Re: Political Correctness

[Hironaka <j.hironaka@unesco.org>]

"Michael J.King Sr." wrote:

> At 11:00 AM 9/28/00 +0200, Hironaka wrote:
> >     Apologies for the "retard" expression. The common use of the word
> >"retard" (or "retahd" and/or "wicked retahd")
>
> I'm from New Bedford and I must confess to using you "wikid retahd" on a
> regular basis.It was used continually from my street days on Brock Ave. At
> times affectionately, or to describe someone not using their full faculties
> but usually not as a hateful dig. I have a severely retarded cousin (now in
> her fifties) and would never use the word retard as a hateful dig. My
> sister and her husband are highly thought of professors and speakers in
> special education and both have referred to me in moments of ear leakage as
> a wikid retahd without disrespecting mentally challenged folks. Just my
> story and as "UneJo" stated if it offends I will never use it on this list.
> Later.Mike

Hi Mike:
    Daniel P. was kind enough to re-write me off list to state that while the
use of "retard" in association with the actions of violent people is not, in
his words, very "pissah" (since it helps perpetuate phony myths about mentally
handicapped people, including his sister who is gentle) he otherwise has no
objection to the use of Boston colloquialisms that lack a good thesaurus
equivalent, including a phrase like "wicked retahd". I think that sums things
up well. From now on I'll use "douchebag" in reference to the attackers.

Joe

p.s. Have they put anyone under arrest for the stabbings? I don't want to be
alarmist, but I'm not too crazy about the idea of Paul Pierce checking out of
the hospital with those douchebags still out there.