is it ok i am deaf and i have a LTC?

[jdubois]

is it ok i am deaf and i have a LTC?

Is it ok? It's your constitutional right to carry a firearm! You may have some unique challenges, but that doesn't in any way prohibit your rights.

 

[dwarven1]

I have to admit, I'm pretty proud to know you folks... what with all the "why the hell not?" replies this poster is getting. (and yeah, that's my attitude, too - if the OP is an American citizen, then the Second Amendment applies to him (or her)).

And BTW, I remember somewhere reading about blind shooters - they have some sort of device that emits a tone when the gun is on target. After that... it's the Six Steps all over again (minus a couple):
Sight Alignment
[STRIKE]Sight Picture[/STRIKE]
Respiratory Pause
Focus your [STRIKE]eye on the front sight and[/STRIKE] your mind on the target
SQUEEEEEEZE the trigger!
Follow Through.

Stupid question: If you are deaf and fire a gun, do you wear hearing protection?

Well... it'll probably freak out the range safety officer, but why should you? It's not like you can lose any MORE hearing if you're 100% deaf.

funny story - a friend of the family was stone deaf - completely. Her hubby was stationed over in Germany, and while there, they'd have things like Gilligan's Island on TV... which was dubbed in GERMAN. So she'd turn the sound off and just read the actors' lips.

 

[jobowker]

A deaf person with a pistol is somewhat more dangerous. Cold hard fact - being deaf is dangerous. Not much you can do there. So yes, you do have an increased risk.

You also have an increased risk of being hit by a car, drowning in a boat, or being challenged by a police officer.

Just because there is a greater risk doesn't mean that you shouldn't have one. Also, I can understand not opting for the cochlear implants, as they basically destroy your inner ear.

If your hearing loss is mild, moderate, or even severe, there are lots of options, but once you hit profound, your options are limited.

I do think that some additional responsibility is required on your part, such as always going to a shooting range with a hearing partner unless there is some other visual (ie blinking the lights) method of making you aware of a cease fire.

We found out at the hospital when my daughter was born that she had a hearing loss, but the initial testing is very limited - it's like a pass/fail screening. We found out a few months later that she only had a moderate hearing loss, which could be overcome with a speech pathologist and hearing aids. Prior to that test, we weren't sure if she would go to a regular school to be mainstreamed or go to a deaf school.

Bottom line - there is nothing on the application about hearing impairment, so as long as you are responsible and take it into account, I see no reason why you shouldn't have one. Plus you don't have to wear hearing protection at the range.

 

[cekim]

I do think that some additional responsibility is required on your part, such as always going to a shooting range with a hearing partner unless there is some other visual (ie blinking the lights) method of making you aware of a cease fire.

I think the reality is that everyone around him/us should be more careful and not rely on audible signals for safety at a gun range...

Between ear plugs, hobby/service related hearing damage and noise, its a bad idea to assume/rely upon people hearing things at a range even if they aren't diagnosed with hearing loss...

 

[mass]

Does being deaf nullify your freedom of religion, of speech, of the press, to petition, and to assemble?

 

[bostonasphalt2]

Out of curiosity why did you turn down the implants? I know that they can be extremely cost prohibitive but I know someone I used to work with that got them and he has nothing but good things to say about them. He also lost his hearing at a young age but due to menigitis. I know he used to have trouble using phones with his old implant but the newest implants made cell phones and non-amplified phones completely usable for him.

My take on it, in short from working with people with disabilitites (not just Autism):

The deaf population is very much a culture. Many deaf people I have worked with also turned down the cochlear implants because they feel as if they lose a connection to who they actually are. The people I worked with did not see their disability as a disability, but just as "eh, its life." In taht sense, they don't want to change.

Of course, this is coming from someone who is not deaf, and I also realize there are many other reasons. I just wanted to shed some light on an interesting aspect of disabilities in general that many people do not consider.

 

[NOVA]

Should you be stripped of your 1st amendment rights because you are deaf? the answer to this question and your question is the same.

 

[bob68]

I had a brother that had a pistol permit in Mass years ago and he was 100% blind from birth. When he went down to apply it kind of freaked the cops out. They asked why he wanted one and he said so he could buy a gun and have the enjoyment of owning, feeling and collecting. He did go on to say to them that even though he couldn't see it that didn't mean he couldn't appreciate the way the action worked or how it felt in his hand ect. They did issue him and the reason was collector. At that time they didn't know of any other blind person in mass being issued one. That didn't mean he shouldn't have one.
I had taken him shooting one time at my gun club he would point the gun and I would stand behind him and look over his shoulder and direct him to get on target. I am sure he would have been able to hit a man size target in 21 feet no problem. The scarry thing is he could have done it in the dark just from sound. The range office at the club that day walked over and asked "is that guy shooting blind ? " I said yes. He had been watching and just said its nice to see someone that can over come a handycap and still enjoy the sport.
He wasn't shooting fast and was keeping all shots going in a safe direction and not spread out. Not like some a**h***s I have seen bump firing.
Now to answer your question I don't feel its wrong at all for you to have a LTC. I do believe if your going to carry the gun it should never show for that reason I prefer a sholder holster.

i too know a blind person who has a ltc A

 

[bob68]

i hope you can keep your right to bear arms as long as you possibly can. never give it up.

 

[Underwhere]

i too know a blind person who has a ltc A

That is awesome.

Dangerous if they ever carry concealed but awesome nonetheless.

 

[Doc Holiday]

i am deaf since i was 5 years old... i have a license to carry in PA some people think i shouldnt have it cuz what if a cop comes up behind me cuz he sees the bump on my wait and asks me if i am carrying and i dont answer (he dont know i am deaf) will that be a dangerous situation ? or suppsoe he tried to talk to me and theres a misunderstanding? i am profound deaf hearing aid dont help me i turned down the cochlear implant.

I want to commend you for sticking up for your right to protect yourself and those you care about, also that you have overcome a disability and continue to face your advercity and the advercities of others opinions. You should be proud of your self, and never hang your head low, because of the misunderstandings of others. To answer your question, yes I think it is ok that you have a LTC, why wouldn't it be? So what if your deaf, you know what you need to do, you know that it is a little more difficult to communicate with others, so you make plans for that. You know a LEO, may not grasp that your deaf at first, and it raises your situational awareness, so you must adapt to that possible senario. If anything, you are probably a safer person having a firearm, than someone who has full use of all their senses. Things we take for granted, you have had to do without and adapt to, and that is something to be proud of. I hope you are never put in a situation where things go south with a LEO, because of a miscommunication. Their are several recommendations by some posters here, that sound pretty reasonable, but I think your best bet would be to discuss it with a LEO in your town. It will get your face known, and an officer who knows you, is not going to shoot you, that is unless you are doing something that requires you to be shot, like a felony. I am not sure how you would do it if you were traveling, but I think your best option is being proactive. It is like open carrying in NH, some LEO recommend you go to the police station and just let them know you will be open carrying, so if they get a call, they can just drive by and verify it is you. I know this is not the same situation, but the idea it self, of making officers aware of your disability, and that you are a law abiding person, protecting your self, I think that would go a long way, and help avoid trouble down the line. This is just my humble opinion.

In any case, it sure is uplifting to see a person with your disability, enjoying your freedoms, and making the best and safest life for your self. Keep it going, and best of luck to you.

 

[Mikey]

i am deaf since i was 5 years old... i have a license to carry in PA some people think i shouldnt have it cuz what if a cop comes up behind me cuz he sees the bump on my wait and asks me if i am carrying and i dont answer (he dont know i am deaf) will that be a dangerous situation ? or suppsoe he tried to talk to me and theres a misunderstanding? i am profound deaf hearing aid dont help me i turned down the cochlear implant.

I am not going to read through all the post at this point but just wanted to say more power to you. You may have to take extra precautions and train yourself to react in a different way but "carry on".