"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be." - Shel Silverstein

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Today is the Day, Take the Pledge!



In the words of my friend, Debbie:

"Have you taken the pledge to stop using the R word yet??? What's holding you back? Do you not realize how offensive it is? People who are deemed medically retarded (yes, that's a real medical term) are still people. To hear that worded as a synonym for stupid is highly offensive to them, their friends and families, and anyone with any sense of decorum. GET RID OF THIS WORD!!!"

Please visit http://www.r-word.org/ to take the pledge to eliminate the derogatory use of the words "retard" and "retarded".

Intellectually disabled people often can not stand up for themselves to tell others how they feel about the use of the R word as a derogatory term. Please stand up for them, now.

No one should ever be made to feel less than they are.

5 comments:

The VW's said...

AMEN! Thanks Alicia and Marissa for standing up and making some noise! You are the best! Love and Hugs!!!

Shauna Quintero said...

I'm taking the pledge. Honestly, I used to use the word constantly when talking about objects or people I didn't like, even to traffic. I'll admit it. (But never referring to someone with special needs)

However, now that the shoe is on the other foot, every time I hear that word I wince. It's like a stab in the gut. Especially because a lot of people still use that word to refer to special needs people! Ugh, stabs me in the gut.

Thanks for this post, Alicia!

Nana and PaPa said...

I'm really not sure whether I ever used the R word as a derogatory comment on someone's intellegence or abilities, but I'm human and may have inadvertantly done so. I've never liked anyone being called names, especially myself....it hurts...to the core of your being. I will be signing the pledge to help raise my own awareness and to help others to raise their awareness. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

Hope said...

Amen to this post. so important.

Wendi Taylor said...

I just hope people change their attitudes towards special needs children and adults, as well as their words.