Disclaimer:
Those of you who know me know that I am incredibly empassioned by the work that I feel I have been called to do. I love the work and I love the awesome population of people I am called to work with. However, as of late, I have begun to be more and more sensitive to the things people say and that will consitute the bulk of this note. If you are offended by this, good. The reason I say it is good for you to be offended by what I am about to write is because I am tired of seeing such a special group of people referred to so derogatorily and I, myself, am tired of being offended by what I hear and I feel that this needs to be addressed.
Note:
Let me begin by saying that I love my calling. I love the fact and proudly admit that I have chosen to dedicate my life to working with the severe to profoundly disabled population. They are an amazing group of people and I am blessed to be called to that field because very few people will ever experience humanity and purity in the way I will experience it.
Because I love my calling and I love the people I am called to work with, I tend to be very passionate about it and to get offended whenever I hear the flippant use of the word "retard" or other forms of the word. I am tired of hearing people say things like "That's so retarded!" or "Don't be a retard!" To me, that word is equally as offensive as the words "nigger, whore, cutter, slut, emo, white trash, gay, lesbian, trailer trash," etc. to describe someone or something. You may be reading this thinking to yourself, "Come on, it's just a matter of words, what are you getting so bent out of shape about?"
Merriam Webster defines the word "retard" as this
ri-'tärd
1 : to slow up especially by preventing or hindering advance or accomplishment
2 : to delay academic progress by failure to promote
This means that the word "retarded" can not be defined or correctly used to mean dumb, inept, stupid, messed up, screwed up, crazy, weird, creepy, freaky, ridiculous, scary, or unbelievable.
What I am so bent out of shape about is people's flippant use of the "R" word to describe pretty much anything without regard for the edification of the special people they may be offending or simply another human being. People find it very easy to use this word but won't dare to use the "N" word for fear of offending someone or not being politically correct. This, to me, isn't even a matter of being offensive or politically correct; instead, it is a matter of showing respect to a population whose feelings have been overlooked for way too long. People use these words to negatively describe things and don't think about the fact that they carry with them a stereotype of people with disabilities that simply is not a true representation.
In all of the experience I have had working with this population, not once have I ran across a person who was "hindered from accomplishment" regardless of the severity of their disability or the lack thereof. To the "average" person, tieing your shoes may be thought of as no huge feat or accomplishment, but to a person from the described population, it may be. If a child is learning nothing more than to take a sip of water from a straw, he is still learning and thus is capable of experiencing accomplishment. A victory is a still a victory no matter how big or small. Everyone knows who the words refer to, however passively or out of context they may be used and it is simply unacceptable to the educated population.
It is a matter of respect for a wonderful group of people. Don't be suprised if I call you out for saying that word. I hate and despise it because I, nor they, go around throwing out offensive words to describe you, so why should you be so careless as to offend them? I guarantee you that if you took the time to get to know someone closely from this population that you would become just as offended by the ignorantly flippant use of this word as I am. All I ask is that you think more carefully and sensitively about what you say and the people that it could be affecting or offending.
Thanks.
