Culture of Cruelty: When Hollywood Attacks Mentally Disabled Children
by Dana CommandatoreLast year, President Obama attempted a self-deprecating joke on The Tonight Show, when he compared his notoriously bad bowling skills to the Special Olympics. The disability community demanded an apology and the President delivered one to Tim Shriver, Chairman of the Special Olympics Committee. A few weeks ago, Rahm Emanuel had to repeat the apology when he referred to a group of liberal activists as “f-ing retarded.” Sarah Palin called for Emanuel to be fired and again became a target for shows like The Colbert Report, and Bill Maher.
Whether you believe Sarah Palin’s outrage is sincere or think she is capitalizing on a media opportunity, the fact remains our political leaders are speaking like playground bullies. Why wouldn’t they when it’s perfectly acceptable on prime time television? I find it incredibly disturbing for pop culture to launch what seems like an all out assault on the mentally challenged when what they really want to do is hurt Sarah Palin. Recently, Family Guy aired an episode where a character with Down syndrome suggests she is the daughter of Sarah Palin. Palin blasted the show’s creator Seth MacFarlane and received no apology.
Bill Maher discussed the episode with MacFarlane and used the opportunity to attack Governor Palin. According to Maher, “Americans have voted with their vernacular, they need the word ‘retarded’. They use it constantly… Ironically, because of people like Sarah Palin, the country has become so stupid we need the word ‘retarded’ to constantly describe what is going on in America.” I’m not sure if by “we” Maher is referring to the American people or the group of intellectual elites that he places himself. Either way, I find Maher’s constant attack on America’s intelligence another despicable bullying tactic.
In the spirit of political correctness MacFarlane responded with, “You’re not going to call a person with a mental challenge ‘retarded’ …you’re just not gonna do that anymore…no one with any sense uses that term in that way…”
What about “faggot,” MacFarlane? Do you think it’s okay to call someone a “faggot” as long as they are not actually gay? I mean no one calls an actual gay person THAT anymore. No one with any sense would do such a thing.
I spend a lot time trying to change people’s minds about disability. My website RethinkingAutism.com is devoted to encouraging a paradigm shift in the way we view autistic people. I’ve written a book dedicated to parents of kids with special needs for I know how much support and encouragement is needed. This intentional use of language by individuals like Maher exhibits a twisted rationale designed to make one feel better about being a bully. It is precisely the reason why most special needs individuals are bullied and discriminated against by both children and adults. Sadly, I have seen this happen to my own child.
One of the many benefits of raising a special needs child is the incredible community of parents that I’ve met. Dr. Ross Porter, a clinical psychologist and proud father of a Down syndrome son is one of those people. Dr. Porter states, “There is no question in my mind that we live in a ‘culture of cruelty,’ a culture that bullies whenever it can. Why? There isn’t enough space here to explore the complexities of the question (although it is certainly worth exploring), but start with rampant narcissism and the crisis of fatherhood. Suffice to say in 20 years of clinical practice I’ve never seen so much bullying…of those who can’t defend themselves. The rampant use of the “R” word typifies my point. Special needs persons have always been vulnerable, and historically seen as being less valuable. They are not media savvy, don’t form a big voting block, don’t have tons of money to throw at politicians, and don’t hobnob with the Ivy League elite. It’s easy to pick on them…they won’t fight back. Some usage of the “R” word is due to ignorance, but I believe most often people use it because they know they can get away with it. This needs to stop.” Dr. Porter and his wife Jennifer run Stillpoint Family Resources, a group of nine clinics throughout southern California that provide affordable mental health care to families and individuals in need.
The mentally challenged have spoken and do not wish to be referred to as “retarded”. That is not what this is about. This is about using the word in a derogatory manner, with the intent of hurting another person. While I applaud the inclusion of disabled people on television shows in a natural setting, I find it hard to believe that this was McFarlane’s intent. The scene in which a young woman with down syndrome is out on a date with one of the main characters seemed innocent enough. However, the insinuation that the girl was the daughter of Sarah Palin was meant to be funny. What is so funny about that?
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226 Comments
McFarlane has worn me out. I have a pretty high tolerance for being picked on. I suffered through it all through school as a kid. But it just isn't funny anymore. His program is supposed to be funny, but i have out grown that type of comedy. That and dudes getting hit in the crotch.
I think Hollywood is going to be as surprised as D.C. when the American People finally rise up and scream Enough!! It's coming …and I have bacon flavored popcorn for the show!!!
You are right. None of it is funny anymore, if it ever was. The thing that bothers me most about this is that our chosen leaders are displaying the true callousness of their hearts when they accidently slip and say something abysmally stupid and disparaging like this. Civility has gone out the window.
kind of like the mom in the hotel on friday who got mad at me for getting mad at her kids for setting up a hockey game (with full nets) in the hallway outside my room at 11pm.
She thought it rude to make a big deal out of it. Of course i thought it rude to wake me up. The hotel thought it rude too.
My brother is mentally retarded (sorry, that's the phrase that was used back in the day, and I think it's apt…his mental ability is retarded as the result of complications at birth). Nevertheless, he has a job (imagine that!), goes on outings, has competed in the Special Olympics, and has lived a happy life thus far. He is a loving man who is way neater than I am!
My mom always maintained that only small intellects had to resort to expletives and pejoratives–I confess to using my share of expletives from time to time, but I never resort to pejoratives. An individual cannot help their skin color, ethnic background, physical or mental limitations, and such, so there is no cause to reference those qualities in a discussion.
It's ironic that special needs/learning disabled folks have an excuse to be less than brilliant and yet strive to be all they can. Bill Maher and Seth McFarlane have no such limitations, and yet they manage to be idiots.
Could it be that the likes of Bill Maher, Seth MacFarlane, etc., are really being defensive about their lack of creativity? In the case of Rahmit Emmanuel, there is no excuse. He is just a Chitown thug… hiding under the cover of the secret service.
Right on 4arepublic!!!!
So I guess in all these years of thinking political correctness was stupid, the real problem was the selective enforcement and that left-wingers used it as a weapon to shut people up who they disagree with. My bad.
The "Bowler in Chief" could call this out.
I like MacFarlane.
Hopefully one day he will use his talents (making up flatulence jokes, singing like an American Idol finalist and doing funny voices for mean babies and drunk dogs) for good or at least funny instead of evil.
The liberal’s comedy is mindless and sick. Only they can make racist jokes and poke fun at the handicapped and then make a statement that they are for the small guy.
There’s only one thing a liberal is concerned about and that’s themselves.
"Family Guy" is the favorite TV program of the only mentally-disabled
person in my extended family. That fact alone speaks volumes.
Many people who aren't part of the "intellectual elites" use the word retarded as well, like Rush Limbaugh. Yet he won't meet the same criticism by you hypocrits.
OKAY STOP THE PRESS! I'm a young conservative and a Republican though im losing faith in our GOP right now (frankly all us gov) and one thing I've noticed about people that share my beliefs is that we cannot stand that PC is sweeping America. It started with the left and is making its way to the right. Are republicans not allowed to laugh anymore. This is America land of the free, if you dont want to watch it, you don't have too. Quite frankly I find the show to be a breath of fresh air! They make fun of everyone, instead of most shows that just focus on humiliating christians and republicans! And yes I still laugh when I see a guy get kicked in the crotch…as long as its not me! lol
Yawn. Boring. Next.
Does this mean I can't say "libtard" anymore in calling out the obvious, about the lefty trolls, deranged Marxist appeasers and deluded commie rats around us?
Not Over.
He was referring to to what Rahm had said, and said so on his show loser.
Not Over.
Liberals are against hate unless, of course, that hate is directed at somebody whose politics they don't agree with. In that case, hate away!
enjoy what you want
I'm not asking you to change your viewing habits, just because I have changed mine.
Call me uptight all you want, I just want things that are supposed to be funny to actually be I don't know…Funny?
I will often be the only one who thinks things are funny at times, and other times be the only one who doesn't. So if you enjoy it, laugh it up, more power to you. I used to enjoy McFarlane, I don't anymore. So what?
I'll agree with you there! This is the land of oppurtinity, all who try will succeed! Unfortunately, my generation thinks its the goverments job to make them successfull. I've never seen any interviews with Mcfarlane, all I know is his show makes me laugh, though he can take a joke too far, Bill Maher is an effen idiot!
Look, man.
They kill mentally disabled children in the womb.
Making fun of them on TV is the least of their problems.
Since you are young you lack the wisdom to understand what is Political Correctness; getting kicked in the crotch may be funny to your porn-flaccid prick however it is not indicative of the nature of a PC culture.
On that topic of your misguided youth; do you realize that due to Politically Correct indoctrination your own youth groupies between the age of 18-29 have for the first in America's history voted (66%)yourselves INTO slavery?
So perhaps instead of keeping your eyeballs sucked to the TV screen jacking off your stupid, you might start thinking about how you are going to extract yourself from the Slave Plantation your silly generation of PC Serfs empowered in the 2008 election.
So in General if everybody just lightened up a little, didn't take everything as a personal stab, and focused more on the government spending our country into oblivion while one step at a time buying out the private sector…then in 10 20 30 years we will still be able to have these discussions instead of living on a steady diet of goverment cheese and living in VAN DOWN BY THE RIVER!
If you look at what they actually said there is no difference between what Maher and Limbaugh said. This idea that it is different is just a desperate backpeddle by Palin when she realized she would have to criticize Limbaugh if she was going to be consistent.
If you truly think it was okay in the way Limbaugh said it then you disagree with the premise of the author that it is the word itself that shouldn't be used in a deragotary manner, and that context doesn't matter.
you have a point. it is an other wise appropriate word that has been used as an epithet.
I will agree to drop my favorite phrase "tardcarnival" as a put down if we can all agree that there are some appropriate uses of the root word such as my brother in law is socially retarded. socially challenged doesn't convey any meaning.
Seth Macfarlane is a successful man and Chris Farley is still dead. There's no justice.
I think it is hilarious how 66% of the Politically Correct 18-29 youth group- indoctrinated by Hollywood's stupid Blue Smurfs- voted themsleves INTO slavery in the 2008.
Youth group has this going for them; they are the first generation in America's history to vote FOR the Slave-masters.
It will be even more amusing to watch how this indoctrinated on Politically Correct stupid youth group extracts themselves from their self-imposed government Serfdom.
I highly doubt a Rage Against the Machine pop concert in Hollywood will save the stupid youth group from a lifetime of miserable Serfdom; but hey, rock on dudes.
This is America land of the free, if you dont want to watch it, you don't have too.
I'd think again about using this line of reasoning. If someone is violently flatulent while you are locked in an elevator with said flatulence is it right to say, "Hey if you don't like it don't breathe."
Family Guy is the flatulence in the elevator that is society and we have no choice but to live with the after effects, we can't opt out of the culture it creates and people will say it stinks and what it does to society stinks.
True dat!
I initially found "Family Guy" funny but now I think that the show's humor has turned predictable and that Seth MacFarlane has become just another leftist political hack. That includes his other two shows on Fox: "American Dad" (about a jingoistic, sexist, homophobic, knuckle-dragging troglodyte who works for the CIA) and that spin-off from "Family Guy", "The Cleveland Show" with its oafish African-American children. Yeah, MacFarlane's got talent but, then again, so did Dr. Joseph Goebbels and Albert Speer (does this mean I get points taken away for making an anology to Nazis?)
You really can't expect too much from the crowd that supports the likes of a cop killer(Mumia) or a child molester (Polanski). If you expect morals and ethics from the Hollywood crowd you'll always be disappointed.
Family Guy was a clever show. WAS is the key word here. Ever since Family Guy has taken over the lime light from the Simpsons the show has gone down drastically in quality. I really am not that offended by the joke because it was frankly a rather lame throw away joke that failed. Its like "so what" that Sarah Palin is the mother of a mentally handicap kid. A lot of people are. Either if it was from cruel intentions of the writers were lazy and picked a popular target is beside the point. The simple fact is the joke missed its mark because it failed to realize that there was no humor in it. So what if your the mother of a mentally challenged child? What does that make you? Nothing other than a mother? Not a good mother, not a bad mother. That joke offers no insulting adjective to the pronoun. If they thought it did then it shows their gross prejudice and in that you could find offense.
Where the show crossed the line for me (and in hindsight I should have stopped watching it long before with all the Jesus jokes) was during the 08 campaign when they hung McCain and Palin out to dry but Obama (who MacFarlane campaigned for) was given a pass. The political jokes about the conservatives on that show have always just been mean attacks that make very little sense. Like showing Nazis from the 1940's wearing a McCain/Palin button. Out of respect for John McCain's service to our country (whom I disagree with frequently only policy) I no longer watch Family Guy. It was more than a joke it was slap in the face to a man who suffered many indignities, as a P.O.W., in the cause of defending this nations' freedom. Such men who serve should be treated with some sincere courtesy and honor by his fellow civilians through out his life. If MacFarlane was so fair he would have painted a picture of John Kerry as a man who shot himself to win a purple heart and lied about his fellow soldiers to win praise from liberal Mass. voters who elected him senator. I was disappointed with Rush and Karl Rove when I heard they went back for another episode. MacFarlane's excuse that he offends everyone really doesn't work because its not completely honest and because of that show is failing now. He simply starts making fun of liberals when it does little damage or he needs the ratings otherwise he will use the show as a soap box. However it won't matter for MacFarlane because television for what it is these days, Family Guy, with episodes that rival the Simpsons in re-used and bad humor could go on for another twenty years on FOX as the alternative would be a non stop rotation of failed sitcoms pilots…"Till Death…The War at Home…Herman's Head."
What ever else this is it is a slippery slope. It is a slippery slope for cultural values and a slippery slope for the PC effect on free speech. the approriateness of speech comes down to "Liberty and License". This certainly doesn't rise to the level of screaming fire in a crowded theatre, but to those who fight for there childrens right to a good life free of fear, or even as Taqiyyotomist points out, their very existence. What use to be described as human decency (the desire to protect the innocent) has morfed into political correctness an excuse to attack those who disagree. Issues like this iluminate the difference well.
It has only ever been a weapon to shut up those the left disagrees with, nothing less and nothing more. From the very beginning of PC, that is all it ever was, and attempts to make people think it has to do anything with caring about the feelings of target groups is merely camouflage.
"Many people who aren't part of the "intellectual elites" use the word retarded as well, like Rush Limbaugh. Yet he won't meet the same criticism by you hypocrits."
"Hypocrits?" Leftards are the cretins who created the toxic atmosphere of political correctness in the first place. You've been using it as a weapon to shut people up who you disagree with for ages. When leftists reveal their true colors by abandoning political correctness to make racist cracks, mock retards and the like because they deem it to be a useful element of their arsenal of contempt it is REAL hypocrisy. While I can't stand political correctness and will never tire of calling people like yourself RETARDS, Palin has every right to lash out about comments which are designed to use her baby to attack her, and pull her punches on Limbaugh who is obviously doing otherwise. That isn't hypocrisy you mongoloid.
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It is a rule of comedy, or it used to be among comedians, in their code of ethics, that you don't attack people that can't defend themselves. I'm not making this up. I heard Jay Leno talk about it at length once. That's why I was rather shocked to see this example. It tells me how juvenile and how morally broken Hollywood has become. I'm sure if MacFarlane is reading this he may think he's above me, leaving himself immune from this debate. That would be the kind of stupid I'm talking about.
I didn't know Chris Farley but you sir are no Chris Farley
Liberals support aborting children who are retarded; that's why they hate Trig Palin so much. So when they call the conservatives retarded or less intelligence than liberals what they are truly saying is they want to kill anyone who do not conform to their beliefs.
My perhaps poorly made point was that I hate political correctness no matter who is practicing it. It is a disease in our culture. I'd much prefer it if instances like this were used to underscore what a bunch of dishonest emotion-driven scumbags lefties are than as a platform for yet more politically correct special pleading and victim-pimping. But maybe that's just me.
"What about “faggot,” MacFarlane? Do you think it’s okay to call someone a “faggot” as long as they are not actually gay? I mean no one calls an actual gay person THAT anymore. No one with any sense would do such a thing."
_____________________________________________________________________________________
As a gay American, I can point out that YES, people DO call gay men FAGGOTS every single day in this country. Right to their face. With no remorse. It's all a part of that heterosexual 'morality' so many of you run around screaming your heads off about…
Simple fact is Celerity Liberals don't care about people. They only care about themselves and wish to appear to care.
Ask one to give up their limo, private plane, mansion or whatever and find their limits.
I believe most regular American (non celebrity) Liberals don;t REALLY care about people either, they just wish to appear to care, and set up a govt. program to do the actual "caring" as long as they don't have to get their hands dirty, or see those homeless people on the corner.
Just my 2 cents…
What part of what Rahm Emanuel said had anything to do with Palin? If you think Palin was right then you are not against political correctness as you have said that the word retard can't be used as a derogatory term no matter the context. Yet you proudly call me retard as a poor attempt at an insult. Hypocrit.
So this was another former female Govenor of Alaska? It was a swipe at Palin and by inclusion of the Down Syndrome theme, Trig. Your "mildly retarded" charactor analysis only feeds the flames of those who would say MacFarlane is creating a animated freak show, using the hardships of others for his own inrichment. Mac Farlane lives for and profits from the controversy, expect to see the whole Palin family soon. Bristol will be living in a trailer park with six kids who all look like her dad smoking, drinking, barefoot and pregnant. Mom will be divorced and living next door a toothless and Meth head bemonaing her burden of having to raise an adult Trig and her older son will live across the street driving the General Lee and running a white supremacist militia movement. Think that would be both edgy and cliche enough for Mr Mac Farlane, YAWN.
Learn to spell, Gunnar.
Um…I would never call a gay man that right to his face or otherwise. Nothing to do with morality, no post-modern political theories involved. It would simply be rude.
"Rude." Does that word mean anything anymore?
You actually are retarded, so what else could I call you?
MacFarlane’s shows are the worst kind of popular excrement, and easily the laziest garbage on television – and that’s impressive since there is no shortage or crap on TV these days.
MacFarlane has proven repeatedly that he is little more than a liberal mouthpiece. He is a prototypical Hollywood liberal – sheltered, lazy, fowl-mouthed, and so thoroughly convinced of his own moral superiority that he can't even see the logical contradictions in his own statements and actions.
Like many liberals, he uses the guise of a “comedian” or an “performer” to spew vile invective against his political enemies, and then defends his work as “art”. It’s not vitriol, it’s just comedy! Can’t you take a joke?
When it comes to attacking their enemies, nothing is off limits to liberals. No hate speech, no stereotype, no physical infirmity, no disability, nor any kind of obscenity will be spared in the pursuit of their ideological dominance.
dude you told him! yeah, c'mon seth, and he'll shoot you with a shot gun, because he's a real man and real man shoot each other when they're mad! shite head. and also something about the simpsons.
The McCain/Palin button was my breaking point as well.
No great loss. The show is no longer funny anyway.
The Cleveland Show is awful.
MacFarlane has jumped the shark.
Good riddance.
Politically Correct only allows Gaydom to use the term 'Fag' however it must applied to the term 'Hag', as in, Meghan McCain is a fabulous Fag-Hag because she supports Gay Marriage.
Used to watch the show, loved the show, and own several volumes. You're wrong on several fronts. There is no excusing what happened here. This was a deliberate shot at Sarah's son. Moreover, they fired this shot into their own foot. Many "Family Guy" viewers are anti-establisment conservatives who will simply find another show to watch. Sarah "get's it" quite well and, once again, she is right.
Something else that bothers me about this episode is the fact that the girl with Down Syndrome was out on a "date" at all. Did the guy think she would be "easy" because she is "retarded"? Sick.
Like you, I think that early on Family Guy was fresh and mildly entertaining. Mostly fart jokes, but still entertaining much of the time. I stopped watching immediately after they spent 30 seconds of one show with Peter repeating over and over, "Laura Bush Killed a Guy!"
We can only hope and pray that McFarty and his family and co-stars all become personally aware of these kinds of things. I wonder what would happen if he were injured in a car accident and became partially brain dead – if that's possible, considering he's well on his way already.
What kind of merons watch this garbage? And sadly true, Rush Limbaugh takes pleasure in calling himself a "star" of this show. Am I missing something?
I have stopped watching Fox just because of this meron who sucks life from others in order to live his perverted lifestyle. I wish him not well at all.
just because some one has similar opinions as I do, doesn't mean I support everthing I do.
I am often embarrassed by what some people on "my side" do and say.
I'm sure there are some in the gay community that you find embarrassing
Getting upset over this may be a little over the top. I love a lot of the old wisdoms that have been around for years. Good words to live by.
When Bill Mauher opens his mouth for some stupid comment. CONSIDER THE SOURCE! Is he worth it? No. Ignore him and he will eventually disappear.
If somebody make a nasty comment or attack remember, THEY CAN'T GET YOUR GOAT UNLESS YOU TELL THEM WHERE IT'S TIED! It's like liberals screaming about Sarah Palin. If she truly was what they claim she is they wouldn't say a word about her. She's got their goat!
Family Guy jumped the shark a few seasons back. It lost its way. When South Park ribbed on it, they were totally accurate.
Not sure the dig on The Simpsons. While it has take a decidedly leftward slant more often recently, it's still a pretty good show, and some of its episodes really dealt with family issues well and with heart.
This post is very ironic.
Two things I find more funny than 95% of what Family Guy has ever done:
1. The false outrage of Sarah Palin and the posts on this forum that probably didn't even see the episode
2. The irony that Sarah Palin's comments and articles such as this increase Family Guy's popularity
Working on my chicken wings and chili fries recipes for the show!
Family Guy is what it is, I use to be funny but it sort of stopped for me when the equaled John Mc Cain and Sarah Palin with the SD. Last year. While it was a time travel Road type deal that he dose form time to time, this one was Poland Sept 1939. Seth just is who he is and why it should surprise anyone is kind of foolish. Family Guy is not going to have a long run like The Simpsons, They poke fun at a lot of things but they are never visious about it. Seth has not learned that, it one thing to parody things its another to call it a parody when you are really attacking some one you may not agree with . I would never do such a thing. While I don't like the Current President or what he is doing to the Nation, I don't go around wishing him any kind if ill, defeat at the ballot box yes. But that is the way we do it here in America. Seth has not figuired it out, that more that half the nation is in my camp and why destroy you business when you need as many people watching your show and buying your DVD's as possible. Its Business 101 Seth.
Erm… no…
Chris (the guy) wanted to take the girl out because he sincerely liked her and wanted to get to know her better. At the very least there was a feeling of sincerity in his actions and surprisingly, an attempt to treat a Down Syndrome girl (a 'special' human being) like a normal human being, and doing things that a normal being would do. Besides, for all of FG's deficiencies (ha ha, see what I did there, a controversy about people with deficiencies in a show that I find a lot of deficiencies in), Chris never really wavers from who he was defined to be. He's a socially awkward, somewhat shy and gentle, but ultimately dim teenager who wants to be liked and do things other regular teens do. And that's what he did, he liked a girl, took her out on a date, things didn't work out, and thus he's all the more better for it.
If anything, the Palins should have stayed classy and not capitulate to their voter base's desires to have them talk about it. Something about their reaction to this just reeks of being thin-skinned when they're supposed to be thick-skinned in this race, whether it's being called a bitch or enduring jabs that appear to be toward their Down Syndrome child.
If anything, the joke is offensive not for its content, but for the fact that it wasn't funny. It was too easy a jab. It was too lazy. Ha ha, governor of Alaska? I'm rolling on the floor laughing. = Sarah Palin jokes can be better than this.
Oh no the grammar police is onto me.
Thanks for acknowledging that you had no point to begin with.
They MAKE that? Great, there goes my diet!
Agreed. The arrogance of the current "rulers" in Washington is absolutely stunning. They really think and act imperially.
Its almost as if we should be on our knees thanking them for destroying America's future.
Clap, clap, clap, clap!
Wow, Guest. That reply was KINDA like a kick in the crotch…
I agree with the sausage king.
Hey, Gunnar, why don't you give Matthew a call put out another album? Your public demands it!
Technically, yes. It's Godwin's law.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin%27s_Law
Technically, yes. It's Godwin's law.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin%27s_Law
Really? My point has been clear from the outset. You're simply too stupid to know what a real hypocrite is or how to spell it for that matter. By the way, Palin did chastise Limbaugh for using the word Gunnar, I mean retard. So you're not only a damned fool but a liar as well.
Brava!
'Retarded' is a word whose meaning has degenerated, as eventually do all terms regarding developmental disabilities. When reading the charts of my DD clients, I would read notes from Doctors and Pychologists who in the '60s and '70s used terms like 'idiot', 'moron' and 'cretin' as terms identifying levels of mental incapacity. Those terms have long come to take on their perjorative definitions, and are no longer used in their original context.
The PC police within the health services are forever seeking to come up with a positive way to describe both mental and physical disabilities: "differently abled" being my personal candidate for Most Fatuous PC Label.
(continued)
.
The sad fact is that the moral and emotionally immature in our midst will forever find ways to inject insult into the language to pick on the vulnerable. I'm told that in some schools, classmates will taunt someone by calling them a "Niner", for example, because that's the room number for the Special Education classoom.
Maybe some political advantage was behind Sarah Palin's calling attention to Rahm Emanuel's crudity. But we have a right to demand mature behavior from public officials, particularly one so close to the President. And we certainly have the right to call media figures like McPharlane for injecting pre-adolescent levels of invective into the public discourse. As for setting Maher straight, I'm afraid that will take more time, and perhaps judicious application of a balpeen hammer
"Making fun of EVERYONE?" REALLY? I'm still waiting for the hilarious Pelosi/Barney Frank/Chris Dodd jokes from mutant Peter Brady clone…probably until I'm old and gray!
Family Sty was NEVER better than The Simpsons, or for that matter Duckman!
Speaking of The Simpsons, nice to hear from Cletus the slack-jawed crackhead!
You're putting way too much thought into a fifth-rate Simpsons knock-off, people…
That was WELL said
Here's a challenge to my fellow conservatives: cancel your cable subscription for one month and tell the company it is because of the horrible programming and liberal bias. Will it make a difference? Maybe not; but, it could send a statement. Who would have thought, two years ago, there would be a Tea Party movement?
Really? One quick youtube search and you will find that you are wrong about Palin chastising Limbaugh. First you defended Palin for attacking Emanuel over the fact that he used the word retard as an insult, then you say it's no problem using the word as an insult, and then try to insult me with it. Your point is the opposite of clear. I don't know why you are so angry but it has gotten boring so I will leave you to it. Have a good day.
Oh, come on guys! MacFarlane's crude terminology simply refers to his own "handicaps"
Recent imaging research (about a year ago) suggests bullies' brains could be hardwired for sadism. The biological psychology study used functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to compare brain activity of unusually aggressive teenage males with those of normal adolescent males while they view videos of people getting hurt. The imaging showed that the aggressive males had activity in the brain's pleasure centers suggesting they enjoyed seeing people in pain. the normal males showed no such brain activity. Researchers said they were "dumfounded" by results of the study. Ethic Soup blog has a good post on this study at:
http://www.ethicsoup.com/2008/11/bullies-may-be-w...
and another about workplace bullies at:
http://www.ethicsoup.com/2009/08/workplace-bullie...
What I find 100% more entertaining then your post –
Libtards deluding themselves into believing they have a chance to survive the uprising of Americans all over this country vested in taking our country back!!
You mean my Michelle/monkey picture really is funny?
The problem with the joke in my opinion is that it references her kid. Just like the Letterman joke, it steps out of line the second it mentions her kids. That's BS. We should not support a show of any type that would take shots at someone's child for cheap laughs. That includes Obama's daughters (though to be fair, the only person who has badmouthed them are Michelle Obama).
I have been without cable for the past four years. Occasionally, I will look on the schedules of channels I would watch, such as A&E. Pure reality show garbage. No Poirot, Miss Marple, or Sherlock. I'm not missing anything. I now read and listen to music and watch DVDs.
The liberals are raging throughout the land, because they know they have but a little time….
Palin's spokesperson characterized Limbaugh's comments the next day as crude and demeaning. The fact that she pulled her punches somewhat doesn't make her a hypocrite, merely a typical politician. I think where a retard like yourself is getting lost is that while I'm against political correctness, and am not fond of someone like Palin engaging in it unless it is directed at her child or her personally, it is the left's weapon.
Let me put it this way to help a retard like yourself: If Barney Frank trolls for manlove in restrooms he isn't ahypocrite, just a gross human being. If Larry Craig does it, he is a hypocrite. Likewise, when sanctimonious leftists stray from the political correctness they impose on everyone it is an infinitely more vile and hypocritical act than when Palin or anyone else uses the left's scummy weapon of choice in an inconsistent manner.
You aren't missing anything, I assure you! The reality show blitz has to be the lowest form of entertainment ever developed. Even the History channel has become more and more left leaning – how the heck does that fit 'history'???
that is a habit you are going to have to break
It might be a diffucult process but one should avoid using teenage language as they mature.
If I wanted to imply that someone was mentaly handicapped, I'd call them a "Raider".
Family Guy isn't even worth sniffing the jock of South Park!!
Even the History channel has become more and more left leaning – how the heck does that fit 'history'???
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Think about for whom Winston Smith worked.
Family Guy (although not in the least bit funny on the whole) is a satire. So in Palin's words herself, it's okay to use the word "retard" and make fun of the mentally disabled. Her words, not mine.
You can all shut up now. You too, Dana Commandotard (that was satire as well, so again, yeah, it's fine).
I'm sorry. I am a hard-line conservative and I am disabled. I've dealt with most of these issues my entire life. But, speaking as a disabled person and not the sibling/parent of a disabled child the attack against the word "retarded," is harmful to us. I agree with Rush on this one.
As I posted on another forum (sorry, I put it well there and it is just easier):
It has come up again, with Sarah Palin (bless her heart) calling for Rahm Emmanuel's resignation because he used that word. She later hedged her words, as all politicians do, but it was because he said a politically incorrect word.
I can understand where she's coming from. I can understand where many people come from when they want to eliminate retarded. She's the mother of a disabled child who will be mentally handicapped the rest of his life. It hurts to hear people being made fun of for deficiencies in the physical and mental areas. I think this drive has good intentions: however, I think it is fundamentally misguided.
The funny thing, of course, is that the word "retarded" was supposed to be progressive 30 years ago. "Retarded" simply means a little slow: far more "progressive" than calling people idiots, imbeciles, or morons. 30 years ago, "idiot" was a huge insult to call someone. It was still immensely tied to mentally handicapped people. Now, it is just a small insult in daily conversation. It has lost it's first meaning: no one is seriously considering that someone should be stuck in an asylum the rest of his life because he cannot function on his own without help when they call someone an "idiot." It's insulting, but it has become so disenfranchised with its original meaning that no one thinks of that. That is, in fact, the same exact process that is going on with the R-word. If someone calls a policy "retarded" or a person "retarded"– very few of them are thinking of its fundamental meaning. They are just calling it or the person stupid for a bit. If we try banning the word "retarded," because of it's original meaning, other words will be used, and in turn become insulting. I am already seeing this in education. As the only disabled person in my education classes to become a teacher, "disabled" is giving way to calling other people "able" so as not to discriminate against me. Frankly, the most insulting thing I find about the whole process is that people are so sensitive about hurting my feelings, when they are not sensitive about hurting other people's feelings. That in itself is more discrimination than any word they use.
This brings me too my second point: people are way too sensitive! They care way too much about what other people think about them, their kids, etc. You cannot protect yourself from insults, whatever they may be. I have been called "retarded" to my face– and had to prevent other people from breaking the drunk kid's face. When Palin reacted so negatively to that word, my thought was that isolating Trig from the insults he may endure will protect him in the short term, but it will harm him in the long run– because he will not learn to stand up for himself or control himself if he is mothered over like that. Furthermore, if "retarded" is made politically incorrect, some other word is going to come up.
Now, I do not deny that it is insulting. When I was younger, I came close to beating up people if they called me a cripple. These days, although very few people call me that, those who do are my closest friends–and I catch myself calling myself that when I meet someone with a cane, a wheelchair, etc.. I have had my share of insults when I was younger– both retarded and cripple among them. And they hurt. But they are just insults. When they are meant as insults, they do not mean anything larger–and insults will always be out there. They simply help you get a tougher skin, if you choose to look at them that way. They have only the amount of meaning you choose to give them.
That, in the long run of this rant, is why I think this controversy over the word "retarded" is fundamentally misguided. I do not doubt its intentions, but I think those people who are promoting it are indirectly and unintentionally promoting discrimination against mentally and physically disabled people. They are trying to protect all of us too much. That, in turn, means they assume that we need this protection. It's the same justification for segregation in the South and apartheid in South Africa, really. Black folks were inferior– like children, who needed to be protected and taken care of by the paternalistic white folks. Disabled folks are "not as able" in many senses of the word– so we need to protect them from insensitive words that might accidentally acknowledge the greater society's real prejudices, because disabled folks might have their feelings hurt.
That, my friends, is retarded. And I know I'm singling out Sarah Palin right here– but this is an attitude I have seen everywhere, infecting every political side of the aisle imaginable. This controversy is insane. "Retarded" is a distasteful word right now, but singling it out is much worse.
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