| 5/17/2010 |
| Monarch Spreads the Word to End the Word |
This past March, the Special Olympics and the Best Buddies program launched a national effort to encourage people to curb their use of the word “retarded” or “retard.”
The campaign was created by young people with and without disabilities. The ultimate goal is not censorship, but rather to make the use of the word unpopular, uncool, and offensive to everyone, not just those with disabilities.
With a presence across North Carolina, the staff at Monarch know all too well the hurtful and damaging effects of such language. But rather than speaking for the people they support, Monarch gave the stage to the people who are most deeply affected by the “R-word.”
People supported by Monarch set up tables, brought literature, and reached out to students at East Carolina University and Craven Community College. They came by bus, wheelchair, and with the help of their support staff to put a face to the people behind the R-word campaign.
They spoke to students, laughed with them, and asked them to sign a pledge promising to help end the use of the R-word. These individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities spoke on their own behalf and expressed their own views. They didn’t ask for money, specific items, or even much of anyone’s time. They asked for something we are all entitled to -- RESPECT.
Joanne Vincent, a resident at Monarch’s Hoke Street home, was excited about her day on the Craven campus. “It was awesome! I really enjoyed doing this and explaining to people who don’t understand.”
In the words of Jeannette Wilhelm, whose son is clinically diagnosed with mental retardation, “I remember every single detail of the moment in time when the doctors told us that our son was mentally retarded. The word “retarded” hit my husband and I like a speeding train and left us feeling like our lives had been turned upside down and ravaged. Today, many years later, we can look at our lives as full and happy with both the challenges and joy our dear son Matt has brought. To our family, the word “retarded” is not a joke.”
The Monarch groups were well received at the schools with many students visiting the table and signing the pledge. Students logged onto the www.r-word.org site and joined the growing number of people across the country vowing to stop the use and abuse of the R-word.
With more than 200 million people in the world with disabilities, not to mention mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, and friends of all those people – the R-word has the power to hurt millions upon millions of people.
Monarch would like to thank the ECU Rotaract Club for their assistance in setting up a table and spreading the word. Special thanks also goes to Craven Community College and the many people there who helped to make the day successful.
Monarch provides support and resources to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, mental illness, and substance abuse issues throughout North Carolina. Monarch is a nonprofit and is an affiliated chapter of The Arc of North Carolina and The Arc of the United States. To learn more about how Monarch helps “dreams take flight” for people living in our communities, please call 1-800-230-7525 or visit online at www.MonarchNC.org.
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