Comments on: The R Word http://blogfordownsyndrome.com/2008/03/22/the-r-word/ "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return" Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:47:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: dabts http://blogfordownsyndrome.com/2008/03/22/the-r-word/#comment-14701 dabts Sat, 21 Jun 2008 16:08:24 +0000 http://blogfordownsyndrome.com/2008/03/22/the-r-word/#comment-14701 I have an 8-year-old son with Down Syndrome. It shakes my faith in humanity to see people being so insensitive. I have accepted the "R" word and just a sign of ignorance, and it reflects poorly on them. I must admit, I have used it, but usually as a verb (e.g. "growth of technology has been retarded by our lack of educational resources in science and mathematics...") As a noun, it can be offensive. What I find *most* offensive is comedians who feel it is acceptable, even funny, to mock and ridicule mentally challenged. Larry the Cable Guy does a stand-up routine that is outrageously offensive. It is the lowest form of comedy... I have an 8-year-old son with Down Syndrome. It shakes my faith in humanity to see people being so insensitive. I have accepted the “R” word and just a sign of ignorance, and it reflects poorly on them. I must admit, I have used it, but usually as a verb (e.g. “growth of technology has been retarded by our lack of educational resources in science and mathematics…”) As a noun, it can be offensive.

What I find *most* offensive is comedians who feel it is acceptable, even funny, to mock and ridicule mentally challenged. Larry the Cable Guy does a stand-up routine that is outrageously offensive. It is the lowest form of comedy…

]]> By: rusw http://blogfordownsyndrome.com/2008/03/22/the-r-word/#comment-13073 rusw Sun, 13 Apr 2008 01:15:20 +0000 http://blogfordownsyndrome.com/2008/03/22/the-r-word/#comment-13073 bontom - Good for you for speaking out. In the developmental disabilities community, the "R" word cuts as deep as the "N" word. bontom - Good for you for speaking out. In the developmental disabilities community, the “R” word cuts as deep as the “N” word.

]]> By: bontom http://blogfordownsyndrome.com/2008/03/22/the-r-word/#comment-13072 bontom Sun, 13 Apr 2008 00:45:27 +0000 http://blogfordownsyndrome.com/2008/03/22/the-r-word/#comment-13072 I can understand why we feel insulted. My 9 yr old daughter came home one day very upset because a classmate used the "R" word in school. She spoke up and said not to use that word because her brother was DS and didn't get anywhere. I called the teacher the next day to remind her of our DS son (she had my 16 yr old son a few years back) and to ask her to be aware of this in her classroom. I was proud of her for speaking up and had her talk to her older brother as to how he handles these situations. He is a little quieter than our daughter. His advise was to not tell her classmates about her brother. Other kids don't understand and speak out of ignorance. I was a little surprised by his advice but I do have to let him deal with it in his own way. It's also tough on normal children when this happens to a family. I can understand why we feel insulted. My 9 yr old daughter came home one day very upset because a classmate used the “R” word in school. She spoke up and said not to use that word because her brother was DS and didn’t get anywhere. I called the teacher the next day to remind her of our DS son (she had my 16 yr old son a few years back) and to ask her to be aware of this in her classroom. I was proud of her for speaking up and had her talk to her older brother as to how he handles these situations. He is a little quieter than our daughter. His advise was to not tell her classmates about her brother. Other kids don’t understand and speak out of ignorance. I was a little surprised by his advice but I do have to let him deal with it in his own way. It’s also tough on normal children when this happens to a family.

]]> By: michaelDRoe http://blogfordownsyndrome.com/2008/03/22/the-r-word/#comment-12716 michaelDRoe Mon, 24 Mar 2008 18:52:16 +0000 http://blogfordownsyndrome.com/2008/03/22/the-r-word/#comment-12716 I understand this feeling and have had similar experiences daily as a father of a girl with Downs. I have come to the conclusion that maybe they (the insensitive) just dont get it. They dont have the perspective. If it werent so automatic to say it they wouldnt. I do have to admit that I myself have cought the word coming out of my mouth from time to time (maybe residue from my youth, or from when I didnt have the perspective) and for that reason alone I try to calm down. I have made it a point to call out anyone that uses the R word whenever possible and in most cases it has helped. I just thought you might want to know that you arent the only one struggling with this and that I have found myself carrying a little guilt arround from a time when I kept quiet too! I understand this feeling and have had similar experiences daily as a father of a girl with Downs. I have come to the conclusion that maybe they (the insensitive) just dont get it. They dont have the perspective. If it werent so automatic to say it they wouldnt. I do have to admit that I myself have cought the word coming out of my mouth from time to time (maybe residue from my youth, or from when I didnt have the perspective) and for that reason alone I try to calm down. I have made it a point to call out anyone that uses the R word whenever possible and in most cases it has helped. I just thought you might want to know that you arent the only one struggling with this and that I have found myself carrying a little guilt arround from a time when I kept quiet too!

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