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Is the slang use of the word "retard" or "retarded" discriminatory?

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Yes
64% 492 votes Total: 770 votes
No
36% 278 votes

The slang use of the word 'retard' or 'retarded' is no more offensive than the current trend to commandeering the English language by 'feel-good Manipulators of Society' and special interest groups.
The meaning of the word 'retard' is "to be delayed" as in 'retard the timing'; similarly, the meaning of the word 'retarded' is the condition of being late or "already delayed", as in "the timing is retarded".

To label someone as "retarded" within the realm of general public sensibility has been to state in fact that they are slow learners. The fact is, if a person is a slow learner, they can reasonably and logically be labeled 'retarded'.

Oh, my. -but wait-how unkind. It is not ' Politically Correct.'

Used with ugly rhetoric with intention to demean, hurt, or diminish any person, the label 'retard' is admittedly hurtful and offensive -but is not discriminatory.

Intent does not change the actual meaning of the word itself.

What does this assignment of additional and arbitrary interpretation of words mean to modern society?

"Feel-good Manipulators of Society" , the royal inventors, purveyors, and defenders of 'Political Correctness' -will immediately suggest that it is 'Politically Incorrect', mean, discriminatory, and even nasty to use such words -ever.

Upon closer examination, what is in fact discriminatory and nasty is the fact that the English language is being willfully destroyed, altered, and commandeered by political correctness.

Fifty years ago, a group of children playing in a public park would be observed by adults to be "happy and gay". Undoubtedly the children were happy, and they were participating in a state of gaiety in their play, but they most certainly were not "GAY" as inferred by the commandeered contemporary 'meaning' of the word 'gay'. The word has been simply commandeered from normal usage by special interest groups.

In the same light, "Pro Choice" is a phrase of the English language that has purposely and subjectively been changed, even twisted, -commandeered by pro-abortion factions-and blatantly used to make abortion 'politically correct' -but the term is in itself discriminatory since human babies with absolutely NO choice are involved.

Enough of that. Tempers flare.
The English language is cherished -and being damaged irreversibly and indiscriminately.

Pay attention. The word 'stupid' is the next target of our 'feel-good Manipulators of Society'.
A three-year old that attends 'Junior Kindergarten' recently overheard an adult conversation in which


Below are the top articles rated and ranked by Helium members on:

Is the slang use of the word "retard" or "retarded" discriminatory?

No
Yes
  • 1 of 33

    by Elizabeth King

    For John Anton, the name change of the Massachusetts Department of Mental Retardation to the Department of Developmental

    read more

  • by Mary Tyrer

    Why do people need to be cruel and use words like retard or retarded? Personally, I take offense of the use of the terms

    read more

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