Spread the word to end the word. 3-3-10

March third is the day of awareness for the "Spread the word to end the word" campaign, an attempt to remove the word retard, which is used almost exclusively as a put down, from our vocabulary. Check them out and spread their message.

As a mother I understand that love is unconditional and that I would do anything to protect my child. So advocating this event is a small, small, attempt to provide support to people with disabilities with special reverence of their loving families. I cannot imagine how hard it would be to deal with the hardships that come with being disabled or having a disabled child. But I know that just like any other disability people with intellectual disabilities are just people trying to get by, enjoy life, find love, to prosper. The last thing that a person with an intellectual disability should have to hear is someone using the word retard as a slander.

It saddens me that a child who may be labeled as "mentally retarded" should hear that word being thrown around with such disregard. I've used the term myself but when I take even a second to think about what the repercussions of the word are I know that I will never again use the term in such a thoughtless hurtful way. I just keep picturing myself as the mother of a child with an intellectual disability and I know that it would break my heart for them to hear the way that people use that word. So March third I will be spreading the word to end the word and I hope that you will too. And I hope that you will take this pledge with me today.

I pledge and support the elimination of the derogatory use of the r-word from everyday speech and promote the acceptance and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities.