I'm actually not making fun of her, nor do I consciously want to judge her. I just find it very sad that in this day and age, a 16 year old American woman, and most likely her whole community, believes that there are "evil" numbers. I am not anti-spiritual, but I think we (and that includes religious people) should finally recognize that what was written in the Bible, or the Quran or any other religious writings, was written by fallible men. I'm all for honoring cultural (meaning Christian) traditions in this country, such as Christmas, etc... but I find it really sad that there are still people who live in fear within their religious beliefs. To me, it looks very cult like. But I agree that the race organization could have easily given her a new number and there would be no silly story to discuss now. The Chinese don't like the number 4, by the way. I myself really like the number 12 (because I once won a barbie doll in class when I was 9. Woohoo!). Should we accommodate everyone? I really don't know... Maybe we should accommodate only a few religions? Those we like? Never mind the kooks like me and the Chinese... right?
PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013
Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013
18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010
Barking Mad To Run
I think the solution was quite simple....she should have just asked for her official number to be "999". Then all the officials would have had to do is let her keep the bib, just change the record of her number without having to issue a new bib and then have her just turn the same bib upside down.
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Theodore Roosevelt
And if she won the regional, it would have been her first time competing for the state championship
It's too bad the coach didn't bring it up to officials in the 4 days before the race that she had the number. It's too bad they didn't give her another number. It's too bad she didn't get to run. But the bolded part above?...that was never gonna happen. Her 27:44 PR is 9 minutes slower than what won the race. Not that it matters, but the article seems to want to engender more sympathy that really is necessary. She didn't get to run this race. But it's not like she forfieted states too.
Come all you no-hopers, you jokers and roguesWe're on the road to nowhere, let's find out where it goes
There is an irony to perspective and how it changes over time.
As a 16 year old know-nothing kid, I likely would have run if I had the misfortune of crossing paths with the devil.
As a 45 year old grown ass man however, who has raised a family, paid a small fortune in personal taxes, property taxes, home insurance, auto insurance, health insurance and put kids through college, I would break my foot off knee-deep up in his ass if I was fortunate enough to cross paths with that fuck. If I believed he (or someone like him) actually existed that is, which is another topic all its own.
Give it time, in 29 years this 16 year old may have a similar sentiment!
There is an irony to perspective and how it changes over time. As a 16 year old know-nothing kid, I likely would have run if I had the misfortune of crossing paths with the devil. As a 45 year old grown ass man however, who has raised a family, paid a small fortune in personal taxes, property taxes, home insurance, auto insurance, health insurance and put kids through college, I would break my foot off knee-deep up in his ass if I was fortunate enough to cross paths with that fuck. If I believed he (or someone like him) actually existed that is, which is another topic all its own. Give it time, in 29 years this 16 year old may have a similar sentiment!
LOL... That's the spirit, LRB!
Antipodean
I find that qutie ridiculous. A number, after all, is just an abstract representation of an arbitrary designation. It's meaningless and random. Suck it up, sweatheart, if you want to compete.
As a heathen, I find it silly that people let their personal spiritual beliefs get in the way of life in ways like this, that have nothing to do with their actual faith.
There's a student at the middle school where I teach who is just amazing at running and has so much potential. She came second at regional champs. However, her family belongs to a strict church and she is not allowed to run on Sundays. Round here most of the races are on Sundays. I'm not sure if there's a point at which she will be able to break the rules, or if that's it, she's limited for life. If so, what a waste.
Julie
"It's not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves."
~ Sir Edmund Hillary
Smaller By The Day
Breakdown:
16 year old girl
She stood up for what she believes to be right.
She only missed this one race, which it's been established that she had very little chance of winning.
The odds of her getting that number again are very slim. So, it will probably not be an issue in the future.
Her decision didn't negatively effect anyone else.
Society
People who don't know her call her ridiculous.
People criticize her.
People say that it doesn't have anything to do with her faith, although beliefs are personal.
People in the comments under the story talk about how ALL Christians are idiots.
Me
Make reasonable accommodations when possible.
Mind your own beliefs and faith.
Don't be a jerk.
Improvements
Weight 100 pounds lost
5K 31:02 Sept. 2012 / 23:36 Sept. 2013 (Same Course)
10K 48:59 April 2013
HM 2:03:56 Nov. 2012 / 1:46:50 March 2013
MARATHON 3:57:33 Nov. 2013
Dad on the run.
Breakdown: 16 year old girl She stood up for what she believes to be right. She only missed this one race, which it's been established that she had very little chance of winning. The odds of her getting that number again are very slim. So, it will probably not be an issue in the future. Her decision didn't negatively effect anyone else. Society People who don't know her call her ridiculous. People criticize her. People say that it doesn't have anything to do with her faith, although beliefs are personal. People in the comments under the story talk about how ALL Christians are idiots. Me Make reasonable accommodations when possible. Mind your own beliefs and faith. Don't be a jerk.
^^
What he said!
Chasing the sub 20 5K.
Are we there, yet?
... I think we (and that includes religious people) should finally recognize that what was written in the Bible, or the Quran or any other religious writings, was written by fallible men....
Part of the belief system is that these books, though written and recorded by men, are the works and words of God. While men's interpretations of them may be fallible, the books themselves are not. To adopt what you suggest, she would need to overturn her entire belief system, then sift through the rubble to decide what to accept piecemeal, including whether to continue to believe in God.
2024 Races:
03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles
05/11 - D3 50K 05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour
06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.
kween
There are so many buildings in this country where the elevator doesn't have a button for the 13th floor, because because people have a fear of that number. Schools and other organizations are getting away from using the word Christmas because it offends people. We make special accommodations for people of every faith. In Dearborn, Michigan they moved football practice to 11 PM because their Muslim players couldn't hydrate if practice were during the day during a certain religious holiday. I don't even think it matters if you believe the same way that she does, it's a pretty easy fix and it's the right thing to do. Everybody is familiar with 666. We're not talking about walking under a ladder, or a broken mirror, this poor girl believes that her eternal soul is on the line. Just give her a new number. It's not that damn hard. In the future, maybe just take that number out of the mix. I doubt they had 666 runners. So, there are plenty of available numbers. People can and will mock her for this. While I'm Christian, I wouldn't worry about my bib number, but she does. I try not to mock other people's beliefs. For the race officials to act as if it never dawned on them that this may have been based on religious beliefs is laughable. Hopefully she doesn't get picked on too bad.
There are so many buildings in this country where the elevator doesn't have a button for the 13th floor, because because people have a fear of that number. Schools and other organizations are getting away from using the word Christmas because it offends people. We make special accommodations for people of every faith. In Dearborn, Michigan they moved football practice to 11 PM because their Muslim players couldn't hydrate if practice were during the day during a certain religious holiday.
I don't even think it matters if you believe the same way that she does, it's a pretty easy fix and it's the right thing to do. Everybody is familiar with 666. We're not talking about walking under a ladder, or a broken mirror, this poor girl believes that her eternal soul is on the line. Just give her a new number. It's not that damn hard. In the future, maybe just take that number out of the mix. I doubt they had 666 runners. So, there are plenty of available numbers.
People can and will mock her for this. While I'm Christian, I wouldn't worry about my bib number, but she does. I try not to mock other people's beliefs. For the race officials to act as if it never dawned on them that this may have been based on religious beliefs is laughable. Hopefully she doesn't get picked on too bad.
The bolded statement has absolutely no relevance to the issue of the number and the girl's beliefs.
If you want an early meltdown thread, I am ready. People are not offended when schools celebrate only Christmas. People are excluded.
Nolite te bastardes carborundum.
ac·com·mo·da·tion
a convenient arrangement; a settlement or compromise.
SheCan
I haven't read any of the other replies, but I do recall seeing this on the news. My first response was, its a number, just a number. I certainly don't see myself as a cold-hearted person who lacks empathy, I just prefer to save it for those with real problems.
Cherie
"We do not become the people who this world needs simply by turning our backs on anyone we don’t like, trust, or deem healthy enough to be in our presence. " ---- Shasta Nelson
Hip Redux
Right, like these poor people.
ac·com·mo·da·tion a convenient arrangement; a settlement or compromise.
You lost me.
My point is that we make accommodations for people with different beliefs everyday, as we should. As for a meltdown, I don't participate in those. That's why what I said was relevant. Whether you're offended, or feel excluded, people are trying to make accommodations. The adults in this race, could have and should have made accommodations. It's not my place to say that she's wrong.