They laugh and play

and run around and say "That's retarded,"

overheard by the mother at the grocery store who wanted nothing more

than the best for her son who was born with his disability.

 

Ableism,

The discrimination or social prejudice against people with disabilities. 

It finds it way

from back in the day

when the "ugly laws" kept disabled children from play

and we've come too far for you to turn around and say

"That's retarded," . 

 

Its revolting to me

how we can treat humans this way

and I can only hope for people one day

will appreciate diversity , and give people chances

that they won't fear what is different,

as humans can't ask to be born a certain way.

 

There is no cure or fixing that needs to be done,

just some steps

one by one.

Something everyday for us

like boarding the bus

could be a small victory for someone else, 

and refusing to understand someone's small delay

will only take their trophy away,

because you think it's appropriate to say

"That's retarded,". 

 

You alienate and demean people to 

something less than human

but they have blood in their veins, and experiences you can't fathom.

You'll never know what it is like to be judged 

to be beaten, banned, and barred

deminished to nothing

and compared to something

far lower than a human's true worth

when you say

"That's retarded,".

 

I hope for you to never have to feel that way,

to have people stare,

side-eye,

and glare,

when you go out to the grocery store with your child right there

beside you , and having to hear some asshole say

"That's retarded,".

 

To have all your child's courage, 

all their imagination,

their creativity,

personality,

and whole life put to shame

because their bodies and minds were formed in a different way

when someone decides to say

"That's retarded,".