20th
Open Letter Against the Special Olympics ‘R-Word’ Campaign
As CNN informed me today, the Special Olympics has launched a campaign at “r-word.org” for people to pledge to stop using the word ‘retard.’
Now, I’ll ignore the fact that the site gives no page to even attempt to educate someone such as myself, who finds no problem using the word ‘retard’ in the proper context, instead preaching to the choir of people who are already against the word. However, I hope that someone finds this post and thinks they can attempt to educate me. If so, I want to tell you, my mind is open to your reasoning.
But here’s my point: By going on a crusade against the word ‘retard,’ all we do is give it more power. When I use the word ‘retard,’ it’s entirely in jest. I don’t use it often, but when I do use it, I am referring to when someone (or myself) does something stupid. In fact, I don’t even see it as referring to someone with mental disability. If a person uses it to refer to someone with a mental disability in a derogatory way, then I completely agree that others should make them aware that their statements are unacceptable. But by being hypersensitive to the word, acting out in anger when it’s used by someone who means no harm by it, all we do is give the word more power. It’s the same reason I was opposed to the movement to ban the N-word; I agree that the N-word is too often used negatively towards African-Americans, but the word is ALREADY powerful enough (so much so that I’m not even comfortable typing it here) without giving it the power of illegality.
I understand that I’m already biased, being a staunch opposer of political correctness, but while I completely support those afflicted with mental disability and their friends and family, I cannot in good conscience even allow the ‘r-word’ campaign to pass me by without comment.
