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can somebody explain to me why you can't say retarded?

One Brow said:
I agree. I think that can be done without resorting to words that have emotional baggage.

TroutBum said:
Wait, are you agreeing or not? WTF are words with 'emotional baggage'?
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imbecile, moran and baffoon probably are OK, but senile most definitely is not. that one has way too much emotional baggage

I'm not really clear what the ruling would be for dope, however. My logic on that gets a little fuzzy.
 
One Brow said:
I think that can be done without resorting to words that have emotional baggage.
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So when I sprain my ankle I can't call myself a gimp because that's using a word with emotional baggage? People used to use the word gimp towards handicapped people much the same way the word retard was used for those of low intelligence.

In fact, I bet collectively we all could come up with a list of a few dozen words that somebody, somewhere is going to find offensive for various reasons.

Serious question. Is censoring words from our vocabulary any different than burning books due to questionable content?
 
moevillini said:
imbecile, moran and baffoon probably are OK, but senile most definitely is not. that one has way too much emotional baggage

I'm not really clear what the ruling would be for dope, however. My logic on that gets a little fuzzy.
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I can't tell if you're being serious...

If I do something stupid or I see someone who did something stupid, I'm going to say it was retarded. Not because I want to make fun of mentally challenged people, but because it IS/WAS retarded.

On the flip side, isn't it non-PC to actually call a retarded person a retard? So, what's the problem here?
 
One Brow said:
Because a word that was referring to people who were making great efforts to use the abilities they were given was co-opted by thoughtless people and used to say people had ability but were not making suffcient effort. It's an insult to the disabled to use a word for them that means they struggle because they're lazy.
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ok this is the first time i've seen an explanation that makes sense.
 
CONAN said:
I teach special ed, had a retarded bro, and I don't find the term offensive.
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Seriously, if anyone should have a problem with it, it's this guy, King of the Retards. But he doesn't, so I say let the term fly!!!

By the way, and I'm sure you knew this Conan, but the official term used for special ed kids years ago, I think in the 60's was morons. How awesome is that?!!!
 
I got in trouble by a certain member on this board that was quick to crucify me because I used the word "retarded" once. I mean, I get how it could be offensive and all, but I don't get why people choose to be offended. For example, if you say a "mom" joke to someone who's mom died (and you didn't know) and the person expects you to know that their mom is dead and calls you out on it and expects you to know beforehand. Yeah, I see their side of why it could be offensive, but just get a little thicker skin, unless the person is actually doing something pretty dang malicious or tasteless.
 
Archie Moses said:
I got in trouble by a certain member on this board that was quick to crucify me because I used the word "retarded" once. I mean, I get how it could be offensive and all, but I don't get why people choose to be offended. For example, if you say a "mom" joke to someone who's mom died (and you didn't know) and the person expects you to know that their mom is dead and calls you out on it and expects you to know beforehand. Yeah, I see their side of why it could be offensive, but just get a little thicker skin, unless the person is actually doing something pretty dang malicious or tasteless.
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Dude, I was teaching a lesson in church when I said something like, "And that was completely retarded" -- ya, we've got a mentally handicapped guy in our class. There was dead silence as I tried to cover the slip-up with another joke but you could tell everyone was like, "Whoa, what a dick". After class, the guy came up and laughed about it with me. He didn't care.

Thick skin for the win.
 
TroutBum said:
Dude, I was teaching a lesson in church when I said something like, "And that was completely retarded" -- ya, we've got a mentally handicapped guy in our class. There was dead silence as I tried to cover the slip-up with another joke but you could tell everyone was like, "Whoa, what a dick". After class, the guy came up and laughed about it with me. He didn't care.

Thick skin for the win.
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When I lived in Palo Alto and attended the Stanford 1st Ward, one of my best friends gave a talk and accidentally used the word "gay" for "stupid". The chapel went super quiet and it was really awkward. However, it took everything in me not to bust out laughing. People take that stuff serious out there in the Bay Area.
 
The whole thick skin comment raises another interesting point of discussion. Why should that person need to have a thick skin to accept your offensive words rather than you just not saying something offensive to begin with? Shouldn't our african-american friends, for example, be required to develop a thick skin when it comes to the N word rather than us just stop saying it?
 
LogGrad98 said:
The whole thick skin comment raises another interesting point of discussion. Why should that person need to have a thick skin to accept your offensive words rather than you just not saying something offensive to begin with? Shouldn't our african-american friends, for example, be required to develop a thick skin when it comes to the N word rather than us just stop saying it?
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Dude, apples and oranges.

As for thick skin, I think it's apt. How many Mo's do you know who just need to calm down and stop caring about what people say and do all the while making fun of their religion? I have a few gay friends and never fail, we all make fun of them for it, and they turn around and make fun of us for being straight, etc.
 
LogGrad98 said:
The whole thick skin comment raises another interesting point of discussion. Why should that person need to have a thick skin to accept your offensive words rather than you just not saying something offensive to begin with? Shouldn't our african-american friends, for example, be required to develop a thick skin when it comes to the N word rather than us just stop saying it?
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I totally see your point and the answer is no. All I'm saying is we don't live in a perfect world, and sometimes people use words out of context. Like I said, I get why, and no, people don't have to "get thicker skin", it's just how I feel about it.

Another thing that rubbed me wrong is why everyone got so pissed with what Mendenhal said (the dude from the Steelers). We are so fast to crucify people as a society. We don't live in a perfect world, people, and we never will.
 
TroutBum said:
Dude, I was teaching a lesson in church when I said something like, "And that was completely retarded" -- ya, we've got a mentally handicapped guy in our class. There was dead silence as I tried to cover the slip-up with another joke but you could tell everyone was like, "Whoa, what a dick". After class, the guy came up and laughed about it with me. He didn't care.

Thick skin for the win.
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Someone needs to slap the tard who put you in charge of teaching other Mormons about Jesus.
 
Archie Moses said:
I totally see your point and the answer is no. All I'm saying is we don't live in a perfect world, and sometimes people use words out of context. Like I said, I get why, and no, people don't have to "get thicker skin", it's just how I feel about it.

Another thing that rubbed me wrong is why everyone got so pissed with what Mendenhal said (the dude from the Steelers). We are so fast to crucify people as a society. We don't live in a perfect world, people, and we never will.
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I agree for the most part. I think the best case lies somewhere in between. We need to care enough about each other to be sensitive to issues like that, but tolerant enough that we don't just go ape-**** on someone if they slip up in what they say.
 
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