"They call me retard.... they call me mental.... they call me special.... THAT's NOT MY NAME"
Paul Richard of Heavy Load is a contributor to the punk anthology I edited and published, Punk Rock Saved My Ass. This song off his band's new album, Wham, shows perfectly how they feel about being called "special," or anything else that labels them. You've got to see this, and pass it on
Julia Query, a friend of mine, gave a presentation at a TED event in San Francisco about her experience as a mother of a child with a disability. Beautiful and moving, she really shows how it can sometimes feel when you're a parent of a "special" kid, especially in the beginning when everything is so raw and new.
The way she is able to get us to immediately feel what she feels is through the use of the word "retarded." The first time she used it, I admit, I squirmed. Why did she choose that word when it is so loaded with negativity? Don't turn her presentation off simply because she uses the word, though. Try to hear what she's trying to say, and you'll be impressed by the honesty found there. This is truly one of the best talks on parenting a child with disabilities I've ever heard.
