The “R” Word

Looking back to a time during the rise of political correctness, I seem to recall the use of the word “retard” became inappropriate when using it to refer to a person having mental or developmental disabilities.  Therefore, we all refrained from using the terminology and replaced it with “mentally challenged” (any less harmful?).

Fast-forward to 2010 and the issue is bigger than ever.  It appears as though our miniscule sensitivity to the issue was enough to get us through the p.c.-filled 1990s, without a sincere effort to reform our conscience toward the matter.  Rahm Emanuel has set into motion a media blitz of politically-correct advocates campaigning to ban the word, altogether.  Emanuel’s offense being the most recent among our contrite political leadership, not to exclude our very own President as an offender.

The word, when used in reference to a person who is medically classified as having some mental, physical, or developmental limitation, displays a lack of thought and a disgusting misunderstanding of those who may be different than what we’re used to.  When the word is to insult one (or a group of individuals) who may not have the same medical diagnosis, it can and will eventually be forgotten by the group to which the insult was directed.  However, it leaves a wound of unforeseeable damage with those who the term offends.

Calling for a complete ban on the word may be premature and not well planned to reinsert a social sensitivity toward the issue.  Though it may be feeding grounds for the national media, it actually exposes our ignorance as a culture.  Not to cut the point short, but while the media is having their frenzy, do they need reminded that the word can be used to describe an action?  You know, as in “to make slow,” or “to delay”?  There are many other uses for the word aside from its assignment to people.  That is an argument for another article from a separate perspective.

My ultimate point is this – to simply ban the use of the word “retard” is like using a band-aid to cure cancer.  In other words, I can stop letting the idiom roll off of my tongue, but it does not cancel out my preconceived notions and uneducated prejudices I have toward an entire group of people.  As a result, alternate expressions of my inept bigotry are sure to eventually surface.  I think this issue, and many other cultural ills will be cured when we focus on ridding ourselves of xenophobic tendencies, and learn to embrace the idea of that which makes us different is that which makes us human.  To call for a ban on a word encourages the ignorance which we seek to erase.