Susan Senator

I had the pleasure of hearing Tim speak in person at my daughter’s commencement exercise from UConn last year. A powerful and motivational speaker, I felt as if he was channeling his Uncle John. Something he said really stuck with me that day – “To reduce your life’s mission to a paycheck is an insult. It’s an insult to your intelligence. It’s an insult to your education. It’s an insult to your potential, and it’s an insult to your spirit.” I think the use of the “R” word can be categorized the same way.

It would be nice if we didn’t have to legislate kindness and consideration. I’m afraid that the R word will continue to be used by the less well educated and the thoughtless. I heard it twice in one day earlier this week, once by a young female cashier at a pet supply store when she couldn’t get her price scanner to work properly (“This thing is so retarded,” she said in frustration) and once by an acquaintance who was complaining about her in-laws.
It’s a sad shame that the R word was once considered to be an improvement over earlier terms like moron and mongoloid. Even if, by some miracle, the word is eliminated from spoken and written usage it’s still going to be an uphill battle to change public perception of those whom our society deems less worthy of respect.