"Spread the Word to End the Word"

Week 7 Blog Assignment

" Spread the Word to End the Word"

When I first starting reading this blog assignment, and how it explained to me that I needed to pick a topic that seems timely and relatively important, only one thing popped into my mind, and that was my Journey of Hope experience. As you know, my sophomore year I rode a bicycle from San Francisco, California to Washington D.C. to raise funds and awareness for people with disabilities. This event is held through the philanthropy of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, which I am currently active in. I had to raise over 5,000 dollars to participate in this 67 day, 4,000 mile cross-country ride. Anyways, my blog isn't on the Journey of Hope but something relatively close to that, and that is the organization of "Spread the Word to End the Word."

"Spread the Word to End the Word," is an organization that was started by three young girls to spread awareness on using the R-word in an derogatory manner, which is constantly used my many different generations. The R-word, “retard,” is slang for the term mental retardation. Mental retardation was what doctors, psychologists, and other professionals used to describe people with significant intellectual impairment. Today the r-word has become a common word used by society as an insult for someone or something stupid. For example, you might hear someone say, “That is so retarded” or “Don’t be such a retard.” When used in this way, the r-word can apply to anyone or anything, and is not specific to someone with a disability. But, even when the r-word is not said to harm someone with a disability, it is hurtful.Because of this, Special Olympics and the greater disability community prefers to focus on people and their gifts and accomplishments, and to dispel negative attitudes and stereotypes. As language has evolved, Special Olympics has updated its official terminology to use standard, people-first language that is more acceptable to our athletes.

"I pledge that we can not be angry at anyone who uses the r-word and gets away with it. We are all human beings and we have to let things go even though it's really hard for us. We have to move on with our lives and to be ourselves by being proud of who we all are. Anger doesn't solve any of our problems or to get over with, it can cause some kinds of sickness, not letting us to have a good day at school and not being able to succeed in life. Anger only leads to harm. I use to be a victim of this problem and I was very upset and angry. Now I can't let people make me upset and angry. I support the the r-word movement." This was spoken by someone who supports "Spread the Word to End the Word" like I do, because before joining with PUSH America and The Journey of Hope, I was guilty of being ignorant and very disrespectful by saying the R-word.

I think many generations use this r-word in a very derogatory manner, and they don't know that it is wrong. My generations and the generations older than me are the main contributors of this horrible word, and we are the ones that need to educate younger generations of not using the r-word, and to be more aware and respectful on people with physical and mental disabilities. The R-word, “retard,” is slang for the term mental retardation. Mental retardation was what doctors, psychologists, and other professionals used to describe people with significant intellectual impairment. Today the r-word has become a common word used by society as an insult for someone or something stupid. For example, you might hear someone say, “That is so retarded” or “Don’t be such a retard.” When used in this way, the r-word can apply to anyone or anything, and is not specific to someone with a disability. But, even when the r-word is not said to harm someone with a disability, it is hurtful.I hope this blog will bring awareness to a manner that needs to be addressed now.

URL:http://www.r-word.org/Default.aspx