The People Who ‘ARE’
from A Blog By Dave Hingsburger

It’s in the press again. I search to find out the context of the word. I see debates all over the web, people bemoaning the ‘politically correct’ and the ‘word police’ and making ridiculous claims about having to ban the concept of a ‘fire retardant’. Last I looked there’s never been a protest about products that protect from fire. Last I looked there’s only ever been protests about the use of a word that demeans a group of people.

No matter what the fearless defenders of freedom of speech say, there is a huge difference between a word to describe something that slows fire and someone who learns differently. There’s a huge difference between a thing and a person – but, no, maybe not. After reading their diatribes regarding their freedom to spit out hurtful words, they may, really, not see people with disabilities as fully human with a human heart capable human hurt.

Read the rest of the story:
http://davehingsburger.blogspot.com/2010/08/people-who-are.html?spref=fb