Disability

"RETARD"

Most people don't think of this word as hate speech, but that's exactly what it feels like to millions of people with intellectual disabilities, their families and friends. Using "retard" as a term of derision is just as cruel and offensive as any other slur.

What It's All About
Spread the Word to End the Word is meant to raise the consciousness of society about the dehumanizing and hurtful effects of the R-word and encourage people to pledge to stop using it.  America is being asked to declare their support for more respectful and inclusive language, specifically that referring to those with intellectual disabilities.

Created by young people with and without intellectual disabilities, Spread the Word to End the Word is one element of Special Olympics' vision of a world where everyone matters, where everyone is accepted and, most importantly, where everyone is valued.

Leading the way in promoting acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities, Special Olympics opposes prejudice and discrimination, continuously working to dispel the negative stereotypes associated with this population ? the use of the R-word being one such stereotype. In a world that has worked to eliminate pejorative racial and ethnic language such as the "N word," among others, the R-word is gaining popularity.

March 31 young people across the country will lead local efforts to raise awareness and collect pledges on  www.r-word.org   from peers and the community to vow not to use the R-word. Actor and activist John C. McGinley, of the hit show "Scrubs," is helping with this effort by making national media appearances on behalf of the campaign.

                                                                                                                       Does it really matter what a person is called?  What's in a name? I think it matters very very much.  People have been called negative names forever.  People with physical disabilities were called "cripples" people who were mute were "dumb" and of course those with intellectual deficiencies were "retards".  Then we do have our ethnic negative names. As each ethnic group arrived on our shores as immigrants the negativity toward them took time to diminish.  They were called "japs,micks,kikes,spicks chinx's etc.".  African Americans have came in for a heavy negative term for centuries black people were negatively called "nigers" And there is unfortunately religious and cultural negative name calling too.

One at a time many of these negative terms have  become inappropriate thank goodness.  Names that have a strong negative connotation are powerful and when used they can hurt a tremendous amount.  One name that seems to linger on and is being used even more prominent lately is the term "retard".  And it is being used in an inappropriate derogatory way.

There have been current movies that laugh at people with intellectual impairments using the word "retard" in repeated negative connotations.  It seems like they can't imagine how that could be harmful and hurtful to people who are intellectually challenged.  Maybe they feel limited in using other sources they can make fun of.  I feel that that kind of humor is bottom barrel humor.  It's cheap and mean spirited.

For example a lot of people are talking about the movie "Tropic Thunder" that opened in theaters last month. One of the reasons that it is being talked about is that the characters use the term "retard" over and over. They use it the same way that kids do all the time, to jokingly insult one another. So, what's the big deal?  John Stephens who is a Special Olympic Athlete and a global messenger from Fairfax Va.wrote an article in his local paper I've included some of it here.

?Let me try to explain. I am a 26-year-old man with Down syndrome. I am very lucky. Even though I was born with this intellectual disability, I do pretty well and have a good life. I live and work in the community. I count as friends the people I went to school with and the people I meet in my job. Every day I get closer to living a life like yours.

The hardest thing about having an intellectual disability is the loneliness. We process information slower than everyone else. So even normal conversation is a constant battle for us not to lose touch with what the rest of you are saying. Most of the time the words and thoughts just go too fast for us to keep up, and when we finally say something it seems out of place.

We are aware when all the rest of you stop and just look at us. We are aware when you look at us and just say, "unh huh," and then move on, talking to each other. You mean no harm, but you have no idea how alone we feel even when we are with you. That is why I love being a Global Messenger. I work for days telling my dad what I want to talk about and he tries to write it down for me. Then we do it over and over until we have something that says what I mean. We wrote this letter the same way.

So, what's wrong with "retard"? I can only tell you what it means to me and people like me when we hear it. It means that the rest of you are excluding us from your group. We are something that is not like you and something that none of you would ever want to be. We are something outside the "in" group. We are someone that is not your kind. I want you to know that it hurts to be left out here -- alone. Nothing scares me as much as feeling all alone in a world that moves so much faster than I do.

You don't mean to make me feel that way. In fact, like I say in some of my speeches, "I have always depended on the kindness of strangers," and it works out OK most of the time. Still, it hurts and scares me when I am the only person with intellectual disabilities on the bus and young people start making "retard" jokes or references. Please put yourself on that bus and fill the bus with people who are different from you. Imagine that they start making jokes using a term that describes you. It hurts and it is scary.

Last, I get the joke -- the irony -- that only dumb and shallow people are using a term that means dumb and shallow. The problem is, it is only funny if you think a "retard" is someone dumb and shallow. I am not those things, but every time the term is used it tells young people that it is OK to think of me that way and to keep me on the outside.

That is why using "retard" is a big deal to people like me.?

So what can you do ??    Sign the pledge, stand up to those who use the term retard and let them know why its wrong.  For more information go to http://www.r-word.org/

Ellie