The Word Retard

Words can have a huge emotional impact on people, and often affect their self-image and self-worth. It is words like "retard" or "retarded" for one, which can surely lead to such a result. People in today's society are not aware of the true and hurtful meaning of this word when they use it. No matter when it is used or how it is used, it will always have the negative connection with those who have such mental disabilities. Futhermore with such frequent use, those suffering from these disabilities, will feel different from others; as if they are labelled. In no way should the word "retarded" be acceptable in a society of today; for all will just become worse.

All around the world, people are using this deragotory term without truly realizing the hidden recievers and meaning of the word. They don’t realize that out there, there are people who have mental disabilties or others close to them who recieve the message in a different fashion. In the past, the term signified slow, mentally ill and someone with mental "problems". This means that whenever someone does use the term, it will hurt another. Even if some say today it has a different defintion, it is clear that the connection remains. It will just make others feel worse about themselves in the end. There will always be the direct link of the word to those will the disabilities, no matter how or in what timeperiod it is used.

Even if people do realize what the word means and how it impacts others, it will still remain hurtful. Some people think it is "ok" to use such words when the "targetted people" are not around. However, in reality it always displays a negative feel to others. The word “retarded” is always going to be used negatively, either to make fun of people who have a mental illness or to abuse other people. Nobody wants to be called retarded, so why should the would still be used? Even nowadays, many people subject even objects to the term. This in fact shows, that there will not be an end to