The "R" word

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The "R" word - 2/5/2010 3:25:24 PM

StrangerThan

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I grew up taking care of a down's syndrome relative. She attended special classes at the same school where I went, and me being the "responsible" one, it fell to me to make sure she got to class in the morning, make sure she got on the bus later, and in general, watch over things until an adult arrived on the scene in the afternoon. So I've heard all the words, all the jokes, all the hits taken by folks so afflicted and those who care for them.

This week, or was it last? I can't remember. There is so much political grandstanding these days, and so much hawkish gotta-find-an-insult-or-racist attitude by the mainstream media, that it's hard to keep up with what happened when. But I'm not anal about such things. Within the last couple of weeks suffices for me. In that timeframe, I discovered we have an "R" word. I knew we had an N word, an affectation created by journalists who needed to reference the actual word without saying it, or writing it as it may be. I knew that we had tons of folks running around trying to pin alternative labels on folks, if for no other reason, to get away from some of the taunts. stereotypes and teases of the past. In a former life as a reporter, I interviewed one of those labelers once. Navigating the confusing maze of that person's statement needed both a dictionary and time to chew over the concoctions he created to paint things in a... gentler light I guess.

I can fully understand some of the feelings that come with hearing those words, feelings that stem from a lifetime of dealing with them. At the same time, I'm not sure why neutering the language of them is acceptable. I'm not sure why creating protected classes of people in law when inclusion into that class can be based upon use of such a word. Don't get me wrong. I'm not against increasing penalties for criminals. I just think it backwards to tell one mother her child is worth intrinsically more or less than another - which essentially is what it is.

We live in a society where free speech is something we tout. We also live in a society ridden by activists who want society to not just recognize them, but make a special case for them. We all know free speech doesn't extend to the right to yell fire in a crowded auditorium. Yet, the attack on free speech goes well beyond that simple example.

So where does it end? Or does it? And why is it acceptable in some cases, but not others?

Palin's call out of whatever his name is, emmanuel? is bullshit and poltical. Yet from it, we have apologies given as many apologies are given these days, to do damage control in the political arena rather than from any sincere feeling. I can say that without much reservation because those apologies are forced out of said folk by the same activists who just wet their damned panties over the idea of taking a red pen to the dictionary. I'm not being sexist there. I'm just figuring, the men are wearing them too. And now Rush is embroiled in the same controversy from comments he made and is not backing down from. Both cases sent the overly sensitive on both sides squirming in righteous anger.

Personally, I don't like "words". I don't like language that can't be spoken. I don't like people deciding for me what is acceptable or not. I prefer to exercise that control myself as a human and as an America who supposedly lives in a country where free speech is valued, and I think the activists have both too much power and too much media exposure.

Maybe that's because many in the media are activists in their own right.

This is my belief... you will never cure an oppression by instituting another, and never right a wrong with another wrong. My personal disgust with people who choose to use such words is one thing. Instituting it in law is another.

Personally, I don't like either, and I have about as much respect for those who use them as those who wish to ban them. Which in both cases, is little to none.

And honestly, I'm not sure which pisses me off more. On one hand, I have either an idiot or an asshole. On the other, people who will use the rights given to them by the constitution to limit the rights of others. The only bright side in this entire equation is that maybe, just maybe someday they'll get pissed off enough at each other to eradicate each other.

Political spectrums are a good snapshot of America in some ways as the extreme left embodies the overly sensitive, while the extreme right embodies those with few sensitivites. If it weren't for the activists out there trying to make and change law to suit them, I honestly wouldn't give one shit about either. So I wonder, is it just me? Or are there other folks in America who are sick to death of both sides, and just about pissed off enough to quit being "accepting" of them?

Just wondering. I had a greenie approach me last week attempting to teach me about the earth and my impact on it while I was sitting in a parking lot drinking coffee and talking to my brother. I decided it was time to get in his face and see exactly how far his zealousness went.

Not far. It only lasted as long as I was willing to sit and let him lecture me about disposable things.

So what does this all have to do with the subject? Same mindset, same overwhelming righteousness.

_____________________________

--'Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to reform' - Mark Twain

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RE: The "R" word - 2/6/2010 12:22:40 AM

Termyn8or

Posts: 18681
Joined: 11/12/2005
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I take it the R word is retarded. As a slur it is hitting below the belt and not worthy. However words are just that. I don't know if I am hitting your base point here but I'll take a couple of potshots at it, you did jump around a bit. Retarded could mean alot of things, in a biological sense, bacteria growth is retared by keeping one's dairy products refrigerated. The ignition timing is retarded on surper or turbo charged engines in the boost mode. Rust can be retarded on steel by the application of an oil.

Such is the use of words and their context. Like it or not these words have meanings. Ratarded means slow, but that doesn't mean learning does not haoppen. The terms imbecile, moron and so forth actually have a meaning. They are more like the limits, when someone really has it bad. It means it's all they can do. Retarded simply means they do it more slowly. At least that's how it used to be. Now terms have to be polically correct, as if that makes them any less of a label.

I like the term "neutering the language" because it is so descriptive of reality today. But then public fora do not necessarily reflect life. I will use the N word in a houseful of Black people, but it is in context, they know I am not calling them anything. I have also told Hispanics in less than uncertain terms "Ain't one of you ever used a subwoofer in your life" referring to their music which usually has very little low bass content. These are traits, I accept them. Some peole have a problem with that, don't get caught in that trap. I have had retarded people tell me straight out "I am retarded".

But my response is YES, I am sick of both sides. We don't need censorship, we need decency and some level of compassion. We don't need hate crime laws, we just need the laws to work. We don't need zoning, we need cooperation among neighbors. We don't need driving laws (except for the actual rules of the road), we need people to understand that in those other cars are people, those you don't know, have never done you wrong, who you could hurt if you get stupid. And take that to heart.

In the meantime the powers that be will keep us at bay by keeping us at each others' throats. They will laugh all the way to the bank, and we will keep doing it. Even racially, in forcing us to accept that which we are not ready to accept they have divideed and conquered. They will continue to keep us that way as long as possible. Reason being is that if everybody really figured it out, there would be a real revolution. It is not we, nor I who whips this shit upinto a federal case.

I did support GWB for his first term, one of the major reasons why ? He said, after the dragging death of a Black I believe by Whites there was a call for hate crime laws. Bush said :"We don't need any special laws, we'll execute them:". Of course later it was found out what was really going on, which still is.

I grow weary of the fight against those who don't understand the difference between a motor and an engine, a racist and a bigot, a successful Man and a suit with alot of money. I am seriously tired of both sides and am considereing bowing out of the Politics forum period. But I will not do that. I will not let these people sleep anymore than they do I. And I have some friends here. They understand how I am, others do not. Let them say what they say.

I will never ignore anyone, but I sure as hell wish a few would ignore me.

How does that grab ya ?

T

(in reply to StrangerThan)

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