I’m Proud to be Lefthanded

586 Words2 Pages

One in 10 people reading this is left-handed. There are nearly 34 million of us living in the United States, and about 500 million in the world. Throughout history, though, lefties have been looked down upon.

Centuries ago, the Catholic Church declared that left-handed people were servants of the devil. The word "left" comes from the Old English word meaning "weak" and "worthless." In the 1600s in Europe, lefties were burned at the stake for alleged witchcraft and sorcery.

Just a generation ago, American parents tried to change their children's left-handedness, even going to the extreme of tying their child's left hand behind his back to keep him from using it. Teachers also forced their students to use their right hands. This, however, is not recommended, since switching hands may lead to stuttering and dyslexia.

The good news, though, is that some of the most eminent contributors to society have been lefties. Both Jay Leno and David Letterman are left-handed, as are Julia Roberts, Matthew Broderick, Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Robert...

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