Admirable Determination

The movie "Murder Ball" is a very eye opening film. It gives an unexpected view into the lives of people with disabilities. When we think of people with disabilities, we automatically assume that they are so much more limited than we are. This movie proves that this thought process is very erroneous. The film was powerful in that it showed the determination and perseverance of people faced with disabilities. These guys not only participated in sports, they did it on an international level. The competitive nature of these disabled athletes rivals that of some of the top players in our professional sports. But this is only one part of the life of these people that the movie touched on. What made this movie so powerful was that it focused more on the personal lives of the rugby players. This was the most fascinating part of the film for me.

The movie chronicles the lives of the American players and the American coach of the Canadian team. It shows them dealing with everyday life while training for wheelchair rugby. Contrary to popular belief, people with disabilities have lives that are very similar to the rest of us. They have families, jobs, and homes that they have to maintain. They are regular people that because of some birth defect or terrible accident have had to live with not having full use of their legs and arms. Instead of lying around feeling sorry for themselves, these brave souls deal with their disabilities and try to live a life that parallels those of us that are blessed not to have the same problems. While watching the movie, I found myself feeling admiration for all of the characters. Each of them had a unique story of tragedy and triumph. It made me wonder if I could have the same tenacity to overcome a debilitating injury and live a normal life. We never know the amount of inner strength we have until we have to face adversity. How many of us would have half as much courage as these men?

"Murder Ball" really gave me a different perspective on people with disabilities. I know that we see famous people like Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, and Christopher Reeve and think that they are rare cases because they have money and better resources than other disabled people. But this movie made me see that there are plenty of disabled people out there that go on and try to enjoy their lives just like the rest of us. So the next time we are complaining about having a bad hair day or how we can't find the right outfit to wear, think about these people who are just happy to be alive and realize how blessed we really are.

 

 

 

 

Corporate Responsibility

When most of us get up to go to work every morning, chances are we are going to work for a corporation. Even being employed at places like McDonalds, Burger King, or Taco Bell qualifies as working for a corporation. In fact there are over 5 million corporations in the United States. Most people prefer working for corporations rather than small businesses for various reasons. Corporations offer better job security, have better benefits, and usually offer higher salaries. Still, there are situations like Enron and WorldCom where the company goes bankrupt and leaves its employees out in the cold with no job and no retirement savings to fall back on. When we go to work for a corporation, we should have the right to feel secure about our well being and the well being of our families. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. In order for our economy to improve, today's corporations need to work harder to ensure the satisfaction of their employees.

One of the things that I feel a corporation owes its employees is good benefits. With medical costs and inflation skyrocketing, it is becoming vitally important to have good health coverage. One slip on a wet floor or one car accident can be the difference between living comfortably and being bankrupt. Most employer health plans don't even cover all hospital expenses. My wife recently gave birth to our son. Since she was high risk, the doctors had to perform a caesarean surgery procedure. I have an 80/20 medical insurance plan which means that my insurance company pays 80% of a claim and I am responsible for the remaining 20%. Even though I was still stuck with a sizable hospital bill, it beats the alternative of being billed for the whole balance. Vacation time is another important benefit that corporations should provide for their employees. Having time to get away from the stress of a hectic job can add time to a person's life. Add in company matched retirement plans and sufficient sick days, and this is the formula all corporations should follow when putting together their benefits packages.

Good communication is vital in keeping a civil relationship between a corporation and its employees. Believe it or not, employees like to know the status of the company that they are working for. They have the right to know how financially stable the company is and how secure their jobs are. The way to accomplish this is for a company to keep frequent communications with its employees. They have the right to know about mergers, stock moves, or any other major moves that the corporation is making. The CEO and board of directors should not keep this information to themselves. Being honest with their employees will help the leaders of all corporations gain respect and trust from those same employees.

Everyone likes to feel appreciated for hard work or great effort. A wife wants her husband to appreciate everything that she does for the household from working a full time job to taking care of the kids. Employees of a corporation feel the same way. They go to work every day for eight or more hours and make a major contribution to their company. To want to feel appreciated for their efforts is only natural. Timely raises and bonuses can significantly increase the moral of the employees of a corporation. Promotions for excellent work will also guarantee loyalty from the employees. Other things that corporations can do to show appreciation to their employees include company functions like picnics or banquets, casual dress days, and tolerance for the need for personal time off. Showing appreciation will not only increase the moral of a company, it will instill loyalty into its employees.

Corporations are important to the economy of our country. We all need good paying jobs to live comfortably. Corporations need good loyal employees with marketable skills to increase their revenue. If all corporations take the effort to improve employee relations, this country can move forward with thriving businesses and happy employees.