Retarded. I have a friend who is retarded. He is a retard. HeÆs not mentally challenged or mentally disabled. He is retarded. You could tell him heÆs retarded or you could tell him heÆs mentally challenged. Either one and he will smile at you and repeatedly pat you on the back. ItÆs a word. Retarded.
Apparently you canÆt convince some residents of Frederick County that it is just a word. After seeing the Post use retarded in a headline, some people felt the need to set the rest of us straight. They wrote in to tell how degrading and insulting it was to use that word. Retarded. They believe mentally challenged or disabled would be more appropriate.
It is becoming more and more acceptable these days to take a word such as retarded and cover it in so much jargon that the word itself loses itÆs meaning. If I canÆt figure out a crossword puzzle, I feel mentally challenged. If I take drugs, than IÆm mentally disabled. But if I mentally process information slowly and exhibit other signs of learning problems than IÆm retarded.
A similar word that seems to have left our vocabulary is, cripple. This is a word that has been so overhauled it has lost itÆs meaning. Nobody is crippled anymore. Their all handicapped, handicable, or physically challenged. These people have been duped by the system into believing that by changing the word you somehow change the disability. YouÆre still a cripple. Along that line are the blind and the deaf. They are now visually and hearing impaired.
HereÆs one thatÆs been on a roll lately, Attention Deficit Disorder. Every parents dream phrase. Well you know my little Johnny has Attention Deficit Disorder. ThatÆs why heÆs behind in math. What a bail out. In other words the kid doesnÆt pay attention. But thereÆs an added bonus. What if the kid doesnÆt pay attention and also squirms in his seat. Just add a hyphen and a word. Now youÆve got, Attention Deficit Hyperactive-Disorder. This is the new classroom disability. ItÆs gaining steam as parents look for answers outside their own front door. Ten years ago you had special ed and dyslexia. Now, by the time you finish saying Attention Deficit Hyperactive-Disorder to a parent youÆve lost their attention. Sit up straight and look at the teacher. ThereÆs your cure for ADHD.
Another word finding itself rarely falling from peoples lips is, dead. We donÆt say Uncle Dale is dead. We say Uncle Dale passed away. Or moved on. Or expired. Or he went to a better place. HeÆs dead.
Black people went from Afro-American to African American back to being called black in the span of five years. And it wasnÆt any one black person that decided this. It was society. This week we are going to call you this. And next week weÆll call you that. Anything further down the road weÆll let you know at a later date.
People arenÆt fat anymore. TheyÆre big and beautiful. TheyÆre overweight. Plump. Undertall. Husky. Big boned. Retaining water. They have a food obsession or a gland problem. It all comes back to one word. Fat. You are fat.
Ever wonder why Board of Ed higher ups change their title so many times? TheyÆre trying to justify the work they do by sweetening the title. By covering up what they really should be doing and making it seem theyÆre doing more. ItÆs like dressing up a pig. ItÆs still a pig.
The sooner we start using language for what itÆs for, communication, and not to try and dance around certain issues the better. The Frederick News PostÆs use of the word retarded is in no way offensive. ItÆs truthful and used appropriately. People always cry for truth in journalism. You got it. I know, you didnÆt mean it in that way.
