So the title of this thread is a common enough teasing/insult to use. Many people use it without realizing that it is indeed hurtful to some people. I want to tell you why it is hurtful and why it should not be used in conversation.

I know that people also use words/phrases like, "That's gay" or "You throw like a girl" in the same manner, and while I feel personally annoyed when people use these phrases as insults, I know that it is a teasing thing, and not necessarily a direct insult to women or gay people.

However, there are a lot of retarded people who are high functioning enough to know that they are retarded, and when they hear their disability, their state of being, used as a teasing insult, they are really, really hurt by it.

You see, as high functioning as some of these folks may be, they do not always understand the concept of teasing.

Having said that, I do not believe disabled people should be excluded as a category for teasing and/or comedy. The very best example I have seen of using a disabled person in comedy is...

TIMMY!

The South Park creators do an amazing job of depicting disabled folks in a funny but not insulting way...if you have seen the Special Olymics episode, you know what I mean.

I'm interested to hear what you all think of this...

Don't you mean "individuals with developmental disabilities," you retard?

I'm sensing a lot of sensitivity here

I use the word retarded because that is the word that the general popualtion uses. Did not want to load up my post with lots of long words that no one will pay attention to...

I agree with genxgirl, and I would never call someone retarded in public. However, in private with friends, the term is in play.

Although I don't condone the use of the word retard (even though I've probably used it a few times in my lifetime), it's just as bad and wrong as the phrases you mentioned. No one phrase is worse than the other. I think they are all meant in a teasing way, most of the time. Some people, maybe not. I don't think that me saying to my buddy when he goofs up "You're such a retard" is meant to tear down retarded people in general.

Like just about anything, it all depends on the context. In some cases it's OK. In others, it's not. And the line (if there is any) changes with the development of our society.

I could take the word "cracker" and use it as a substitute for "retard", but the moment I use it in a derogatory way to put down special needs people, it's become an innapropriate use. So the word itself doesnt really matter. It's all about context.

The problem might be, how long before you throw that out and the person breaks down and cries b/c they have a disabled family member. I remember hanging out with friends and one of the guys told some kind of black joke and we all stared at him w/ our jaws on the floor, b/c one of the guys was dating a black girl and he had no idea.

Then I'll just tell my friend to "Grow the fuck up, you retarded fucking Fag!"

Seriously, some of my friends have really deep sense of humors and not much is going to offend them. If it was just a stranger however.... Like, for instance, I have a gay friend and one time I slipped up and said "Dude you're so fucking gay" and he was like "Yes, yes I am." And we just laughed. But if it was someone he didn't know he might have been pissed. I try not to use offensive vocabulary in public but with friends I usually know my boundaries and most of the time there is none.

can we become any more PC as a society?... if someone uses these terms in an insulting manner it just shows what an idiot they are... didnt everyone realize in say 6th grade or so how stupid it is to get upset over name-calling?... sure i may have not been on the bad end of it, but it's pretty much a given that everyone has been made fun of at some time in their life... as a teacher i have to remind my kids daily how if you let someone you dont give two shits about get under your skin, then you are letting them win, and you must care what they think... it's the same way with the "yo mama" shit i have to break-up every other day... people just need to get thicker skin and be smart enough to phase out these people and their opinions or insults... it's pretty juvenile to give a shit about some half-retarded guy (which he must be if he uses this term in a offensive way) calling you a retard, if you ask me

When people use this term, it is usually not meant to tear down retarded people...but the fact remains that this is a group of people who for the most part cannot defend themselves if they hear it used in public.

I work as a guardian for MR adults, and I was out with one of my clients (high functioning, has a FT job, apt etc) for lunch. A couple of kids sat down next to us and one of them called the other a "retard" for dropping his french fries onthe ground. My client's face dropped and it was heartbreaking.

They cannot help it if they are retarded. And they cannot defend themselves the way I can when I hear someone say, "you're a pussy" or "you throw like a girl".

So my contention is that it should NEVER be used as an insult in any situation because you never know who is listening...it should be wiped from our lexicon of "teasing insults" because it really does hurt people, people who cannot defend themselves.

Refer to Episode 3 of the CLerks Animated DVD"s.

"This thread is retarded, and queer."

Main Entry: re·tard·ed
Pronunciation: ri-'tär-d&d
Function: adjective : slow or limited in intellectual or emotional development or academic progress

I'm just teasing my friends and saying they're not smart when they do a dumb thing.

According to the Definition I'm right. I don't care one one or another. It's not Like I want to go up to mentally challenged people and call them names.

I agree!
It's a bad habit some people have. If we know it's wrong and at least do our best to refraid from using comments like that, then you can't scold us for that.

-Sunny

Yeah, retard is something I haven't used since the 7th grade, after becomming friends with someone of a lower mentally capacity and who was boarder line retarder. It had become part of my teasing/insults used in sports. Once I realized that it did have a negative effect on him, I immedietly stopped incorporating the word into any speech of mine. Nowadays, I use degenerate and momo. They seem to be much less used and get my point across just the same.

I stopped calling people retard after I realized that Karma could retard one of my kids, if ever I have any.

This has nothing to do with being PC...

It has to do with the fact that retarded people often do not understand the difference between teasing and insult, so their feelings get hurt. They know nothing about being PC, all they know is that they are not like everyone else and it makes them sad to think about it.

It makes them sad.

It hurts them when they hear someone say "you retard" because they have been in those awful state schools, and they were called "retard" by the staff.

They don't understand it, and they can't fight back. So IMHO it is wrong to use those words.

We should stop calling people assholes too.

It might offend someone that really is an asshole.

How about we just use words like "poo poo head".

Would Pooh Bear be offended?

c-

My asshole is offended by this remark.