Keith Nolan's TED Talk

I'm not easily inspired. It's kind of a problem, actually. I can love something and be passionate about it-- but not inspired. And then I came along Keith Nolan's TED Talk, "Deaf in the Military". The entire thing was in sign language, and there was a translator speaking for him, but I became so immersed in the story of Nolan's struggle that I didn't even notice after a while.

The part in his speech that really struck me was when he said that, when he emailed an ROTC officer about taking a few classes with them, he was surprised the answer wasn't "No, sorry, you can't, you're deaf." I can't even imagine being told I can't do something I'm passionate about because of a factor that I have no control over. Nolan does a great job of giving that "I can't imagine that..." feeling in his TED Talk.

He had so many interesting facts and a really cool history of deaf people in the military that was so well put together and supported his topic so well. He mentioned a few times that the Israeli army accepts deaf people, but not the American army. After mentioning this a few times, and talking about some notable American soldiers with disabilities, Nolan drops his entire argument on us. "If the U.S. Military can retain their disabled soldiers, why can't they accept disabled citizens as well?" And that right there is the underlying message of Nolan's TED Talk.

Acceptance.

We all yearn for it, we all hope to achieve it, yet for some people, that is a very difficult task. I felt Nolan's heartbreak as he realized that the Navy wouldn't take him. I felt his triumph when the Army ROTC let him begin taking classes and the ROTC instructor treated him just like every other cadet. And that's what Nolan does best. While his story doesn't have a happy ending yet, Nolan gives us all hope that perhaps, one day, the policy might change. I am inspired to make a change, and really follow this soldier's story. I am truly inspired.

TED Talk: http://www.ted.com/talks/keith_nolan_deaf_in_the_military.html