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What is your opinion about the use of the word "retard" as an insult?

What is your opinion about use of the word "retard" as an insult?

  • Total voters
    39
RobertU said:
Just wondering: If it's okay for Black people to use the N word, is it okay for retarded people to use the R word?
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My favorite quote regarding white people not being able say the N-word is a Chris Rock quote:

"You can say the N-word, let me control interest rates."
 
Napoleon said:
Some people take pride in being assholes. Just as some people take pride in being obese. Etc.
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which is one reason why i delighted in being able to use it in legitimate repy to your post
 
RobertU said:
Just wondering: If it's okay for Black people to use the N word, is it okay for retarded people to use the R word?
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You need ask your friends.
My friends and I know the answer.
 
Ginger Ale said:
That's the thing, I even had to ask my husband not to use it anymore. Things change when you become part of that group. It's made me stop and think before I push sludge out of my pie hole.

I don't hate people who use it or anything, I understand, it's just different for me. I've said all kinds of things I regret. My go to is more of the school yard variety like butthole, but I still do it. This convo makes me think I should stop. So, that's good. We grown, and we learn. :)
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Yeah, I make a conscious effort to avoid it. I had a friend in my past whom I deeply respected and I remember I accidentally used it in front of her. She had a beloved brother with Downs. And I remember thinking I’m never gonna do that again,

Nowadays I find it’s more used in reference to things, policies, rules, etc than people. Ie: going on a poorly designed website I can hear myself or others saying “this is retarded”. It’s just a habit.
 
JMB802 said:
@SNOWFLAKE I just checked the privacy of the votes on my phone where I'm not signed in. If you click the vote number, you should be able to see who voted for which option.
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Thank you, and just checked, and NOT surprised about the usual suspects.
 
RobertU said:
Just wondering: If it's okay for Black people to use the N word, is it okay for retarded people to use the R word?
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Umm context matters. AND you asked if "retarded" people, therefore already using the unsavory term. You could have asked if mentally challenged people could use the R word. But you didn't, sighs.
 
RobertU said:
Just wondering: If it's okay for Black people to use the N word, is it okay for retarded people to use the R word?
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Are you disabled? Are you black? Are you a woman? If you answered yes you could understand. If not, then I'll try to explain it, since I fit into that category.

If you are showing comradery through silliness or a joke then that's different. Women own the word bitch for example, when talking to each other. There's a certain amount of power from taking a word used at insulting you and using it within. It's not an insult. It's not camaraderie if you don't belong to the group. It's built through being marginalized.
 
I dont think there would be any post here of mine archived that contains the word "retard". It is not a word I use often, if at all.

OTOH, I do use the word "trumptard". Its just a great word for them, people that are too ignorant to truly know what ignorance is, and therefore incapable of grasping that they are the epitome of IDIOT.

I dont think I hear the word "retard" used as an insult as much as I used to when I was a kid, but still every now and then you hear it.
 
I do use the word in conjunction with clumsy or embarrassing things I do - out of habit. For example, if I hit a ridiculously terrible and silly golf shot or trip on something obvious, I tend to say something like "I'm SO retarded!". But I have gotten some disapproving looks from my grandchildren when they were younger, when I've used the word and they occasionally said things like, "You aren't supposed to say that.".
I don't recall ever saying it to someone else and I hope I'm right in that recollection. That would be mean, if I have.
Does it justify its use in that I use it to make fun of me and not others? Probably not.

Ginger Ale said:
I have a child with special needs, so I'm not a fan.
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Ginger Ale said:
All the time. Right in front of my son. I know they don't tie the two together but I usually just cringe inside and try to redirect the convo.
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Ginger Ale, I have such respect for the way you handle the situation and for these comments and every comment you wrote in this thread! Dang, that's a calm and mature opinion, attitude and approach.

OrphanSlug said:
I do not go all crazy on the subject, but I am not a fan of the word either.
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This is probably a fairly close view to mine but this thread has made me think my grandchildren were on the right track and I should work to break the habit of ever using the word.
 
JMB802 said:
What is your opinion about the use of the word "retard" as an insult?
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It depends on the context. As a young guy, with my friends, calling them retards was fine, but I wouldn't go around calling random people or people with learning disabilities "retards."
 
MrNiceGuy said:
It depends on the context. As a young guy, with my friends, calling them retards was fine, but I wouldn't go around calling random people or people with learning disabilities "retards."
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I'm curious about something, you are obviously free to answer or not. When you're with your male friends do you refer to non-whites and women with slur words?
 
JMB802 said:
I'm curious about something, you are obviously free to answer or not. When you're with your male friends do you refer to non-whites and women with slur words?
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No, I refer to my friends using slur words (irrespective of their race). Well, not so much anymore as I'm older now. But, back in the day, that's how guys addressed each other. Sort of like the scenes in Clint Eastwoods' Gran Torino movie, where he was teaching the neighbor kids how guys talk to each other.

That kind of thing was normal at least up through Generation X. Now the younger generation has had their balls cut off, so they probably sit around correcting each other all the time.
 
JMB802 said:
I'm curious about something, you are obviously free to answer or not. When you're with your male friends do you refer to non-whites and women with slur words?
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Being heavily involved with UK music has introduced the C word into my vocabulary

I used to wince when I heard it but now it’s thoroughly desensitized
 
JMB802 said:
What is your opinion about the use of the word "retard" as an insult?
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I don't personally use it, and dislike seeing it used.
This is mainly because I am aware that it upsets/hurts some people to hear it used in that way.

I'd probably use the world "idiot" instead.
 
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