Disability History Mar 27th

Throughout history people with disabilities have been discriminated against and looked down upon in most cases.  Often times when people think of discrimination its of violence or name calling directly to the victim.  However this is not always the case and I want to point out how much discrimination and ignorance was portrayed throughout legislation for people with disabilities as well as educational plans.  The jargon that was once used when dealing with disabled people is seen today as insulting.  For example, mentally handicapped people were commonly referred to as idiots or morons as mentioned in class.  If you follow the legislation to what is currently in use, you see the language gradually changed to be more politically correct.  This fact has changed even within our lifetimes.  For example, it was once acceptable to call a mentally handicapped person retarded.  Now, the current term is intellectually disabled which is very clinical but not at all insulting to people who are disabled physically and mentally.  I think this fact shows how far we continue to come as a society as far as the continuing effort to help reduce discrimination on any "deviant" member of society.