2008 Woodie Awards
Discrimination exists, but it's time for change
Christian Ashlar
Issue date: 2/27/07 Section: Viewpoints
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Have you ever been walking across campus and smiled at a stranger? Have you ever opened a door for someone that you didn't know and maybe said something pleasant to him or her? If so, then you may be able to identify with my friend Daniel.
Daniel is about 23 years old and has a sort of crooked way of smiling that always makes him look as if he's thinking of fifteen funny things at once and he's about to share them all at the same time. Daniel is the kind of person that you can tell things to and they stay with him. Few things in this world can I tell anyone but Daniel and know for certain these things stop with him.
Daniel is kind-hearted, generous and loving. He opens doors for strangers, steps to the side of elevators for other people and still, on occasion, says "gosh". All in all, I would say that Daniel is one nice guy.
Have you ever known someone like Daniel?
I believe that many of us have known someone like this at one time or another in our lives. I would like to be optimistic and think that through the course of our relatively young lives that we've come across someone we can blanketly call a "Daniel."
If not, then hold out hope that you will meet someone like him, you'll be glad you did. I know for a fact that I was.
About two weeks ago, I got a very sad visit from a friend. She came to my door and told me, while standing in the freezing cold wind that someone had put Daniel in the hospital with a broken collarbone, one broken rib and a few broken fingers. I couldn't imagine what on this planet could have caused such a thing and my mind was reeling as my friend told me what Daniel had told her.
He had spoken to someone as they were both going into a small store just outside of Louisville, where he lives and the conversation seemed pleasant enough to have consisted of roughly fourteen words, total.
When Daniel came out of the store, the person he'd spoken to had pulled around to Daniel's car and was waiting when he came out.
Daniel is about 23 years old and has a sort of crooked way of smiling that always makes him look as if he's thinking of fifteen funny things at once and he's about to share them all at the same time. Daniel is the kind of person that you can tell things to and they stay with him. Few things in this world can I tell anyone but Daniel and know for certain these things stop with him.
Daniel is kind-hearted, generous and loving. He opens doors for strangers, steps to the side of elevators for other people and still, on occasion, says "gosh". All in all, I would say that Daniel is one nice guy.
Have you ever known someone like Daniel?
I believe that many of us have known someone like this at one time or another in our lives. I would like to be optimistic and think that through the course of our relatively young lives that we've come across someone we can blanketly call a "Daniel."
If not, then hold out hope that you will meet someone like him, you'll be glad you did. I know for a fact that I was.
About two weeks ago, I got a very sad visit from a friend. She came to my door and told me, while standing in the freezing cold wind that someone had put Daniel in the hospital with a broken collarbone, one broken rib and a few broken fingers. I couldn't imagine what on this planet could have caused such a thing and my mind was reeling as my friend told me what Daniel had told her.
He had spoken to someone as they were both going into a small store just outside of Louisville, where he lives and the conversation seemed pleasant enough to have consisted of roughly fourteen words, total.
When Daniel came out of the store, the person he'd spoken to had pulled around to Daniel's car and was waiting when he came out.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Bob Zimmerman
posted 2/27/07 @ 9:20 AM CST
Well said Christian. Keep saying what's on your mind and
who knows, perhaps in some small way a change may be wrought.
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