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The "Special" Olympics is dumb
#11
RE: The "Special" Olympics is dumb
(January 16, 2014 at 7:45 pm)BrokenQuill92 Wrote: And the disabled can do that by participating in regular athletic activity,

Sometimes. But some autistic people cannot compete amongst non-limited people, same with a vast majority of the para-athletes. A lot of times, it's not necessarily about the competition, but the inclusion of the athlete and the family. Belonging somewhere can be really important.
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#12
RE: The "Special" Olympics is dumb
(January 16, 2014 at 7:45 pm)BrokenQuill92 Wrote: And the disabled can do that by participating in regular athletic activity, special Olympics encourages segregation
"Special" competitors being crushed by pro athletes would not encourage them in any way. One or more of them crushing a pro athlete would be rare, and would justify the "special" athlete being placed among equal peers within a regular competition. If they were able to compete at that level, they'd be placed in the "regular" Olympics or some such similar event.
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#13
RE: The "Special" Olympics is dumb
(January 16, 2014 at 6:52 pm)BrokenQuill92 Wrote: It patronizing, especially the whole everyone gets a trophy bullshit.

so i can go sign up for it...
run around naked and still win?
.... sounds legit Big Grin
xR34P3Rx
it isn't in our nature to think of a God, it is in our nature to seek answers and the concept of God is most influenced in this world.
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#14
RE: The "Special" Olympics is dumb
(January 16, 2014 at 8:08 pm)xr34p3rx Wrote: so i can go sign up for it...
run around naked and still win?
.... sounds legit Big Grin

No. Some events require you to wear a cup.
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#15
RE: The "Special" Olympics is dumb
Special Olympics has a place in society. However, people get confused and think that Special Olympics IS disabled sports. S.O. just covers the intellectually disabled, some of whom also happen to have physical disabilities. At least that's what their stated demographic is. For those of us that do not have the intellectual impairment, there are other things, like WASUSA (Wheelchair and Ambulatory Sports USA). I was part of this as a teen, when it was actually called the NWAA (National Wheelchair Athletic Association) back at the turn of the 90's. There are also sports specific associations such as the USQRA (quad rugby). All of these can be seen as a small stepping stone to the Paralympics, which is completely different than Special Olympics.

At that time, to be up on the world of physically disabled sports, I subscribed to Sports and Spokes magazine, which does not generally cover Special Olympics.

I agree with the OP that it is patronizing to be lumped in with the mentally impaired. The head patting, the pet names when there should be "sir" and "ma'am" just like in general society. But S.O. may have good reason to be bestowing medals on all its participants. Many mentally impaired do not understand losing and winning. The other sporting bodies I just mentioned don't do any of that. 3rd place yields a bronze, etc.

http://pvamag.com/sns/ Sports n' Spokes magazine
http://wasusa.org/ WASUSA (Wheelchair and Ambulatory Sports USA)
http://www.usqra.org U.S. Quad Rugby Assn.
http://disability.illinois.edu/athletics University of Illinois disabled sports (Urbana/Champaign)
"For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring." - Carl Sagan
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#16
RE: The "Special" Olympics is dumb
Why call it special Olympics. . Whats makes someone special? Because some people are different from the norm? What is the norm, why does majority rule. Just because someone is born with one arm that make that person different? So if everybody from now on were being born with one arm, does that make two are people different/special..Doesnt make sense.. they need to find another name for it.. just like we evolved, other things need too.
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#17
RE: The "Special" Olympics is dumb
I think people tend to speak on this subject matter without knowing much about it nor ever attending one. I've attended several, and as I mentioned before...it's more a culture for them. It's a gathering place for them to make friends like themselves.
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#18
RE: The "Special" Olympics is dumb
(January 16, 2014 at 6:59 pm)Minimalist Wrote: I think the olympics is commercialism and nationalism run amok.

Agreed. I thought Americans were bad and then I saw what those Brits did during their Olympics.
But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.
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#19
RE: The "Special" Olympics is dumb
(January 16, 2014 at 8:48 pm)ElleBelle Wrote: I think people tend to speak on this subject matter without knowing much about it nor ever attending one. I've attended several, and as I mentioned before...it's more a culture for them. It's a gathering place for them to make friends like themselves.

Agreed Elle.

What I am hearing more from my son is the "Us and Them" rhetoric "mainstreamers don't understand and just want to call us dumb". "We can do stuff, just not like them"
"The Universe is run by the complex interweaving of three elements: energy, matter, and enlightened self-interest." G'Kar-B5
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#20
RE: The "Special" Olympics is dumb
(January 16, 2014 at 8:55 pm)KichigaiNeko Wrote:
(January 16, 2014 at 8:48 pm)ElleBelle Wrote: I think people tend to speak on this subject matter without knowing much about it nor ever attending one. I've attended several, and as I mentioned before...it's more a culture for them. It's a gathering place for them to make friends like themselves.

Agreed Elle.

What I am hearing more from my son is the "Us and Them" rhetoric "mainstreamers don't understand and just want to call us dumb". "We can do stuff, just not like them"

Perfect way to put it.
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