Not many of you know that I have a brother who has severe intellectual and physical disabilities. I take offense when people throw around the words “retard” or “retarded” when people do stuff that is dumb or foolish. It’s become a part of our language, and it’s not being used correctly. Like this video says, it’s not okay to call an African-American person a nigger and it’s not okay to call a homosexual person a fag. So why is it okay to call somebody with Down’s Syndrome a retard? Why is it okay to call yourself or a friend a retard? I’d like to see people stop throwing this word around like it has been.<object width=“560” height=“349”><param name=“movie” value=“ http://www.youtube.com/v/T549VoLca_Q?version=3&hl=en_US ”>
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I use the word retarded but I don’t call people it.

“I was slightly brain damaged at birth, and I want people like me to see that they shouldn’t let a disability get in the way. I want to raise awareness. I wan’t to turn my disability into ability.” -Susan Boyle

I think that doing so would make even worse racial slurs than before! Time has proven that!

I hateit when people take perfectly normal words, and use them to insult people. Truth be told, I hate people who insult people on their own. http://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-Using-the-Word-“Retarded” I don’t suppose we could edit this article out of stub status?:wink: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&biw=1499&bih=1005&q=site%3Awww.wikihow.com+“insert+phrase+here”#sclient=psy&hl=en&source=hp&q=site%3Awww.wikihow.com%20"retarded"%20-User%3A%20-User_%20-Discussion%3A&pbx=1&oq=&aq=&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=&gs_upl=&fp=1&biw=948&bih=463&pf=p&pdl=3000&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&cad=b Here’s a search for “retarded”. Maybe we can fix some of these too!:wink:

This reminded me of an old CSI Las Vegas episode. The suspect was convicted in killing a person with disorders and calling him “retarded” and everything else. One of the ending quotes of that episode came from Gil Grissom: “By the way, the definition of “retard” is “to hinder” or “to hold back”. I think your life is about to become “retarded”.”

Here’s another search, this one for “retard”. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&biw=1499&bih=1005&q=site%3Awww.wikihow.com+“insert+phrase+here”#sclient=psy&hl=en&source=hp&q=site%3Awww.wikihow.com+“retard”+-Category_talk%3A+-User_kudos%3A+-Request%3A+-Request_talk%3A+-User%3A+-User_+-Discussion%3A&pbx=1&oq=site:www.wikihow.com+“retard”+-Category_talk%3A+-User_kudos%3A+-Request%3A+-Request_talk%3A+-User%3A+-User_+-Discussion%3A&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=12430l12430l4l13838l1l0l0l0l0l0l0l0ll0l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=5eaeebb833eac6f5&biw=948&bih=463

Nah i dont use any of those words.

Yes exactly as in ‘retardation’. I learned something about this in science. Physics to be more precise.

Rangers: I try not to use that word as an insult, but you’re right. It has become a part of our language. And that’s horrible, I’m not saying that’s ok at all. Lemme work on that article. In fact, I’ll go inuse it right now. Oh, and Matt? Tell your brother “hey” for me.:slight_smile:

I’d like to bump this thread.

I will post this on Twitter.

I’ve been called retarded before, and not as a joking insult. Thanks for bringing this up Matt.