I knew a woman who was slightly developmentally delayed—a learning disability, actually. Her name was Maureen. The kids at school teased her unmercifully and called her "Maureen the Moron." This poor woman had a miserable self-image, hated her name (preferred to be called "Kitten"), hated herself, was afraid of everybody and everything, and died quite early.

Damned shame. I wonder what kind of life she might have had if the kids had just been a little nicer to her.

Don Firth