A controversial stamp by today's standards, for sure. Over the last many years, the use of the word retarded has in fact, faded from the landscape. In today's words, it has been cancelled. However, am I a bad person to admit that I like the VERB retard. I am certainly not a retard (NOUN) for trying to create and write a stamp blog. While my next door neighbor might be different, she is certainly not a retarded (ADJECTIVE) child. However I might add that my limited research skills retard (VERB) my progress with this blog. Having worked for the Department of Retardation back in the day, I lived through a period when the word was quite acceptable. It is surely not today and should not be used in the context of defining a child or adult.
The stamp was issued on 10/12/1974 at a time to coincide with the convention in Dallas of the National Association of Retarded Children. It was part of an ongoing series to use the postal service as an awareness tool for societal challenges. (drug use etc). The precursor to the NARC was originated in 1850 and was called the National Association of Parents and Friends of Mentally Retarded Children with a constituency of 200,000. (old NYT)
We have come a long way (baby)......and miles to go before we rest.
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