The Least
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. -Matthew 25: 40
He was quiet and simple - intellectually slow. After conducting many interviews over the years, I have become pretty good at guessing the extent of a person's abilities. Tommy was in his 20's and by his Medicare number I could tell he had been declared disabled prior to age 18. He was a polite young man and cooperated as best he could with the interview.
Familiar bits of information emerged. He did not know his father, his mother was a drug addict, he was sexually abused as a child by friends of his mother. In the 8th grade, he dropped out of school. He had been attending special education classes, but still struggled with the work. It all piled up on him. Without support from home and having to deal with bullies and the endless teasing, he gave up.
Tommy was different and for that distinction he became a target for teasing, practical jokes, and bullying. He grew up without friends though he wanted them desperately. He wanted to blend in, but he stood out.
We have all had to deal with teasing and bullies. I remember some pretty stressful times, but they were only a few incidents. For Tommy, this was a way of life. I can remember hating the fact that I was different. I wore thick, coke bottle glasses and still had poor vision. I, however, had the ability to make people laugh and turn teasers and bullies into friends.
We all have seen this kid in school. He/she is the one we avoid, laugh at, and shun. They are often treated as though they are diseased. They are excluded from the fun, but even worse, the mondane day to day flow. They move among us, but they are not permitted be with us.
The movie "Radio" is about one such person. The love and perserverence of one man saved Radio, who was different. He was saved, not by any special medication or therapy, but by being loved, respected, and included in the life of the community.
There are different ways to harm people. The active ways are to verbally acost or physically abuse. The passive methods are to exclude and ignore.
The opposite of love is not hate it is indifference.
Society rewards the best and brightest. Fortune and fame grant access to a world with a set of rules different from others. Likewise, those who are mentally challenged and different are ignored. They are stepped on and walked over. Their advocates are also weak and do not wield influence.
Who will remember when it is Tommy's birthday? Who will care when he is sick? Does anyone care if he ever realizes his dream? There are a lot of Tommys out there a kind word or a helping hand means a lot to someone who knows exclusion as normal.
Until the next time
John Strain