WILLIAM MOHAN
Special to The Leader
This past Wednesday night saw four non-stop hours of numerous acappella groups, poetry read by President Horvath, and various performances by Fredonia students on the stage at Tim Hortons. Each performer had one common goal in mind: to stop the use of the “r”-word for people who have intellectual developmental disabilities.
Organized through the hard work and effort of Tara O’Brien, senior chapter representative of Music Therapy Club, the event took place on the evening before the fifth anniversary of the signing of Rosa’s Law in the pursuit of social justice and labelling for special needs persons. It was also O’Brien’s collaboration with Voices for Autism, Fredonia for St. Jude and numerous other campus groups that made the event possible.
Rosa’s Law is named for a nine-year-old Maryland girl, Rosa Marcellino, whose family pushed for and ultimately succeeded in changing the wording for referring to persons with intellectual developmental disabilities in medical, educational and governmental rulebooks.
While the “r”-word (as is it is now described) was once used to define medical and intellectual problems in the educational industries and labelled as such in federal guidelines, society was not so generous. More often than not, the term was used to demean and mock people — along with being called “dumb,” “weird” and otherwise “different.” This, among other things, was part of the problems with language that many of the disabled and their advocates described throughout the night.
While the word’s status may have changed in governing and institutional bodies, the same can’t be said for the general public. In the aftermath of Rosa’s Law being signed in 2009, a movement to end the use of the “r”-word has been in place, “which has originated on the college level,” exclaimed O’Brien. Its mission is to promote how harmful the saying is.
“Society needs to change in order for people with special needs to be accepted,” said co-organizer Riley Conklin.
“We want it to change quickly,” event publicist Erik Rasmussen said.
The evening consisted of songs sung mostly by students with musical instruments on hand. However, a capella groups Some Like It Hot, Much More Chill and Dynamic Intonation also made appearances between the volunteer performances.
Throughout the evening, organizers, alumni, students and volunteers also pledged never to use the “r”-word again on a banner that graced the very front of the stage. By the end of the evening it was clear many were in favor of its removal from public discourse, as there were many signatures drawn across the banner.
“It is great to think that there is a large group of people out here to support the cause,” said John Vaughan, who performed a rendition of “These Days.”
The volunteers ranged from single performers to duets; every genre from classic ‘80s rock to contemporary and everything in between was represented. One group that was prominent was Tom and Greg. Their repertoire consisted entirely of songs from both “Family Guy” and “SpongeBob Squarepants.” Jaws dropped and applause ensued when Tom and Greg played “When I Ripped My Pants” from the latter.
While songs by Much More Chill and Dynamic Intonation were appreciated, Some Like It Hot’s version of “Something in the Way She Moves” was truly heartfelt. It especially was fitting since many emotional experiences were felt by the crowd and everyone else.
Most of the performers also appeared as if a huge weight was lifted upon leaving the stage.
“It is very good to address the ‘r’-word as unacceptable, and equal rights means all people are treated the same, and it becomes an equal world,” said Vaughan. When asked about his performance so close to the anniversary, Vaughan said “it brought more awareness to the cause.”
President Horvath then recited three poems for the event.
“There is more, but we all get the point,” said Horvath following her reading and discussion. And this was reverberated later on in the evening.
Relating from personal experience with his sister (herself intellectually disabled), Rasmussen said, “These people are no different from everyone else and want to be appreciated, as well.”
“If it’s one thing they are not, it is the ‘r’-word; instead they are energetic, caring and unique individuals who want to make a difference in the world,” he said.
O’Brien, her arranging partners and all the organizations involved stressed that they had only one dream: that special needs persons, and especially children, always be brought together in the schools and elsewhere in public “as a student body.”
Those with special needs rarely, if at all, are seen in school. They’re usually brought to a lonely side room, as if the school is ashamed to admit they exist.
“And like the law changed, the use of the word should also change now that social media has the power to do so much quicker,” said Conklin. With that in mind, both Rasmussen and O’Brien admitted that they believe that dream has finally arrived for all future generations.
In addition, she said that “the banner will be in Reed Library until the next Friday for those who did not sign tonight.”
While all the members must be credited for bringing the cause forward, one special honorable mention is owed to O’Brien.
“Tara came into the first e-board meeting and said, ‘I want to do something,’” said Rasmussen.
The result was a night of emotions, entertainment and justice in ethically naming the intellectually disabled correctly. Her work, in the end, resulted in a fire that hopefully will ignite a wider understanding, appreciation and acceptance of the intellectually disabled. And, of course, it further spreads the word to end the “r”-word.