National Left-Handers Day

by Tyrone Hall (BPRW)

With the month of August just beginning and the weather expected to get even hotter, most of us are looking forward to firing up the backyard grill for a family barbeque or trying to stay cool by going for a swim in the pool. Regardless of how you’re planning to celebrate, just keep in mind that Wednesday August 13th is National Left-Hander’s Day-a day to celebrate all left-handers.

Left-Hander’s day is a day where the 10% of the world that are left-handed can celebrate advantages and disadvantages of being naturally gifted. This event will also enable those individuals to use products that were made for lefties such as scissors, mugs, notebooks and can openers. Oh and lets not forget those one-sided right-handed desks that they made you sit at because there weren’t enough left-handed ones. This event also gives the majority of the world (roughly 70%-90%) who are right-handed a chance to spend the day using their opposite hand.

This year’s election features two candidates who both happen to be left-handed Senators John McCain and Barack Obama. Senator Obama is trying to become the 1st Black President of the United States of America and he could become the 5th left-handed president if elected this coming election. The last 4 presidents Bill Clinton, George H.W Bush, Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford were all left-handed except George W. Bush.

Among other famous left-handed black celebrities are baseball player Ken Griffey Jr., actress Whoopi Goldberg, talk show host Oprah Winfrey, actor Morgan Freeman, and film director Spike Lee. These are just a few of some of the brightest stars in the entertainment and sports industry that are left-handed.

As an African-American male who happens to be left-handed, I find that it has its advantages in terms of possessing intelligence and creativity. Then there are times where I have to adjust to certain things that are designed for right-handers. Those of us that make up the 10 percent should consider ourselves gifted and special.

So take this National Day as an opportunity to acknowledge those who have paved the way towards greatness by being left-handed. If you happen to be right handed use this day to live in the life of the few lefties who inhabit this world.