Words aren't just words

I just read this article on CNN about a campaign that the Special Olympics is holding to help people to stop using the word "retard". I think this is great because nothing annoys me more than when people say that someone is "retarded" or calls someone a "retard". I probably notice it more than others because I have an aunt who had Downs Syndrome and she is the sweetest person in the world, as are most people with mental handicaps. They love you for who you are and how you treat them. They are the best friends anyone can ever have and frankly I think it's a privilege to be able to associate with them. To me this word is as offensive as other racial slurs that people are careful not to say. If you read this article think about how you speak and what you might unconsciously be calling other people.



http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/03/20/obama.special.olympics/index.html