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Open Your Minds #22: Don't Judge Those Who Aren't Like You (By Johnny, aged 10) *Living With A Physical Handicap* by Karen Lynn Vidra, The Texas Tornado
Monday, January 20, 2003
Author's Note: Got the idea for this story from Michelle Kidwell. Thanks, Michelle, for the inspiration, and also a BIG thanks to my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ! :)
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My name is Johnny, and I am 10 years old. I also live with a physical disability that causes people to stare each and every time I go outside. You see, I am in a wheelchair, and I wear these braces upon my legs. I have a disability called muscular dystrophy, and unfortunately, it will never go away. In fact, it will cause my muscles to get weaker and weaker, and in the end I will be so weak a cold or the flu can kill me. I also wear thick glasses and I wear hearing aids in my ears because I had meningitis as a baby, and I talk funny. (I stutter when I talk, and people tell me I sound like Mel Tillis, the country star who stutters when he talks, but sings beautifully WITHOUT a stutter!)
I also have learning disabilities that affect the way I read and write; but I have been getting help in school; and now my grades are GREAT!! I used to get F's, and at the time, a D was good for me. But now I am getting A's and B's, and I am MUCH happier at my school! :) I am in a class for multiply handicapped kids, and I am doing SUPER!! :)
In addition to all of this, I also have seizures, and I also have breathing problems which sometimes requires me to wear oxygen by way of prongs inserted into my nose; but despite all of this, I am, in almost every way, JUST LIKE YOU! I am more like you than you may think, and when you tease me or any other disabled person makes me MADDER than SNOT!! We are NOT to be made fun of; and we are NOT to be treated worse just because we "aren't like you". Sure, we may use wheelchairs or crutches to get around, but at least we CAN get around! We may need a little extra in the way of help, but we WILL get to our place where we need to go! And we may need help with our eyes or ears, but at least we CAN do things instead of sitting at home or in some dumb institution, bored out of our skulls!
This is why, whenever I see (rather, HEAR; I hear better than I see, but I DO wear hearing aids) people teasing me or any of my brothers or sisters, I get MAD. Don't think I don't hear you laughing when my sister, Ronee', falls over her crutches, and don't think I don't hear you when you are calling my sister, Jodie, or my brother, Todd, "retards". "Retards" is NOT a nice word, and I DON'T appreciate you calling MY brother or sisters nasty names! How would YOU like it if we did the same thing to YOU?
I bet YOU would be mad now, wouldn't you? Just use your noodle and THINK before you say something! You may only end up hurting a friend or someone in need of a friend, and you will only show others just how stupid and immature you REALLY are! So SHUT UP and get a life!!
All I can say is I really feel sorry for you that your parents didn't teach you how to accept others and how to act around handicapped people. It shows just how ignorant you REALLY are, and it hurts me! I was taught by my mom and dad that teasing others is wrong, and I am BETTER for it because I am one who DOESN'T tease! I don't tease you; WHY should you tease ME or any other disabled person?
Please try to open your minds, and please try to show a little more consideration and compassion to those who require things like wheelchairs, crutches, braces, or what have you! We are people, too, and we DEMAND to be treated with dignity and respect!! For one day, that person who needs crutches or braces to walk or uses a wheelchair could be YOU!! Becoming disabled can happen to ANYONE!! And LORD help those who do, especially if they treat the disabled so badly!
THEN who will be the ones who will have the last laugh? THINK about it!
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