A couple of weeks ago, the wife of San Francisco 49ers Defensive Tackle Fred Warner said that she would never return to Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA because the Philadelphia Eagles fans were very rude and hostile to her.
Now, while I will say that these particular fans were so caught up in the moment of seeing the Eagles in the Championship game, it does not excuse their behavior in any way, shape or form. Sometimes, we tend to forget that we are humans, and we can make mistakes. But it’s important to remember that there are others around us who are very prone to being sensitive in such an environment.
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Now, let’s take a moment and pretend that a neurodiverse individual is attending the game rooting for the road team San Francisco 49ers. He or she is excited, but wants to enjoy the game in his or her own way. A couple of Philadelphia Eagles fans come forward and fueled by the combination of alcohol and the overall atmosphere, they start acting agressively towards the fan. He or she is being bothered and pressured to the point where a sensory overload or meltdown is upon them.
The meltdown is severe enough to require being taken to the hospital and the fan feels like he or she will never travel to 49ers games outside of San Francisco.
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The fact that any sports fan can behave in such a manner is disgusting and I have been around people who behave in such a manner that it makes me uncomfortable. The problem is that there is a lack of self-control, not just at NFL games, but in everyday life. We all want to be in a place where we are included without judgment whether its at a sporting event, a party, a friend’s house or especially at work or school.
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Now this isn’t to say that all Eagles fans are bad. Hell, one of my colleagues in the community actually works for them at home games during the season. The owner of the Eagles, Jeffrey Lurie, has a brother on the spectrum and is passionate about autism awareness and acceptance.
But sometimes, a few bad apples can spoil the batch and ruin things for everyone.
We are supposed to treat each other with respect and dignity and it also doesn’t matter if we are neurodiverse or not…respect is a two way street, not a one way street.
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Catch you all later!!
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