Fwd: [dadsds] Fwd: Stop Disability Slurs

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Date: Thu, Aug 18, 2011 at 12:24 PMSubject: [dadsds] Fwd: Stop Disability SlursTo: dadsds Cc: dads_atlantagooglegroups

 

My friend Gretchen asked me to pass this along. If you are on facebook, please check out and like her page. www.facebook.com/disabilityslurs

BRIEF DESCRIPTION & LINK:Stop Disability Slurs (www.facebook.com/stopdisabilityslurs) is a rapidly growing grass roots cause dedicated to stopping disability slurs across the globe. Just as we do not tolerate racial, religious, ethic or sexual preference slurs in our society, we must take a stand to stop disability slurs. This group is for anyone and everyone who supports individuals with disabilities in any way, shape or form and has the courage to stand up for ALL unique and valued contributors to our society - races, backgrounds , religions, sexual orientations and abilities. Stand Up. Do You Have the Courage? We use the power of social media to enact change and awareness. Visit www.facebook.com/disabilityslurs for more information, or emailstopdisabilityslurs@....

To support Stop Disability Slurs:1) Like Stop Disability Slurs on Facebook to become a supporter and advocate

2) Add a Stop Disability Slurs PicBadge to your profile to help spread awareness

Sincerely,

Gretchen

Founder, Stop Disability Slurs

stopdisabilityslurs@... 

BACKGROUND ABOUT HOW STOP DISABILITY SLURS WAS FORMED:On Sunday night August 7 (the day after The Change Up movie, which uses words making fun of individuals who are intellectually challenged, including those with Down syndrome in one opening scene) - a Lexington, Mass.-based blogger Gretchen Mather from n's Journey (http://blog.gretchenmather.com), blogged about the issue and tweeted/posted her blog on Facebook and Twitter.

This post quickly grew into a viral grass roots cause called Stop Disability Slurs that grew from 0 - over 1000+ members in 5 short days.  The group quickly formed and went into collective action on a grass roots viral marketing social media campaign, sending hundreds of messages to Universal Studios and the actors, directors and writers of the movie on Sunday evening after Gretchen's blog post.   

Our voice was heard. In response, on Monday, August 8, the The End the Word organization  issued a an official response to the change up which featured Stop Disability Slurs. 

In addition, Stop Disability Slurs was also featured in About.com Special Needs site: The Change Up Gets Thumbs Down for Disability Slurs .

Gretchen created this group in order to rapidly respond to ALL types of Disability Slurs perpetuated by the media in our society, and urge people to think about their impact and STOP them all together. So far the group has established its voice as extremely powerful and viral. 

The word Disability Slur needs to become synonymous with Racial Slur, Ethnic Slur, Religious Slur.  It is time. 

Please join the group now and STAND UP for change.  We have a powerful united voice. We use the power of social media to enact RAPID change and voice our opinions. We have seen this work recently. This is the new activism of the future. 

I invite your members to join us in increasing the awareness of the pain that the r-word and ALL disabillity slurs and stigma/stereotypes cause and to push removal from our vernacular and vocabulary.   

One person can not do this alone.  YOUR voice and YOUR power to voice rapid dissent through social media channels to those perpetuating Disability Slurs will help influence a change in our society, one step at a time. 

THANK YOU!

Support Stop Disability Slurs now:

1) Like Stop Disability Slurs on Facebook to become a supporter

2) Add a Stop Disability Slurs PicBadge to your profile to help spread awareness

Sincerely,

Gretchen

Founder, Stop Disability Slurs

stopdisabilityslurs@...