Rosa's Law to End Term 'Mentally Retarded'

[TigressPen]

Rosa's Law to End Term 'Mentally Retarded'

Mental Retardation Slurs Have Long History, but Cost Nothing to Change, Say Advocates

By SUSAN DONALDSON JAMES
Nov. 18, 2009

On any given day at the mall, the sports field or the movies, 8-year-old Rosa Marcellino hears people say, "That's so retarded," or "You're such a retard."

"Even good kids use the word, not realizing that they're talking about people like my sister," said Rosa's brother Nick, a Maryland 14-year-old.

"We're not allowed to use the words at my house, it would be just like saying a curse word," said Nick in testimony to Maryland legislators. "We're also not allowed to use other words that are hurtful to minorities or people who are different."

Rosa -- who Nick calls the "smartest person I know" -- has Down syndrome and is now at the center of a bill in Congress to strike the term "mentally retarded" from the federal lexicon.

Last January, Nick, who is a freshman at South River High School in Edgewater, Md., convinced his state legislature to change the official phrase to "individual with an intellectual disability."

The law would affect how Americans refer to the more than 6 million adults and children who are diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.

"The word retarded is slang to call someone stupid, and we know Rosa is not stupid at all," Nick told ABCNews.com. "Words are important."

(more at link) - http://abcnews.go.com/Health/rosas-law-asks-senate-kill-slur-mentally-retarded/story?id=9109319

[TigressPen]

Hooray for Rosa's brother. This shows teens can make a difference.

[Roamer]

They certainly can, Tigress!

I wonder if mentally impaired is still okay?

[LiveLaughLuv]

We are never to use that word in our home, ever!

My uncle has downs syndrome and we always used mentally impaired. I think it's still okay to use that term, Roamer...is it politically correct?

People just don't understand and use that term regardless of it's implications. I hate that word and my children never used it...

[Roamer]

My home was like yours. My kids were not allowed to say that word, or the N word.

[SavannahStar]

Kudos to that kid!!!!!!!! :zm10:

[texanne]

We are very sensitive to such terms in this house, also. One of my daughters friends had a little boy that contacted some sort of virus while in the womb, and was born with severe problems. We have always known that there was a lot in his brain that he was unable to communicate. He is in a new facility now because he grew too large for his mother to lift him. They are training him to use his mouth on a communication device hooked up to a computer. They took him outside recently, and then asked him to select what the weather was like. He immediately selected the phrase "sunny and mild"...which was correct. You cannot know how much that thrills me. He was often treated as if he could not hear anything that was said around him, nor had any opinions (in other schools). That child is smarter than a lot of the people who stare at him and talk down to him. If someone has to use a term to describe someone, they should at least educate themselves to the correct term(s).

[PatC]

I would never, intentionally "name call" a person with mental difficulties... however, unless my memory is failing me completely, when I was in college and taking some of the numerous psychology courses I took (I LOVED the subject) "retarded" was perfectly accepted diagnostic term indicating a person with an IQ below a certain level (70???).

Also, (again IIRC) "idiot", "imbecile", and "moron" were also terms that indicated further specific levels of mental acuity.

As much as I hate to say it and as sad as it is, whatever "politically correct" term is agreed upon now will likely be bastardized into a pejorative sooner or later.

[Jute]

I would never, intentionally "name call" a person with mental difficulties... however, unless my memory is failing me completely, when I was in college and taking some of the numerous psychology courses I took (I LOVED the subject) "retarded" was perfectly accepted diagnostic term indicating a person with an IQ below a certain level (70???).

Also, (again IIRC) "idiot", "imbecile", and "moron" were also terms that indicated further specific levels of mental acuity.

As much as I hate to say it and as sad as it is, whatever "politically correct" term is agreed upon now will likely be bastardized into a pejorative sooner or later.

I think that "developmentally disabled" is the most commonly used term. IMO, it's rather harsh - sounds like something is disconnected. There has to be a term that is simple and has easily recognized negative connotations.

Can you imagine taking a psych course now? "Senile," even though still a valid diagnosis, is generally referred to as "Alzheimer's" - the two are not synonymous.

I do applaud Rosa's brother, though. His love for his sister, and determination to do what he could to help her avoid being hurt is commendable. :hifive:

[LiveLaughLuv]

Also, (again IIRC) "idiot", "imbecile", and "moron" were also terms that indicated further specific levels of mental acuity.

Medical terms that are taken out of context to use to be hurtful to another is wrong. This is what Rosa is trying to accomplish, IMO...

I hate when someone says, you're an imbecile...just because they don't grasp what the other suggests...:girl_sad:

It's the hurtful phrases that need to end...JMHO

[Jute]

Medical terms that are taken out of context to use to be hurtful to another is wrong. This is what Rosa is trying to accomplish, IMO...

I hate when someone says, you're an imbecile...just because they don't grasp what the other suggests...:girl_sad:

It's the hurtful phrases that need to end...JMHO

I always get the feeling that the one whose mouth those cruel, pointless words come from are the ones with the flaw (ignorance). With our huge choice of words, there is no need for them; why not choose one, or a few, that actually describe what they mean?

[PatC]

I think that "developmentally disabled" is the most commonly used term. IMO, it's rather harsh - sounds like something is disconnected. There has to be a term that is simple and has easily recognized negative connotations.

Can you imagine taking a psych course now? "Senile," even though still a valid diagnosis, is generally referred to as "Alzheimer's" - the two are not synonymous.

I do applaud Rosa's brother, though. His love for his sister, and determination to do what he could to help her avoid being hurt is commendable. :hifive:

Medical terms that are taken out of context to use to be hurtful to another is wrong. This is what Rosa is trying to accomplish, IMO...

I hate when someone says, you're an imbecile...just because they don't grasp what the other suggests...:girl_sad:

It's the hurtful phrases that need to end...JMHO

I always get the feeling that the one whose mouth those cruel, pointless words come from are the ones with the flaw (ignorance). With our huge choice of words, there is no need for them; why not choose one, or a few, that actually describe what they mean?

Jute and LLL, I couldn't agree with you more. You've said better what I was trying to say.

Those of us, like the two of you and me and others on this board who simply love "words" and cringe to see them misused (unless done so humorously, or course) and hate to see them used to promote hatred or belittling others don't really need such laws and on one hand I hate to see laws enacted to attempt to force what should be simple human kindness, if that's what it takes ... go for it. I guess a "slap upside the head" is out of the question, huh?

"With our huge choice of words..." === Jute that made me think of my dear mother. Forgive me for inserting a little humorous memory here.

Mama was one of the most intelligent people I've ever known. She grew up in the depression and in spite of a number of hardships managed to stay in school and graduate from high school but although her dream of going on to college and becoming a teacher was never to be, she never stopped learning. She was a voracious reader, fiction, poetry and non-fiction (especially psychology -- well versed in the theories of Freud and Jung) and justifiably proud of an extensive vocabulary and a master at being able to express herself.

However, she also had a temper. Boy! did she have a temper. (Lots of stories there. LOL) It was easy to tell when Mama had reached her breaking point because when she got REALLY angry all those linguistic skills went out the window and she could curse like the proverbial sailor!

When that would happen Daddy used to laugh at her which would usually work to break the tension.

[texanne]

I didn't realize how many times I had mumbled the word "idiot" at a driver who had cut me off, ran a red light in front of me, etc. till my 3 yr. old grandson looked at me very seriously from his car seat and asked me what an idiot was? Boy, did I ever stumble around trying to explain why I said it, and that it was wrong.

[LiveLaughLuv]

However, she also had a temper. Boy! did she have a temper. (Lots of stories there. LOL) It was easy to tell when Mama had reached her breaking point because when she got REALLY angry all those linguistic skills went out the window and she could curse like the proverbial sailor!

You could be describing ME....:girl_haha:

If my Italian gets raged, nothing but cuss words come a calling...it's a horrible vice I have but the cussing takes away much of my anger...:0t31:

Another little tidbit to know I'm angry...If I call your first and middle name, my kids know, oh oh watch out, mommy's mad. What did you do...:girl_haha:

Now my grandchildren know...but they never get me angry...they give me too much joy and sugar in my life...:give_rose: but I have disciplined them sternly and they listen the first time...My son wants to know how I do that because he just keeps repeating himself...:eyebrow1qb: