I'm sure you've all met someone who hates it when you say the "R-Word". Maybe [i]you[/i] are one of those people. And I have nothing against you if you are. But there's one fatal flaw with the whole "End the R-Word" campaign. re·tard verb riˈtärd/ 1. Delay or hold back in terms of progress, development, or accomplishment. "His progress was retarded by his limp" The word "retard" means exactly what you see above. When it was used to describe people with Down Syndrome and other genetic disorders of the like, it wasn't meant to be negative. It was simply a way to describe and/or label the individuals. By using a different word or term, whether it be one that already exists or creating a new word or term, [i]that[/i] newly selected phrase will shortly carry the same negativity that the word "retard" carries today. The cycle continues indefinitely and eventually it's "End the B word", "End the P word", etc. You now have 20 words and phrases used to describe people with Down Syndrome. A rose is a rose is a rose. Changing [i]what[/i] you call something doesn't change what it [i]is[/i]. No matter what word or phrase you use, others will always use it in a negative way. It's inevitable. The only possible solution is to change the way absolutely everyone views people with Down Syndrome. And that's hardly a realistic goal.