
than the rock. According to the society that I live in, being a
deaf citizen is considered a handicapped person. How dare they
label me as a useless person! Individuals with deafness should
not be looked upon, viewed or labeled as disabled. The United
States Government defines disability as “a physical or mental
impairment which substantially limits one or more of such
person’s major life activities.” (Office of Disability
Employment Policy, 2009). That definition is offensive to me.
First of all, the deaf population can do anything that a
‘normal’ person can do except hear. I am aware that I am not
able to hear; however, it does not stop me from dancing,
talking, playing with other children, work, or d