Spread the Word to stop the R Word

In America 'mental retardation' is still given as a diagnosis, and the word 'retard' serves as an insult. 



The R word is fortunately not one that we often hear in the UK but sadly we have other equally derisive and hurtful terms; 'Mong' being the one that springs to my mind, having been used recently by a high profile comedian who later claimed he 'didn't mean it that way'. 

We must all get together to squash the use of all and any such offensive terms. Even the 'he's not quite all there,' used by the older generation cuts deep.

Please join the Spread the Word to End the R Word campaign by signing a pledge not to use such language here.

And if you are in any doubt as to why we need to do this, or why such language is so very offensive to those with Learning Disabilities, please read this open letter to Ann Coulter, who used the R word as an insult to Obama. It is written by John Franklin Stephens, an athlete who competed in the Special Olympics, who has Down Syndrome. It is beautiful, eloquent and powerful.

2 comments:

  1. I am so with you on this. Did you read the post and comments about Coulter on the site In the Powder Room? Check it out if not, it's entertaining!

    What amazes me is not so much her sloppy use of the word on Twitter, but her use of the word--and her statement about people with learning difficulties in her reply to John Franklin Stephens' letter. It's all in that post if you haven't seen her response yet. Unbelieveable.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. I hadn't. Off to hunt out now, just back from half term shinanigans :) May I link to the page?

      Delete

Thank you for joining in the conversation at Downs Side Up