no sympathy for the handicapped
Of course limited ability, or challenged, are nowadays gentler substitutes for the word handicapped, but I hope to write about something beyond mere courtesy or terminology, so I’m just using what’s convenient to me.
I believe that everybody including me in the world is handicapped to some extent… in some ways or the other… handicapped in tolerance, in humility, or intelligience… And being handicapped at the physical level is the least significant of them. So I have no pity or sympathy towards “handicapped” people, only respect…
I’ve really admired the spirit within so many physically handicapped people I’ve actually encountered in person, or seen on TV – where they to a reasonable extent lead a conventional life along with others. They’re not viewed as being different from others. This attitude of acceptance in society seems to be more prominent in the west, than our own country. In the West, we see wheelchair – enabled pathways everywhere, and even compute software supports disability.
Accepting and integrating them as part of mainstream society is pretty important. I think these are the key factors for that to actually happen. (Please free to express any differring views).
a) if a blind (for eg) person would not consider being blind as a weakness.
b) other people did not sympathise with him/her (but simply casually acknowledged the weakness without making a big deal of it, and helped only at appropriate situations).
Recently browsed through the webpage of Samarthanam. It was very humbling and inspiring to see people who are physically less capable than us doing so much more, it makes me wonder how lucky I am to be physically fit. (But don’t ask what advantage have I taken of it? 🙂 )
The walkathon seems to be a pretty good idea… here’s some more info from their website…
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Walk-a-thon-2005
Date: December 3rd 2005 (World Disabled day)
Time: 3.30 PM to 5.30 PM
(Followed by Cultural show)
Venue: Sri Kanteerava Stadium
Bangalore
1. What is Walkathon?
Walkathon is a walk of 7 km for a cause.
The cause is to generate awareness amongst the general mass about the physically challenged people. It’s a common platform shared by each and everyone, be it a physically challenged person or not.
2. Why it is organized?
a. Commemorate International Day of the Disabled.
b. To create awareness about the Physically challenged
c. To raise funds for welfare activities of Samarthanam
d. To symbolize the solidarity of the society towards the people with disability.
6. How to Participate?
By filling the registration form along with fee prescribed and submit to the concerned authorities or registration online through http://www.samarthanam.org/registration.htm