As I scrolled through the blogs on DeafRead in an attempt to catch up on issues since I had been traveling the past couple of days, I came across this blog by Jamie Berke (you can read it here: http://deafness.about.com/b/2008/06/18/fear-of-crime-restricts-deaf-ability-to-order-at-mcdonalds.htm ).

The reason I wanted to comment on this particular blog is because of several comments posted by some readers in the comments section suggesting pros and cons of why the deaf person's note could not have simply been read through the window, etc.

As someone who has spent the past 15 years engaged in the Security, Loss Prevention, Safety, Investigations and Hazardous Materials fields, I see both sides of the coin as a deaf individual and as a member of the management world.  One thing not pointed out in the blog, is the city in which this took place, so we have no idea of what type of crime scene they have.  I find it humorous though, that the McDonald's management /employee would blatantly tell the blogger that they couldn't open the window for fear of being robbed.  If that were the case, then even hearing people who COULD place orders at the speaker via voice communication would not be served either.  Based on what I read in the article (quick reminder, this blog is one side of the story only, and although I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt, I must point out there is not yet a "McDonald's side of the story" for this situation) this was eerlily similar to the situation Karen Putz faced at Steak and Shake.

Perhaps an order assistive device such as Jamie suggests in her blog WOULD be of some assistance, however, I would submit that this would not always be the case.  Why?  Let me present a scenario for you based on a merger of what happened in this situation, and a hypothetical restaurant with the order assistive device:

This restaurant realizes the error of their ways and installs the OrderAssist or some other for of assistive device for the deaf/hard of hearing.  Several months later, at a late night hour, with no traffic at the drive-through window, sits a criminal....As he pulls up to the speaker to order, he notices the OrderAssist, along with perhaps, a sign instructing how to use it.  This plants a seed in his mind, and he promptly uses the device to place an order and pulls forward to the window to "pay".  When the window is opened, the worker is staring down the barrel of a gun, while the criminal asks for the money in the register.  Being well-versed by their corporate safety or security manager, the worker gives the money to the crook rather than being potentially harmed by a person with a gun, and the crook drives off.....

What do you think will then happen?  There will be a knee-jerk reaction at this device having been used to perpetrate a crime, and the gut decision will be made (most likely) to remove the device.  The vicious cycle will begin again.  What to do? How to find a common middle ground?  First, the business community needs to understand that they MUST meet the needs of all of their customers.  Plainly, a business that doesn't take care of it's customers, is a business doomed to fail.  Secondly, the business MUST understand that there is an inherent risk in ANY business, for that business to be the victim of a robbery, and train their associates well in how to respond.  Thirdly, the deaf/hard of hearing community MUST be cognizant of the mindset of businesses and understand why some things work the way they do in the business world.  This understanding will allow them to formulate a cohesive and well thought out response in the event they are faced with a situation such as this in which they are discriminated against.  Responses such as the one left by this commenter on Jamie's blog will NOT get the job done:

"Hmm… i dont give a xxxx about the fact he couldn’t open the window. what i wonder is, couldn’t he just read the note through the window? like, deaf brother could just hold the note on the window?

if he still wont read it; i hope someone leaves a flamin bag of poo at the drive in." (Emphasis added by me).

Such a juvenile tactic most certainly will not work and only serves to further cement the mindset of some ignorant and uneducated persons in the business world toward the Deaf/HOH.  I would definitely categorize this McDonald's employee and manager both as being audist (perhaps unintentionally), and I would support, whole-heartedly, the persons discriminated against making the owners of this franchise aware of how they were treated and do NOT back down and accept a free Big Mac and a handshake. Make them FIX the problem, educate their employees, and move on.  If they refuse to do so, then there are several legal options that person has at their disposal.

As for me, I think I will go order my Big Mac now, and as I munch on my lunch, I will wonder, "Is the secret ingredient in this a heaping dose of discrimination simmered in audism sauce?"  SHAME ON YOU, unknown McDonald's location.

And so it goes....