Comments on: Be aware of what you are saying: ‘retard’ is not ‘stupid’ http://whshatchet.com/opinion/2010/03/08/be-aware-of-what-you-are-saying-%e2%80%98retard%e2%80%99-is-not-%e2%80%98stupid%e2%80%99/ The student newspaper of Washington High School Fri, 04 Nov 2011 19:50:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Joan Carroll http://whshatchet.com/opinion/2010/03/08/be-aware-of-what-you-are-saying-%e2%80%98retard%e2%80%99-is-not-%e2%80%98stupid%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-3002 Joan Carroll Sun, 28 Mar 2010 16:10:20 +0000 http://whshatchet.com/?p=3286#comment-3002 Dear Joshua, Thank you so much for your sensitive article on how the word "retard" is commonly used amongst many people. I have heard it used to describe people that other people don't like or approve of. Also, I have heard it used to describe situations or opinions of things in general. I find it so offensive, because my sister is retarded and autistic, my sister-in-law is retarded and has downs syndrome. Neither one of them have any control that they are disabled and when people use this "retard" term it is hurtful, because they are insulting me and my family. It is incredibly disrepectful, discriminatory and insensitive to use "retard" and make fun of disabled people. The ironic thing about this new fad is that many smart and intelligent people use this word and it just makes them look and sound ignorant. Disabled people would never be so cruel or intentionally hurt other people's feelings in this way. Now you tell me, who is the better person? Dear Joshua,

Thank you so much for your sensitive article on how the word “retard” is commonly used amongst many people. I have heard it used to describe people that other people don’t like or approve of. Also, I have heard it used to describe situations or opinions of things in general. I find it so offensive, because my sister is retarded and autistic, my sister-in-law is retarded and has downs syndrome. Neither one of them have any control that they are disabled and when people use this “retard” term it is hurtful, because they are insulting me and my family. It is incredibly disrepectful, discriminatory and insensitive to use “retard” and make fun of disabled people. The ironic thing about this new fad is that many smart and intelligent people use this word and it just makes them look and sound ignorant. Disabled people would never be so cruel or intentionally hurt other people’s feelings in this way. Now you tell me, who is the better person?

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