Recently, I was disturbed to learn how popular it had become to use words like touretted in reference to flagrant swearing and retard in reference to a person’s ignorance. Students on our campus often use those phrases without thinking about what they’re actually saying, and the effect those words can have on other people can be devastating.
If you learn nothing else during your time at the Institute, learn to respect and appreciate the feelings of others. Those types of malicious phrases are extremely hurtful to people with disabilities and should never be tolerated.
Contrary to widespread myths about the disorder, the majority of individuals with Tourette Syndrome do not have a problem with excessive swearing and would not appreciate being associated with that practice. The primary problem Tourette Syndrome does pose is constant involuntary muscle tics. (I’m sure you would not want to experience those.) Mental retardation should not be thought of as a synonym for stupidity. Mentally retarded individuals were born with their difficulties and face difficult challenges everywhere in trying to cope in a world that often does not tolerate them. They should not be thought of as stupid or ignorant.
We live in a world today that has made tremendous strides in improving understanding of disabilities in recent years. Our efforts, however, have a long way to go before those with disabilities will be fully accepted in our society without prejudice or intolerance.
Try to do your part to improve relations, if only by a little bit. Make yourself aware of the issues and the facts. Help to dispel the myths and stigmas surrounding disabilities. The only successful way to fight widespread misunderstanding is to learn the truth. If everyone on campus became just a little more accepting, Rensselaer would be a much better place to live and work.
