I'm a person who used to be able to hear (Always been HOH though) but I'm now deaf. I only mention that because I kind of know what it's like on both sides of the coin.
Like many of you I try not to let those jerks bother me but sometimes they do get on my nerves. For example when my hearing decreased to the point of deafness it was suggested that I meet with a deaf group in my area called the WMAD (West Michigan Association of the Deaf). They mainly got together and did things like bowling and softball league. I joined their team along with my ex-wife (Wife at the time). One day while playing a game my wife got very upset. We didn't know why she was obviously telling some guy off on the other team until she told us. Turns out a guy on the other team was making fun of a guy on our teams speech.
The thing is that if she didn't say anything none of us would have even known about it. Now this makes me even more upset because it makes me wonder how often it happens that I don't know about. On the other hand though it won't bother me if I don't know about it. So it's kind of a double edge sword.
I will tell you this though. I used to just ignore those jerks but I don't anymore. I try not to dwell on it but if I do see someone do something that upsets me about it I no longer keep it to myself. For example one time a guy was talking to me but he really wasn't. He was just moving his lips but not really making any words. In other words he was making fun of me or mocking me. How I replied to this is I told him off. I won't elaborate on exactly what I said but I let him know that I'm not taking his attitude and everyone around us knew why. Believe me. by the time I was done he was apologizing big time.
I'm not suggesting everyone to make a scene like that. This particular incident just caught me in a bad mood. But I do feel we are with in our rights to tell them off when they deserve it. But in all honesty the anger will only last as long as we let it.
