By Daniel Smrokowski
Columnist | Column: Special Voices
The word “retard(ed),” or the r-word as I call it, is a word that is really hurtful for all of us with special needs and our families and friends.
Just like many of my fellow Special Olympics athletes, I don’t really like to drive. Yes, their are some that do drive (and I used to about 6 years ago), but many of us take public transportation.
A couple years ago, I was taking the train home from college. On this particular evening commute, the train was packed and I couldn’t find a seat. So, I had to stand (and hold on to the train) amid the crowds of other commuters. As I usually do, I put my earbuds in and pretended like I was listening to a podcast when all of a sudden one of the train conductors was in the doorway of the train and talking with some of the other commuters.
This train conductor had used the r-word multiple times during this train ride. It was hard for me to say anything because it just hurt too much to hear him use the word.
After I got home, safe and sound, I wrote a letter to the train company and talked with one of the workers at the ticket counter in my hometown for the train. The train company had eventually emailed me back and apologized.
I haven’t heard anything from this train conductor since but I hope and pray that he learned a lesson about how the r-word hurts all of us with special needs.
Fast forward a couple years to present day–Sunday, Jan. 19th, 2014 at 7:04PM. I was riding the train back home with a friend who I met via another friend.
As we were talking, I looked near the front me and to the right to see a man and a woman talking somewhat loudly. These two people had appeared to be drunk.
As the 7 o’clock hour struck, I got up from my seat and made my way to the vestibule of the train. When I was waiting for the train to pull into the stop that I was getting off, these two same commuters had used the r-word to refer to the town that we were getting off at.
I didn’t say anything because it was too hard, to hurtful. Another reason why I may not of said anything is because maybe it wasn’t a good moment to say anything.
This brings up an interesting point: When is a good time to say something? Should you speak up against the r-word each time some says the word even if they appear to be “drunk?”
What are your thoughts? Let me know, like how all the young kids are communicating these days, with the hashtag: #SCPChat
What’s the r-word? Why this campaign important? Where to go to take the pledge to end the r-word and to find out more information? Help us to surpass 500,000 online pledges by the 2014 Spread the Word to End the Word. awareness day.
The web address is simple: R-Word.org. Of course, if you are one of tons of the people who are active on the Facebook, you can “Like” and find out more updates by visiting their page at: Facebook.com/EndtheWord. For those of you who prefer updates that are 140 characters or less, then a simple “Follow” of the @EndtheWord Twitter page will be the thing to do. And, like all the young kids are doin’ these days, you can join in the conversation with the hashtag: #RWord – on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google Plus, Vine, etc.
When is the 2014 Spread the Word to End the Word date? Don’t worry because the r-word campaign Co-Founder Tim Shriver Jr., breaks the news for us on the Special Chronicles podcast Episode #100, recorded live (to tape) on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014. Additional reporting by Breanna Bogucki, of Cary, Ill., and Georgia Hunter, of Oak Park, Ill.
If you’d like more Coverage about the R-Word Campain, Visit: stg-specialchronicles-staging.kinsta.cloud/EndTheWord
Twitter: #SCPChat | @EndTheWord
Facebook: Facebook.com/EndTheWord
Online: stg-specialchronicles-staging.kinsta.cloud/EndTheWord
Editor’s Note: This Special Voices Column originally appeared in the Wednesday, May 5 2014 issue of the Bugle Newspapers and is Reprinted with permission of the author. All rights reserved. Print/E-Edition.
