An online petition was launched yesterday at http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/RepHartyMustResign to demanding New Hampshire State Rep. Martin Harty, R-Barrington Harty’s resignation as backlash grows http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110312/GJNEWS_01/703129906/-1/fosnews over his recent remarks advocating eugenics.

State Rep. Martin Harty’s contact information:

Concord Office:
State House,
New Hampshire 03301
Phone: (603) 271-3529

Strafford Office: (more district offices)
88 Evans Mountain Road
Strafford, New Hampshire 03884-6507
Phone: (603) 269-4651
Fax: (603) 269-4651

Lawmaker advocates eugenics

By Shira Schoenberg

03/11/2011 – www.concord monitor.com

A 91-year-old state representative told a constituent that he believes in eugenics and that the world would be better off without “defective people.”

Barrington Republican Martin Harty told Sharon Omand, a Strafford resident who manages a community mental health program, that “the world is too populated” and there are “too many defective people,” according to an e-mail account of the conversation by Omand. Asked what he meant, she said Harty clarified, “You know the mentally ill, the retarded, people with physical disabilities and drug addictions – the defective people society would be better off without.”

Harty confirmed to the Monitor that he made the comments to Omand. Harty told the Monitor the world population has increased dramatically, and “it’s a very dangerous situation if it doubles again.” Asked about people who are mentally ill, he asked, apparently referring to a lack of financial resources, “Can we afford to bring them through?”

Harty said nature has a way of “getting rid of stupid people,” and “now we’re saving everyone who gets born.”

Harty’s conversation with Omand became public at a hearing on the state budget yesterday when Laurie McCray, a registered nurse and board member of the Disability Rights Center, read Omand’s account to the House Finance Committee. Afterward, McCray said she wanted people to know about the representative – whom she did not identify publicly – because he “didn’t deserve to represent people in New Hampshire.”

In an interview and in an e-mail Omand sent to her friends, Omand said she called Harty, who represents her district, to tell him her concerns about the House Finance Committee’s proposed cuts to mental health services. Omand said Harty said he disagreed with her and made the comments about eugenics.

Omand says Harty then stated, “I wish we had a Siberia so we could ship them all off to freeze to death and die and clean up the population.”

Omand said Harty appeared to be serious. After Omand responded that his idea sounded like what Adolf Hitler did in World War II, Omand said Harty responded, “Hitler did something right, and I agree with (it).”

Harty told the Monitor he was “just kidding” about Siberia. He denied making the comment about Hitler and said it was Omand who brought up Hitler.

Harty, a retired peddler and market vendor, served as a quarter master in Gen. George Patton’s Army in North Africa and Italy during World War II. Colleagues say he is hard of hearing and has appeared confused in recent House sessions.

“He’s shown signs of great confusion in committee in terms of House process and content,” said Rep. Marilinda Garcia, a Salem Republican who serves with Harty on the House Legislative Administration Committee.

Rep. Jon Richardson, an Allenstown Republican on the Legislative Administration Committee, said he does not condone Harty’s comments on any level, but he takes into account the fact that Harty is a World War II veteran in his 90s.

“In our committee . . . he is constantly confused, easily swayed, hard of hearing, and prone to offer up unrelated commentary or go off on unrelated tangents,” Richardson said.

Harty, a first-term representative, wrote a letter to Foster’s Daily Democrat last month stating, “So far I really don’t know what I’m doing. . . . A new Rep really needs a coach along with him at first but there is no room for anyone to sit with him, and no way they could holler at him in a committee meeting.

“The few votes I’ve made so far I really didn’t know what I was voting for or against,” his letter said. “Just looked at the people around me and went along with them.”

House Speaker William O’Brien said in a statement that he does not endorse Harty’s comments but respects “his longstanding commitment to protect the values we cherish.”

“As someone who served in General Patton’s Army in North Africa and Italy against dictators like Hitler and Mussolini, he has given far more to our country and our ideals than most of us ever will,” O’Brien said.

“I would certainly hope that in the future Rep. Harty will choose his comments more carefully, and I will talk with him about how he represents the House,” O’Brien continued. “While at age 92 and with the amount of time and effort he has given us all, he has earned the right to say what he thinks, he needs to appreciate that, as a Representative, he will be held to a higher standard.” Harty turns 92 this month.

Omand said she was upset by the conversation and worries others in the State House share Harty’s view of the mentally ill.

“They are productive people,” she said. “You can’t throw them away.”

LEAP is spreading the word
Lewiston Sun Journal 
… Olympics and Best Buddies International, to engage schools, organizations and communities by raising the consciousness of society about the dehumanizing and hurtful effects of the word “retard(ed)” and encouraging everyone to stop using the R-word. …

Hoover High School students campaign to erase ‘R’ word
ABC30.com – Amanda Perez 
“When people use the word, like, ‘oh hey, retard‘, or, ‘that’s retarded‘, it’s really upsetting because it’s not their fault they are the way they are,” said Hoover High School senior Abbie Maled. Hundreds of students and staff members joined members …

The word is out: Teens pledge to close the book on the “R-word”
Eastern Iowa Schools – Patrick Hogan
Prairie High School students Sarah Willharm, Andrea Smale and Delaney Hoffman sign up their fellow students to pledge to stop the use of the word “retard” during the lunch period Wednesday, March 2, 2010, in the Prairie High School cafeteria. …

Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin proclaimed March 2, 2011 as “Spread the Word to End the ‘r’ Word Day” in Oklahoma. This day brings awareness that using the words “retard” or “retarded” to mean something stupid or bad is hurtful to people who have disabilities and the people who love them.

Not only does it perpetuate prejudice and discrimination towards people with disabilities, but simply because when its used in an ugly way this word is just as cruel and offensive as any other slur or hate speech.

According to the 2005 U.S. Census Bureau, 604,245 Oklahomans, 19.0% age 5 and over, have some form of disability. Approximately 50,000 people with developmental disabilities live in Oklahoma. This group is also the most inclusive and diverse, it includes; all ages, genders, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations and socioeconomic levels.

Many schools and students in the Oklahoma City area will be participating in efforts to bring awareness on this day.

For more information on “Spread the Word to End the ‘r’ Word Day” or to find out more about this grass roots effort to raise awareness that people with intellectual disabilities and their families are offended by the use of the words “retard” or “retarded” when used to describe something negative. Visit The “R” Word Campaign Website at: http://www.therword.org

Download the 2011 Proclamation (pdf).

Special Olympics pushing ‘r-word’ ban
Norwich Bulletin
By Anonymous Special Olympics will sponsor a pledge signing today from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm at Three Rivers Community College. The Special Olympics has declared March 2 a national day for people to pledge to eliminate the words “retard” and “retarded” …

Today is Spread the Word To End The Word Day created several years ago by the Special Olympics. To find out more about this event go to their Web site at http://www.r-word.org.

Over the last few years you have made a tremendous difference by taking the small step of standing up in your communities, workplaces and schools and simply letting your friends, family, co-workers and classmates know that you find the ‘r’ word offensive and hurtful. This is what our grassroots campaign has always been about and we are encouraged to see how much difference you have made over the years.

Our challenge to you on this day is to go a step further by seeking out those sites on the Web and social media hosts such as Facebook that still think it’s okay to use the ‘r’ word and let them hear your voice.

On this day let the online community know that your voice counts!

Rejecting the ‘R’ word
Fargo North Dakota students encourage others to end use of hurtful word, stick to respect
The word “retard” has become casually used slang among young people to imply someone is stupid or mentally disabled.

“I think when you’ve got older kids trying to set an example for younger kids, it always works.”

http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/308959/group/News/

Ending the R-word In Pursuit of Social Justice
By Chris Rhodenbaugh
http://www.ndsmcobserver.com/viewpoint/ending-the-r-word-1.2008888#

“Spread the Word to End the Word.” At Notre Dame and across the world people are uniting to end the hurtful use of the word “retard.” Here is why I am joining them: In middle school it felt like I was given the keys to the word. “Swear words” were off limits at school or in front of my parents, but somehow retard toed the line as appropriate. Some pushed back, including my mom emphatically, but once the word became the cool way of calling someone or something stupid there was no stopping it. I never used the word hatefully at people with disabilities, so I cleared myself of responsibility that I could be hurting someone’s feelings.

In high school I started volunteering with Special Olympics. The judgments and preconceptions I had about people with disabilities were quickly replaced by enormous respect for the athletes and gratefulness for the energy they brought to my life. Working with the Special Olympics is my first memory of enjoying volunteer work. I left every practice or event inspired by being around so many people that seek friendships without reserve and that possess a full appreciation for all they receive.

Despite making friends with people who have intellectual disabilities and becoming increasingly involved in Special Olympics, I still used the r-word occasionally in high school. Hearing the word so often, my brain’s subconscious had disassociated it from the cruel word people use to slander or mock those with disabilities. It was a challenge to eradicate it from my vocabulary. That was until one day when I was on a bus full of Special Olympics athletes heading down to a basketball tournament. I laughed at a story told to me by another volunteer from a couple rows up and responded without thought, “That’s so retarded!”

All that heard me immediately got quiet and then a couple athletes looked at me and said with utmost seriousness, “Chris, we don’t use that word.” Most people never have that moment. After apologizing profusely, I committed to myself to never say the word again. I made the commitment because it became simple to me; why should we use words that offend an entire community of people just by hearing them? None of my friends, athletes or volunteers on that bus thought I was using it hatefully. The athletes stopped me because they were well aware of their medical classification as “mentally retarded” and that society found it acceptable to make retarded synonymous with stupid or ridiculous.

To all those concerned with censorship and the removal of a word out of regular discourse, no one is trying to police you from saying the word. Instead we ask you make a decision for yourself knowing that simply overhearing the word is offensive and often damaging to at least the 5 percent of people in the US with an intellectual disability and their friends and families. The number of people who disapprove of the word is growing, especially at Notre Dame where more than 2,500 students signed a pledge last year to end their use of the r-word. Special Olympians and people across the world who believe in the value of every member of our human family are asking you to be a fan of respect. On End the R Word Day, March 2, we hope you will enthusiastically pledge to end the hurtful use of the word retard.

Think Before You Speak: “Retard” is commonly used, but its implications should not be overlooked

By Laurie Mcdade
Elm Staff Writer

I know we all say it–it’s an easy word to slip out—but that does not make it ok. Calling a friend a “retard” is the equivalent of saying “that’s so gay.” When someone utters a “that’s so gay” people respond with disdain and anger, but calling a person a retard is not met with the same reaction. How come using one group of people as a synonym for stupid or weird is wrong but using another group of people as a synonym for brainless is accepted? There are public service announcements all over MTV speaking out against using the word gay as slang for dumb or strange, but not one that includes using the word retard for the same thing.

However, there are many organizations that speak out against the use of this word and educate people on why this slang is so boorish. The website www.r-word.org gives people a place to pledge against using this word and to help eliminate its use. I encourage all readers to visit this website and make a pledge after reading what I have to say.

The word “retard” means to slow down or hinder progress or delay. However, during the 1920s the word began to take on the meaning of someone who is mentally challenged or developmentally stunted. Back then it was used as a medical term to describe someone with a mental handicap, but now it is used as an insult. The medical community no longer uses this term when diagnosing a person who is mentally challenged or autistic. Just like using the “n-word” this word is no longer politically correct and is just down-right inappropriate.

But you have to remember that when using this word as an insult you are not only insulting the person it is intended for, but a challenged society who works hard just to have a “normal” life. Using this word as slang for dumb or stupid diminishes all the work societies like the Kent Center have done. People with challenges such as these have to work ten times harder to understand social cues and maintain everyday routines. They are also some of the nicest and most non-judgmental people out there, so why continue using this word when all it is doing is hurting the wrong person?

This is an insult that only backfires on the person uttering it; this word makes the insulter look ignorant and stupid, not funny or intelligent. Please stop using this slang. This pledge is a hard one but it is attainable. Choose to stump your friends with better insults or jokes using correct synonyms for the term stupid, not a word that harms an innocent group. Before using it, think of all of the friends the Washington College community has at the Kent Center and then decide if that is the suitable word to use. Think before you speak, we are a smarter campus than this.

By Lisa Reisman
Special to the Times

Georgia Jensen, an eighth-grade student at Madison’s Polson Middle School, still doesn’t think she’s done anything extraordinary. Nor does her best friend Laura Cole. They were just trying to right a wrong.

And that was only because of what happened in Jensen’s Spanish class two years ago. The teacher was introducing a new word. It sounded like “retarded.” Some of her classmates commented as much, then broke up in laughter. That upset Georgia Jensen, whose younger sister has Down’s Syndrome.

“It wasn’t directed at me but it still stung,” the pretty, soft-spoken 13-year-old recalled. “It was like they were laughing at my little sister just because she’s different.”

Sure, she and Cole had proceeded to learn about a video on the hurtful effects of the R-word —that is to say, “retard” or “retarded” — as part of the Spread the Word to End the Word campaign on the Special Olympics website. And yes, they’d arranged to have that video shown in each of the homeroom classrooms at their school and to talk to their peers about it. But it didn’t seem to have much of an impact, the two agreed. After all, they still heard the word casually bandied about on the bus, in the halls, at recess.

Rest of the story…
http://www.shorelinetimes.com/articles/2011/01/07/news/doc4d25de10c3846304048773.txt