My friend posted this on facebook and I thought it was wonderful! No more "R Word!"
Ending the "R-word"
Ending the "R-word"
The word, which I will only write once so we are clear, is retarded, the “R-word.” Used by people to describe nearly every instance or person they find disagreeable, they forget about the population of persons to whom their diction affects.
[Anecdote]
The camp that I do in the summer for adults with disabilities, or really different abilities, went to Sea World on a field trip one year. Ready for a day of fun, a volunteer and her buddy went to the bathroom before they entered the park. While the buddy was in the stall a group of young girls walked in and began checking their hair in the mirror. One girl described her hair, “my hair is so ‘r.’” Boom. The buddy in the stall heard her and instantly started to cry. She believed that the girl had called her that. Her consoler and others tried to console her but the buddy continued to cry and be upset for twenty minutes. The buddy did eventually come out of the stall and proceeded to the park; however, for the whole day, regardless of all the fun distractions around, the buddy continued to obsess over the bathroom incident the entire day.
Even when the word is not directed at anyone of these amazing people, the effect is still felt. To a large population, myself included, this word is no different than any other racial or offensive slur that degrades and deliberately insults a group of persons.
The Challenge:
Irradicate the r-word from your vocabulary. Please make the effort to stop and if you have already, great, but now go and educate someone else. An easy substitute word for the r-word is ridiculous. It rolls of the tongue the same way and is applicable to many of the same situations. When you’re about ready to say the r-word quickly switch to ridiculous and you’ll see in no time that you’ll be free of the word!
[Rhetorical Device: Irrefutalbe image of cuteness]
This is one of our buddys. He is a little boy with Downs Syndrome. If you decided to continue to use the r-word without making an effort to stop, think of him everytime you do so. Know that you are hurting him and countless others, not to mention making yourself look really irrogant.
It's so simple. It's just one word gone. But the effect is tremendous.
JB
(letting my lifesong sing)
____
Updates on life:
School is going great!
i love love LOVE my developmental psychology class
my teacher lets the class interact with one another and i love when a teacher does that
it gets rid and tears down that awkward wall.
on tuesday, i ate at this all you can eat sushi place with meron, deicy, jon, jerick, this guy named Dan - who apparently is from liwanag, and pamela! we decided to all get together before pamela goes back to berkley, ahh i forgot how wonderful she is. but man dinner was wonderful and so worth the $21. we just kept the plates of sushi comin. i love crunch roll! and philly crunch rolls are pretty bombbb. they have cream cheese and AHH its delicious!
BUT note to self, do NOT drink water while eating sushi! try to save the drinking til after you're fully satisfied! because water expands the rice in your stomach making you feel full.
I think I would have been able to eat more if i didn't drink so much water, but I still ate a freakin lot of sushi. i'm pretty amazed by how much i ate.. sigh. workout for thy body is in desperate need.
yesterday tony and i spent the day together at the third street promenade in santa monica =] i guess it was our alone time together since we didn't get that time during the weekend.
i had a wonderful time and found my dress and bought toms!
had chipotle for dinner and pinkberry for dessert! =]
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