Tuesday, December 01, 2009



"Retard" a bad word

Story from New Zealand:
"I have to say that Paul Henry has reached a new low. Last week, he again made another infamous outburst on Breakfast when he used the 'r' word to describe new music sensation Susan Boyle.

I will not use the full word that Henry uttered due to the fact I find it offensive. As a member of the disability community, I stand in solidarity with my comrades from the learning disability community on this issue. Therefore, I fully support IHC's statement condemning Henry's outburst and asking people to complain to TVNZ, the Human Rights Commission and the Broadcasting Standards Authority over it.

Source

It is certainly a term of abuse and a common one in lots of places these days. So should all terms of abuse be banned? We seem to be heading in that direction. Calling someone a "bastard" is a common term of abuse in Australia but that no doubt could be held as a slur on "ex-nuptial children". And very stern rebukes from feminists can no doubt be expected whenever the traditional American expletive "Son of ..." is used. And I don't mean "son of a gun".

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

"I stand in solidarity with my comrades"

Comrades is right! (like in commies) It is truly amazing to me to see how many people have abandoned their common sense, (assuming they ever had any) and have totally capitualted to political correctness. They are so concerned with the every day words and phrases used by others, that they have completly lost sight of the fact that they're losing their own right to speak (and think) freely.

I've heard of mass hysteria, and even mass hypnosis in some cases. But mass stupidity?

Anonymous said...

QUOTABLE QUOTES
"It’s no accident that our inalienable birthright of Free Speech is enshrined in the 1st Amendment of the U. S. Constitution. Its primary purpose is to remind the Nanny State to back the hell off when it comes to our Free Speech. A secondary purpose, probably an unintentional one, is to remind each and every one of us that Free Speech involves other sovereign individuals who can, and will, say things that we don’t want to hear. Unhappily, neither of these lofty purposes has been achieved."
– Hambo

Anonymous said...

The whole subject is pretty retarded.

Anonymous said...

"Retard" is a medical term used to describe people as developmentally delayed or mentally stunted. Every time someone uses it as a slur it makes it more difficult to use the word properly. Even now activists are forcing PC changes because dip-shits use the term to defame.

Anonymous said...

A 12:45,
It doesn't really matter what they change the name to, people will use it to insult others. Developmentally Challenged might become, "He's such a DC."

I think Moron and Idiot were technical terms as well. Several laws where on the books disallowing "idiots", or some term similar, from serving in office.

Anonymous said...

"Every time someone uses it as a slur it makes it more difficult to use the word properly. Even now activists are forcing PC changes because dip-shits use the term to defame."... Anon 12:56

Obviously, the answer is to ban all words that someone feels are negative and/or offensive. Right? Just think of how quiet the world would be.

Anonymous said...

Watching the game,

It's like the word "bugger" which, in the UK and other British-influenced places, means "fuck". Yet you'll hear people on TV saying, "Bugger off" like it's nothing. Though I'm American through and through, I personally find "bugger" offensive, because I know what it really means.

"Retard", like so many other words, is a word meant to describe a condition or a state of development. The problem is that so many, in their ignorance, assume it to mean something else.
Language is something that so many take for granted without really knowing or understanding what they are saying.

Anonymous said...

bugger/buggery means anal fucking, derived from the Bulgars (ancient Bulgarians) who apparently were infamous for the practice, like the Sodomites before them (tho' the latter may be a misunderstanding or misrepresentation of the Bible story).

Robert said...

No need to worry - Anon3:37's terms only fit leftists.

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