It's amazing how cruel our society is.
Just astounding.
I played basketball today. Twice.
I played at Kennedy with some friends and then I left at 5:30.
However, I wanted to play more. So, I went and played again.
The second time around, there were these guys who were playing and they asked me if I wanted to play. Me, being as competitive as I am, naturally said yes.
I was wearing a knee brace today because my knee is swollen and I shouldn't even be playing (please refer to mention of competitive spirit above).
So, those guys start to make teams and the first Captain says "ok I'll pick the crip" (referring to me). First off, if you were a knee brace, you're equivalent to a physically handicapped person? Second off, that's insulting to physically handicapped people.
So, I was insulted because he insulted me and the physically handicapped members of society. I refused to be on his team.
THEN, we played.
I played my heart out, not to prove that I wasn't a crip, not to get my revenge on the guy, not because of my competitive spirit. I played for the physically handicapped today.
My team won the game. Now, after every game, I show my sportsmanship and go up to each and every player and high five them and say "Good game". I did the same here, even to "the guy".
Many of you might be going "wtf? you honestly did that even after he was such a douche?"
Yes. I did. And I'm proud of it. Just because he discrimantes doesn't mean I will too.
After I got home, I went online and donated $100 from my bank account (I got one over summer when I did my job) to NOD (National Organization on Disability).
I could not feel better about myself after that.
Even as I type these closing words, I still have this "I-changed-the-world" sort of feeling eminating throughout me.
Discrimation is just too incorporated in our society.
I advise all of you to avoid doing it as much as you can.