Murderball

After viewing the documentary,” Murder Ball”, I can confidently say that it was difficult for anyone not to take a moment to reflect on how blessed they are to have good health and full functioning of their arms and legs. I can only imagine the difficulties that are associated with an injury that are so devastating that it leaves one paralyzed from the waist down or worse. After experiencing the initial shock and devastation, the people depicted in the documentary had to come to the realization and accept the fact that their lives, as they knew it, changed in such a drastic way that it would never be the same. It was so imperative that they were strong mentally and had the support of their families. It was obvious to me that the characters in the documentary received the much needed support from their families and friends. It was also obvious to me that they were strong mentally. I think it was amazing the way they adjusted to their new lives. To have the desire to compete in a sport forced me to recognize that that having a disability does not change a person’s inner drive and motivation. Having to deal with all the hard stares from people along with the ignorant comments that they heard on a daily basis, was painfully obvious to me that we, as a society, have a long way to go to learn to be empathetic toward people who are disabled. One of the characters stated that he gets the comment very often that people are happy to see him out and participating in the Special Olympics. The comment was offensive to him because the event is not called the “special Olympics”; it was a rugby tournament.
What does the film suggest about people with disabilities? I think that it is not society as a whole that is insensitive towards people with disabilities, but rather, some people may be insensitive and not be aware that their comments are offensive. It is not every day that most people come in contact with disabled individuals. Therefore, people who do come in contact with people with disabilities on a regular basis need to help educated others on how to be sympathetic and accepting of disabled people. The film forces us to focus on their difficulties and their way of life.
I think it was great that the federal government created the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 to ensure that disabled people are treated fairly. The film focuses on human emotion s of sympathy, gratefulness, and being appreciative towards human life. It showed how society views or acts toward disabled people, and it forces us to recognize our common human characteristics of being fearful of the unknown and having respect for disabled people.