American Rhetoric: Movie Speech

"Concussion" (2015)

Dr. Bennet Omalu Addresses the NFL Players Association on CTE and Football

A small boy came to me and said, "Mister, why do you hate football?"

I said, "I don't hate football."

He said, "Yes, my father said you hate football."

I said, "You tell your father to come see me."

My wife watches the games. And she will scream, and she will jump. She startles me a lot. But through her eyes, I can see the beauty, and the grace, the power.

I said to her that I wished I'd never met Mike Webster. But that was before I knew him.

He has given me a great gift.

A dangerous gift.

The gift of knowing.

When a man is a soldier, he knows what is at risk. He may be injured or even killed. But when a man is a -- is a football player, he knows he may break his arm or his leg. He does not know that he can lose his mind, his family, his money -- his life.

They have to know.

Mike Webster

Justin Strzelczyk

Terry Long

Andre Waters

Dave Duerson

By dying, they speak for the living. And I speak for them. That is all I do.

Forgive them.

Forgive yourselves.

Be at peace.