Spread the Word to End to Word

So this past week we had the Spread the word to end the word, end the r-word campaign. (by the way the r-word is Retard) Josh and I had a situation come up, which caused me to unfriend someone on Facebook. But I just wanted to address that I understand some people feel that we are just being sensitive or we are trying to be the word police. I have also heard that we are just being too P. C. . But I have been thinking about it a lot this week. I had someone post on the actual day of spread the word to end the word and comment about not worrying about zombies taking over the world, the f*@%tards would beat them too it. (or something like that) Now this person has been involved in our daughters life since the day she was born. I was just shocked and a little surprised to see this post.
And I don't think I should be. I mean honestly, I used to use retard all the time. I was a mean young lady when it came to how I treated those with disabilities. Now in my defense it was 100% ignorance. I wasn't mean on purpose, please don't think that, but I was ignorant to why the young ladies at my church with down syndrome acted the way they did. I was ignorant to who I was really hurting when I called someone who was acting in an unintelligent manner a retard. I have the greatest 20/20 vision looking back on my past, but I want to help others understand why to people that have intellectual disabilities retard is such a hurtful phrase. 
So, up to 3 or so years ago mentally retarded was an acceptable medical term to describe Jenessa and those like her. Now I want to ask you... Do you think Jenessa is mentally slow?? I had to ask myself that question when considering to write this out. And to be honest my answer is NO!! That child can figure out how to manipulate a situation faster than most children her age. Is it fair to lump a whole group of people into a faceless label? I would say no. Now Jenessa has been called mentally retarded, not by a doctor, but by a educated adult who was raised in a time that this was the term used all the time (to be honest I was not offended by the woman's comment just taken aback) Anyway, I then look at my daughter and think, ok, so she is going to hear this term used in this manner, but the majority of the time she is going to hear retard or retarded to describe your dumb drunk friend who decided to run into a wall because they didn't have the common sense to not. So, she is then going to wonder why or she will figure out really fast that she is being insulted because that was the term that the nice lady at the doctors office or the school used to describe her condition. 
Ok, your saying, but I am not using it to hurt her! I would never do that! Good, I am glad that you would never want to hurt my daughter, but using that term is hurtful to her and all of her friends like her because when you use it, other people hear and then they use it and one of them might see her and use it to her face to describe her! So, if you choose to use it that is up to you! I am not the word cops and I don't want to take away your freedom of speech. However, as Tim Shrivers stated, "You are allowed to be humiliating, degrading and hurtful." We as parents and people who love our friends and family member with intellectual disabilities are here to be teachers to help you understand that what you are saying is hurtful! 
So, with that being said... please keep in mind that as a parent of a child with down syndrome, my ears are super sensitive to the r-word and I will probably make a comment or ask you to not use that word out of respect for my daughter. If you want to believe that Josh or myself are being overly sensitive that is your right, but please do not get upset if we don't include you as often in our daughters lives! And if you would the next time you are about to use the r-word in a degrading manner please keep in mind this beautiful face and think, would this hurt her! Thanks!