Pride Scooters
I need a Pride scooter to move around. And I’m not the only one. Most of my colleagues need Pride scooters to move around as well. That is, the ones that are still alive. And you know why? Because we served in Afghanistan.
To me, the “Pride” in Pride scooters is much more than a name. It’s the Pride to be a soldier. It’s the Pride of being an American. It’s the Pride of having served my country. It’s the Pride of having sacrificed something in the line of duty. It’s the Pride of being alive by mere luck, when others died right before my eyes.
When my colleagues and I ride our Pride scooters around, we don’t feel like handicapped or disabled. We feel like heroes. In fact, we refuse to use handicapped parking places. We park as far away from the supermarket as possible and then ride our Pride scooters. My wife complains about it, but I always jokingly tell her that a good female soldier needs as much exercise as she can get.
I used to argue with anyone who didn’t agree with the war. I’m a bit more open now. I understand that some people might not agree with it, but I still think that everyone should support our soldiers. And of course, I get livid when someone says we have it easy, or we’re oppressors or invaders. People who say come out as un-American to me, or at least, as someone who has no idea what we are doing there.
I also get angry at the government agencies who neglect our war veterans. It always infuriates me when I see a veteran in a conventional wheelchair, because the government says there aren’t enough Pride scooters for everyone. I don’t think it’s fair for those of us who chose to risk our lives for our country. I think there should be enough budget for buying Pride scooters for every veteran who loses leg mobility. If they can get 700 billion for the banks, surely there is enough for Pride scooters.
So, next time that you see us riding our Pride scooters around in your local store or supermarket, stop and think for a minute why we need one, and what we stand for. Think also about those of us who didn’t make it back, and what American soldiers risk everyday so you can enjoy the lifestyle you do.
There is American Pride in every Pride scooter.