Mikey word elimination will never happen. Teaching people to show compassion, kindness, and to think before speaking is the way that demeaning words will be used less and less. Every single one of us has been guilty at some time in our lives of saying things without realizing the hurt that comes to others by those spoken words.

Focus instead on how you as an indivual can make a difference. Do what you can to show compassion, and kindness. Think of the joy that not only you receive but the atheletes receive in their achievments at the Special Olympics. That is what is important. Bring the focus on the good, and lower the focus on the bad, and things will slowly start to improve.

Its too bad U dont get the concept of trying to make the world a KINDER place!!!

It's too bad you don't realize that the last time the world was a kinder place was about in 1972.

that is exactly my point!!! I am trying as an individual to show people how ugly a word can be!! It doesnt have to be elimanated, just to be used in a NON hurtfull content. Ask anyone with a special needs child or sibling, friend, etc, and if they dont tell U its hurtful, they are not being honest!!

I feel sorry your world has been that bad for so long I have had many beautiful times since I got out of Nam (1974), and the world is as good as what U make it!!

True, but your "good" may be entirely different than MY "good".

And I can accept that, we all have to bear our experiences in life!!

You're welcome.

Good to have insight from someone that faces issues much like this on a daily basis as well, a refreshing bit of experience is always nice.

changing language will not change peoples perceptions or actions.

a rose by any other name is still a rose.

sorry I just dont see how changing language can effect change in someones prespective on an issue. perhaps your going about effecting change in an in efective way?

I work with the special Olypmics every year, that is MY way of learning from them!!!!

Yet you're still refusing to learn the difference between 'retarded' and 'retard'...how much are you really taking away from this learning experience?

Would that be then calling my Child's Halloween Costume "Flame Special"?

call me silly as Im posting again here.

I must say that I think your heart is in the right place. Now try and bring others there as well and language will not need to be changed. change the hearts not the words.

also, is it just me or is it odd to continualy set up groups of individuals as different and therefor in need of specal treatment instead of just looking at everyone as a uniqe individual who deserves respect for existing.

One of the accepted medical terms is Developmentally Delayed,
seems to be neutral as far as not demeaning the individuals.
Because thats what they are, and are still deserving of the same respect you would give anyone else. Its not about being PC, or 1984, its about showing a little respect and consideration to fellow human beings.

Developmentally Delayed sounds pretty demeaning to me as well. In fact that sounds worse to me than 'retarded'.

I was going to say the same thing. Either way you put it, it will come out demeaning to someone in some way or another. Retarded, developmentally delayed, slow...it doesn't matter, it will offend someone.

I was so NOT going to post here.

It's not the word used, it's the connotation. We all know this, so it seems silly to keep arguing the point.

The offense comes when the word, any word, is used to purposefully ridicule. It's just that some words, retard being a BIG one, have been used so much in the wrong connotation, that it's now become an accepted way of basically calling someone or yourself stupid, rather than a term used only for diagnosis purposes.

Myself, I also don't like to hear people calling each other stupid either. It's juvenile.

I think any word used to describe them is demeaning. Because any word used indicates that they are mentally inferior to 'normal' people.

But then they ARE mentally inferior, thats the whole point.

Thats true, and since 'stupid' means 'mentally inferior', maybe we should just calling mentally handicapped people that, since the OP feels it is an ok thing to call somebody?

when you have a special needs child like mine...from when they start school( age 3,in her case) they are considered in the catagory of "developmental delay" until age 9.After age 9 they are considered in the catogory of"mental retardation".
She is in a classroom with four teachers and 9 other students.She also gets to participate in activities with kids who are not disabled.