Retard: And it's not acceptable to call me a retard, or call yourself or your friends retarded when they do something foolish.
The Retard's Friend: The R-word is the same as every minority slur - treat it that way and don't use it.
Not all slurs are created equal. What's missing from this litany of unacceptability is a particular class of popular, contemporary slurs. Redneck, hillbilly, anglo, cracker, pinky, goober, teabagger, wingnut, rethuglican, racist, anti-semite, nazi - the type of slurs that holier-than-thou minority supremacists regularly aim at Whites.
The intent of such slurs is to promote the exclusion and rejection of an exceptional type of "retard", people whose supposed intellectual and developmental disabilities (stupid, lazy, greedy, crazy, evil) qualify them for attack rather than defense. Politically active and racially aware Whites are pathologized and demonized most enthusiastically, but even unconscious, in-born "White privilege" is regarded as excuse enough to vilify Whites.
The description attached to the video:
"Not Acceptable" is a powerful and compelling 30 second television PSA which gives voice to a variety of diverse communities each of whom expresses that it is not acceptable to call them by what were once common words, but are now recognized as offensive slurs. It culminates in actress and self-advocate Lauren Potter from "Glee" stating that it is not acceptable to use the word 'retard' and she and "Glee" co-star Jane Lynch make a call to action to stop using the word and to promote the acceptance and inclusion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and to make their pledge online at http://r-word.org
The PSA was launched by the Spread the Word to End the Word campaign, an on-going initiative from Special Olympics and Best Buddies to eradicate the derogatory use of the word "retard(ed)" from everyday use and promote the inclusion and acceptance of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
"Not Acceptable" was executive produced by Jim Serpico and Tom Sellitti of New York based Apostle, and shot, produced and edited by Spot On Productions from City Island, NY.
The PSA is supported by several national advocacy organization including the Anti-Defamation League, Special Olympics, Best Buddies, GLAAD, The Hispanic Federation, National Puerto Rican Coalition, The Asian-American Foundation, AbilityPath.org and the NAACP.
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