re: The ‘r-word’ is back. How a slur became renormalized

Not
A
Slur

Come on it's the 90's!

Liberals have long waged a war on words.

The problem is that the condition is what is so painful.
That is sad, but unchanging.
I have some friends who have a daughter with Down's syndrome which is heartbreaking for all of them. The mother hates the "R" word. But what she actually hates is the condition. I admit that I avoid using the term due to her pain - actually avoid mentioning the situation at all.
When I worked at a hospital which dealt with similar difficult situations, we did use a variety of terms to describe the conditions of the moment. It is necessary to do so. But then people abuse the terms so our society decides to ban the term and implement (or impose) a new approved term. Then that one will be misused and cause pain so that the newer term will also be banned. This cycle is ridiculous. Moron, imbecile, cretin and several others started out as simple descriptive terms, but devolved into perjorative rather than clinical terms. How long before ARC is banned as painful?
We should learn to hate the condition, but stop misusing the words and also stop changing our language.
It is what it is. We cannot sugar coat the difficult reality by having war with our dictionaries.

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how exactly is your 15 and 25 year olds supporting figs?

That sucks.


I’d rather my kids be retards than queer fans

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Oh I don't know, simply making the mistake of minding their own damned business mostly, We are all atheists so they do not make a habit of judging people like believers do despite being warned against the practice by their god.....

You have the mind of a child. A retarded child.

This author is a fig.

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You have the mind of a child. A retarded child.

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Why thank you! Yes, It is true, I am not saddled with the irrational fears and hatred that is so cumbersome for most adults and all but absent in the minds of children.....

[quote]It’s funny how until it affect your family we can’t feel empathy for other people. I’m sure id feel the same way if I had a retarded kid but I don’t see why we can’t use offensive words anymore[/quote]


What's stopping you? Seriously, if you want to sling the R or N word about willy nilly just do it for fricks sake. If you are concerned someone will take you to task for doing so that is on you, not the rest of the 8 or so billion of us. The vast majority of those 8 billion people won't understand what you have said unless you say it in their language.

I don't understand the burning desire sooooo many people have to use offensive language but I understand even less why they don't just use it f it is that important to them to do so. I can't imagine going through life with an all consuming desire to drop a word that is considered offensive. It has to be exhausting having that sort of thing in one's heart and constantly having to tamp it down lest someone take you to task for speaking your mind. If I were in that situation I would do some reflection on why I wanted to use such language and if I concluded that it was at all important for me to do so I would do so and damn the consequences. I seriously doubt, nay I hope, that it's a rare individual who really finds it oppressive not to use offensive language. If one is indeed in that number then just do it for frick's sake. Own that shite. Be a man. Don't be skeered......