One day we will look back at this week as progress for human equality. While there’s some who refuse to step forward, professional teams in Cleveland step up for children in need.
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Throughout history, there have been seminal moments earmarking the status of our society. Over the last 50 years, we have seen humanity’s evolution in thinking and acceptance. Caitlyn Jenner will be a name that will live forever. She has cast a light to all those who struggle to live. Caitlyn is a beacon of hope that acceptance can be attained.
True progress, however cannot be accomplished without opposition. Much like equal rights for Women, African-Americans, and Homosexuals, there will be people on the wrong side of history as it concerns transgendered people. Cleveland Cavaliers guard JR Smith is not the first, nor will he be the last.
On Wednesday, Smith posted a now deleted comment on Jenner.
Like I said above, I am not in a position to rail on anyone in regards to the plight of transgendered people. I do not know their struggle. To refer to someone as a “science project” goes well beyond insensitive.
This is not to take away from The Akon Lighting Initiative, a program aiming to bring electricity to 600 million Africans. It is an amazing endeavor that we hope becomes a reality.
We just wish Smith was placed in this reality, where science projects involve hamsters and Jenner is recognized for the person she is, a woman.
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Luckily for us, despite Smith’s comments, Cleveland has been a city of sports morality and heroism over the past couple of weeks.
Indians baseball player Mike Aviles’ 4-year-old daughter, Adriana, was diagnosed with leukemia last month. In a sign of unity and sympathy the entire ball club shaved their heads, including coaches.
“It’s a team thing,” Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis said Wednesday. “It started with Mike’s daughter because of what she’s going through. Unfortunately, she’s going to be losing her hair soon from chemotherapy, and we all wanted to join in.”
No parent should ever have to see their child go through such a horrific disease and treatment. Hopefully for Aviles the strength of his teammates will carry him and Adriana through to a clean bill of health.
There must be something in the water of Lake Eerie as the Browns signed 9-year-old Dylan Sutcliffe to a one-day contract.
…and it’s official! Dylan Sutcliffe becomes the youngest #Browns player! #give10 pic.twitter.com/sAhVrBkykq
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) June 2, 2015
Sutcliffe was introduced to the Browns by the Make-A-Wish Foundation and was diagnosed with ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T), an immunodeficiency disease that affects a number of different organs in the body. A-T is a rare, recessive genetic disorder that affects about one out of every 40,000-100,000 children worldwide. Dylan was joined at the facility by his parents, Derek and Jennifer, Sean, and his grandparents Dennis and Mary. The new Brown answered questions from the Cleveland media signed a contract and spent the day at the team facility, and was on the field during the team’s offseason practice.
Dylan is ready to hit the field! #give10 pic.twitter.com/jpHvl1xgCV — Cleveland Browns (@Browns) June 2, 2015
“It was awesome,” Sutcliffe said at the team’s podium.
Dylan’s 4-year-old brother, Sean, also has been diagnosed with ataxia-telangiectasia.
A-T is presently incurable and unrelenting. If they are lucky enough not to develop cancer, most A-T children are dependent on wheelchairs by the age of ten, not because their muscles are too weak, but because they cannot control them. Later, A-T patients usually die from respiratory failure or cancer by their early or mid-twenties. A few A-T patients live into their forties, but they are extremely rare.
Life is a precious gift that we all take for granted. The Cleveland Indians and Browns showed sometimes those things we undervalue can be priceless to others.
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Photo Credit: Tony Dejak/AP
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