As a mother, I cringe when I hear the word retard.
It is said with such disdain and yet so casually, so openly, as though inoffensive.
It used to be a clinical description.
Now it is an insult.
It breaks my heart to think my daughter and others will hear the word which describes her limitations as an insult. THAT is a tremendous insult to the intellectually disabled. A high school senior in my area says it well at the link below.
“In such an era of political correctness, why is it that the word “retard” is still ok?” -Soeren Palumbo
High School Senior
Posted by Lara Grandizio on October 30, 2009 at 11:08 pm
Hi!
As a woman who works with and devotes her life to mentally/physically handicapped children I dispise the “r” word. I have taught all my nieces and nephews and my parents that that word is unacceptable!! It is an insult and seems to deminish the specialness of these beautiful human beings. I have taken my kids I work with out in public and heard that word and it takes EVERYTHING in me not to jump down these ignorant people’s throats.
Kudos to Soeren for understanding the disrespect and disdain the “r” word involves.