I’m glad my favorite comic finally drew some attention to an issue that hits close to home for us.

We certainly have our pet peeves and there are plenty of things that bother Greg that don’t bother me and vice versa. One of the best things about how we match up is that we are both fairly laid back and not easily offended. We’re not the kind of couple that thrives off of debating hot button issues with each other. However, we both agree on one thing that gets us both equally rattled up.

I don’t usually get on a soapbox very often, but I cringe at jokes regarding how people are. I lived most of my life caring for my physically handicapped mother until it took her life. Greg’s sister, who has Down’s Syndrome, is fortunate enough to belong to one of the most loving families I have ever met. It appalls me how widely the use of the word “retard” and its variants have made its way into modern colloquium and how this is promoted by related jokes in the media.

I am saddened that there is not a bigger advocacy group that can help the mentally handicapped. And while it happens much less frequently, I have on occasion heard a terminal disease joke or something of that nature which affected me more than I let on. The fact of the matter is, until you become associated with someone who has special needs, it’s hard to develop a sensitivity to certain things.

Because of its popularity and its flow in the mainstream, Greg and I try not to fault people for using words that are sometimes hurtful to us. In most cases, we realize that references are in jest and hopefully not meant to specifically target the handicapped community. However, we can’t say it doesn’t still make us cringe on the inside.