Thank you all for coming today, but especially I want to thank the Commodore for that gracious introduction. I am deeply honored to be here to pay tribute to the Special Olympics Global Messengers.
Why?
Because these “Special Olympics” Messengers have taken over the primary responsibility of explaining and promoting the “Special. Olympics” Movement!
Everyone of the Global Messengers personify the Movement! They wake all of us up and make every one of us more humane. People who get to know them, their abilities, and their exciting, even revolutionary, activities and spirit. For the first time we experience “Special Olympics” first hand!
Many ordinary persons like lots of us never before understood, or worked with, or admired persons called “mentally retarded”. Now we work every day, every week, every month with and for all persons with intellectual disabilities.
Special Olympics Athletes awaken us so-called “normal persons” to the necessity that every one of us, rich or poor, old or young, must exhibit respect and friendship for all human persons! We begin at the very least to realize that every living human being has the right to life, liberty, respect, and to the pursuit of happiness.
That is why you Special Olympics leaders change millions of people everywhere! You inspire all of us who are lucky enough to hear you speak.
And, today, after we have lunch, we will be privileged to hear the Global Messengers! We will learn from all the Global Messengers that every one of us can become better informed and happier in our own lives because will have learned, probably for the very first time, that all of you Global Messengers are the best of all of us here today.!!!
