The Family Tard Cart

If I could afford it, this would be our family car.

Instead of shirking away from the word retarded, we embrace it. Steal it’s power back.

If this was our car, we’d paint “Family Tard Cart” on the side in gothic letters and cruise around town with pride.

Why? Because that’s who we are. We’re all special. And we rock. We have acronyms and long words after our names like ASD, TS, OCD, ADD, and Depression, and Migraine, and Fibromyalgia, and we’re crazy homeschoolers, too. Oh, Lord!

I think it’s high time the special needs population reclaimed the words used against them.

It wasn’t that long ago that “queer” was an insult. Now there’s a Queer Nation.

Not so many decades ago, my son would have been locked away, considered possessed in some cultures. My daughter would have been thought too nervous and fragile. I would have been kept on the upper floor, never seen, and seldom referred to. Now, thanks to modern medicine, and education, we roam free. Scary, huh?

There’s no reason our short bus has to be ugly. There’s no reason for us to hide in shame. There’s no reason for us to let words like “retard” belong to our enemies.

Comments

[ddmann@triad.rr.com]

Way to go! My family has retarded people in it too, and I'm all for taking back our word! -donna mann

[califmom]

Amen.

[emma]

Rock on! And that bus is absolutely adorable. You must acquire it, you must, you must! But not the big bust. They really are a pain in the ass.

[Lara]

This is kind of a side note, but I was reading a book last night that had the word "retard" in it, but in its original usage. As in, "Don't let anything retard your progress." And it took me a second to get over my, "Huh?" reaction and realize, "Oh yeah, that's what that word means."

Anyway, reclaim whatever words you want. I already know you use words well as a general rule, so I'm all for it. :)

[Joy]

I'm lovin' that bus!!!