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Chicago Sun-Times Letter to the Editor from Special Children’s Charities Executive Director Susan Nicholl

Roeper isn't funny -- just hurtful
Chicago Sun-Times
February 19, 2010

It was with great disappointment that I read Richard Roeper's Feb. 18 column, in which he promoted the notion that the use of the word "retard" or "retarded" is acceptable within a certain context. It was sobering, too, to realize that a person who is clearly intelligent and seemingly reasonable would not only think this to be the case, but would write a very public column to say so. It shows just how far we have to go.

Setting aside his affinity for Robert Downey Jr. and his personal animus of Sarah Palin, to consider the people who are at the very center of this issue: people with intellectual disabilities -- the largest group of people with disabilities in the world. They are not off in the next room, sheltered from hurt while the world discusses how to treat them.

What type of man dances about the edges of what is hurtful or degrading to those who are often unable to defend themselves? A funny man? A clever man? I suspect Mr. Roeper thinks that in writing this line -- "Is there anyone actually in favor of making fun of the mentally disabled, or making their lives more difficult?" -- he absolves himself from contributing to the problem. I'm writing to tell you that not only is he fooling himself, but he is helping to create a new group of people who think it is acceptable to treat special needs individuals as less than human.

Mr. Roeper writes about news, about happenings, about what people say and do. But there is nothing stopping him from using his pen as an opportunity to advocate for the less fortunate or from taking his own firm stance with the realization that, for those impacted by this language, there are no gray areas in this. It takes a decent and strong person to do that.

Susan Nicholl,
Executive Director, SCC/Special Olympics Chicago

Link to the article on the Sun Times

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