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Flame lighting events for Paralympic torch relay begin in Japan

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The big rock under the flame container makes it not wheelchair-friendly. Can't even start this thing right. Who dreams up these ideas?

-6 ( +6 / -12 )

ShinkansenCaboose, good point. I've never watched the Paralympics closely and am greatly looking forward to them.

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

@Laguna: The woman cannot even reach the flame on her own because the base holding the box with the flame is too far away due to the clumsy rock pedestal they stood it on. Might have been better off without the stone and at a lower level.

Tokyo and many other parts of Japan are terrible for wheelchairs, the aged, and others with limb problems.

Escalators going to levels and then when you turn the corner, a huge flight of stairs in front of you. And if you want to go back, no escalator down and no elevator. Atrocious planning.

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

Yeah that picture is pretty cringe. That poor lady was so excited I bet and then had to have an able body help out. Pretty much sums up this whole fiasco in Japan the last year.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Do your best !! - Can’t fault the commenters here as much as the media. Seems somewhat ‘hypocritical’ as well-protected from comments as ‘the Olympic Athletes” were before, during & after their Games. But, apparently, that bit of decorum has ended and is not being extended to the Paralympic Athletes.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

I've never understood the paralympics. Can someone explain the concept concisely?

-9 ( +2 / -11 )

Looking forward to ALL of the coverage JT will EQUALLY devote to EACH & EVERY Paralympic event and to ALL medal recipients in the upcoming weeks !!

Come on!

GO JAPAN !!

SHOW Your Support, JAPAN !!

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

In addition, particularly interested and hoping to read ALL the ‘positivity, encouragement & supportive commentary’ of ANY & ALL events from those posters that were particularly adamant about giving these physically and otherwise, “challenged” individuals their EQUAL ‘time in the sun’. - Now’s the chance! Show Your Support !!

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

Wow! totally oblivious to reality

0 ( +3 / -3 )

”Brain paralysis”??? I’m guessing this is a really bad translation of cerebral palsy, but you’d think they could at least get their terms right.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

ShinkansenCabooseToday  05:27 pm JST

@Laguna: The woman cannot even reach the flame on her own because the base holding the box with the flame is too far away due to the clumsy rock pedestal they stood it on. Might have been better off without the stone and at a lower level.

Tokyo and many other parts of Japan are terrible for wheelchairs, the aged, and others with limb problems.

Escalators going to levels and then when you turn the corner, a huge flight of stairs in front of you. And if you want to go back, no escalator down and no elevator. Atrocious planning.

My friend, try to appreciate the effort people will be putting to participate and hold this event. It is difficult in the best of times, and will be even more harder in the current.

Most of will have dreamed, worked hard and waited for their chance to shine.

It won't be perfect, but then these people are used to over coming problems that most of us cannot comprehend.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Yeah that picture is pretty cringe. That poor lady was so excited I bet and then had to have an able body help out.

I get that you feel that it’s better for her personal dignity to be able to do it herself. However she said it was an honor to light the flame. She was being positive about the situation - her situation. Too often activists who claim to want to help the disabled actually impose an undue negativity that undermines those they profess to want to help.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

The woman cannot even reach the flame on her own because the base holding the box with the flame is too far away due to the clumsy rock pedestal they stood it on.

The woman has cerebral palsy. She likely could not have lit the torch herself regardless of how far away she was.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

@Tokioite:

Have a handicapped kid myself. Have one of my masters in special education. Taught special education for many years, not for the money but for the joy of helping those in need.

Japan is backwards when it comes to the handicapped. It kills dreams and does not allow most to shine, because they do not have handicapped people figuring this stuff out. Some old man in an office coughing out commands does it...like Mori for example.

I know how to overcome problems, but that will never happen here.

However, I have great praise and words for the teachers working in schools with handicapped kids and mainstreaming them in. Japan is perfect with that.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

This is not about the handicapped but to maximize profits associated with the Olympic.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

@Kumagia: More than likely she can use her hands but it takes work. The muscles fight each other. One trick we used to help CP people function with their hands is to gently stroke the top of the hand. It did wonders at helping them to not fight what they were trying to do. Sort of a distraction to make things work.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Sincerely, “Thank You” for your work with persons afflicted, yet that still want to live life their way.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Tomi:

This is not about the handicapped but to maximize profits associated with the Olympic.

It IS about the handicapped. (Obvious)

Nothing wrong with maximizing profits. (Don't you want higher income yourself?)

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

This is not about the handicapped but to maximize profits associated with the Olympic.

Westerners can be so binary thinking, where it has to be one or the other, and can't be both.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

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