Soapbox

I have been wanting to write about this topic for a little while now.  It's the issue of saying down syndrome rather than down's, or those other awful words that I have actually heard quite a bit that makes me stop in my tracks and cringe.  One starts with a 'M' you know that terrible word you have probably heard your grandparents say?  The one that makes someone with down syndrome sound like a monster rather than a human?  I hate that word, that word is definitely not okay to say ever!  Oh yeah and that other word the infamous 'R' word, who to this day I still have people saying it to me!  Yes this words cuts like a knife, it makes my ears ring and makes me want to jerk someone up by the neck of their shirts, but instead I ask them kindly to watch their language.  I usually get an apology, but sometimes I get shutup or it's a free country.  They are right about one thing, it is a free country, but why do you want to be hurtful?  Nowhere in the constitution does it say it's ok to be cruel, I think sometimes as Americans we take advantage of this right, and take it a little too far.  The other thing that bothers me is when someone says, I know someone who has down's.  Hmmm...what's down's?  Oh okay, you know SOMEONE who has DOWN SYNDROME?...Gotcha!  I do let this one slide from time to time in a conversation, because I know that everyone doesn't go out and research down syndrome.  Just try and remember the person who has down syndrome is a person first just like you and I, they just happen to have down syndrome.  National Down Syndrome Preferred Language Guide.  I know that it is difficult to break bad habits, but lets all try!

My friend Erin says it so much better than I do, she has a way with words that is indescribable:  What language do you speak? 

Great add for the 'R' word campaign