"My son with Down syndrome and leukemia transforms hearts."CilouThe joy of Down syndrome leads us to be authentic in front of them".The host"So God has told you not to eat of any tree in the garden?" -said the serpent to Eve. But if God forbade them only one, why did he say "none"?
Today, the serpent continues to twist language to achieve its perverse purposes, as with the word "subnormal".
Anyone with gray hair remembers that the term was commonly used to refer to people with intellectual disabilities. There was even an official "Day of the Subnormal" launched by the family associations themselves to raise awareness of their needs and demand their inclusion.
Even today it is common to hear older people refer to dear friends or relatives with this word that has nothing pejorative for them. We used to use "subnormal" as we now use the more politically correct "person with intellectual disability". And I say "for now" because I do not think I am wrong if I say that in a few years this denomination will start to sound bad to us and we will have to look for a different one. The same thing happened with the words invalid, handicapped, deficient, handicapped, disabled and so many others that, in their time, replaced other undesirable words, but soon, after so much use, began to be so themselves.
It seems that, by changing the word, the problem will disappear, but the truth is that the problem remains and that is unbearable. The welfare society had promised to put an end to all suffering, but real life rebels and a genetic alteration, an illness, old age or an accident suddenly leads us to reflect on the mystery of life, on what a human being is. Where is human dignity? Which lives are worth living and which are not?
We believe that by changing the language we change something, but we only fall into the trap of the cunning serpent that once again diverts our attention from what is important, as with that "none" uttered in the Garden of Eden. The best lie is the one that has some truth in it. And it is true that God had warned them of the danger of eating from only one tree, but not that he would not let them taste from any of them. Likewise, it is also true that language should be inclusive, not patronizing or offensive, but it is not true that just changing the words changes our perception of people.
The proof is in the current popularization of the term "subnormal". Take a walk around any high school playground, any office coffee circle or any social network. It's the star insult. I can't help but shudder when I hear someone use the word in a derogatory way against another. Just look at how far the twisting of language can go that the term we have stopped using pharisaically to designate those who have intellectual functioning limitations, we now use it to designate those we consider worse people. Or will you tell me now that the insult does not seek comparison with the former? Of course, because, even if we change the words, the heart has not changed.
Distracted as we are with inclusive language we do not realize that this absolute rejection of these people is real and is behind the fact that, in Spain, up to 95 percent of children diagnosed with Down Syndrome do not get to be born. As the conjurer manages to focus our attention on the deck of cards to take the card out of his pocket and work his magic, evil manages to sneak it to us with the game of political correctness of language.
Works are love and not good reasons. An inclusive society would be one in which no one is denied the right to be born because he or she has an extra chromosome; in which every human being is valued, not for what he or she produces, but for the mere fact of existing; in which society supports families in the face of their fears and insecurities and offers them more economic aid; in which everyone has a cousin, a neighbor or a schoolmate with a different chromosome; in which everyone has a cousin, a neighbor or a schoolmate with a different chromosome; in which every human being is valued, not for what he or she produces, but for the mere fact of existing. Down syndrome because they would be welcomed and accompanied; in which no one would insult anyone by comparing them to those who cannot defend themselves and in which we would not be so shocked by words as by deeds.
Some people will call me a moron for this article. My response? With great honor!
Journalist. Graduate in Communication Sciences and Bachelor in Religious Sciences. He works in the Diocesan Delegation of Media in Malaga. His numerous "threads" on Twitter about faith and daily life have a great popularity.
