I recently read an article on the internet in which a mother of a child with autism asked people to stop using the “R” word, something we here at YAI are actively engaged in trying to do as well. 

When I began reading the comments about the article I was astounded to see how many people still feel that it is just fine to call people “retards” simply because it is a word in the English language. Most people missed the entire point of the article and saw it as a freedom of speech issue:

 “If we can’t say ‘retard’ what else will we not be able to say?”

“‘Retarded’ just means slow, what’s wrong with that?”  “Political correctness is out of control!”

And the most egregious of all was: “Calling someone ‘retarded’ or ‘tard’ is a reaction to somebody’s behavior based on the actions of a retarded person”

I told this person: “Your ignorance is beyond belief and you have just proven it by assuming that ‘retarded’ people do ‘stupid’ things which should be made fun of when other people do them. People with intellectual disabilities are not stupid . . . so when you use the word ‘retarded’ you are denigrating all people with intellectual disabilities by classifying them as ‘stupid.’”

Even some of the readers who commented on the article and have family members with intellectual disabilities didn’t have a problem with the word! I became so angry that I began responding to more of the posts. Then again, I'm not sure why I bothered. After all, people who were writing some of these comments don't want to hear or see another point of view.

I’m afraid I really don’t know how to deal with ignorance but I’m glad that I work in a place where there isn’t any.