February 24-25 I attended the Autism Society of America’s Day on the Hill in Washington DC, with 55 Chapter Leaders from around the country, representing 18 states. Wednesday, we met as a group to get an overview of legislation that ASA is working on, and Thursday we visited our Senators and Representatives offices to meet with staff who are responsible for health and education issues.
Words matter. The names we call others and the way we think about them can be degrading or they can be respectful. The choice is up to us.
The use of the R-word is hurtful to many. The recent publicity over Rahm Emanual’s unthinking use of this word can be turned into a teaching moment for the communities we live in. Special Olympics and Best Buddies used it as a springboard for a campaign to End the R-Word. View the CNN story and then visit the website where you can learn more and decide if you are ready to pledge to end the use of the R-word.
“Our language frames how we think about others. Help eliminate the use of the R-word in everyday speech.”
Lisa Pugh is the 2009 Kennedy Foundation Public Policy Fellow. She will work on disability public policy for the House Committee on Education and Labor during the 111th Congress and is being sponsored by The Arc Wisconsin. She will live for one year with her family in Washington and return to her home in Madison, Wisconsin to share what she’s learned in January 2010. She is keeping a blog documenting her experiences.