Freedom of speech is a beautiful thing. Being able to express one's opinion whenever they want is something that should not be taken for granted. Sometimes the things that people say, however, are not said to make a point, but simply to cause shame and hurt. Seldom, do people take the time to actually think about the words that are coming out of their mouth. Therefore some have chosen to take the r word pledge. They are pledging to keep the hurtful word "retard" out of their vocabulary.
It is true, that there are those that have some form of a disability, and the term mental retardation may be used to describe them. It becomes a serious issue, when it is being used as an adjective in a derogatory way to describe a situation, person, or action. It hurts when it shouldn't. Just because an individual has a disability does not mean that they are a bad person. They should not be treated as taboo, nor their condition. The reason why this pledge is special is because it encourages people to stop using the word "retarded" because it hurts.
There was not anyone that was actually speaking out in a national effort to stop the attitude of discrimination and prejudice against those that had disabilities. However, a site by the name of, The 'r' Word Campaign became the first site that this nation has known that brought attention to the way that certain phrases were being used.
People can check themselves and think about the last time they heard the word retard being used in a defamatory way. Maybe it was at school, work, or at a public facility. People hardly ever directly use those terms with a person who has a disability. Maybe doing harm is not always intentional, but the wrong term being used the wrong way does hurt individuals and families.
Vocabulary is something that is built and grows overtime. Therefore, it will take some time to omit terminology that is used so often. Individuals with disabilities know that, but just want people to be aware of the terminology that they use. There are some common phrases that can be used instead of the r word such as ridiculous, silly, or even outlandish.
The real reason why this campaign started was in order to bring awareness to a problem that has been overlooked for decades. Hateful terminology is causing hurt, and it is time to take a stand and speak against it for some. When enough people take a stand, opinions no longer are opinions. It is now all about respect.
Some have taken the responsibility of becoming an advocate by agreeing to stand for change in order to positively influence the thoughts of others. The continuance of harmful effects to those with disabilities does not have to continue. All that is asked is to be careful of the words that come out of ones mouth.
It was only in 2010 that the Obama administration saw the importance of passing Rosa's Law. Under this law, the words "mental retardation" are replaced with "intellectual disability." Therefore, if the government has changed federal legislation regarding derogatory words, there is no excuse for anyone to continue to use the r-word.
It is true, that there are those that have some form of a disability, and the term mental retardation may be used to describe them. It becomes a serious issue, when it is being used as an adjective in a derogatory way to describe a situation, person, or action. It hurts when it shouldn't. Just because an individual has a disability does not mean that they are a bad person. They should not be treated as taboo, nor their condition. The reason why this pledge is special is because it encourages people to stop using the word "retarded" because it hurts.
There was not anyone that was actually speaking out in a national effort to stop the attitude of discrimination and prejudice against those that had disabilities. However, a site by the name of, The 'r' Word Campaign became the first site that this nation has known that brought attention to the way that certain phrases were being used.
People can check themselves and think about the last time they heard the word retard being used in a defamatory way. Maybe it was at school, work, or at a public facility. People hardly ever directly use those terms with a person who has a disability. Maybe doing harm is not always intentional, but the wrong term being used the wrong way does hurt individuals and families.
Vocabulary is something that is built and grows overtime. Therefore, it will take some time to omit terminology that is used so often. Individuals with disabilities know that, but just want people to be aware of the terminology that they use. There are some common phrases that can be used instead of the r word such as ridiculous, silly, or even outlandish.
The real reason why this campaign started was in order to bring awareness to a problem that has been overlooked for decades. Hateful terminology is causing hurt, and it is time to take a stand and speak against it for some. When enough people take a stand, opinions no longer are opinions. It is now all about respect.
Some have taken the responsibility of becoming an advocate by agreeing to stand for change in order to positively influence the thoughts of others. The continuance of harmful effects to those with disabilities does not have to continue. All that is asked is to be careful of the words that come out of ones mouth.
It was only in 2010 that the Obama administration saw the importance of passing Rosa's Law. Under this law, the words "mental retardation" are replaced with "intellectual disability." Therefore, if the government has changed federal legislation regarding derogatory words, there is no excuse for anyone to continue to use the r-word.
About the Author:
If you are looking for the facts about the R word pledge, go to our web pages online here today. More details are available at http://familymemberinc.org now.
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire