We in the special education world have long condemned the use of the ‘R’ word. Just google “don’t spread the ‘r’ word” and you get tons of results.
The reasons for this are many. (1) It is harmful to people with Intellectual Disabilities (which is no fault of their own); (2) It is grossly inaccurate; (3) It is pejorative with the intent to demean or reject people with disabilities; and many other reasons too numerous to exhaustively list here.
Yet, Elon Musk, the richest person in the world and unelected co-President of the United States, has chosen to use this widely reviled term in recent tweets. In one, he used it to lash out at an astronaut (one of the most highly respected jobs in the world) for fact-checking Musk.
Then, in another tweet war, he used it to attack someone who correctly pointed out that Musk is spreading disinformation to appease his co-President.
So why does this matter to SKL? Aside from using a term that has been universally chastised, Musk is denigrating people for the sole purpose of self-esteem and ego. As an attorney who has represented many people with varying intellectual disabilities and learning disorders, this is highly offensive. Musk is acting like a 9 year old child having a public temper tantrum.
We must ask ourselves – is this a person you want to run our country and make decisions that are impacting the lives and families of thousands of people? Do we believe that this person should have the power to eliminate the US Department of Education which would decimate services to children with disabilities? SKL does not. [And I make this post in both my professional and personal capacities.] Musk’s behavior exhibits not only a lack of intelligence, maturity, and wisdom, but also a lack of sensitivity that is a critical component of our government leaders. Noted, that his co-President lacks those same qualities.
So what to do about this? It has long been a useful strategy to take down powerful people by hitting them where it hurts most – their wallet/pocketbook. How do we do this as ordinary citizens? (1) Stop buying Musk’s company’s products – tesla cars; internet service that uses starlink satellites; and purchasing advertising on twitter/X. (2) Calling upon other entrepreneurs to compete in areas to defeat Musk – electric cars; spacecraft; tunneling equipment; internet services, including social media (BlueSky is slowly achieving this, so join and invest in that platform); and any other commercial efforts of Musk. (3) Publicly condemn what Musk does and says, whether that is on twitter/X or in protests or publish letters to media or other ways of public defiance.
I hope that we can defeat this type of miscreant behavior and never have to see the ‘R’ word again, especially by leaders of the free world. They may claim it is “free speech”, but it is not; it is hate speech and that should be eradicated from this planet.