Mar. 1, 2010: Re-thinking the R-word

>> Rooney: TONIGHT ON GREATER
BOSTON, OFFENSE I HAVE OR
POLITICAL CORRECTNESS.
THE DEBATE OVER BANNING THE
WORD "RETARDED."
PLUS ABANDONED.
HAVE PETS BECOME THE FORGOTTEN
VICTIMS OF THE RECESSION.

>> CONTEMPORARY ARTS CONFUSE
YOU.
SOMETIMES I THINK YOU DON'T
HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IT.

>> Rooney: FILM DIRECTOR JOHN
WATERS ON THE NOT SO EASY ART
OF HIS FRIEND RONI HORN.

>> Rooney: GOOD EVENING.
AT ONE TIME THE WORD RETARDED
WAS COMMONLY USED TO DESCRIBE
SOMEONE SLOW OR MENTALLY
CHALLENGED BUT ADVOCATES FOR
THE INTELLECTUALLY DISABLED
SAY THE WORD HAS BECOME
HURTFUL.
IT'S TIME TO MAKE IT A RELIC
OF HISTORY.
GROUPS LIKE THE SPECIAL
OLYMPICS ARE TRYING TO GET AS
MANY AS 100,000 PEOPLE TO SIGN
A PLEDGE NOT TO USE THE WORDS
"RETARD OR RETARDED SAYING
THERE'S NOTHING FUNNY ABOUT
THE PAIN THEY CAUSE.
NOT TO LISTEN WHEN PEOPLE
CASUALLY USE THE WORDS RETARD
OR RETARDED.
BUT SAYS IT'S IMPOSSIBLE NOT
TO HEAR.

>> I IGNORE IT.
IT HURTS ME TOO MUCH.

>> Reporter: BROWN WORKS WITH
BEST BUDDIES, A SERVICE GROUP
DEDICATED TO HELPING PEOPLE
WITH DOWNS SYNDROME AND OTHER
INTELLECTUALLY DISABLES.
BEST BUDDIES AND THE SPECIAL
OLYMPICS WERE ASKING PEOPLE AT
THE STATEHOUSE TO SIGN A
PLEDGE NOT TO USE THE SO-CALLED
R-WORD SAYING IT CARRIES A
HURTFUL STIGMA.

>> IT'S LIKE WHEN PEOPLE CALL
PEOPLE LIKE RERETARDED.
IT'S NOT NICE TO SAY AT ALL.

>> Rooney: RETARDATION HAS
ALREADY BEEN DROPPED BUT THE
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR SAYS
SOCIETY AS A WHOLE NEEDS TO
CATCH UP.
EVEN AS OTHER SLURS HAVE
FALLEN BY THE WAYSIDE.

>> YOU LOOK AT HISTORY.
WORDS THAT WERE USED IN SOME
OF THE NEGATIVE CONNOTATIONS
BECAUSE OF PEOPLE BECAUSE OF
THEIR THEIR SKIN.
OVER TIME WE HAVE BEGUN TO
ERADICATE AND ELIMINATE THOSE
WORDS.

>> Reporter: EMMA PICKERING AN
8th GRADER FROM MILLVILLE SAYS
THAT MAY BE TOUGH BECAUSE THE
R-WORD IS STILL USED AT HER
SCHOOL ON A REGULAR BASIS.

>> I KNOW PEOPLE SAY IT AROUND
THE HALLS AND STUFF.
THEY JUST THROW IT OUT AS A
WORD LIKE JOKING AROUND.
I KNOW IT MEANS MORE THAN
THAT.

>> Reporter: EMMA'S MOMENT
SAYS ADULTS LIKE WHITE HOUSE
CHIEF OF STAFF RAHMY MAN
YOU'LLAL AND RADIO TALK SHOW
HOST BOTH CRITICIZED FOR USING
RETARD AS AN INSULT ARE NOT
HELPING.

>> ESPECIALLY NOW THAT YOU
HAVE PEOPLE THIS PUBLIC ROLES
THAT SEEM TO BE I COULDN'TING
IT.
IT'S NOT A PROPOSE RIT AND...
APPROPRIATE.
IT'S LIKE ADULT BULLYING IN MY
OPINION.

>> Rooney: SHE SAYS AT LEAST
NOW THERE'S SOME PUSHBACK BY
TEACHERS AND GROUPS LIKE BEST
BUDDIES WHO ARE HELPING YOUNG
PEOPLE LEARN THAT WORDS HAVE
CONSEQUENCES.

>> THEY REALIZE A LOT OF
TERMINOLOGY THAT WAS USED IN
OUR GENERATION ISN'T
ACCEPTABLE.
THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT THAT IS
NOT SOMETHING THEY SHOULD BE
SAYING OR THROWING OUT TO
ANYBODY.
EVEN IF IT'S IN A JOKING TERM.

>> Rooney: A JOKE ADVOCATES
SAY ISN'T FUNNY ANYMORE.
HERE WITH ME ARE "BOSTON
HERALD" COLUMNIST LAUREN
BECKHAM WHOSE YOUNG DAUGHTER
HAS DOWNS SYNDROME AND CRAIG
WELTON OF BEST BUDDIES WHO
HELPED ORGANIZE THE STATEHOUSE
TODAY AND ATTORNEY WENDY
KAMINER WHO SAYS BY BANNING
THE WORD IT BECOMES MORE
POWERFUL.
WELCOME TO ALL OF YOU.
LAUREN, WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING
THIS ALL DAY.
I'M CURIOUS TO GET A HANDLE ON
THIS WHETHER YOU THINK USING A
WORD AS A PEJORATIVE DIRECTLY
SAYING THAT'S RETARDED OR, HEY,
RETARD AS OPPOSED TO THE WORD
THAT HAS ANOTHER CONNOTATION.
IT WAS LIKE SAY I USED IT IN
TERMS OF THE FINANCIAL CRISIS.
YOU KNOW, RETARDED GROWTH OF
THE ECONOMY.
DO YOU THINK THE WORD SHOULD
GO AWAY ALTOGETHER OR JUST....

>> YOU CAN'T KICK A WORD OUT
OF THE DICTIONARY.
IT WILL REMAIN THAT WAY.
BUT THE WAY IT IS USED AND HOW
OFTEN IT'S USED.
AND REALLY THAT MEANS NOBODY
USES THE WORD RETARDED IN A
WAY THAT... EXCEPT, THAT'S THE
FIRST TIME I'VE HEARD IT THAT
WAY.
IF YOU'RE IN A SCIENCE CLASS
AND THEY CAN RETARD GROWTH.
I GET THAT.
GENERALLY SPEAKING PEOPLE
DON'T USE IT THAT WAY.
ITS MAJOR MEANING IS A
DEROGATORY MEANING.
I THINK BY POINTING THAT OUT
AND SAYING IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE,
YOU CAN GET THAT WORD NOT TO
BE USED THAT WAY.
I REALLY THINK WHAT HAPPENED
TODAY IS SO IMPORTANT.

>> Rooney: YOU WOULD GO THE
WHOLE NINE YARDS OF JUST
ELIMINATING IT FROM THE
LEXICON.
DON'T USE THE WORD BECAUSE
EVERY TIME EVEN IN THE CONTEXT
I USED IT, YOU'RE SAYING
THAT'S NOT WHAT PEOPLE ARE
THINKING.
THEY'RE THINKING OF SOMEBODY
WHO IS THE MEANTALLY DEFICIENT.

>> I THINK THERE'S TRUTH TO
THAT.
WHENEVER YOU USE THE WORD IT'S
GOING TO REFLECT ON PEOPLE WHO
HAVE INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES
OR HAVE A DIFFICULTY.
SO I THINK IF THERE'S ANOTHER
WORD THAT YOU CAN USE TO
DESCRIBE WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING
TO DESCRIBE, THEN YOU SHOULD
GO WITH THAT ONE.

>> Rooney: I'M TRYING TO GET A
HANDLE ON THIS.
I'M SENSITIVE TO WHAT BOTH OF
YOU ARE SAYING.
IT SEEMS TO ME YOU'RE PICKING
ON THE WRONG THING HERE.
IT'S THE PEOPLE AND THE WAY
IT'S USED AS OPPOSED TO THE
WORD ITSELF.

>> I THINK WE'RE BECOMING
INCREASINGLY PHOBIC ABOUT
WORDS.
I ASSUME AND I HOPE THAT WE'RE
NOT TALKING ABOUT OFFICIALLY
BANNING A WORD WHICH WE
COULDN'T DO ANYWAY.
YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE A WORD
UNACCEPTABLE.
ONE, I DON'T THINK YOU CAN
REALLY DO THAT SUCCESSFULLY.
EVEN IF YOU CAN STIGMATIZE THE
WORD RETARDED SO MUCH SO THAT
IT'S ONLY NOW REFERRED TO AS
THE R-WORD, WE INCREASINGLY
HAVE WORDS THAT CAN ONLY BE
REFERRED TO AS THEIR... BY
THEIR INITIALS.
THE PROBLEM ISN'T THE WORD.
THE PROBLEM IS THE INTENT WITH
WHICH PEOPLE SOMETIMES USE IT.
IF THEY STOP USING THE WORD
RETARDED, THE PEOPLE WANT TO
BE CRUEL THEY'LL FIND ANOTHER
WORD.

>> THAT'S TRUE.

>> WHY ARE WE OBSESSING ABOUT
THE WORD?
WHEN WE SAY THAT YOU CAN'T SAY
THE WORD, ALL YOU'RE DOING IS
INVESTING IT WITH MORE POWER.

>> BUT WOULD YOU SAY WHY DON'T
WE JUST SAY THE N-WORD NOW
FREELY?
WHY WOULD YOU SAY OTHER
INSULTING....

>> BECAUSE I BELIEVE... I
THINK CIVILITY IS IMPORTANT.
I DON'T SAY WORDS THAT I KNOW
INSULT PEOPLE OR DEEPLY OFFEND
PEOPLE.
I DON'T NEED TO SIGN A PLEDGE
IN ORDER TO DO THAT.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T NEED TO USE
THE WORD RETARDED IF IT
OFFENDS PEOPLE.
I'LL USE INTELLECTUALLY
DISABLED.
BUT THERE'S SOMETHING VERY
DISTURBING ABOUT THESE
CAMPAIGNS TO END THE USE OF A
WORD.
THEY INVITE PEOPLE TO THINK
ABOUT CENSORSHIP EVEN THOUGH I
UNDERSTAND THAT'S NOT WHAT
YOU'RE AIMING FOR.
WHEN YOU SAY THAT A WORD IS
UNACCEPTABLE AND WE HAVE TO
EXPUNGE IT FROM THE LANGUAGE,
YOU REALLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO
THINK ABOUT PROHIBITION.
THAT'S ONE DANGER.
THE OTHER DANGER IS THAT I
THINK YOU TURN THE WORD INTO
SOMETHING LIKE AN INCANTATION.
YOU SUGGEST THAT PEOPLE WHO
ARE SUBJECTED TO INSULTS ARE
TOO WEAK TO BE ABLE TO TAKE
IT.
MEAN CALL ME THINGS ALL THE
TIME.
I DON'T CARE.
I DON'T REALLY CARE WHAT
PEOPLE CALL ME.

>> Rooney: GO AHEAD.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO CHIME IN.
I THINK THE INTENT ON OUR
BEHALF IS TO HAVE OUR
PARTICIPANTS VIEWED FOR WHAT
THEY'RE CAPABLE OF.
SO OFTEN THE PEOPLE WITH
INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL
DISABILITIES ARE THE LAST ONE
LEFT IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS
MOVEMENT.
THEY'RE OFTEN FORGOT ABOUT.
I THINK YOU BROUGHT UP THE
POINT BRIEFLY THAT, YOU KNOW,
RACIAL EPITHETS OR SEXUAL
ORIENTATION SLURS ARE
SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T
COMMONLY USE IN POPULAR
SOCIETY.
IT'S REALLY... OUR WHOLE
CAMPAIGN IS JUST TO RAISE THE
AWARENESS OF THE CAPABILITY OF
OUR PARTICIPANTS AND MOVE
POPULAR CULTURE AWAY FROM
CHOOSING TO USE A WORD THAT
THEY DON'T REALIZE HAS SUCH AN
IMPACT.

>> Rooney: THE DIFFERENCE IS
THAT SOME OF THOSE WORDS WERE
ALWAYS PEJORATIVE, QUEER, FAG,
THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
OTHER WORDS HAVE MORPHED OVER
TIME.
PEOPLE DON'T USE THE WORD
ANYTHING ARDLY.
IT MEANS STINGY.
WE'VE SEEN PEOPLE GET ACCUSED
ABOUT THAT.
ORIENTAL TOOK ON A NEGATIVE
CONNOTATION.
I'M NOT SURE OR WHEN HOW THAT
HAPPENED.
ORIENTAL RUGS.
YOU DON'T SEE PEOPLE ARE
ORIENTAL.
YOU SAY THEY'RE ASIAN.
IS THAT THE VEIN OF THIS?

>> I MEAN, I GUESS IT COULD BE
THE VEIN.
I THINK THAT THIS WORD IS SO
PERVASIVE AND ESPECIALLY IN
POP CULTURE.
I MEAN, ESPECIALLY AS THE
MOTHER OF A CHILD....

>> Rooney: I DIDN'T REALIZE
HOW BIG IT WAS.
LET'S GET IT STARTED, I WAS
THE LAST ONE TO KNOW THAT THE
ORIGINAL LYRICS WERE LET'S GET
RETARDED.

>> I JUST THINK THAT BY
RAISING AWARENESS AND SAYING
THAT THIS IS AN INAPPROPRIATE
THING TO BE SAYING... AND I
THINK THAT PEOPLE... I AGREE
WITH YOU, KNOW YOU.
CIVILITY AND ALL THAT.
BUT I THINK PEOPLE LEFT TO
THEIR OWN DEVICES....

>> Rooney: I'M TRYING TO
DISTINGUISH BETWEEN YOU'RE A
RETARD.
TO SAY THAT SOMEBODY IS
MENTALLY RETARDED.
I'M HAVING A HARD TIME
FIGURING OUT WHAT'S WRONG WITH
THAT?

>> THAT'S INTENDED AS AN
DESCRIPTION.
IT'S NOT REALLY ANY DIFFERENT
THAN SAYING SOMEONE IS
INTELLECTUALLY DISABLED.

>> Rooney: LIKE AN MORE ON.

>> LANGUAGE CHANGES OVER TIME.
KIDS WITH DOWNS SYNDROME WERE
CALLED MORNING LLOYDS.
THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT TERM FOR
IT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?

>> YOU KNOW, IN MASSACHUSETTS
I KNOW WE WERE TALKING EARLIER
THERE'S AN INITIATIVE TO
CHANGE THE WORD MENTAL
RETARDATION FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL
RETARDATION.

>> THAT'S DONE.

>> WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET TO
IS THAT WAS AN INITIATIVE
BROUGHT FORTH BY PARTICIPANTS
OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES.
THEY TOOK IT ON THEMSELVES TO
MOVE THAT INITIATIVE FORWARD
BECAUSE THEY FOUND IT TO BE
EXTREMELY OFFENSIVE.

>> Rooney: IT WAS TOO BROAD.

>> NO.
I THINK IT'S JUST OFFENSIVE
WORD.
IT'S AN OUTDATED TERM.
I THINK THAT WHEN YOU SAY
PEOPLE HAVE INTELLECTUALLY
DISABILITIES, THINGS CHANGE.
WE'RE ALWAYS MOVING TOWARD A
BETTER WAY TO DESCRIBE
SOMETHING.

>> WE'RE MOVING TOWARD
DIFFERENT WAYS OF DESCRIBING
THEM.
YOU JUST SAID YOURSELF THIS IS
AN OUTDATED TERM.
CLEARLY THAT'S TRUE.
BUT SO WE'RE NOW TALKING ABOUT
FASHIONS IN WORDS.
THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A
WORD BEING OUTDATED AND A WORD
BEING TREATED AS A KIND OF
CURSE WORD OR HE THREAT.
YOU KNOW EPITHET.
THERE ARE RACIAL EPITHET
ALWAYS INTENDED TO BE EPITHET.
RETARDED, YOU KNOW, YES, THE
WORD RETARD WAS INTENDED TO BE
EPITHET.

>> Rooney: ALWAYS, ALWAYS.

>> BUT THE WORD RETARDED WAS
NOT.
AS EMILY SAID THERE ARE A LOT
OF OTHER USES FOR THE WORD
THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO
WITH....

>> NOT REALLY.

>> YES, REALLY.

>> WHEN DO YOU USE RETARDED ON
A DAILY BASIS?

>> I MIGHT EASILY TALK ABOUT
SOMETHING RETARDING PROGRESS.
SLOWING IT DOWN.
THAT'S NOT AN UNCOMMON WORD.
IT'S NOT AN UNCOMMON USE OF
THE WORD.
I'M NOT GOING TO EXPUNGE IT
FROM MY VOCABULARY FOR FEAR
THAT SOMEONE MIGHT TAKE
OFFENSE BECAUSE I'M UTTERING,
LET'S, SAY....

>> Rooney: CALLING ATTENTION
TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING THAT
KIDS USING IT.
THEY'RE EVEN USING IT IN A
POSITIVE WAY.
MY GOODNESS THAT'S SO
RETARDED.
LIKE AWESOME.
THAT'S DIFFERENT.

>> I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHAT
THE INITIATIVE IS AIMING TO DO
IS TO ADDRESS WITH STUDENTS,
YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE THING FOR
SOMEONE WHO IS WELL VERSED AND
EDUCATED TO USE IT TO TALK
ABOUT FINANCIAL GROWTH OR TO
TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS
OTHER THINGS BUT IT'S ANOTHER
THING WHEN YOU GO TO ONE OF
THE SCHOOLS WHICH, YOU KNOW,
WE HAPPEN TO HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO DO, AND YOU
HEAR KIDS WALKING AROUND THE
HALL USING IT IN A WAY THAT IS
OSTRACIZING TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE
INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENTAL
DISABILITIES.

>> AND THEIR FAMILIES TOO.
I THINK IT SHOWS WHEN A PERSON
USES THAT IT SHOWS HOW
IGNORANT THEY ARE AND HOW
THEY... I MEAN I'VE HAD TO
HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS WHERE
SOMEBODY HAS SAID TO ME I'M
KIND OF RETARDED WHEN IT COMES
TO THAT.
I EXPLAIN TO THEM.
THAT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT
WE, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST NOT A
GREAT WORD TO USE.

>> Rooney: ALL RIGHT.
GOOD LUCK WITH THIS.
47 STATES HAVE ALREADY TAKEN
RETARDATION OUT OF THE MENTAL
HEALTH LEXICON.
GOOD LUCK.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> Rooney: WENDY KAMINER,
LAUREN BECK HL, THANK YOU SO
MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Rooney: WHEN WE CONTINUE.
FAMILY PETS HIT HARD BY THE
RECESSION.