Caitlyn Jenner's Courage

                                                             

 WHAT IS COURAGE?

 I cannot remain silent anymore amidst the ongoing mocking, insulting, demoralizing and bullying of Caitlyn Jenner, and the outrage that exists over her "Courage" award. It is being said that there were athletes more deserving of the award, athletes who have or had physical ailments but achieved success, war heroes, and family members of athletes facing off with struggles of their own. They all have courage. Every one of them. As do people who are not famous, who suffer silently and beat the odds or achieve their goals in life. I also think it takes courage in today's era to be tolerant. Because those who are tolerant get bashed and ridiculed by those who are intolerant of people who are doing NO HARM, who are trying to live their lives and their truth under their God, and in doing so are helping other "different" people in the process, inspiring them, making them feel less isolated, giving them hope. I think it takes the most courage to do something unpopular, publicly, that you know will attract the haters, that you know could put you are risk physically, and in Caitlyn's case, knowing that the harassment will result in cheap shots and scorn right down to her private parts - taunts, put downs, indignities, all over social media. It is the haters who are cowards, because they cannot find the courage to accept something in others that they don't understand or relate to, something that perhaps isn't in line with their God, or their morals, but Caitlyn Jenner is not hurting anybody. Who cares what her DNA is? Who cares what body parts she has or doesn't have? Who cares what she is wearing? Who cares that she has a lot of money, mainly because she is going to use it to do good. She is saving an entire group of people, mostly young people, from killing themselves because of hatred and intolerance. She put a target on her back.

Ironically, the award given to Caitlyn Jenner has Arthur Ashe's name on it. Arthur Ashe said, "You learn about equality in history and civics, but you find out life is not really like that." Nothing BAD comes from kindness. Courage comes from being kind when in a room full of antagonists.