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July 23, 2015The R-word is used a lot in this day and age, often to belittle others. It’s a hurtful word to many, and some people use the word to describe someone who does something stupid or wrong, while forgetting its true meaning.
In an interview with Steve Wulf of ESPN, Cleveland Browns cornerback Joe Haden opened up about the use of the word, condemning its use and standing up for those who are mentally handicapped.
The first NFL player to be named a Special Olympics Global Ambassador, the R-word and the Special Olympics hit close to home for Haden, whose younger brother, Jacob, has a cognitive disorder that limits his language and speech. The Haden brothers’ relationship was the focus of an ESPN segment that first aired in January.
“Open up your vocabulary, people,” said Haden. “The R-word is hurtful, hateful and ignorant. Like the N-word, it should not be part of our language.”
This past year, Haden also worked Radio Row at the Super Bowl to raise awareness for the movement called Spread The Word To End The Word, which now has more than 500,000 online pledges to end the use of the slur.
The Pro Bowler’s involvement with the Special Olympics began because of his relationship with his brother.
“He’s just a really cool kid, a blessing to me and my family,” said Haden.
Joe considers Jacob his biggest fan at Browns games. Whether on the football field, helping his little brother, or being involved with the Special Olympics, Haden is a proud, protective older brother.
“I play for him,” Haden said, “And I would do anything for him.”
20 Comments
You’re making me say it. Why don’t you say it and take responsibility?
Don’t be an F, just say N, you C
I’ll translate: Don’t be a Fuddy duddy. Just say No thank you, you Cleveland Indians lover you (and thank you Mr. Gibson for the fine post you gave us today).
Right?
On a serious note, I’m glad Joe is championing this cause. There have been items where he shows a good heart, and it’s nice to learn a little about his back story and his relationship with his brother. One of the most direct ways we learn empathy is when adversity hits home.
Why do people only take stands when they are personally effected?
I’m “all in” on not using the N-word. It is a racial slur that was never meant to be anything but vile. But the “R-word” isn’t that. It doesn’t have that history. It is a real word with real word uses outside of the realm of disabilities. And it’s still the word used in all the statutes.
Nominated for worst comment of 2015.
In that case, I’ll nominate yours, as well.
I’m not advocating that people go out and be cruel to others, but the “r-word” is not the n-word. It’s a real word with other uses. The n-word has a single use.
Because clearly Joe is talking about all of the “uses” of the word here.
Obviously not. But a general call to “end the word” would seem to include non-disability related uses.
I’m going on a limb here on thinking he is referring to the use as a description of other human beings and not that of it’s in general definition.
Yeah, I’m guessing he’s looking to stop people hostilely calling others the R word who are not actually retarded. That is something I think we were all taught in second grade too btw.
How dare you. Speaking without absolute intellectual purity. Get in line. This is 2015, and we are all to think exactly alike. The word is “lockstep.” Now get in it. If you don’t, you shall be ridiculed, persecuted, castigated, and a whole bunch of other nasty, non-substantive things. It doesn’t matter that you actually make a rational, decent point. It. Is. Not. Approved.
Dude, no one’s saying you CANNOT say anything. All people are trying to do is let people know that a subset of the population find the word offensive. Obviously, you aren’t offended by it, so great: use it all you want. All these people are saying is that they will find your use of it offensive; especially so now that they let you know, in advance, that they find it offensive. Make your choice, and they will make theirs.
Yeah … you missed my point. No prob.
I don’t think I did. CBEverett and chrisdotcomm already clarified the point that Haden is specifically referring to the pejorative use of the word before you posted. It seems to me that you are trying to call out “political correctness run amok” which I agree is generally overdone. The part of your post that I find disagreeable is the implied “only PC robots would frown on using words that disparage the most helpless members of our society”.
PS I generally agree with your posts and know from your history of comments that you aren’t a terrible human (aside from residing in Pen#$^%×+ia) so i think this is probably just a differing opinion on phrasing.
Still missing it. It’s not about the word, it’s about a silly response to someone’s different opinion. That’s all. Commentary about commentary. The topic itself = irrelevant.
Horrible human out.
Ah, so you are dismissing people’s offense to words they find offensive. I did misunderstand after all. Agree to disagree, I guess.
Still missing it. I’m dismissing people’s offense to someone else’s way of thinking (about an offensive word, about the color of orange, whatever).
No, I get it. I just think that words have meaning, and that you should be able to convey your meaning without unduly “harming” someone else by using a specific word. I put harming in quotation marks because that is where we seem to disagree. I think if you want to call someone a word that means “lower than average intelligence” you can do so without using a word that a group of people have made known they find offensive.
I think, as considerate people, we can use our vocabulary to get our point across without offending people. That’s why the thesaurus exists.
I think you may have read a little too far into that statement, Ben. I don’t think Joe Haden gets offended when he hears that a fireman’s jacket retards flames. I would think he meant when the word is either used as an insult or used to describe someone with special needs. Now take my two cents and like it.