Retard

[hentob]

Got your attention? Good.

Please teach your children (esp. your teenagers) that this is right up there with the N Word

 

[LadyShiva]

Yeah, I'm having to document the fact that a co-worker thinks this word is acceptable in the workplace, despite being told it IS NOT.

Brandie

 

[Rafiki Rafiki Rafiki]

So I guess unitard is out too, huh?

 

[Charade]

Even though both have a stigma attached to them, I don't think retard is anywhere as bad as the "N" word. I don't think people should be called either.

 

[Pam]

Got your attention? Good.

Please teach your children (esp. your teenagers) that this is right up there with the N Word

I absolutely agree - and I'll go one step further than you by stating that I despise the word so much that I wouldn't even post it on this thread or say it.

 

[hentob]

I absolutely agree - and I'll go one step further than you by stating that I despise the word so much that I wouldn't even post it on this thread or say it.

It pained me to write it. But I wanted to make a statement I can't take it anymore. I am so sick of hearing young people SCREAM it to each other

 

[wilderness01]

It pained me to write it. But I wanted to make a statement I can't take it anymore. I am so sick of hearing young people SCREAM it to each other

I agree, I totally think it is rude.

 

[luvmydogs]

I worked with children and adults with both physical and emotional disabilities/delays for 12 years of my life, and I am also *extremely* offended by the use of that word. It's bad enough when I hear kids say it, but I find it doubly repulsive when it comes from the mouths of adults.

 

[juligrl]

I prefer "booger butt!" myself.

Understood and will pass it on.

 

[Pam]

It pained me to write it. But I wanted to make a statement I can't take it anymore. I am so sick of hearing young people SCREAM it to each other

I understand your train of thought and trust me - when I saw that despised word blaring out on the screen, it definitely grabbed my attention!

I just really hate the word. Growing up, I had a cousin who lived beside us that is mentally handicapped -- at gatherings and functions these jerkish kids would always either make snide remarks about him or, if they could my cousin off by himself, pick at him. I got in more fist fights defending him (and I was a scrawny little thing back then) than I care to remember.

My kids are 21 and 19. They knew and understood from a very early age that this was one word that I would not tolerate. Any time one of their friends made the mistake of saying the word around me, my kids would go, "Oh, oh... now you've gone and done it, my Mom is gonna explode on you in 5,4,3,2,1!" And they were right - I always told the kids how demeaning and horrible that the word is!

 

[Hedy]

Agreed. I'd also like to add gay to the list.

 

[luvtogo12]

Thank you, thank you!!!

That is a forbidden word in my house!
I can remember my brother coming off the school bus every day crying because someone would call him that. It was horrible.

 

[TurboKitty]

Thanks for posting this. Using that word as an insult or as a joke is beyond acceptable. Gay also falls into the same category.

If I had posted this thread, I may have been accused of being "overly sensitive" yet again. S'okay though, as long as people think twice before tossing these kind of words and phrases around.

 

[mellowmood]

Agreed. I'd also like to add gay to the list.

Why? Is that a bad word?

 

[TurboKitty]

Why? Is that a bad word?

Context means a lot. If you mean it as an insult or a punchline, it is a bad word.

 

[teacups]

There is a guy in my town who (so the story goes) used too many drugs in high school, and he's pretty bad off now. He must be about 45. He walks EVERYPLACE and talks outloud to himself constantly. Never hurts or bothers anyone at all. I was at the store a few months back and this STUD (for lack of a better descriptive) was getting up in the poor guys face, screaming at him, asking him tough guy stuff like do you want to take it outside and stupid stuff like that. THANK GOD some other guys stepped in and they did use your least liked word. BUt they probably saved this guy some real grief. They were nice young guys who were totally defending this guy. Yes they used Retard as they pushed the stud-stupid guy off (telling he was a retard and to back off or something like that) ... I am just saying they said in it a way that THEY thought meant no harm. Its the parents who need to be told in the first place about the word. These were good kids, who I assume had no idea how offensive the word is. They did a good thing that day, and maybe will learn more as time goes by. People like you pointing this out will help this matter greatly I think.

 

[taylor1293]

That word is not permitted in my home either.

However, I have to wonder, why did retard (********) become so offensive, but as a society, we seem to be very accepting of using the words idiot and moron?

 

[mamajoan]

There are several words that are not allowed to be used in our home... we have taught our kids this for many years. My kids are now 27, 26, 20 and 17.
At any time when they brought new friends into our home the if the friends used the words they were told by my kids.. Hey, we don't use that word here.... then the friends would tell other friends "Hey don't use that word.. tell them why mamajoan"... we would then talk about it all.. especially with teenagers. They often would remind one another when dh and I were not around. My d-i-l had a very hard time with it.. she was so used to peppering her daily speech with the words. We laugh about it now....

btw.. the words included.. "********", "******", "fat" (when used to insult someone) and "that's so gay''.(teens are the worst offenders)
Now please understand we are not little angels.. friends will tell you that I can swear with the best of them. But we felt it important that our kids know that it is not good to use words to hurt others.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Even though both have a stigma attached to them, I don't think retard is anywhere as bad as the "N" word. I don't think people should be called either.

I have to agree.

These two words aren't even in the same ballpark.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

I can remember as a kid "retard" used to be the word. I don't hear it so much anymore from DS's friends.

I do hear, you are so gay! Thats gay! Are you gay? UGH!