The Ringer

Tatyana McFadden has always battled the odds. Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, with spina bifida, which left her paralyzed from the waist down, she was abandoned by her birth mother.

Tatyana arrived at her first high school road meet last spring as a curiosity: the racer in the wheelchair. But by the time she reached the finish line in the 400 meters -- first -- fans saw her as a legitimate athlete and responded with cheers.

McFadden and her mother, Deborah, have been fighting for nearly a year to compete against students without disabilities. The objection: officials say her racing chair creates a safety hazard and gives her an unfair advantage. (The best wheelchair racers tend to be faster than able-bodied runners in longer races; McFadden usually finishes at or near the top in everything except sprints.)

Tatyana's story, while tragic, in no way entitles her to bring a wheelchair to a footrace. You might think I enjoy picking on handicapped athletes, but it seems like everyone else is willing to throw logic and reason out the window for the sake of being politically correct. If some mentally retarded guy decided to run for President, would everyone be afraid not to vote for him? Oh, wait....