Friday, January 02, 2009

Are You Retarded?

There's something that no one in America wants to talk about and it's the politically correct fervor of the parents of retarded kids. You'd think these kids were under attack. You'd think there were groups of anti-retard gestapo coming for their kids. I'm not sure where this comes from. Everyone loves retarded kids. They're so cute! There isn't even a name for someone who hates retarded kids. Not racist, misogynist, homophobe, xenophobe, anti-Semite, nothing. You'd just say, "There's the asshole who hates retarded kids. Let's go kick him in the groin!"

Many people get upset if you say retarded child instead of special needs child. I don't see the difference. In either case, you're labeling these kids by their shortcomings. My mother never described me as a short ugly child. That would be mean! Even if she called me a vertically challenged child. Or a child with step-stool needs. What kind of mother would she be if she defined me by my faults? I have a friend who is facially challenged. He is an almost-attractive American. I have another friend who is athletically challenged. I used to have an ugly friend and another who sucked at sports. No more.

There's a retarded guy who goes to all the Nats games. I would often see him on the way home up the red line. That guy is awesome. Not because he's retarded and is able to overcome the odds and attend Nats games; that is totally demeaning bullshit. He's awesome because the Nats have been terrible and he still goes to every game. I'm a big Nats fan and I go to 10 games a season tops. I mean, what is he thinking? His devotion is admirable.

The effort given by parents to help their retarded children is often times heroic. But don't label your child by his or her shortcomings and don't waste your energy encouraging the spread of politically correct bullshit. Neither is good for your child.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Since your blog was aimed at me because of my last comment on your blog I felt I should answer.
Yes there are people who hate people with special needs. I'm sure you know that Hitler also killed the mentally retarded in the camps also. The haters are the ones who continue to use the word retards or say things are retarded despite knowing of the pain it causes. They are the ones who hide behind the satire argument (Ben Stiller) or pc defense (yourself). There is a thin line between being pc and having a little decency.
I'm not labeling my child. You have no idea what I am talking about and probably won't until you have a child of your own.
Until you walk in my shoes you are totally clueless.
I do admire your blog and think you have a lot of very interesting things to say. I guess my issue is that you're not even willing for a second to think about the possibility that maybe I have a point. That just maybe using the word retard is hateful.
I've been on your side before. Before I had a child who had a cognitive impairment I probably used the word retard and didn't flinch when I heard it in every day conversation. So now I know better.
Lay off special needs parents and go write about something you have knowledge about. You are a talented writer and what you blog about seems like a huge waste.

AnonymousBlogger said...

LOL. You kind of beat me to the "you'd have to be retarded to go to every Nationals game". Damn.

I occasionally say "retarded" sometimes about actually retarded people. Usually about non-retarded people. I don't think I'm a bad person. Maybe I am.