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Billboard campaign against use of R-word begins
By Jesse Williams, Staff Writer
When drivers pass the roads of Belt Line and Fairway in Coppell, they will be reminded of how everyone should ban one R-word from their vocabulary by demonstrating another important R-word--respect.
On Sept. 15, Special Olympics Texas kicked off its state-wide campaign to rid usage of the r-word (retard). A billboard highlighting the campaign went up in Coppell that day.
Special Olympics is a non-profit international program that provides year-round sports competition for people with intellectual disabilities. In 2004, it changed its terminology from mental retardation to intellectual disabilities. This was a response from the Special Olympic competitors who felt there was still negative connotation with the R-word and the fact that for years before 2004, foreign countries had used other terms other than mental retardation.
The project is meant as a public awareness campaign to educate people, especially children on how harmful using the R-word can be.
“If you listen, it’s something you hear everyday,” said Andi Kelly, spokesperson for Special Olympics Texas. “It’s become acceptable in society, especially among younger kids.”
Currently, there are billboards up in Austin, Dallas, Ft. Worth, El Paso and San Antonio. Kelly said there will be billboards in the Houston area. However, the outlets do not just stop there. Special Olympics Texas has also set up MySpace and Facebook accounts for people to join and people can also watch banning the R-word on Youtube.
Kelly said if kids are educated on not using the R-word, they will grow up and teach their children not to use it as well.
“It’s disrespectful when you use the R-word,” said Jesse McNeil, Area 10 director of Special Olympics in Texas. “The people who use it don’t know it is hurtful.”
Bennett Ratliff, vice president of the Coppell Independent School District’s Board of Trustees, also agreed that many people still use the R-word because they are unaware of the damage it causes. Ratliff has a 22-year-old son who has intellectual disabilities. He said his family tries to emphasize to people how the R-word is inappropriate.
“I really think it’s a lack of knowledge,” Ratliff said. “The R-word is as offensive to people with disabilities as other slang words are to people that would describe their differences…and its offensive to the families with people with disabilities as other slang words are to other groups.”
The campaign is also being supported by the Arc of Texas and the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities.
For information on the campaign, go to www.specialolympicstexas.org/rword.
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