New York State Senate Passes Resolution calling for an end to the use of the "R" word

The New York State Senate today passed a legislative resolution, introduced by Senator Thomas P. Morahan, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Mental Health and Disabilities, calling on Governor David Paterson to proclaim March 2010 as Spread the Word to End the Word Awareness Month in the State of New York.

The Spread the Word to End the Word movement is an ongoing effort by Special Olympics and their supporters to raise the consciousness of society about the dehumanizing and hurtful effects of the word "retard(ed)" and encourage people to pledge to stop using the R-word.

“I am very pleased that my colleagues in the New York State Senate, through passage of this resolution,  have called on the Governor to definitively acknowledge those individuals with disabilities who have risen above  those  conditions  which  might otherwise hinder a purposeful life of achievement and fulfillment,  demonstrating  that  the  barriers to success for the disabled come more commonly from prevailing attitudes and opportunities, than  the  physical limitations of a disability,” said Senator Morahan.  “More importantly, passage of this resolution serves to raise the consciousness of society about the dehumanizing and hurtful effects of the word "retard(ed) and encourage people to pledge to stop using the "R" word.”

The passage of this resolution coincided with the celebration of the 40th anniversary of Special Olympics New York, which is scheduled to take place at the State Capitol on March 17, 2010.