Please, take the pledge . . .
Monday, March 04, 2013 by: SooToday.com Staff
SooToday.com has received the following letter about International Spread the Word Day which will be marked on Wednesday, March 6, 2013.
Special Olympics uses the day to raise the consciousness of society about the dehumanizing and hurtful effects of the R-word ("retard") and to encourage people to pledge to stop using the R-word.
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Dear editor:
As a leader in your media circle driving local culture, we need your support, and the support of your audience, in our Spread the Word to End the Word™ campaign to help make a stand against a word that has gained popularity in culture, but is offensive to many.
The "R-word" has found a place in common language and seems to be accepted by most, despite the fact that its use, casual or otherwise, is hurtful to millions of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and those that love them.
The word hurts, even if it is not directed at a person with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
For too long, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities have had to overcome the challenges society has put forth through stereotypes.
It is time for a change and you and your readers and viewers can help.
Special Olympics Ontario athletes accomplish great things, are members of our local communities and churches and deserve the same respect and dignity that each of us expects from others in return in our daily lives.
Help drive much needed change that will bring acceptance and inclusion to our community - include the R-word into your "Not Fit to Print" publishing guidelines alongside other hurtful and profane words.
Your viewership reaches many individuals in your community and with that influence you can help us get all of those members of the community to take the pledge at this website.
If the role of a local media outlet like yours is to inform and effect positive change in the community, what better way than helping us to Spread the Word to End the Word and in turn, create communities of acceptance and inclusion for all people?
Please, we need you and your readers to pledge here.
Sincerely,
- Glenn MacDonell, President & CEO, Special Olympics Ontario
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moem 3/4/2013 8:24:49 PM ReportAgreed we shouldn't use the word out of context, however the DSM IV revised lists " mental retardation" as a clinical term. We will see in May if the DSM V does the same thing, but for now when used properly it is a widely used acceptable term.
mallet 3/4/2013 8:54:33 PM ReportI quite agree that some words should not be used, however where does this "political Correctness" end. Shall we ban all words that may hurt someones feelings?, you are going to end up with a very small dictionary at that rate. Just think about this for a minute, someone who is overweight, " my you look heavy" will hurt their feelings ban heavy. Short and Tall could be used to insult someone who has a thin skin regarding their stature. The "N" word has been banned and in its place a multitude of other words used to describe that particular ethnic group. Where does this end, and what shall we call people who are mentally retarded?.
Norm 3/4/2013 10:09:15 PM ReportMentally challenged.
MikeQ 3/4/2013 10:32:04 PM ReportI agree with this letter... but at the same time find myself thinking about the "R-Word" as something that has really disassociated itself from the mentally handicapped community.
When I see someone who is mentally challenged, the words are usually "slow, disabled, challenged, special." I really have never heard someone use the "R-word" in relation to a handicapped person, it seems to be more of a word of negative connotation having nothing to do with the disabled community. Part of me thinks it would be easier for the Special Olympics societies and such to disassociate with the "R-Word" more so, than to disassociate the word from lower English.
That being said, I empathize with the cause...just my 2 cents.
newcon 3/5/2013 10:42:10 AM ReportI hereby swear that I will refrain from harbouring any politically correct ideal(s). Society has a lot more problems to deal with than being worried about out of context verbal expressions. Everybody's on pins and needles these days for fear of offending someone or some group with the words they use(ed). Exercise compassion in your daily routine and be conscious of everybody's "plight through life" but never deny the truth of our everyday existence. Society has become a real joke and the world is a stage...but nobody's laughing. The worse offenders here are the hypocrites promoting the politically correct Utopia that is unattainable to humans.
Newcon
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