Can someone tell me what is wrong with the word retarded?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know that it is no longer PC to say retarded, but the actual definition is: slow or limited intellectual development or academic progress.

Disabled means: incapacitated by illness or injury; or physically or mentally impaired in such a way that substantially limits activity especially in relation to employment or education.

Can someone pick at these definitions and explain why the latter is preferred?

It has a very negative connatation attached to it, and over time it has become a deragatory term. Words/meanings change and evolve over time just like a hundred years ago it was appropriate to use the "N" word or use the word 'gay' meaning happy and joyful (as opposed to the meaning now)

[Anonymous]

My sister is mentally retarded. I was home some months ago + we were all out having dinner. A young couple sat down in the booth across from us + one said to the other, "stop acting so retarded.". My sister's head spun so fast to look @ them + not because she thought she heard her brethren. The word has many ugly connotations. For me, the colloquial understanding is "don't act like my sister." And I find that sad because she is wonderful, sensitive woman in spite of her limited academic capabilities. Finally, she doesn't like Sarah Palin nor do I. FWIW, former Gov. Palin cut services to the Down's community in Alaska before she had her son + often used the term "retarded" with folks. The Kennedy family has many faults, but my parents are eternally grateful for all they've done for the mentally retarded over the last 55 years.

[Anonymous]

My sister is mentally retarded. I was home some months ago + we were all out having dinner. A young couple sat down in the booth across from us + one said to the other, "stop acting so retarded.". My sister's head spun so fast to look @ them + not because she thought she heard her brethren. The word has many ugly connotations. For me, the colloquial understanding is "don't act like my sister." And I find that sad because she is wonderful, sensitive woman in spite of her limited academic capabilities. Finally, she doesn't like Sarah Palin nor do I. FWIW, former Gov. Palin cut services to the Down's community in Alaska before she had her son + often used the term "retarded" with folks. The Kennedy family has many faults, but my parents are eternally grateful for all they've done for the mentally retarded over the last 55 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My sister is mentally retarded. I was home some months ago + we were all out having dinner. A young couple sat down in the booth across from us + one said to the other, "stop acting so retarded.". My sister's head spun so fast to look @ them + not because she thought she heard her brethren. The word has many ugly connotations. For me, the colloquial understanding is "don't act like my sister." And I find that sad because she is wonderful, sensitive woman in spite of her limited academic capabilities. Finally, she doesn't like Sarah Palin nor do I. FWIW, former Gov. Palin cut services to the Down's community in Alaska before she had her son + often used the term "retarded" with folks. The Kennedy family has many faults, but my parents are eternally grateful for all they've done for the mentally retarded over the last 55 years.

It's interesting what people do out of guilt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My sister is mentally retarded. I was home some months ago + we were all out having dinner. A young couple sat down in the booth across from us + one said to the other, "stop acting so retarded.". My sister's head spun so fast to look @ them + not because she thought she heard her brethren. The word has many ugly connotations. For me, the colloquial understanding is "don't act like my sister." And I find that sad because she is wonderful, sensitive woman in spite of her limited academic capabilities. Finally, she doesn't like Sarah Palin nor do I. FWIW, former Gov. Palin cut services to the Down's community in Alaska before she had her son + often used the term "retarded" with folks. The Kennedy family has many faults, but my parents are eternally grateful for all they've done for the mentally retarded over the last 55 years.

It's interesting what people do out of guilt.

I worked for the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation once and believe that was the only decent thing they did because they treated their domestic help terribly. I was in another room with the copy machine going and over that noise I heard one of the Kennedy sisters screaming at her social secretary over the phone. Camelot, Ha.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought I read Palin herself referred to her baby with downs syndrome as her "retarded baby".

That was said in her own home about her own child. That is her business.

Who quoted Palin? Her daughter's ex-fiance who has been everywhere seeking publicity and later admitted that "some" things he'd said were lies? I don't believe him for a minute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The people who are saying that you may not say "retarded" because it's "not PC" are not answering the question.

*Why* is it not PC? ie, If I told you emphatically that the word 'sunshine' is "not PC," would you just stop using the word 'sunshine'?

It is not PC because people started using it as a slur. They would say "what are you, retarded?", "Hey, look at the retard" , etc. It is no longer a scientific definition. The current culture has made it a way to disparage people by making them out to be mentally challenged.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My sister is mentally retarded. I was home some months ago + we were all out having dinner. A young couple sat down in the booth across from us + one said to the other, "stop acting so retarded.". My sister's head spun so fast to look @ them + not because she thought she heard her brethren. The word has many ugly connotations. For me, the colloquial understanding is "don't act like my sister." And I find that sad because she is wonderful, sensitive woman in spite of her limited academic capabilities. Finally, she doesn't like Sarah Palin nor do I. FWIW, former Gov. Palin cut services to the Down's community in Alaska before she had her son + often used the term "retarded" with folks. The Kennedy family has many faults, but my parents are eternally grateful for all they've done for the mentally retarded over the last 55 years.

It's interesting what people do out of guilt.

I worked for the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation once and believe that was the only decent thing they did because they treated their domestic help terribly. I was in another room with the copy machine going and over that noise I heard one of the Kennedy sisters screaming at her social secretary over the phone. Camelot, Ha.

Wow, you overheard one of them shouting. How revealing. Write a book about your brush with fame.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My sister is mentally retarded. I was home some months ago + we were all out having dinner. A young couple sat down in the booth across from us + one said to the other, "stop acting so retarded.". My sister's head spun so fast to look @ them + not because she thought she heard her brethren. The word has many ugly connotations. For me, the colloquial understanding is "don't act like my sister." And I find that sad because she is wonderful, sensitive woman in spite of her limited academic capabilities. Finally, she doesn't like Sarah Palin nor do I. FWIW, former Gov. Palin cut services to the Down's community in Alaska before she had her son + often used the term "retarded" with folks. The Kennedy family has many faults, but my parents are eternally grateful for all they've done for the mentally retarded over the last 55 years.

It's interesting what people do out of guilt.

I worked for the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation once and believe that was the only decent thing they did because they treated their domestic help terribly. I was in another room with the copy machine going and over that noise I heard one of the Kennedy sisters screaming at her social secretary over the phone. Camelot, Ha.

Ever heard of Kennedy-Krieger Institute?

[Anonymous]

Those of us who work with people who are mentally retarded usually just shorten it to "MR". No negative connotation to that.

And Kennedy-Krieger is a fabulous hospital. Their staff actually care about improving quality of life and teaching life skills to those who need it most. I was amazed at what they could do and their belief in a child who most of the medical world had given up on.

[Anonymous]

Eunice Kennedy Shriver was instrumental in launching Special Olympics. Perhaps this was due to "guilt" over having an MR sister, but many, many MR folks have benefitted from this legacy.

[Anonymous]

Just pausing to say I love the serious grammar off-shoot that's happening here.

Me too. But it's kind of frightening to see that adults can't distinguish a verb from a noun from an adjective! Really?? I mean, we're not talking complicated sentence diagrams here, just your basic parts of speech. My 3rd-grader can tell them apart.

[Anonymous]

There are several words that just cut in ways that are perhaps disproportionate to the context or intent but that's how they play. Besides retarded, cunt comes to mind. Dreadful words. English is a rich language! Less offensive words can make the point.