Black Belt Prestige - Physically or mentally disabled
- Black Belt Prestige
- High times
- Low times
- What happened?
- Page 5
- Children black belts
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Women black belts
- Physically or mentally disabled
- Aged
- Over the hill black belts
- You can still do that which you do, because you do it.
- Is there something that can be done?
- Has the prestige of the black belt been lost forever?
- All Pages
Physically or mentally disabled
Should a physically or mentally disabled person be awarded a black belt because it is not their fault that they are physically or mentally disabled? Some think so.
I love to sing. I sing around the house, in the car, and while walking my dog. However, there is one problem, I cannot carry a tune, and my voice cracks. However, this does not deter me, I keep singing; I just do not sing where anyone can hear me. Should I be awarded a Grammy because of my perseverance at singing, because I really want to sing, or because I try so hard to sing? After all, it is not my fault I was born into a family with no music talent in the gene pool. Is anyone doing me a service by telling me I can sing, by telling me I should pursue my dream of singing, or by rewarding me for singing? It is best that people tell me I cannot sing, then lead me toward a goal I am better suited for, and which I may reasonably attain. Why is this simple logic not applied to the martial arts? Why do people encourage others to be black belts when it is obvious they are not suited to be black belts and do not have the physical, mental, or emotional abilities to become a black belt? Why do martial art organizations, schools, and instructors award these people black belts? Any reason they give to justify their awarding the black belts should also be a reason that I should be awarded a Grammy.
If you want to create some other ranking system for people who cannot physically, mentally, or emotionally meet the requirements to be a black belt, then it is an option; just do not call them black belts or equate them with black belts. You might even create a separate fighting system for them that uses techniques they are capable of performing; just do not water down your martial art’s black belt requirements to help a specific group of people and then consider them real black belts. The Special Olympics are for people who, due to circumstances beyond their control, are not able to compete in the Olympics; however, their medals, while they hold high prestige within the Special Olympic community, are not Olympics medals and do not hold the same prestige as Olympic medals.