Banning the “R” Word
Man, talk about an “idea whose time has come”:
There’ve been many words in the English language that have been banned due to their offensive nature (such as the “n” word, “f*g”, “sp*c”, etc.) … but there’s one that should, by all means, be removed –
The word is “retarded”.
Recently, the Special Olympics gathered a group of the finest actors and performers in America to launch a campaign to “Ban The ‘R’ Word”. It’s definitely a degrading, blasphemous label that can harm a person for years after he or she’s first labeled as such.
I know from firsthand experience: From a troubled birth to today, I have lived with mild cerebral palsy. Though, through the early tutellage of an older and patient sister and my involvement in the rock world as (early-on) performer and, now, journalist and promoter (btw, this music should be called the music of survivors, as so many have overcome their adversity through its energy! It’s TRUE!), I was still considered, during my youth, a r*tard*te by some.
The word does spread, yardbirds … and, no matter whether you’re called that because you’re slower, not as coordinated, have a verifiable disorder or whatever … it’ll haunt you (in an extremely hateful way), cost you jobs, love … the overall right to a happy life!
So I join with people like Joe Mantegna, John Ratzenberger, Kristy Swanson, Matthew Gray Gubler, Victor Alfieri, Yvette Nicole Brown, Maureen McCormick, Jeremy Ratchford, Brandon Molale, Jimmy Jean Louis, Sunny Mabrey, Jason Dolley, Ethan Embry, AJ Michalka, Anthony Anderson, Jillian Claire, Marta McGonagle, Danielle Petty, Nancy LaScala, DB Freeman, Andrea Freedman, Lloyd Eisler and Anya Monzikova (and these are just a few) in asking you to BAN THE R-WORD!!
For more information on how you can help, go to The “R” Word.org
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