A Mild Rant
Okay, I'm not getting into the whole debate about the word retarded. I'm not discussing here the idea that it is a hurtful and shameful word that should never be casually bandied about ( And guys, even when I use it plainly as an insult, I don't do it casually; I mean it in every sense of the word) and I'm not getting into 'developmentally disabled' other than to say wait a minute: I thought disabled was a hurtful word? Shouldn't it then be developmentally differently abled? The freaking insanity, people.
And the thing of it is, developmentally disabled is an umbrella term for a whole bunch of conditions, ranging from mental to physical to neurological disorders. (Hi, physical therapists. You thought I wasn't listening, right?) Mentally retarded is a specific medical definition and a useful one.
I understand many people find it insulting to the actually mentally retarded when used as an insult against the willfully ignorant or just plain stupid. And I'm not getting into that right now. That's a whole other kettle of fish.
I just want to say that once upon a time, children, words like "faggot," (which LJ spell-check insists is an invalid word) "gay," "queer" and "dyke" (also rejected by spell-check) all had different meanings too. And none of them were hateful. And don't try to divert me with discussion of the n-bomb because that is not a euphemism. That is not only a slur, but a representation of hate and bigotry and a hideous injustice that should be left in the past, where it belongs. I am not an apologist and I am not trying to sweep our country's history under the rug but some things need to be let go of eventually.
The difference is we don't walk up to the black community at large and insist they stop using it, even though it should die and be given a proper funeral. (Which, it might have been, if I remember correctly.) We're too afraid.
But we can tell people to stop using retard casually, because then? We're superior. We're on the side of right. We're asshats.
It's a word. And I won't say words don't have power, but they only have the power you allow them.
What we are facing is linguistic erosion. Every year another word is scraped off, washed away, never to be used again. It's tossed up as sacrifice on the altar of Political Correctness and Whinging Butthurt. (Spell-check has no problem with butthurt. The fuck?)
I do believe in the evolution of language. I think etymology is fascinating. But when we are no longer allowed to use the word queer in its proper context but Webster's gladly incorporates "bootilicious" into the lexicon? That's not evolution.
It's unintelligent design.
And the thing of it is, developmentally disabled is an umbrella term for a whole bunch of conditions, ranging from mental to physical to neurological disorders. (Hi, physical therapists. You thought I wasn't listening, right?) Mentally retarded is a specific medical definition and a useful one.
I understand many people find it insulting to the actually mentally retarded when used as an insult against the willfully ignorant or just plain stupid. And I'm not getting into that right now. That's a whole other kettle of fish.
I just want to say that once upon a time, children, words like "faggot," (which LJ spell-check insists is an invalid word) "gay," "queer" and "dyke" (also rejected by spell-check) all had different meanings too. And none of them were hateful. And don't try to divert me with discussion of the n-bomb because that is not a euphemism. That is not only a slur, but a representation of hate and bigotry and a hideous injustice that should be left in the past, where it belongs. I am not an apologist and I am not trying to sweep our country's history under the rug but some things need to be let go of eventually.
The difference is we don't walk up to the black community at large and insist they stop using it, even though it should die and be given a proper funeral. (Which, it might have been, if I remember correctly.) We're too afraid.
But we can tell people to stop using retard casually, because then? We're superior. We're on the side of right. We're asshats.
It's a word. And I won't say words don't have power, but they only have the power you allow them.
What we are facing is linguistic erosion. Every year another word is scraped off, washed away, never to be used again. It's tossed up as sacrifice on the altar of Political Correctness and Whinging Butthurt. (Spell-check has no problem with butthurt. The fuck?)
I do believe in the evolution of language. I think etymology is fascinating. But when we are no longer allowed to use the word queer in its proper context but Webster's gladly incorporates "bootilicious" into the lexicon? That's not evolution.
It's unintelligent design.