So is there any way that a mentally normal person could have a meaningful relationship with a retarded person? Or would only a relationship between two mentally handicapped people be considered “kosher?”
Everyone knows the US Marine’s charity is the annual Toys for Tots campaign. The American Army does a poor job of letting the world know it supports the Special Olympics.
I was a young captain at Fort Leonard Wood when the SO rolled into town. All of us soldiers did all we could to make it happen. I happened to be at some sort of field day.
I have lived a sheltered life and have rarely encountered mentally retarded (is that offensive? Challenged, whatever) people. So I hung out with some parents to learn more about it.
One of these parent’s daughter was stunning. Supermodel beautiful. Of course a lot of seventeen year olds are.
In any case the young lady was quite subnormal. Shockingly so. Outgoing, friendly and without emotional defenses.
I have wondered and worried about her since. He folks had done a good job of protecting her. But on the other hand, surely a loving family of her own would be the best protection for her in the long-term.
If biology prevents her from enjoying a job, most hobbies and much of what gives me so much joy, must we also prevent her from having other pleasures in her life?
I don’t know. I will follow this thread to see what you folks think.
If a person has demonstrable diminished mental capacity but does not otherwise appear “mentally challenged” or have any other physical disability, I would suspect traumatic brain injury as opposed to birth defect. I don’t think Special Olympics disqualifies this type of retardation.
Paul in Saudi. You make a couple of interesting points. May I share?
I have two cousins – both male – with different types of diminished mental capacity. My younger cousin Shawn (27) was born with cerebal palsy and also has some physical challenges walking and holding things. My older cousin Junior (early 60s) was born of normal intelligence, but was savagely beaten by unknown assailants when he was a teenager (late 1960s). He was hospitalized for a number of weeks and came home with some motor skill loss, severe language loss & speech impairment (stuttering).
Now Junior grew up in a poor black southern urban neighborhood in Charleston, SC. He was an athlete in high school, never a star but reasonably good, with a good strong body and middling looks. Now, I’ve never asked my grand-aunts specifically, but my understanding from listening to family gossip is that Junior has fathered at least two children by women who’ve taken advantage of him when he walks around the neighborhood. (Ex-girlfriends and admirers in the neighborhood who still flirt with Junior who mysteriously ended up pregnant with kids, now my age, who looked just like him.) Junior lost his right eye in the attack and used to wear an eyepatch. I understand that the reason he never wore one when I was growing up is because his sisters made him take it off so the neighborhood women would leave him alone. (Now he refuses to wear one.)
I think my own natural sense of caution and cynicism would prevent me from supporting someone of so-called normal intelligence who professed to ‘love’ a person of impaired mental capacity. I’m not sure it occurs for reasons other than lust and or control.
In Shawn’s case, he lives in an assisted care development and brags that he has about three or four girlfriends. Now in his case, I’d feel a lot better if he did end up married or something.
Why are people having debates about mentally retarded people and relationships? Isn’t there another forum for discussions of this kind? This forum being for factual answers.
Kel. For once(don’t let it go to your head–it’s just this once), I’m gonna agree with you.
The OP has been asked and answered about as well as we can expect.
If anyone has further issues about morality, etc. , please start a thread in the appropriate forum.
Closed.
samclem GQ moderator