[meetthecreeper]

Ok I'll bite.

I was moved from the 4th grade into a behavior disorder class, because I was deemed hyperactive. Today would probably be called ADD.

I was in a class with kids that were problem children, ones who refused to do school work, misbehaved in class things of that nature.

I made best friends with a guy who you could say was mildly retarded, he actually has a speech impediment and was difficult to understand. He had difficulty communicating with others.

Funny thing is him and myself were both reading at a college level, while other kids were reading 'the little choo choo that could' we were reading books by Hawkings.

Fact was I was way ahead of the class and was bored with the education that I was getting. I am not trying to say that I was a genius or anything like that but I believe at that time I was way ahead of the curve in intel.

Not really sure what happened to that, seems over the years I am either not giving a shit anymore or am growing stupid.

But to get back to topic, my friend and I took alot of shit, people called us retards and so on. I dont believe it ever really bothered me, not sure of my friend though. The school had moved me out of that class for 5th grade and we lost touch soon after that.

I think people are generally cruel in a group, its the pack mentality, one trying to be the most popular in the group, being the funniest and so on.

I generally dont think the individual is going to come right out and say that someone is retarted or a mental case and such. I think individuals in most cases will do what they feel is right in their hearts.

I feel like the world has become politcally correct in a way that is damaging to society, most are afraid to say what they mean, not for fear of hurting someones feelings, but for fear of the persecution that goes along with it.

Most folks say what they really think behind closed doors, but in public they say what will keep them out of trouble.

In my case if my child was mentally ill, I dont think telling them that they are "special" is going to help them in life. When my kids misbehave in public, they are disciplined in public. I see alot of kids misbehaving in public and parents do nothing, I am starting to think the reason for this is because they dont want to be judged by people around them.

I say tell it like it is. The world is a cruel place. One can only shield someone from it for so long. Of course this doesnt mean we have to go out of our way to be cruel either just for the sake of being cruel.

Am I making any sense???