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The Special Olympics is seeking greater recognition by looking for sponsorship from big cities such as New York. While they have had a great deal of success in smaller towns and venues they appear to find the lack of support from larger, more urban locations to be disappointing. Unfortunately there remains a fundamental line drawn that very often supporters of those with disabilities don't like to acknowledge. To summarize in brief, being "special" does not put you on par with the "gifted".

It's not cruel, most especially when you consider that even "average" or "normal" people aren't on par with premier athletes either. In fact there isn't even an internationally recognized competition for "normal" people called the 'Ordinary Olympics'. Sorry, that's just how it works. No one will pay to see Joe-Armchair wheeze through a 100 meter dash, so it shouldn't be all that offensive to the disabled to understand that no one wants to see them either.

''I think in this day and age, New Yorkers are looking, like everybody else, for something to believe in,'' said Shriver, whose mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founded Special Olympics in 1968. ''And I think they can believe in our athletes, and I think our athletes have a vision for the future that's better than any politician or any business leader or any celebrity out there.

Yes, if you read that quote as an euphemism, it's fine to see their effort and dedication as a tribute to the human spirit in overcoming adversity. But to say that they have a superior "vision for the future"? In the sense that they aren't as ready to pick up guns and kill, exploit, murder and extort, yes I guess so. To say they're ready to lead an international quorum to solve all the world's woes? No, I don't think so.

I actually don't believe the participants or the families of the participants have such lofty aspirations, just the organizers and supporters who want to support both a cause and themselves.