have any of you seen this commerical? New Spread the Word to End the Word Campaign PSA

reply to post by Starwise

Well, My son could do with more people like you in his life to be sure. It's good to see people at least talking about the issues with the children, particularly as Autism reaches numbers that ought to have everyone demanding answers.I guess I get a little touchy myself at times by the seeming need other folks have to define, classify and generally go on to forget my son and the kids in the programs with him. Sometimes it seems like it's all okay and good to go for others as long as that classification can be made and everything properly organized into the right forms.

I thought your thread title said "New Spread the Word to End the World Campaign PSA". Now, that would've been interesting.

Originally posted by Starwise

Originally posted by Skorpiogurl
I worked for the Department of Mental Retardation for a while years ago and guess what we called the individuals who were in our program? We called them retarded, because that is their condition. The bigger picture of being politically correct is a bunch of BS and I'll speak my mind as I please, where I please, when I please. .

I worked in State Hospitals in California for many years myself and yes way back they were called retarded, but once that term became negative, the policy was changed.....The Clients/Consumers they are now called, did not like being called retarded either. They were smart enough to know the negative association with the word. They have feelings and a sense of spirituality.

So go ahead and use the word retarded however you please, like you said its your free right, but since you have worked with them, you would think you would have a little more respect.....just my opinion.

Yes, you are correct, eventually the state changed it from "Mentally Retarded Adult" to "Client". Although they never changed the name of the state agency, it is still DMR - Department of Mental Retardation.

Respectful? I do believe I mentioned that while I chose to speak my mind... I'd never use the word "retarded" as slang.

I didn't work at a state hospital, I worked at a private organization funded in part by the state. Some of the "Clients" were high functioning, others not so much. They were all lovely and unique individuals with various talents and I came to know all 140 of them personally.

A word is only negative if you make it negative. There is a difference between saying "The client in our day program is a retarded adult male..." vs. "You are retarded for saying that!".

It's just one more word, one more small thing in the big picture.

reply to post by buddybaney


OMG, Jane Lynch?! Let's put this in perspective. Catch her act in A Mighty Wind, the stars of which seem to be a combo of remnants of SCTV and Mr. Show. Then we look at Fox using the likes of Roseanne Barr and Victoria Jackson for political purposes. What?

How dumbed down do they think we are?

When I get someone in the store I work in who has a child with Downs Syndrome I make sure to talk to them. In fact, I usually make friends with them. This PSA is designed to put distance between us and those we are supposed to handle with kid gloves now. This makes it more difficult for us to eliminate the segregation which those people feel. I did some work with the handicapped and my best friend did all the handicapped hiring for one large State Agency. They do not want to be segregated or treated special. They want to be treated like human beings. They certainly don't want to be paraded out on t.v. and fed lines to read.

Do you know what a handicapped person calls a blind person? A Blink! Someone with crutches, walker or wheelchair? A Gimp. Deaf people are referred to as a Deafy. Most of this do not know this because we are normally excluded from their club, but I was not. This PSA will not allow them to feel normal, it will do the opposite.

Only a complete moron would call someone like this a "retard". But when this adorable little blonde I know says; "I'm not that retarded" she means nothing by it, because it is aimed at her by here.

When will Fox and all the little Foxies learn that we are not fooled by their histrionics. I personally think we need to take up fox hunting here in the US.

SORRY...I couldn't help it
youtu.be...

reply to post by buddybaney


I never had a hero teacher or student step in for me when I was being made fun of, it was fend for youurself. At first, I got into lots of fighting, but then realized wit was a lot more useful against them. In a point, no one will come to save u, but u. Plus, someone posted it alrdy its not the word retard so mcuh as the context its used in.

Why is "retarded" bad and what is the correct new term for people who are retarded?

Why is "oriental" bad and now changed to "Asian"?

Why is "black" bad and now changed to "African-American"?

Why are "dwarf" and "midget" bad and now changed to "little people"?

Why is "shellshock" bad and now changed to post-traumatic stress disorder?

Do we really think that using proxy words is actually going to change anything at all?

reply to post by traditionaldrummer


Because it is a control tool well posited by Korzybski. Change a word so that it means something else and you open up the user to public opinion attack. Remember how "Socialist" was a bad word? If you control someones language then you can keep them from expressing their ideas, keep them from even speaking and such to the result of keeping that mind from contributing to the public discourse. Allowing only your ideas to be put forward. It is called mind control.