The "R-Word"

 "Every time Ellen Seidman hears the word "retarded,"

 she worries for her 9-year-old son, Max, who has cerebral palsy.

 She wonders if people will ever respect him, or see him as an equal,

 if they associate that word with people like him, 

who have intellectual disabilities."

are people too sensitive?

What I have noticed, is that people are offended by pretty much everything. 

Every race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or other derivation of society seem to think everyone is out to get them.

What people don't realize is; is that not everyone is racist or sexist.

The term mental retardation was coined in 1963 by scientists. The definition is

"developmental disability marked by impaired intellectual capacity" 

Retardation means exactly that. Someone who incapable of performing at a normal intellectual level. 

I have never heard anyone ever make fun of a mentally retarded person. Not once in my life. I have heard people call other people retards when they are acting like their intelligence is sub-par. It is the same thing as asking "Are you blind?" or "Are you deaf?" The thing that these all have in common is that they are real diseases or imperfections. People are retarded, blind, deaf, and much more that I really can't think of. 

Basically, what I am saying  is that people are becoming way to tender to this topic. 

Blind people do not get offended if you say "what, are you blind?" to someone who cant see some thing. 

Deaf people do not get offended if you say "what, are you deaf?' to someone who cannot hear what you say(even though deaf people could not hear you say that)

Mentally challenged people aren't even the ones who are complaining.

It is everyone else who seems to think that the mentally challenged people are going to take offense.

However, it isn't nice to call someone a retard. 

All I am saying is that it's not a sin or crime or evil in anyway.

Mental retardation can affect anyone. It can affect women and men, young and old, black and white, tall and short. You never know when someone will walk into your life with a mental retardation.

I do feel bad for this mother, however. If people are saying it around her child, then it is extremely rude. You cannot walk up to someone with such a major disease and be rude to them. It is all in the context of the word. If your friend is literally acting like they are mentally challenged, then I wouldn't mind you calling them a retard. However, if you see a mentally retarded person in public, you shouldn't yell out, Hey look, a retard!

The whole point of this blog is this:

People are extremely sensitive about this subject, and are taking it a little too far.

I recommend not calling people retards because it is disrespectful.

I think that anyone who makes fun of a retarded person should get their mouth sown shut.

The Bishop Kearney Girls Varsity Soccer Team went to School Of The Holy Childhood

The children there are all mentally disabled. 

I really enjoyed being there. We helped all the children play soccer. This was one of the most life changing experiences of my life. If they were normal children, I would not have really cared. I am not saying these children are not normal because of their retardation. What I mean is that they were the happiest and most grateful children I have ever met in my entire life. I think if everyone had an experience like mine, maybe they would understand the severity of the word retard. Even though I believe people are too sensitive about this subject, I also believe that there is a value in understanding what you are saying. 

Just because someone has a learning disability does not mean that they are any less of a human.