Spread the Word!

There is a word that, from its inception, has been used as an insult for an entire group of people.
It is a hurtful, derogatory, and discriminatory word.
And kindergarten children use it.
In fact, adults use it. I have heard people of every age and creed use it.
The word is "retarded."
I can hear you now:
"When I say it I don't mean actually retarded people!"
"I'm not insulting anyone! Do you see any retarded people here?"

The issue is, it's a matter of respect. Respect for a people group which has been discriminated against since the dawn of time. It's a matter of realizing that saying the r-word as an insult makes intellectually disabled people feel that they are worthless and stupid. It's a slap in the face to friends and family of these people.

As a reasonable person, how can you not justify being respectful of other fellow human beings?

March 2, 2011, is national Spread the Word to End the Word day. Please consider taking the pledge to eliminate the derogatory use of this word from your vocabulary and asking others to as well. I am respectfully asking you to Spread the Word to End the Word.
Spread the Word