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supermape123
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supermape123
430 posts
Nomad

Hello.I have seen a few commercials on TV saying not to say the R word.I would personally like to say to all the people that say this word are rude,disruptive,and have no common decency whatsoever.I have a couple of friends that are like this and are the nicest people I know.I just wanted to say that in hopes people would stop discriminating with harsh name calling.If you follow this just comment and agree.

Thanks,Super

  • 110 Replies
314d1
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314d1
3,817 posts
Nomad

Retard?

re·tard
â â[ri-tahrd, for 1â"3, 5; ree-tahrd for 4] Show IPA
â"verb (used with object)
1.
to make slow; delay the development or progress of (an action, process, etc.); hinder or impede.

So "Slow" is a horrible insult now? Lets look at "idiot":

id·i·ot
â â[id-ee-uht] Show IPA
â"noun
1.
Informal . an utterly foolish or senseless person.
2.
Psychology . (no longer in technical use; considered offensive) a person of the lowest order in a former and discarded classification of mental retardation, having a mental age of less than three years old and an intelligence quotient under 25.

So calling someone the similarity to "A little slow" is worse than calling them "The slowest of them all"? I don't see why retard should be any worse then any other insult.

dair5
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dair5
3,371 posts
Shepherd

I think it's good that people are trying to stop this word from being spread around. It hurts people, and it's not their fault they have a mental disability. the word retarded just isn't a good word and it's terrible that it's used as an insult. It's like calling something gay.

MageGrayWolf
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MageGrayWolf
9,462 posts
Farmer

I think it's good that people are trying to stop this word from being spread around. It hurts people, and it's not their fault they have a mental disability. the word retarded just isn't a good word and it's terrible that it's used as an insult. It's like calling something gay.


Though used as an insult or not it can be applied negatively yet accurately.
314d1
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314d1
3,817 posts
Nomad

I think it's good that people are trying to stop this word from being spread around. It hurts people, and it's not their fault they have a mental disability. the word retarded just isn't a good word and it's terrible that it's used as an insult. It's like calling something gay.


Is "Gay" a bad thing now?

Well by this logic we can't use anything slightly insulting. "Fat?" No! Its not their fault and it just hurts them. "Ugly?" No! Its not their fault and just hurts them. "*** hole?" No! Its not their fault and just hurts them...
dair5
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dair5
3,371 posts
Shepherd

Is "Gay" a bad thing now?


It never was. the point is that people are making it seem like a bad thing.

Well by this logic we can't use anything slightly insulting. "Fat?" No! Its not their fault and it just hurts them. "Ugly?" No! Its not their fault and just hurts them. "*** hole?" No! Its not their fault and just hurts them...


It's not about it being slightly insulting. People are constantly making fun of others with this problem and taking anything bad and calling it retarded doesn't help.
Freakenstein
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Freakenstein
9,504 posts
Jester

A large cache of the English language (every language, actually) has seemingly-tame words that can be manipulated in different context to be offensive. For this reason alone, it seems silly to censor these words. Or swear words, since they also apply to this argument.

314d1
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314d1
3,817 posts
Nomad

It never was. the point is that people are making it seem like a bad thing.


So if I start using a random word as an insult (How about dictionary.com's word of the day &quotolemic"?) it should no longer be used?

It's not about it being slightly insulting. People are constantly making fun of others with this problem and taking anything bad and calling it retarded doesn't help.


So taking something and calling it polemic makes the word polemic bad and unusable? That is polemic. Just because they are used negatively doesn't mean the words should be avoided. So who cares if people go around making fun of others by using only slightly insulting words that they want to be stronger then they actually are? Calling someone a retard isn't as bad as calling someone an idiot, it is like comparing a house to a shack. The word house can be applied from above average to below average, however shack normally has connections to being flimsy and poorly built, as well as being more insulting.
dair5
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dair5
3,371 posts
Shepherd

A large cache of the English language (every language, actually) has seemingly-tame words that can be manipulated in different context to be offensive. For this reason alone, it seems silly to censor these words. Or swear words, since they also apply to this argument.


Yes but this word also applies to a type of people. So it encourages the idea that mental retardation is bad. I've seen kids make fun of it, and it hurts those people because they're given a bad lable before anyone even gets to know them. With swear words this is fine. Poop doesn't care what is called, neither do girl dogs. But when you apply this to people then they're hurt. Like calling a girl a BLEEP. She'll be offended and possibly slap you. It helps no one.
314d1
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314d1
3,817 posts
Nomad

Yes but this word also applies to a type of people. So it encourages the idea that mental retardation is bad. I've seen kids make fun of it, and it hurts those people because they're given a bad lable before anyone even gets to know them. With swear words this is fine. Poop doesn't care what is called, neither do girl dogs. But when you apply this to people then they're hurt. Like calling a girl a BLEEP. She'll be offended and possibly slap you. It helps no one.


Wait, so it is insulting because it covers a group of people who may be offended by it? That is lame!(****) Whoops. Just offended everyone who is:lame
1 â â[leym] Show IPA adjective, lam·er, lam·est, verb, lamed, lam·ing, noun
â"adjective
1.
crippled or physically disabled, especially in the foot or leg so as to limp or walk with difficulty.
2.
impaired or disabled through defect or injury: a lame arm.
3.
weak; inadequate; unsatisfactory; clumsy: a lame excuse.
4.
Slang . out of touch with modern fads or trends; unsophisticated.

Sorry paraplegics and people with injured legs.

What I meant to say is that is "That is stupid!" (Double ****!) Now I have also offended everyone who is "stuÂ&middotid
â â[stoo-pid, styooâ] Show IPA adjective, -er, -est, noun
â"adjective
1.
lacking ordinary quickness and keenness of mind; dull.
2.
characterized by or proceeding from mental dullness; foolish; senseless: a stupid question.
3.
tediously dull, especially due to lack of meaning or sense; inane; pointless: a stupid party.
4.
annoying or irritating; troublesome: Turn off that stupid radio.
5.
in a state of stupor; stupefied: stupid from fatigue. "

Ok. One more try.... "That is dumb!" .... Uhhhh "That is ****". Good found one, since poop doesn't care what it is called.
Freakenstein
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Freakenstein
9,504 posts
Jester

If standard people are offended by the word Retard, then they need some serious attitude heightening, for that word cannot apply to them. They need to be hearty with their self-esteem. If the offenders are using the word Retard on the retarded, then they are a sad lot, resorting to insult those to which the word actually works (seriously, if their peers found out they are insulting the mentally retarded, that wouldn't look too great on their social reputation. If your school has any ounce of decency, that is).

samy
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samy
4,871 posts
Nomad

Censorship? No.

Still the point remains that we are taking what someone is, generally something they cannot control, and turning it into a general insult.

To go along with the idea of calling something gay, if I say that my night was "gay" because I was bored or my parents did something I didn't like I'm implying that "gay" is negative. Personally I've tired to reduce it as much as I can from my vocabulary.

Same goes for the word *** or ***got (I can't remember if they're censored, if they are it's another slang term for homosexual). We're not only taking a terribly offensive word, they're referred to as ***gots because like bundles of sticks (the original meaning of ***got) they were thrown onto fires to be killed. We're making it worse that implying it's only negative.

People are free to say what they want but I have to agree with the OP in that they shouldn't use these terms offensively.

dair5
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dair5
3,371 posts
Shepherd

OK. lets say you were crippled. And everywhere you went kids laghed and made fun of you because you were crippled. Let's say to be crippled was the worst insult you could be given. And everywhere you went people had no respect for you and automaticly labled you incapleable of handeling anything because you were crippled. You also couldn't get a job because you're crippled and no one wants to go out with also because you're crippled. This would all be a lot less severve if people stopped using cripple as an insult or to describe something they have dislike for. So would it matter then?

Freakenstein
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Freakenstein
9,504 posts
Jester

The part of getting a job is the only part that can actually be applied. However, there are many jobs to which you don't need your legs and, conversely, your arms. All those situations where the man/woman's life is being shunned as an outcast for their condition? The man/woman is easily capable of blocking out these insults. Why should it get to him/her? Anyone else could also fight for their acceptance of being in their condition. This applies to other situations where equality was enforced, not just the present day gay rights.

No, it wouldn't matter then.

314d1
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314d1
3,817 posts
Nomad

Still the point remains that we are taking what someone is, generally something they cannot control, and turning it into a general insult.


Which is, of course, totally lame right?

OK. lets say you were crippled. And everywhere you went kids laghed and made fun of you because you were crippled.


Do people do that where your from? Here, if your laughing at a guy in a wheelchair you look like a total **** (Not an insult to male gentiles or people with that name).

And everywhere you went people had no respect for you and automaticly labled you incapleable of handeling anything because you were crippled. You also couldn't get a job because you're crippled and no one wants to go out with also because you're crippled.


Well if I was going out for a job, I would understand not wanting to hire the guy in the wheelchair to do things that require standing, lifting heavy objects, or other things they are incapable of doing. And no one wants to go out with cripples now? When did that happen?

This would all be a lot less severve if people stopped using cripple as an insult or to describe something they have dislike for. So would it matter then?


No. No it wouldn't. Would you be offended if their was negative stigma going around that caused people to not be able to get dates or jobs if they spent most their spare time on the computer? Perhaps we should come up with a name, maybe "Nerd" or "Geek".... Now if you where in this "nerd" group who spends their free time on the internet debating random things, would you be offended if someone used the term "Nerd" with negative connotations to pretty much everything? "Yeah, I saw transformers 5000, and it was totally nerdy." or "We have 400 page book report do tomorrow? That is totally nerdy!" would you be offended? I would hope not.
dair5
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dair5
3,371 posts
Shepherd

The part of getting a job is the only part that can actually be applied. However, there are many jobs to which you don't need your legs and, conversely, your arms.


Well I just needed an example. I didn't actually mean that being crippled meant all that would happen to you. it was more of a hypothetical.

All those situations where the man/woman's life is being shunned as an outcast for their condition? The man/woman is easily capable of blocking out these insults. Why should it get to him/her?


It gets to people because it's hurtful to feel shunned by an entire society for simply being born a certain way.

Anyone else could also fight for their acceptance of being in their condition. This applies to other situations where equality was enforced, not just the present day gay rights.


Yeah, you're right. you can fight for equal rights. And just to be clear I don't want forced censorship, just for society to look down on words like that. like the words that samy was talking about.
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