Special people with
different abilities
March 6 was “National Spread the word to End the word” day. The word being talked about is “retarded.”
The local television station did a segment on the R-word a couple of days after it. I am glad they did, but it was very vague. As a parent of a child with different abilities, I want to say this about the use of this word and why we want people to consider not using it.
People with different abilities want and deserve respect for everything they go through, for how hard they work to meet goals, and for just being them. When we ask you to not use the word it is not that we are telling you what to do, it is about opening dialogue to bring understanding, compassion, and of course as I said, respect for people with different abilities. I hope you will join us in our crusade by going to www.r-word.org and take the pledge. Until you have seen it first hand you will never understand what they go through to meet milestones that seem simple to the rest of us, but when they do there is no greater joy for them and for us.
— Bobbie Dawson, Lima
