What would you do if you were asked to speak in public while deaf?

P

Presbyter

Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2006
Messages
180
Reaction score
17
senior center is a place where 60 or older goes to eat lunch provided by a county/state. they also provide trips, classes, and other things like games , quilting and art. each month they celebrate birthdays to those with birthdays of that month. they do some nice things like serve you lunch instead of you getting in line, they give cards and sing birthday songs. they seat those with birthdays of that month at one decorated table. they ask each, one by one, to get up in front of the cafeteria of 10-30 people eating lunch there. they ask you to state your name, birthday and anything else like what you're thankful for or who you are or whats going on with your life.
tell us what you would do if you were seated at the birthday table and got put on the spot like that? is it legal to ask someone to do all that? what would you say? how would you handle it?
 
Why not write yours down and have someone verbally speak it?...As for being Legal??...LOL...Nuts!...You're getting free Lunch and craft classes...I've only gone 1 or 2 times to a Senior Citizen Center...ate Lunch (which I didn't enjoy)...asked about the classes and IF there were any other Deaf there?...They didn't know...Oh well...and most were women, very few men there (not that I was looking)...LOL....
 
rockin'robin said:
Why not write yours down and have someone verbally speak it?...As for being Legal??...LOL...Nuts!...You're getting free Lunch and craft classes...I've only gone 1 or 2 times to a Senior Citizen Center...ate Lunch (which I didn't enjoy)...asked about the classes and IF there were any other Deaf there?...They didn't know...Oh well...and most were women, very few men there (not that I was looking)...LOL....
Click to expand...

I might write it or might not bother at all. I don't need to do all that. the older I get, the more I say no thanks. high blood pressure and stage fright is totally unnecessary. I might say kiss my a** than having a preventable stroke. I see others not liking to speak. the thing is that the senior centers are not trained in diversity. they tell me that it's mandatory that I sit and listen to announcements and seminars. Even though I ignore it, I doubt I'll ever be pushed to the point in having the state to train all mangers of the all centers. could be possible I could request such training for staff. Sort of having fun with it. some might get shocked of my lack of not caring. big difference between not caring and not caring backed by federal laws. I once told my boss if he don't cut it out, I'll bring my service dog and have my dog to have an accident in his office. he laughed and turned to his workers, "can he do that??" they said, "yep". (note: business do have a right to request I not bring my dog anymore. {but the smell won't go away}). [they can bill you for carpet cleaning or rug]
Maybe I'm being rude but if my food server keeps giving me a half a serving, I'm going to yell, "I paid for all the food and Y O U R paycheck!" Note: food isn't free, it's paid for by tax payers, me.
I can wait for the managers to yell at me to get off the phone. it'll be a little secret I'm using AVA app or live transcribe app. I'll wait til she turns blue and then show her my cool app which is my right to use privately and personally. Call me rude but deaf could be normal and hearing is abnormal. it's our normal. if they want me to hear then why not they pay for my hearing aids. I'll pitch in the batteries for free to hear their crap.
for crafts and computer classes? I'm a van Gogh and managed 80 computers stations at once. I'll take that back, I think I'll enjoy mixing colors for others. I'll pour colors together and get a color match on the first try. most of the time.
 
Last edited:
Presbyter said:
senior center is a place where 60 or older goes to eat lunch provided by a county/state. they also provide trips, classes, and other things like games , quilting and art. each month they celebrate birthdays to those with birthdays of that month. they do some nice things like serve you lunch instead of you getting in line, they give cards and sing birthday songs. they seat those with birthdays of that month at one decorated table. they ask each, one by one, to get up in front of the cafeteria of 10-30 people eating lunch there. they ask you to state your name, birthday and anything else like what you're thankful for or who you are or whats going on with your life.
tell us what you would do if you were seated at the birthday table and got put on the spot like that? is it legal to ask someone to do all that? what would you say? how would you handle it?
Click to expand...

No problem at all. They certainly would have to have booked an interpreter to make sure I’m included in such an event. I would sign and the interpreter would voice. Deaf people are often quite good at public speech, since you always have to go in front of a group in order to sign something. For a non signing person, they likely speak for themselves and use CART to make sure they are included.
 
If I was asked last minute, I'd decline politely or either ask a volunteer to speak for me. I have done this many times.
 
Swedeafa said:
No problem at all. They certainly would have to have booked an interpreter to make sure I’m included in such an event. I would sign and the interpreter would voice. Deaf people are often quite good at public speech, since you always have to go in front of a group in order to sign something. For a non signing person, they likely speak for themselves and use CART to make sure they are included.
Click to expand...
you said, "They certainly would have to have booked an interpreter to make sure I’m included in such an event"
this is getting very interesting! "certainly would have to" you mean they are required to hire a interpretor for such event like that? Let me ask you this. everyday, while we eat at the center, the manager comes in to make announcements. I don't hear the announcements. I wouldn't care for the interpretor to sit at my table and watch me eat. I made it easy. I got my wife to join the center due to me going there. I learned that I could have an companion interpretor as stated in ADA. now my wife can eat with me and she tells me what was being said. I missed out on events and showed up (10-15 times) finding the center closed due to field trips. now I know whats going on plus my wife eats there saving me money.
now, recently the staff of the center harassed my companion interpretor for the deaf. now I'm back to square one. would it be cheaper for them to treat my unlicensed companion interpreter nicer for free or hire a licensed interpreter for $40-$60 dollars per day? I don't know what to do.

let's start with "what it means when a staff talks ugly to an interpreter"
. I know there a 90 days in jail and/or $500 fine for harassing service dogs. my next door made verbal threats regarding my dog but private properties don't count. is there a harassing or mistreatment of interpreters clause somewhere?
 
I'd probably skip going to the senior center that day, knowing they would ask me to stand up and present. I would go out with some other friends or family that I could communicate and be comfortable with and celebrate my birthday.
 
Dude. They can’t make you speak in front of a group just because it’s your birthday. Tell them to pound sand.
 
PinballWiz said:
Dude. They can’t make you speak in front of a group just because it’s your birthday. Tell them to pound sand.
Click to expand...

thats a new one for me. let me look that up:
-----------------------
Go Pound Sand Meaning. Definition: Go away; do something pointless; screw off. The idiom go pound sand is an expression of contempt that often means, “Go away.” It also refers to a pointless activity. The idiom originated in American English.
-----------------------
How would I say it?
I decline.
nah, I better not say,
I decline, go pound sand.

What is a polite way to say it when it comes to your turn?
 
LOL...why say anything at all?...just bring in a plate of sand and pound on it whenever they "request" you to stand up and make a speech?...(grab ur birthday cake first).
 
Presbyter said:
What is a polite way to say it when it comes to your turn?
Click to expand...

The middle finger might be a good visual reference. :)

I'm late 50's, and yes I still have to take marching orders at work. No getting around that. But one thing about getting older is that we (or at least, I) feel less inclined to do things I don't want to do just because someone else thinks I should. And that goes triple for the idea of being forced to "stand up and say a few things about myself." We're not 10 years old sitting in a circle in elementary school.

Not going to do it. And if you don't want to, you shouldn't have to do it either. If they give you any grief tell 'em that PinballWiz says, "Go pound sand."
 
I don't think my area knows what pound sand means. I might get served half lunch if I served them a f$#^* You middle finger.
 
rockin'robin said:
LOL...why say anything at all?...just bring in a plate of sand and pound on it whenever they "request" you to stand up and make a speech?...(grab ur birthday cake first).
Click to expand...
that would make me look _.
......................................................please fill in blank, alldeafers
 
I've been to several centers, there intentions are are to get us out and not be isolated, some are clickish, most patrons are mature about being nice, I've known some that get pushy, I get a little pushy inviting people to come play chair volleyball, but only if they are shy or feel inadequate, the question is if you were asked, no need to be rude, and you don't have to join in reindeer games :cheers: :grouphug::birthday::beer::cool::cool2::crazy:it takes all kinds, we have those that want to be left alone and we leave them alone, now you want to start a new thread about the food?:lol::laugh2:
 
I am not active at a local senior center, although I am old enough, but I have been to numerous events/meetings where self introduction is used. Even as a very hard of hearing person I have no problem with the idea. I do miss what many of the others are saying but I prefer putting up with that to missing the whole thing. Just to make sure I speak at the right time I have one of the people next to me nudge me when it is my turn. But that is rarely really necessary as it goes around and someone by me has just spoken.
 
Back
Top