The Arc to Limbaugh: Meet with us
February 8th, 2010In a letter signed by CEO Peter V. Berns, the Arc of the United States has invited talk show host Rush Limbaugh to meet personally with a group of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their parents and siblings to discuss his repeated use of the word “retard” on a recent radio broadcast.
An excerpt:
Self-advocates, parents, disability rights activists and others are rightly concerned that your comments simply serve to further degrade and denigrate the 7 million individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities who struggle on a daily basis to be included in society.
… I cannot understate the effect of a word many consider an epithet –- it is deeply offensive to people that are living with intellectual disabilities, and the tens of millions of their parents, siblings, family members and friends. It is a harsh reminder of the institutionalization, sterilization, abuse, discrimination, violence and exclusion they have faced, and continue to face, as they merely seek to live typical lives.
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February 10th, 2010 at 4:46 am
What I most despise about Rush Limbaugh’s remarks is that he coined a phrase that will proudly join those from the movie “Tropic Thunder” – likewise defended as ‘satire’ by some individuals I previously assumed were disability advocates. There are thousands of web references to the phrase already; it was parroted by hundreds a few hours after the remarks were made.
The r-word is hate language. I believe it is easier for impulsive individuals as well as chronic criminals to participate in violence toward people with intellectual disabilities when hate language is celebrated or excused.
Rush Limbaugh’s remarks offend me more than the language in “Tropic Thunder.” That’s a remarkable accomplishment, not in a good way.