Spread the word to end the word on March 2
Be a part of the solution, not the problem
We’ve probably all said it — whether in conversation with our friends or just to ourselves. We’ve probably even used it in a negative connotation without realizing its true definition. What word am I talking about? The R-word.
To you, it might be “just a word,” but to anyone who has a disability — and to their friends, family, and loved ones — it’s offensive and hurtful.
John Franklin Stephens, Special Olympics athlete and global messenger, said of the R-word: “I can only tell you what it means to me and people like me when we hear it. It means that the rest of you are excluding us from your group. We are something that is not like you and something that none of you would ever want to be. We are something outside the ‘in’ group. We are someone that is not your kind.”
If you attend NC State University, being able to spread awareness just got easier. Our university is taking part in the Spread the Word to End the Word campaign on March 2nd in Talley Student Union, where students can sign a banner pledging to end the spread of the R-word. This event is sponsored by the Special Olympics club, and limited free t-shirts and buttons will also be available.
So what does it mean to spread the word? This campaign pledges to stop the saying of the R-word and to create a more accepting community and attitude for everyone. It’s a pledge to actually do something about this issue, and help reshape the way you use this word, along with other derogatory terms. Even if you don’t make it to the event on campus, you can still join the 500,000 others who have pledged to end the word.
To drive my point home: I made it a whole article without mentioning the one word that was the topic of discussion. Why should it be any different in our daily conversations? Although as kids we’re taught that “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me,” the harsh reality is that words do hurt — and I encourage everyone to think the same.