Don't Use Words That Hurt, People

Today is Spread the Word to End the Word day -- meaning don't use the word "retard" as an insult or to describe something as less-than, no matter how casually or lightly. Here's what I had to say on the matter, with my characteristic delicacy, in Ellen Seidman's parenting column on Babble.com (thank you, Ellen):

"My son Leo has many challenges, but he has super-sonic hearing. And though he tends to stick to concrete matters when he speaks because speaking is hard work for him, he is an excellent listener. So if you use the word 'retard' as a slur and are around either one of us, then prepared to get schooled. Because Leo is not less of a person than you, is just as capable of being hurt by words as you—and as his mama-bear mama, I will sit you down and make you watch Jane Lynch's and Lauren Potter's Not Acceptable video until you beg for mercy. The word 'retard' hurts him, it hurts me, it just hurts. And you and your casual bigotry get no reprieve from me until you understand why."

And just in case you've not seen Lauren Potter's and Jane Lynch's Not Acceptable video, or could use a re-viewing, here 'tis. (But don't read the comments unless you are easily irked.)