A word is just a word, but...

[Guest guest]

Growing up in a diversified neighborhood of many races, religions,

nationalities and being a person with a mixture of nationalities I look at it

this way.

" A word is just a word, " but it goes beyond just being a word printed in

Webster's, American Heritage, or whatever dictionary one uses these days.

Why don't we just respect the fact that midget was once a word used to

describe a small statured person who is proportionate. In current society it

has been used at times in an offensive matter when it relates to someone with

dwarfism whether they are proportionate or disproportionate.

I don't debate the fact with my relatives and friends who are of different

races, religions, nationalities about a word that relates to their race,

religion, nationality if that has been used offensively. With having common

sense I respect it and not waste my time debating why they should feel that

way.

Today with being in the public eye at times people that I come in contact

with are slowly realizing and knowing that midget has been used offensively

and can understand why someone with dwarfism wouldn't want that term to be

referred to them anymore.

Helen