Meanings of words

In recent years there has been a campaign to remove the "r word" from common American vernacular.  Most of the time the actual word (retarded if you are wondering) is not even used in the discussions.  I am completely against using it in a derogatory way, particularly when describing people (or situations) that are not "intellectually disabled" or "developmentally delayed" or "cognitively impaired" or whatever other phrase is now used to describe people who have below average intelligence.  Before retarded was the word to describe below average intelligence, the words "imbecile" and "idiot" were the official words.  So perhaps in a generation the "r word" will not be so closely thought of as people with low intelligence as that has not been how they are officially referred to as, but will it just be replaced by another word(s).  What the true problem is the disrespect and negative attitude some people have towards people with lower intelligence.

While it is not exactly the same, frequently my thoughts then turn to the "diabetic vs person with diabetes", "epileptic vs person with epilepsy", "obese vs a person of size", or "dwarf vs little person" debates.  Personally, I have no issue with being called diabetic.  I find it similar to being called a brunette.  No one would call me "a person with brown hair".  I'm called a "mother" not "a person who has children".  Yet I do know people who are very offended by being called "diabetic" instead of a person with diabetes.  Their argument is that they are not defined by their disease and take it very personally when they are called a diabetic.  My argument is that it is an adjective that describes me.  I don't want to have diabetes, but it is something that describes me.  And really even defines and shapes me.  While I don't let it rule what I do, it does effect what I do and how I do it and how I view the world.  Even though this is how I feel about the words, for the most part I use the politically correct terms (for many, many things I could care less about being PC).  Most of the time, I think there are a whole lot more important issues to talk about than these semantics.  It goes with one of my parenting and life philosophies "Is this worth making it an issue?"  And for this particular issue, my answer is "no".  I do enjoy getting into a healthy debate about it with people I can talk with rationally. 

So while I find the term "mental retardation" (used in the correct context) not offensive, I have been making an effort to not use the "r word".