The Feared and Misunderstood

...are often the scape goats.

It is not often I go into a painting, wanting to prove a point but lately I have been struck with a thought that I cannot shake. The fear that comes from things we do not personally know. I am a firm believer that the bad rap pitbulls have is only due to bad owners. Every dog has the potential to be a good dog, but it is the owner who is responsible! I for one have never been attacked by a pitbull, but have had several encounters with raging purse dogs. I have seen may pitbulls become successful police, assistance, and therapy dogs.

Another thing I have seen time and time again for myself is the fear of interacting with a person who has cerebral palsy (C.P.). CP affects the cerebellum (thus cerebral) and interrupts the coordination of motor planning. There are varying levels of CP, some people can walk and talk, others cannot. The funny thing is that CP does not always affect the cognitive function of a person, yet people treat them as stupid because they may not be able to control the mouth muscles enough to speak clearly. People are uncomfortable around those with CP and will often ignore them. I was once at a restaurant with a friend who has CP and the waiter asked me what she would like to eat, though she was very capable of ordering for herself.

So I ask: Get educated, gain some understanding, and treat everyone like a living being.

March is Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month and October is Pitbull Awareness Month! I thought that this would be the perfect time to work on it so some awareness can be brought up before the month starts.


More info on Cerebral Palsy:
[link]
More info on Pitties and their responsible owners:
[link]