SPREAD THE WORD TO END THE WORD!

END THE R-WORD DAYMARCH 31st 2009

I created this bulletin board in effort to help end the R-WORD. End the R-WORD day which is sponsored by the Special Olympics

is happening March 31st!

Lisa Yanzer, Resident Adviser

SPREAD THE WORD TO END THE WORD!

END THE R-WORD DAYMARCH 31st 2009

• Our choice of language frames how we think about others.

• It is time to respect and value people with intellectual disabilities.

• It is time to accept and welcome us as your friends and neighbors.

Join Special Olympics in the campaign to end the r-word. End the r-word day aims to raise awareness around the world about the hurtful and derogatory nature of the word “retard(ed)”. Do your part and be a fan of humanity. Find the event on Facebook for more information on getting involved and spread the word on March 31st.

www.r-word.org

WHAT?

• Spread the Word to End the Word is a National Awareness Day to raise the consciousness of society about the dehumanizing and hurtful effects of the word “retard(ed)” .

• Encourage people to pledge to stop using the R-word.

• The campaign will build up to 3.31.09, a day where young people across the country will rally their schools and communities to pledge their support at www.r-word.org.

WHO?

• The effort is spearheaded by college students, Soeren Palumbo (Notre Dame 2011) and Tim Shriver (Yale 2011).

• Led by young people and Special Olympics athletes across the country.

• Celebrity activist John C. McGinley of the hit show “Scrubs” is a spokesperson for the campaign.

WHY?

• Respectful and inclusive language is essential to the movement for the dignity and humanity of people with intellectual disabilities.

• However, much of society does not recognize the hurtful, dehumanizing and exclusive effects of the word “retard(ed).”

• It is time to address the minority slur “retard” and raise the consciousness of society to its hurtful effects.

HOW?

• Visit www.r-word.org to learn how you can Spread the Word to End the Word.

CHANGE the conversation…stop using the R-WORD.

Learn the new R-WORD

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Be a fan of dignity, acceptance, and the human race!

Join celebrity John McGinely to help end the R-word

Actor and activist John C. McGinley, of the hit show “Scrubs,” is helping with this effort by making national media appearances on behalf of the campaign.

• LETS STAND UP FOR OUR MOST INNOCENT AND LOVING HUMAN BEINGS.

• LETS GIVE THEM THE RESPECT THEY DESERVE

• LETS GIVE BACK TO THEM THE THING THEY GIVE THE MOST OF TO US…LOVE!

• LETS WORK IN EFFORT WITH PERSONS WHO HAVE INTELLECTUAL DISABILITES TO HELP THEM END THE R-WORD (A word that hurts ALL)

• We’re asking ALL to help eliminate the demeaning use of the R-word (retard) – a common taunt used to make fun of others.

Often unwittingly, the word is used to denote behavior that is clumsy, helpless, and even hopeless. But whether intentional or not, the word conjures up a painful stereotype of people with intellectual disabilities. It hurts even if you don’t mean it that way.

PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES CAN…

• People with intellectual disabilities are capable and enjoy sharing life experiences… – listen to music, playing video games, watching the

latest movies, and yes, having fun as well as working together toward athletic excellence as they do at Special Olympics.

– They can attend school, work, drive cars, get married, participate in decisions that affect them, and contribute to society in many ways.

– They can do these things and many more with greater love, respect, joy, inspiration, and dignity then most of us will ever achieve in our life.

• Wouldn't it be a sad world if we made fun of the most innocent and loving of all…the sad truth is that we live in a society where these things are accepted and it is…

TIME TO CHANGE!

• SPREAD THE WORD TO END THE WORD!

“LIFE IS NOT TRIED IT IS MERELY SURVIVED WHEN YOUR STANDING OUTSIDE THE FIRE.”

– GARTH BROOKS

• Dare yourself to stand inside the same fire that persons with intellectual disabilities put themselves in everyday just by getting up and showing there love, lets stand up against the R-WORD and help make an awareness of acceptance!

• Take a day to use more accepting language.

• Take a day tell your friends to do the same.

• Take a day to embrace the humanity of all people.

• Take a day to end the R-word.

Spread the Word to End the Word.

• “I’m gonna say that I choose to believe that most of us are fundamentally good and are unaware that the word is offensive and that it hurts…when children stand up go ‘when kids in my school call me retarded it hurts’ you just want to makes people stop using that word.”

- Actor on scrubs John McGinely