Hate speech is hate speech, even if it pops its head into what seems like a common, everyday conversation.

That’s why the Special Olympics is playing host to a national day of awareness today to call Americans into action. Their goal is simple: to eliminate the use of the word “retard,” calling the event “Spread the Word to End the Word.”

“It’s the everyday use of the word that we’re aiming for,” said Jessi Bernstein, director of the Champaign area Special Olympics branch. “When someone calls someone else retarded, they mean it as you’re dumb, you’re stupid and you’re slow. That’s what we’re aiming to stop. It’s discrimination, and it’s a negative label.”

Bernstein said the effort was brought up by a Special Olympics athlete who attended the World Winter Games in Idaho. She said the athlete wanted to start a movement to end the use of the “R-word” because it’s derogatory, hurtful and harmful to people with disabilities.

“We want to get the knowledge and education out to everyone in our communities about how hurtful this word is,” Bernstein said. “It is a hateful word and people are still using it too often, just in everyday conversation.”

Champaign is one of the only branches in Illinois who will be out in the community today, bringing awareness to middle schools and high schools. For other branches, the word got out too late, near the end of February, giving the branches no time to plan awareness events.

Michelle Henson, of the Normal branch, said their offices weren’t able to host events but would be making an effort to keep the movement alive via word of mouth.

“Everything is being organized locally, and unfortunately, we are not organizationally getting involved too much with it in Illinois,” Henson said. “If people want to pick it up and do it themselves, that’s great, but we, as an organization, don’t have anything planned.”

The most local St. Charles branch doesn’t have event plans set either, according to director Sandy Hutchins, but members of NIU’s Best Buddies organization will wear T-shirts today with the words “The only disability in life is a bad attitude” to help raise awareness.

“Being an organization that focuses on one-to-one friendships with people who have intellectual disabilities, we feel the word is offensive and unnecessary to use,” said Jill Westall, College Buddy director and president. “For Special Olympics to make an effort to ban the use of the ‘R-word’ is admirable, and we support the cause.”

Students interested in eliminating the “R-word” can start by signing a virtual pledge. By logging on to www.r-word.org, students can make a promise to end the use of the word and pledge to stop others from using it as well.

“When hearing someone use the word, politely ask them not to and explain why,” Westall said, along with Dana Higgins, the NIU Best Buddy vice president. “[People with disabilities] have feelings too, and Best Buddies proves that.”

Bernstein said the Special Olympics also has a link on Facebook where students can make the same pledge.