A regular guest column by Brewer infielder Craig Counsell.Lately I've noticed that, as a society, we lack the appropriate level of sensitivity towards dwarfism. As a person of short stature, I have experienced firsthand the daily challenges little people face. But our world does not have to be this way. With a wee bit of empathy and effort, we can make our fun-sized citizens feel welcome.
Last night I watched the program "Amazing Race" on CBS. The show featured He Pingping, the world's shortest man until he died at age 21 earlier this year. He was clearly on the show for comic relief - to be laughed at. "Ha ha. Look at the tiny little man smoke a ton of cigarettes. That cigarette is bigger than his head!"
Those cigarettes he smoked for our entertainment? They killed him. He's gone. No matter how hard we laugh at him, He Pingping is never coming back.
Marinate on that for a hot minute. He Pingping died, in part, so we could laugh at him (and his tiny little body).
At what point did the show's producers lose their humanity? He Pingping is a human being. With (tiny) feelings! Not only is it completely unacceptable to belittle those with dwarfism, but to poke fun at one of them just weeks after the untimely end to their short life? That's cold, CBS.
Let's stop selling short our vertically challenged citizens and start treating them with the respect they deserve.
Never let the memory of He Pingping fade. Personally, I like to watch the YouTube tribute when the time is right. I don't do it for a quick laugh or to feel better about my own height issues. I do it because I want to remember who He Pingping was and share his beautiful spirit. Soldier on, little hero. Soldier on.
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