Sports Television Hits An All Time Low

Sports Television has hit an all time low, when it was announced by ESPN that they would not be covering the 2008 Beijing Paralympic’s. For you that don’t know, the Paralympic’s take place 2 weeks after the Olympics, same arenas, same country, same everything. For fans of Paralympic and Disabled Sports, we are forced to watch second rate media coverage through online broadcasting from www.paralympic.org. So while there are almost 5 – 7 different Television stations in the country broadcasting the Olympics (ESPN, TNT, ABC, NBC, etc..) not one of them is giving the Paralympic’s the respect they deserve. In fact, I could even argue that Paralympic athletes are more deserving of media attention than are Olympic athletes due to the various obstacles Paralympic Athletes have to over come. So, two weeks from now when the Olympics are said and done, and the world has hoisted there national treasures of able bodied gold medal athletes up onto there pedestal’s, just remember that, we still have Athletes in Beijing competing to achieve there life long dreams of winning a medal in the Olympics, but thats right, no body will be able to see it……

Manny is heading to LA…

Its confirmed, Manny Ramirez is heading to the Dodgers for Jason Bay. 

7 Things You Should Never Say To A Person With A Disability

1. “What’s wrong/what happened?” or “Were you born that way?”

2. “Oh, if you just have faith, you can be healed.”

3. Speaking slowly or loudly to someone who is in a wheelchair. (we can hear)

4. “I don’t even think of you as a person with a disability.”

5. “How do you go to the bathroom?”

6. “But you look so good.”

7. “Oh, you’re here, you must feel better.”

George Carlin, Eat Your Heart Out

USA Paralympic Coverage (its about damn time)

Check out the only Paralympic coverage out there so far.

Title – Team USA Prepares For Paralympics

In-case it does not load, copy and paste the link:
http://www.wtvm.com/Global/category.asp?C=5482&nav=menu91_4

The Paralympics Are A Joke

Thats right I said, it. Disabled Sports are a joke and any athlete participating is not a real athlete. In fact, disabled athletes shouldn’t even get a get an Olympics, they should just participate in the Special Olympics. Well now that I have your attention, let me first tell you I do not feel this way and strongly support disabled sports, because I too am a disabled athlete. But apparently people feel this way, because the Paralympic’s are in no way supported by are main stream media. In fact I bet most people don’t even know there is a Paralympics after the Olympics. How long is it going to take before disabled athletes, or even disabled people are recognized as part of our society? But than again, I am sure there is good reason disabled sports don’t get coverage, after all, the Spelling Bee and Texas Hold ‘Em must be much more popular for ESPN.

Obesity is not a Disability

I am by no way racist or bias, and will equally make fun of all, but being a disabled person, there is nothing worse than hearing someone associate another person being overweight or “obese” in the same category as someone with a disability. Wanna know how big this issue is? Approximitaly 137,000 people in this country claim Social Security due to obesity. Which leads to 137,000 issued handicapped plates/tags, 137,000 less handicapped spots for people who ACTUALLY need them, and a whole lot of pissed off handicapped people who suffer from this. Infact you want to know how easy it is to be considered “Obese” according to ADA? “To be covered by the law you need to have a BMI (Body Mass Index) of over 400lbs or be at least 100 pounds overweight.” Sounds pretty cool to me. Not only can I eat what I want, not work, get paid by the government, but I can also laugh at the poor crippled kids while I’m at it. Heres an Idea! Since I’m already crippled, if I get overweight, than maybe I can collect two checks, one for the disability and one for the obesity, SWEET.

Here is my rational for this. While most say obesity can not be controlled and is genetic, and the ADA and Supreme Court says they fall under law and all that I say BS. A disability truly cannot be controlled. I cannot get on a weight loss plan, go to the gym, get a tummy tuck, or any other means of losing weight, and all of a sudden POOF I can walk. Doesn’t work that way, I am crippled for life. Not even Jared at Subway can save me. So what am I truly asking for by writing about this? Nothing. I want people to know what a “True” disability is and how we are affected by this, which is more than a parking spot. Its benefits, jobs, community, laws and so much more.

Is the “N” word as bad as the “C” word (Crippled)

While the “N” word is known as one of the most racial, degrading, down right worst words you can use towards a black person, the “C” word is not. In fact the word Crippled is used by the media and our society daily. Though in the dictionary it is listed as “a person who is disabled or impaired in any way” (dictionary.com) I find this word to be as offensive as the “N” word. So why is that the word which has as much racial history for the disabled as the “N” word does for African Americans, is used by our society in such a free way? Don’t get me wrong, I use the word daily, in fact I wont lie, I love to use the word, but shouldn’t it be part of the Golden Rule of words that only certain people associated with there minority can say? And Yes, I am disabled. I would love to hear what people think and what your version of the word “Crippled” means to you.

Whats Wrong With You?

How often we disabled here this line from kids on a daily basis is mind blowing. Somehow all the kids in the world are born with the same question asking genes and they all hit this one right on the dot. But I think its funny and find various ways to answer it. My all time favorite response to this question is “I didn’t eat my vegetables.” What is your favorite response to this question?

Get Out Of The Way, Here Comes A Wheelchair!

Let me start off by setting you up with a visual and really put you in a place where you can visualize this. Your in a wheelchair and you going down a side walk that is clearly big enough to hold Rosie O’donnell and Al Roker side by side on a bad day. As you are coming up to someone walking on the opposite side of the sidewalk as you, they jump into the grass or street to avoid you. Why you may ask? Well your asking the wrong person because I am always on the receiving end of it. Let me try to get one thing out there, people in wheelchairs are very good at knowing there space and whats around them. I mean you wouldn’t jump out of the way if you were in that same scenario and the person who was in a wheelchair is walking instead. Disabled people are not out to take out peoples ankles, and drive people off of the side walk so we can hog it all to ourself, even though it does sound tempting and I know this same scenario has happened to anyone who uses a wheelchair. So people, please do me a favor and next time you want to jump out of the way for the sake of your life, don’t, because we ain’t out to get ya.

The Charlotte Jones Ignorance Award

In spite of all of this negativity lately towards this fine, fine woman, I felt it was necessary to take some of the pressure off of her and award her with this life time achievement award. How many of you feel that at one time or another you felt it was necessary to give another person this award? I don’t care if your disabled, black, white, small, big or simply perfect. I want to hear your stories of ignorance and for the best story I will commend you for your honesty and award your lucky story with the “Charlotte Jones Ignorance Award.”