Retarded, retarded, retarded.

[LilOlLady]

Retarded can be used offensively, but he word is not offensive.

quote;
"When you want to be diplomatic, you say "a person with special needs". (Palin.)

The terms handicapped, retarded or challenged are not considered acceptable terms in the professional world any longer."

What would you call a person that cannot walk in a power chair. I have MS and confined to a power chair and I do not mind being called disabled but resent being treated as disabled because I am not.

 

[mudwhistle]

When I taught Special Ed. Retarded was not a word to be ashamed of. Now it is and it is not the same a "******" **** or other racial slurs. Just because some idiot say it is.
Retardation is not a punishment and neither is being born black. Something went wrong during development of the embroyo.
I have a grand -daughter that is retarded.

You must be about 70 or 80 years old then if you think calling special needs kids "retarded" is still cool to do. They also use to have the special ed "classrooms" in closets and boiler rooms, do you long for those days too?

Did you know they also use to call them "morons?" Would you still like someone to call your granddaughter that too? I doubt that you would.

Sometime labels are removed for a reason.

We're running out of things to call people now.

 

[LilOlLady]

I suggest you say it around somebody who has retarded children.

True, the parents may be put out, but if they are more interested in the child's welfare than their own social status, then say it like it is!

Now you just jumped the shark little old lady.

YOU are clueless to what kids with special needs can do/think/feel if you think it's ok to call them 'retarded' to their face. PLEASE tell us all that you don't call your granddaughter retarded to her face, or within her range where she can hear you, that would just break my heart.

It was a quote and not mine. Some parent are ashamed of their retarded children and that is why I posted the quote from another parent. I do not call my grand daughter anything but by her name or anyone else who is retarded by their name. Retardation is a diagnose and not a personal name.
I also worked in at the state hospital and many parents placed their retarded children their instead of taking care of them their selves. They were more concerned about their social status than their child.
I

 

[Oddball]

So is "mongloid" still a no-no?

How about "water head"?

 

[RadiomanATL]

Retarded
Main Entry: re·tard·ed
Pronunciation: \ri-ˈtär-dəd\
Function: adjective
Date: 1895
To be tarded, twice.

 

[LilOlLady]

I did not say it very well at all. Maybe this will explain better than I did. There are many types of mental retardation. Downs Syndrome is one of them.
The word is still used by those who are not ashamed of the disorder and professionals. In this paragraph alone, the word is mentioned 5 time by professionals.

Mental retardation is an idea, a condition, a syndrome, a symptom, and a source of pain and bewilderment to many families. Its history dates back to the beginning of man's time on earth. The idea of mental retardation can be found as far back in history as the therapeutic papyri of Thebes (Luxor), Egypt, around 1500 B.C. Although somewhat vague due to difficulties in translation, these documents clearly refer to disabilities of the mind and body due to brain damage (Sheerenberger, 1983). Mental retardation is also a condition or syndrome defined by a collection of symptoms, traits, and/or characteristics. It has been defined and renamed many times throughout history. For example, feeblemindedness and mental deficiency were used as labels during the later part of the last century and in the early part of this century. Consistent across all definitions are difficulties in learning, social skills, everyday functioning, and age of onset (during childhood). Mental retardation has also been used as a defining characteristic or symptom of other disorders such as Down syndrome and Prader-Willi syndrome. Finally, mental retardation is a challenge and potential source of stress to the family of an individual with this disorder. From identification through treatment or education, families struggle with questions about cause and prognosis, as well as guilt, a sense of loss, and disillusionment about the future.

Mental Retardation: A Symptom and a Syndrome

 

[Ringel05]

These terms were once neutral descriptive, used by the medical community of that era. Somewhere along the way someone(s) decided these descriptive terms were negative and decided to invent new neutral descriptions. Now it seems some of those terms are being viewed as negative. Honestly, when do we put an end to these useless word games.

 

[Yukon.]

"...Retardation is not a punishment and neither is being born black..."

I agree LilOlLady but you too must agree that the opposite to both of the conditions you refer to is preferable?

 

[Immanuel]

I suggest you say it around somebody who has retarded children.

Why would you do that...to mock them?

And that is why the word (like so many of them) can be used in an offensive manner.

A word, any word, even the dreaded N-Word is not in and of itself offensive. What is offensive is the manner the word is used.

Immie

 

[Middleman]

Language evolves. When I was a kid Downs Syndrome kids were call Mongolian Idiots. In actuality, the words Moron, Idiot, and Imbecile were at one times medical terms referring to the mildly retarded, moderately retarded, and profoundly retarded.

Then they became adopted by the general public as common insults. So the medical community adopted new terminology. In time the word Retarded also came into common usage and became a slur. It's not profane, but some people are sensitive about it, so polite people avoid the use of it in mixed company.

 

[Yukon.]

It just isnt politically correct anymore to insult a person using phrases such as "...you dumb retard... ", "...as lazy as a ******...", "...typical dumb broad...", " ...Liberal, commie, bastard...", "...faggot waste of human flesh...", etc. etc.

I could list dozens of terms that I, the YUKON man, use every day in reference to people. Terms that just are not acceptable anymore to old fashioned, Conservative types.

God Bless the 1st Amendment you say ? Yeah right......................

 

[Middleman]

It just isnt politically correct anymore to insult a person using phrases such as "...you dumb retard... ", "...as lazy as a ******...", "...typical dumb broad...", " ...Liberal, commie, bastard...", "...faggot waste of human flesh...", etc. etc.

I could list dozens of terms that I, the YUKON man, use every day in reference to people. Terms that just are not acceptable anymore to old fashioned, Conservative types.

God Bless the 1st Amendment you say ? Yeah right......................

You, YUKON man, are obviously an internet troll with no life.

Now go outside and get some exercise, breathe some fresh air, get the sun on the pale face of yours, it'll do you good.

 

[RadiomanATL]

It just isnt politically correct anymore to insult a person using phrases such as "...you dumb retard... ", "...as lazy as a ******...", "...typical dumb broad...", " ...Liberal, commie, bastard...", "...faggot waste of human flesh...", etc. etc.

I could list dozens of terms that I, the YUKON man, use every day in reference to people. Terms that just are not acceptable anymore to old fashioned, Conservative types.

God Bless the 1st Amendment you say ? Yeah right......................

You, YUKON man, are obviously an internet troll with no life.

Now go outside and get some exercise, breathe some fresh air, get the sun on the pale face of yours, it'll do you good.

No.

He needs to stay inside and on here. Less chance of him running into little boys IRL.

 

[Middleman]

It just isnt politically correct anymore to insult a person using phrases such as "...you dumb retard... ", "...as lazy as a ******...", "...typical dumb broad...", " ...Liberal, commie, bastard...", "...faggot waste of human flesh...", etc. etc.

I could list dozens of terms that I, the YUKON man, use every day in reference to people. Terms that just are not acceptable anymore to old fashioned, Conservative types.

God Bless the 1st Amendment you say ? Yeah right......................

You, YUKON man, are obviously an internet troll with no life.

Now go outside and get some exercise, breathe some fresh air, get the sun on the pale face of yours, it'll do you good.

No.

He needs to stay inside and on here. Less chance of him running into little boys IRL.

Well, he needs to wipe off his screen then. He's gonna go blind, and those hairy palms are gonna start smelling rank...