[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 9377]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                SPREAD THE WORD TO END THE WORD CAMPAIGN

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. PATRICK J. KENNEDY

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 31, 2009

  Mr. KENNEDY. Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize and commend the 
efforts of the Spread the Word to End the Word Campaign; a grassroots 
organization founded by college and high school students toward 
promoting greater awareness and respect for people with intellectual 
disabilities.
  Created by young people with and without intellectual disabilities, 
Spread the Word to End the Word promotes the undeniable truth that 
everyone matters, everyone is accepted and, most importantly, everyone 
is valued. Today, young activists across the country are leading local 
efforts to raise awareness and collect pledges from peers and the 
community to vow not to use the ``R-word'' and recognize March 31, 2009 
as a national awareness day for The Spread the Word to End the Word 
campaign.
  In 1966, speaking at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, my 
uncle, Robert Kennedy said, ``Each time a man stands up for an ideal, 
or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, 
he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a 
million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a 
current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and 
resistance.'' It is with great honor that I am able to speak about this 
amazing group of young activists who are spreading hope each and every 
day; not just in their own communities but across the country, to those 
who suffer from intellectual disabilities and their families.
  Too often the power of our words is underestimated and misunderstood. 
Today marks the culmination of a month long campaign to educate all of 
us about the positive and negative effects that our words can have. It 
is with great joy today, that I am able to use my words to support 
their courage and activism.
  Thank you to all who pledge today to think of others before they 
speak and thank you to all who strive each day to promote universal 
human dignity.

                          ____________________