So a couple
of days ago, a friend of mine sent me a group message on Facebook. Usually, I
ignore group messages, and I don't know why, but I do. This time I checked it
out, though, because this friend does not usually send group messages. Upon
further review of the message, I clicked on an article, which was very
disturbing. This blog piece is less applaud and more a letter to the subject of
that article.
Most of us in this U.S. love sports,
and one of the most popular sports in our country, is the NFL. For my unfamiliar
world readers, that stands for the National Football League. Football players
in America have undergone many changes throughout the decades. When the game
started, there was not as much fanfare surrounding it as there is now. Players got
"real" jobs in the off-season and did not forget that they played a
game for a living.
However,
as everything does, athletes' perception gradually changed, and now they are
seen as notable celebrities. With this newfound fame came certain shortcomings.
Some athletes developed the opinion that they were above others. I can
understand how this occurs when one makes millions and millions of dollars to
catch a ball or, in the case of this article subject, to throw that ball. I
love sports. I'm a sports junkie, but to steal a famous line from a Monday
night countdown show on ESPN by one of the best sports anchors ever—Chris
Berman, when I read the article, all I could think was, "Come on, man!"
I will put the actual link for the article at the bottom of this blog post. It
can also be found on this blog's Facebook page located at www.thevoicelessminority.facebook.com. In
short, the article was about how athletics can corrupt a person. Athletics can
change people who are completely logical and normal into egotistical
morons.
I am sure Jay Cutler (who the article
is about) was a nice individual before he started to play Football, but I must
ask Mr. Cutler a question. How many times have you been sacked, and are you don't
still have a concussion? That is the only way I can explain your ignorant
comments in a recent pro football mock article. The article, which I'm sure you
are aware of by now, Mr. Cutler, was about your defending your illegal use of an
accessible parking spot. You said, "goddamned if I'm going to wedge this
$250,000 beauty into one of those narrow ass spots in the back of the lot like
some practice squad chump, and then schlep my ass to the building for some
stupid film 
study sessions or
whatever." So let me guess this straight, Mr. Cutler. You have perfect use
of your body, you have a god-given the talent to throw a ball better than 95%
of the people on this planet, and you get paid millions and millions of dollars
to do so. Yet you don't want to use your working ways to walk across a parking
lot?! Is that precisely what you are saying with your quote? Before you say, "Oh,
you're just some fan who doesn't understand, and you're a pion," let me
tell you a little bit about myself, Mr. Cutler. I am a 27-year-old disabled
individual who is confined to a power wheelchair. I have Cerebral Palsy, which
is a neuromuscular disability, which affects my motor coordination. There are
thousands of other people like many others and me who have different physical
disabilities—one of which works as a payroll clerk with your Chicago Bears. The
comment you made was made before your recent groin injury. Suddenly you have
had a change of heart! Now you demand that your beloved Bears have a golf cart
with an attendant at your beck and call.
Mr. Cutler, I am sure playing the game of
Football or being an athlete, in general, is more challenging than I can
imagine but (and I'm trying to be as lovely as possible) you could never
survive a day in my life or anyone else's life who has it 10x worse than you.
The Bears should be ashamed that an ignorant individual such as you represents
their organization. In case that wasn't a clear enough statement on how
disappointed and outraged I am as a disabled citizen, let me put it another way
for you. You should be ashamed of yourself as a human being. Maybe, my friend,
you should get your head out of the clouds and realize that you have a luxury
that 95% of the people in this world never get. Maybe this little groin setback
should serve as a wake-up call to show you that life can be a whole lot worse,
but it probably won't. People like you perpetuate continuing stereotypes
ignorance about people with disabilities and people who are different in
general.
I am not just a disabled person. The fact
is, Mr. Cutler, I am going for my Master's Degree. Indeed, I am in the process
of taking my last class for my Masters in Education. The game you play will end
someday. I hope for your sake you have something to fall back on. As I said
before, you should be ashamed of yourself as a human being, and anyone who
supports you after the comments you made is equally at fault. They may not be
ignorant, but they are complacent and complicit.
Sincerely,
Mr. Jason Hahr
Footnote:
1.)
http://profootballmock.com/jay-cutler-now-legally-permitted-to-use-handicapped-spot-hes-already-been-parking-in-for-years-anyway/
