Why The R Word Pledge Is Important

By Thomas Cook


The R word, basically, is a mnemonic that stands for retard, and its various forms. Retard has been considered to have retrogressive impacts on the society, because it negatively affects their thinking and way of doing things, since they detest, abhor and do not accept themselves. Based on these reasons, a team of youth in the United States merged and gave rise to a campaign, to criticize the name. This further saw the formation of a program called the R word pledge.

The advocates of the pledge have insisted that people should use language that is respectful to the dignity and integrity of individuals having mental disorders and disabilities, saying that they are not responsible for their mental woes, and is an act of God, and no man has control over it or can take responsibility for the situation, whatsoever.

These campaigns sprang from a conventional summit that was held on Special Global Youths Activation, which was held on the 31st of March in 2009. Its primary agenda or mission was, and until today, to stop situations whereby people use rather rude words when referring to a certain group of people. The program is usually in recognition of the reality that these affected folks have rights to mingle with the community, and their mental standards should not prevent them from sharing their personal interests and experiences with the rest of the world.

In light of these references, they ascertain that retard and such-like words kill the esteems of the recipients, and are viewed to instill some sense of disrespect to them, and they tend to appreciate themselves less, or even no more. They disregard themselves, and may even end up in appalling circumstances like giving up on life, or even contemplating committing suicide.

By terming it as the phrase r-word, the advocates are usually intended to draw an analogy which points out to socially unacceptable and unethical racial terms, most especially nigger, among other disgusting and barbaric uncouth utterances and words that are defamatory to specific society members.

The campaign, intriguingly, was initiated by people of all intellectual affiliations, both the sane and those with poverty of intellect. They were brought together by the basic reason that they had common interests and self-drive to stand firm for the abolishment of defamatory names for instance retard, nigger and other cruel terminologies. They hoped that the society, and the globe at large, would eventually a more comfortable and acceptable place to be lived by one and all, regardless of the malfunctions, upstairs.

They take pride in their progress and celebrate, every year on 31st of March. Noteworthy, the activists made the Chief of Staff to White House, Rahm Emmanuel, apologize for using the terminology retards. This is because of the pressure and outrage that befell him, following his defamatory utterance.

Ever since, the campaign has been through reaps and bounds, and though it has been met with its fair share of mishaps, it has remained relevant to many a people, who regard it in positive and progressive view.




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