It's Not Okay to Say "Retard"

My act of kindness today is to try to make people more aware of how the use of the word "retard" or any derivative is demeaning.

My friend Shan shared a link on facebook, which I shared as well, and will also share here:

I feel very strongly about this subject.  I have a great aunt who has Down Syndrome.  I have cousins and a brother who all fall on the Autism spectrum.  I have worked with kids, teens, and adults who have developmental and/or physical disabilities.

I feel the same way about the use of the phrases "That's gay" or "You're gay."  They are used in the same way as "retard" and "retarded"---that is, to imply that something or someone is stupid or slow or different.

It's not okay.  It's just like saying "nigger."  It's not okay to use that word, so why is it okay to call some one "retarded" or "gay"?

I don't know if it's a generational thing or a cultural thing to use these words.  When I was the site director of the Boys and Girls Club, the kids there would say things like that all of the time.  I continually reprimanded their use of these words/phrases by explaining just how demeaning they were.  And then I heard my boss refer to something as being "gay."  To this day, I wish that I had said something.  I brought it up in a round about way by mentioning in a conversation with him that I didn't let the kids use these phrases, but I never said anything directly to him about his use of it.

I feel like people use them thinking there is absolutely nothing wrong with them.  They think they're just words, with no power behind them.  But that's not true.  They are more than just words.  And this casual use of them gives them an unhealthy power because people believe it's okay when it's not.

I don't know that many people actually read my blog.  This is more for me to account for my acts of service. Still, if you do, please take a moment to read the blog I linked and please rethink how you use the words, and even more, how you view these people.  I have never met someone with special needs who did not touch my heart and  bless my life.