Retard and Autism

When we, the siblings of someone with special needs, hear the word "retarded" or "retard," even in the most seemingly-casual context, it strikes us hard. When we hear it, we hear it as an echo of all the times our brothers and sisters…

I am not one who offends easily, nor do I consider myself overly-sensitive. However, there are some words that should simply be extinguished from our vernacular. "Retard" is one of them. Earlier this week, I was out shopping…