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The Daily OrangeBattle | Shoeless Ron: IUPUI coach to go barefoot to raise awareness
Abstract:
Ron Hunter wants to do something that has never been done before.
So on Jan. 24 Hunter, head coach at IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis), will coach against Oakland (Mich.) in his bare feet.
No socks, no shoes, just his bare feet....
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greg
posted 1/15/08 @ 10:03 AM EST
While I admire the intent, there are a few things more pressing than shoes...what about safe drinking water? People have been going without shoes for many years, and can continue without them for many more, but a safe source of drinking water...that's something needed EVERY DAY for survival.
Chuck
posted 1/15/08 @ 4:19 PM EST
Everyone who *wants* a pair of shoes should have that option, regardless of how rich or poor they are, but some people *prefer* going barefoot in a lot of situations. And in a lot of situations, barefoot is healthier. The coach's heart is in the right place, I think, but to flatly state that no one in the world should be walking around barefoot is misguided at best and harshly judgmental at worst. When Pope John Paul II visited Cuba in the 1990s, he lamented the fact that the coveting of expensive sneakers had led to more exclusionary attitudes among the younger generation. Safe drinking water, adequate plumbing and getting enough food to eat are much more important to helping developing nations than putting barefoot people in shoes. In some cases, forcing barefoot people into shoes may actually cause more problems than they solve. Once the shoes wear out, their once-strong feet are softer and less able to deal with surrounding conditions; the thicker skin that naturally develops for protection is compromised. Unless the person in question can get good shoes that fit properly from that point on, the few months spent wearing shoes will actually weaken the feet and make them more vulnerable to injury. Nonetheless, I salute the coach for his good intentions. I just hope he takes the time to educate himself on the *benefits* of walking barefoot in situations where the terrain isn't polluted by raw sewage and the like.
Manthyra
posted 1/15/08 @ 9:29 PM EST
Originally posted byChuck
When Pope John Paul II visited Cuba in the 1990s, he lamented the fact that the coveting of expensive sneakers had led to more exclusionary attitudes among the younger generation. Safe drinking water, adequate plumbing and getting enough food to eat are much more important to helping developing nations than putting barefoot people in shoes. In some cases, forcing barefoot people into shoes may actually cause more problems than they solve. Once the shoes wear out, their once-strong feet are softer and less able to deal with surrounding conditions; the thicker skin that naturally develops for protection is compromised. Unless the person in question can get good shoes that fit properly from that point on, the few months spent wearing shoes will actually weaken the feet and make them more vulnerable to injury.
Very good points! Bare feet get very tough, but once the one pair of shoes wear out there may actually be a greater risk of injury and/or blisters. Also, unless a steady supply of footwear can be guaranteed, I foresee that these people will be wearing their shoes when most US folks would've long tossed them out; worn out, and in case of growing kids, outgrown. Now worn-out footwear is very bad for the feet, and any kids' health site should show how bad too-small shoes are for the development of the feet as well as the entire posture. Yet in most cases where a generous person or group ships one big load of shoes to a certain third-world country this is exactly what happens; people keep wearing them when they're falling apart, and are much too small for the growing kid or teen who received them.
I, too, think in an ideal world everyone should have footwear available if they want it (which not everyone does -haven't worn any footwear for many years :)), but as long as the world isn't ideal (and unless it's an area of extremely cold weather) the safe drinking water, sanitation systems and food the previous poster named are indeed more essential.
I would also add education to this list; school books & supplies. Some can be passed along longer than shoes can, other items like pens and pencils do run out but the education gained will serve the people for the rest of their lives -long after the shoes will have been discarded.
Greg
posted 1/15/08 @ 8:31 PM EST
Ron Hunter has such a noble idea. Think of it - starving people, poisoned by their drinking water, but they'll look good in nice shoes. Hey coach, how about jewelry? There are people walking around all over the world without any jewelry! Just don't send anything anyone needs, like clean water or food.
Mr. Smarty
posted 1/23/08 @ 11:35 PM EST
Originally posted bybrian
This guy is a retard!
And you are an idiot but the Coach is an even bigger buffoon for thinking that anyone wants to see his bare feet. I hope he stubs his toe on the bench
Karma Slave
posted 1/16/08 @ 3:07 PM EST
To "raise awareness"? What, that the majority of the population don't -use- nor -need- shoes?
The only awareness he'll raise is his own, to his surroundings, the day he decides not to use shoes.
There are far more important things to do than to force bad habits like shoes (which deform our feet, stiffens our natural shock absorbtion, allow fungus to grow, just to mention just a few drawbacks) on those who already have other problems.
Seriously, this isn't charity or for a "good cause". This is just ignorance fueling ignorance.
The only awareness he'll raise is his own, to his surroundings, the day he decides not to use shoes.
There are far more important things to do than to force bad habits like shoes (which deform our feet, stiffens our natural shock absorbtion, allow fungus to grow, just to mention just a few drawbacks) on those who already have other problems.
Seriously, this isn't charity or for a "good cause". This is just ignorance fueling ignorance.
Jaime
posted 1/17/08 @ 9:10 PM EST
You know what? I think it is a great thing that he is doing...i don't know why people are criticizing something good. If anyone has any better ideas, great for them...follow through. But this coach is following his heart and taking action...believe it or not, that's a good thing, so quit complaining. Even something simple like shoes can bring some hope to a person's day.
Karma Slave
posted 1/18/08 @ 4:08 PM EST
Originally posted byJaime
You know what? I think it is a great thing that he is doing...i don't know why people are criticizing something good. If anyone has any better ideas, great for them...follow through. But this coach is following his heart and taking action...believe it or not, that's a good thing, so quit complaining. Even something simple like shoes can bring some hope to a person's day.
If it was food, or medicine, or other forms of necessities, then it would be a good thing. Shoes are, usually, an unnecessary thing which will bring you way more problems than it solves. People really need to get the incorrect idea that billions of evolution needs to be corrected. Our feet are great at adapting and coping with all allday surfaces and conditions... if you're not living in around -10 Celcius or something. Most people without shoes live in countries where it's above 0 mostly.
They don't need shoes. For them, shoes would only cause problems. The only "problem" you solve with forcing shoes upon everyone is that you won't see feet anymore.
Seriously, to believe that feet somehow need "support" is absurd - regardless of you believe in evolution or Christianity.
Just because you believe in what you do is good, doesn't mean it geniunely is. It could just be the opposite.
David from Ohio
posted 1/21/08 @ 3:42 PM EST
I think we should assume that the coach's heart is, in fact, in the right place, but that he just doesn't understand the health benefits that going barefoot can bring. Education, not scorn and ridicule, will be the best tools to use to help him see that not everyone wants to wear shoes all the time and that bare feet can be beneficial and pleasurable in a lot of situations.
Having said that, I do agree that anyone who wants shoes should have them, but to force people who don't want them into wearing them for reasons of conformity or misguided ideas about health is no help to anyone.
This lack of education produces an anxiety response because of all the misinformation about bare feet (health codes, etc.) Westerners (at
least Americans) have been force-fed for several decades now, and that in turn produces a desire to shoe the bare feet that are, in all likelihood, much healthier than those who are trying to help in their own misguided way. I agree with some of those who wrote above that the effort would be better put towards safe drinking water or vaccinations and other really crucial health issues.
Having said that, I do agree that anyone who wants shoes should have them, but to force people who don't want them into wearing them for reasons of conformity or misguided ideas about health is no help to anyone.
This lack of education produces an anxiety response because of all the misinformation about bare feet (health codes, etc.) Westerners (at
least Americans) have been force-fed for several decades now, and that in turn produces a desire to shoe the bare feet that are, in all likelihood, much healthier than those who are trying to help in their own misguided way. I agree with some of those who wrote above that the effort would be better put towards safe drinking water or vaccinations and other really crucial health issues.
michael
posted 1/25/08 @ 2:00 PM EST
I am amazed that so many posters are criticizing the coach for his efforts. If any of you think there is more pressing needs and projects to be done in Africa, I say go do something about it, rather than just saying how misguided Coach Hunter is. At least he is making an effort with his actions to help others.I have not heard anything about what others who have written comments are doing to make this a better world.
Manthyra
posted 1/26/08 @ 3:40 AM EST
Originally posted bymichael
I am amazed that so many posters are criticizing the coach for his efforts. If any of you think there is more pressing needs and projects to be done in Africa, I say go do something about it, rather than just saying how misguided Coach Hunter is. At least he is making an effort with his actions to help others.I have not heard anything about what others who have written comments are doing to make this a better world.
A valid concern and one I don't mind addressing :)
It is exactly *because* I spend a lot of my time and effort in volunteering and fundraising that I have looked quite a bit into which programs are working and which do not, which items & services are most important to provide and which are less so. And I've discovered some -in spite of all good intentions- may actually do more harm than good.
If I only gave a few dollars when someone was collecting I'd probably be enthusiastic about every single effort and never look further. It's *because *I do more than that, that I will promote projects for food, water, medicine, education, starter's loans etc, and of course I will spend my own money & time on those types. However I'll also try to persuade the 'one-time goods' givers to think again. Yes I do applaud the fact he's trying to do best as he sees it (the people saying he's an idiot are rather rude, no need for that) but I also hope to make him see my point because his efforts would have so much better results spent on other things than footwear!
(signed, a long-time volunteer & fundraiser for many causes :))
brian
posted 9/25/08 @ 11:03 AM EST
I think his heart is in the right place, even if he is displaying a profound sociological ignorance. If the average pair of shoes costs $30, that comes to 1.2 million dollars. That could feed a lot of people for a year (about the life span of a $30 pair of shoes).
More and more studies are coming out suggesting that shoes are mostly bad for your feet (with the exceptions being things like construction, motorcycling, etc).
I think the point a number of posters is making is that there is a serious misunderstanding of priorities. Not only are shoes less important then food, drinking water or medical care, they aren't even needed. In fact, on a list of the top one-hundred needs for third-world countries, I am not even sure shoes makes the list. It's our industrial/capitalist mindset (brainwash?) that has convinced us that life is simply not worth living if our feet aren't shod and that anyone without shoes must be terribly miserable. Think again.
More and more studies are coming out suggesting that shoes are mostly bad for your feet (with the exceptions being things like construction, motorcycling, etc).
I think the point a number of posters is making is that there is a serious misunderstanding of priorities. Not only are shoes less important then food, drinking water or medical care, they aren't even needed. In fact, on a list of the top one-hundred needs for third-world countries, I am not even sure shoes makes the list. It's our industrial/capitalist mindset (brainwash?) that has convinced us that life is simply not worth living if our feet aren't shod and that anyone without shoes must be terribly miserable. Think again.
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David
posted 1/15/08 @ 7:44 AM EST
I put Coach in that category.
Imagine -- going barefooted in a gymnasium! That's quite a daring act (for him, perhaps).