End It Now

See this guy:

He's a guy with Down Syndrome. 

Does that diminish his light?

Is he worth less?

Does he deserve an education? Medical treatment? Access to his own money?

All of those basic rights are denied people like Patrick everyday.

Some people believe he should be separated...in school, in sports, in the world.

Why???

Because they have lived in our world.  

They have heard the words.

They have had those ideas of separation and difference work their way into their view of humanity
and into their bloodstream of personhood.

Words like: retard and idiot.

I know you don't want to think it or get all PC, but words hurt.

Heck, words kill.

Words that diminish and dismiss make it easier to keep people outside. 

Words like that make it easier to separate and hate.

Words like that make it easier to disregard someone worthy of knowing.

They keep us apart.

They divide.

Using words like retard perpetuate MISunderstanding and DISability.

Can you just stop?

Stop using the words.

Stop leaving people out.

Stop feeling better about yourself by cutting someone else down.

Stop thinking it's funny.

Every single time you use that word -- or stand by while someone else uses that word -- you allow bigotry to continue.

You vote with your mouth for separateness and distance...exclusion and excuses.

Today I vote for inclusion.

Today I vote for flying my freak flag.

Today I vote for enjoying diversity,

cherishing every single hue, 

genuinely acknowledging the priceless gift of every human on the planet.

Everyone is worthy of dignity and respect.

Everyone deserves to be honored for their unique beauty and grace.

Today make a choice to change your language. 

By changing your language, you make the choice to open your mind. 

 You make the choice to open your heart.

 You make the choice to open your world to more love, more light, and more beauty.

People like Patrick will be a little less lonely and isolated.

Imagine the day when our children have never heard of such a word.  

Where we have to explain the bigotry and the separateness that no longer exist.

That makes me smile.  It's worth the work.