As the parent of an autistic daughter, I've grown increasingly intolerant of otherwise inteligent people using the term "retarded" to mean thoughtless, inarticulate or lazy. To such a degree now that I've decided to stop listening to your weekly show. Thank you for many pleasant 5 min interludes. Our lives are probably a bit more difficult and challenging than you might imagine, and in addition to the burdens placed on us by cruel genetic twist, we get the extra helping of pain from folks such as yourself, by being the target of a cruel expression, a shorthand quip to provide a laugh at someone elses expense. I've always appreciated the nice break video clips like yours, that actually fit into my needfully busy schedule provide. A cute story to make you feel even worse. My Jordan didnt begin speaking until after she was about 5 and a half, I play an MMO, which nicely fits into my schedule, and my guildies let me pike when I'm needed elsewhere. Tho Jordan had speech at this age (6) she could not speak on the phone. She had never spoken with her grandparents on the phone, too scared. But she did see me talking with my nice guildies, and she summoned up the courage to speak to them via teamspeak, soon another barrier in her life journey was broken down, thanks to the kindness, patience and understanding of gamers. We were at the barn one day where kids like her learn to ride horses, which is theraputic on many levels, I'm a chatty sort and struck up a conversation with the person next to me on the fence rail. Which one is yours, I asked, pointing at the field of riders. Oh she's still gearing up, its my boss Theresa, she had a stroke last year, and this program is really helping her to regain walking skills and learning to speak again. Again I was reminded that mental retardation is a group that you, I and everyone reading this may one day join. None of us are immune from mental retardation, so the notion of treating others as you'd like to be treated is especially poiniant.
Fondly,
Drew