Guest guest Posted July 27, 2001 Report Share Posted July 27, 2001 Hello all, I too encounter a lot of people who use the word "retarded" as a descriptive (and negative) word. Luckily, because of my work as a music teacher, most of those people are teenagers who I am in a position of authority over (as well as a family of teenage babysitters). I take it as an opportunity to educate and let them know that I find it offensive and why. I tell them that my daughter will probably be called that name all of her life by someone, and that they need to think about why they are insulting a person or thing by likening them to my daughter. Do they really MEAN to say that it would be so bad to be ? It always causes them to backpedal, saying "that isn't what I meant. . ." and I assure them that I believe it. But then why say it, I ask them. It at least causes them to think and hopefully hesitate before they use it again. I encourage them to find an alternate expression that doesn't insult any single person or group. One of the babysitter boys (age 16) said "OK. . . . born brainless. . . . totally without a brain. . . . no one is really born that way, right? OK, this trumpet player was totally brainless!!!!!" I don't mean to suggest that we can do that with our peers and so-called "friends", but if I can do just a tiny bit to change the way the NEXT generation feels about our kids, maybe our kids will live their adult life in a slightly less hostile world. There is my soapbox. . . . sorry for going on and on. Casey, mom to (DS) and , 20mo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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