Cugalabanza Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 I have some thoughts on the use of the word "retard." I worked for two years doing direct care at a group home for developmentally disabled adults. I can say that when the word pops up (on TV, movies, out in public...) and they hear it, it does hurt. As a result, if you work in that environment, that particular word gains a great deal of stigma and power. It's like Lenny Bruce said, a bad word actually gains power from its being repressed. I would sometimes find myself feeling the need to say it out loud. Most of the people I worked with talked about this too. It's a hard job and with all the frustrations that build up, sometimes when you're away from work and away from the residents, you just wanna scream about how these "f***ing retards" are driving you crazy. In my opinion, this does not take anything away from the fact that you care about these people. It's just a matter of venting something that builds up. I don't think it's a bad thing to use the word, but you should always be careful about how and when. Many people are very sensitive about it, not just mentally disabled people themselves, but family members and people who work with developmental disabilities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meazza Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 Of course, I was specifically talking about your PMs...particularly the one where you told me you gang-banged my wife and mother. But keep pretending you've got the moral high ground, loser. 529905[/snapback] i know you were talking about my PM's, and personally i have the uttermost disrespect for you so there's no reason to take the moral high ground with a guy whos around 40 who has the maturity of a 10 year old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meazza Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 I have some thoughts on the use of the word "retard." I worked for two years doing direct care at a group home for developmentally disabled adults. I can say that when the word pops up (on TV, movies, out in public...) and they hear it, it does hurt. As a result, if you work in that environment, that particular word gains a great deal of stigma and power. It's like Lenny Bruce said, a bad word actually gains power from its being repressed. I would sometimes find myself feeling the need to say it out loud. Most of the people I worked with talked about this too. It's a hard job and with all the frustrations that build up, sometimes when you're away from work and away from the residents, you just wanna scream about how these "f***ing retards" are driving you crazy. In my opinion, this does not take anything away from the fact that you care about these people. It's just a matter of venting something that builds up. I don't think it's a bad thing to use the word, but you should always be careful about how and when. Many people are very sensitive about it, not just mentally disabled people themselves, but family members and people who work with developmental disabilities. 529906[/snapback] one of my old friends sisters had a mental condition, she would generally never grow out of the childhood phase, she's older than me but acts like a child. she would always get on my nerves but i always was nice because i know she couldnt' help it but i saw the way her family members would lose it on her with frustration at times and i just felt bad that people had to live this way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoachChuckDickerson Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 Found the original post. Link Scroll down to the pink text, right below the purple text. 529524[/snapback] Without even accessing this site I am going to use my physic abilities to make 3 predictions about this chick. 1. Fat 2. Gothic 3. Is so unhappy with he pathetic life she morphs her body (ie tatoos and piercings) to show how "on the fringe" she really is. Yawn..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crap Throwing Monkey Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 i know you were talking about my PM's, and personally i have the uttermost disrespect for you so there's no reason to take the moral high ground with a guy whos around 40 who has the maturity of a 10 year old. 529915[/snapback] Because you're "better looking, smarter, more successful, and nicer" than me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Coli Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 I have some thoughts on the use of the word "retard." I worked for two years doing direct care at a group home for developmentally disabled adults. I can say that when the word pops up (on TV, movies, out in public...) and they hear it, it does hurt. As a result, if you work in that environment, that particular word gains a great deal of stigma and power. It's like Lenny Bruce said, a bad word actually gains power from its being repressed. I would sometimes find myself feeling the need to say it out loud. Most of the people I worked with talked about this too. It's a hard job and with all the frustrations that build up, sometimes when you're away from work and away from the residents, you just wanna scream about how these "f***ing retards" are driving you crazy. In my opinion, this does not take anything away from the fact that you care about these people. It's just a matter of venting something that builds up. I don't think it's a bad thing to use the word, but you should always be careful about how and when. Many people are very sensitive about it, not just mentally disabled people themselves, but family members and people who work with developmental disabilities. 529906[/snapback] Excellent post. I have also worked with developmentally disabled adults. I found working with them to be very rewarding, and yes, sometimes incredibally frustrating. The fact is they often do and say hilarious things, just like anyone else you would work with, yet they do it with a certain level of naivete that has its own charm. I have no problem with people writing about some of these anecdotes. I know I have. I feel it reinforces that these are real people, who aren't just defined by their disabilities, but real members of society that have just as many abilities and faults as anyone else. What I do have a problem with is sensless cruelty. In the case of this girl, she exploited a real person's tragedy for a presumed cheap laugh. To me that is inexcusable. Linking to another person's account, a close family member writing about their personal loss, is about as heartless and gutless as you can get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartshan-83 Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 Without even accessing this site I am going to use my physic abilities to make 3 predictions about this chick. 1. Fat 2. Gothic 3. Is so unhappy with he pathetic life she morphs her body (ie tatoos and piercings) to show how "on the fringe" she really is. Yawn..... 529921[/snapback] B-E-A-utiful. Could not have said it better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Coli Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 3. Is so unhappy with he pathetic life she morphs her body (ie tatoos and piercings) to show how "on the fringe" she really is. 529921[/snapback] There are a lot of people without tatoos and piercings who are insensitive d-bags, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 Because you're "better looking, smarter, more successful, and nicer" than me? 529925[/snapback] I think you're dreamy. Plus I only PMed you once, nicely I might add. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billfan63 Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 from yesterday's Post Dispatch in St. Louis, perhaps the most ignorant and offensive person, and her mother. I post this because I feel people need to know about this. http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/colu...D1?OpenDocument 529484[/snapback] Reminds me of the Flutie/Johnson days when autism jokes were showing up on the wall. Made me sick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 Reminds me of the Flutie/Johnson days when autism jokes were showing up on the wall.Made me sick 530017[/snapback] There is nothing funny about being sick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justnzane Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 personally i have made a ton of retard jokes as a kid, but you have to get a chuckle out of that crazy B word's blog. if you are to put sh*t like that up online, why the hell would you like it to family of mentally retardded people? to quote carlos mencia "you're retardded. That chick deserves to be called a retard in the derogatory way just for an unbelieveable act of stupidity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crap Throwing Monkey Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 There is nothing funny about being sick. 530020[/snapback] bull sh--. I'm sick. And it's hilarious. Seriously...if you can't laugh at misfortune, you're probably not handling it very well. Laughter - play, in the larger sense - is a manifestation of curiousity, which leads to understanding, which is the first prerequisite of handling any unfortunate situation. At someone else's expense, like this B word did...that's a whole 'nother story, however... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cugalabanza Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 What I do have a problem with is sensless cruelty. In the case of this girl, she exploited a real person's tragedy for a presumed cheap laugh. To me that is inexcusable. Linking to another person's account, a close family member writing about their personal loss, is about as heartless and gutless as you can get. 529950[/snapback] I agree 100%. By the way, have you ever heard of a movie called How's Your News? Here's a link... http://www.howsyournews.com/ It's a perfect example of using humor in a positive way. If you find this movie and watch it, you will be glad you did. No kidding, it's really great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buford T. Justice Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 I wonder how ieatcrayonz feels about his people being insulted like this? I can just picture him sitting at home on the computer....yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy! I got mail! I got mail! Seriously though, I feel you have to be able to laugh at just about everything in life. But, what this chick did was just plain mean and vindictive. Karma's a B word, she'll get hers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TC in St. Louis Posted December 12, 2005 Author Share Posted December 12, 2005 Like the reporter said, it's sad that the exercise of free speech is wasted on something so mean. I have a 3 year old boy, and if anything ever happened to him, I don't care how it happened or why, it would ruin my life forever. If somebody found that amusing, I'd be tempted to track that person down and put his/her head thru the business end of a lazy boy rocker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 bull sh--. I'm sick. And it's hilarious. Seriously...if you can't laugh at misfortune, you're probably not handling it very well. Laughter - play, in the larger sense - is a manifestation of curiousity, which leads to understanding, which is the first prerequisite of handling any unfortunate situation. At someone else's expense, like this B word did...that's a whole 'nother story, however... 530081[/snapback] laughter is the best medicine. giving this all some thought however, that which is offensive is not the fact that this poor kid died (we laugh at death all the time e.g. the Darwin awards) The trick with any good humor is to point out what is funny without loosing empathy: to raise the fear, and then to diffuse it. The blogger seems to think that she is funny because she is immune to Politically Correct speech. Not so. She is not funny because she doesn't have empathy or understanding for the social boundry to begin with. Richard Pryor was so funny because he understood this. Now goiters, those are just damn funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buford T. Justice Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 laughter is the best medicine. giving this all some thought however, that which is offensive is not the fact that this poor kid died (we laugh at death all the time e.g. the Darwin awards) The trick with any good humor is to point out what is funny without loosing empathy: to raise the fear, and then to diffuse it. The blogger seems to think that she is funny because she is immune to Politically Correct speech. Not so. She is not funny because she doesn't have empathy or understanding for the social boundry to begin with. Richard Pryor was so funny because he understood this. Now goiters, those are just damn funny. 530186[/snapback] Excellent post. Without context, if somebody were to say "death by barcalounger" chances are you'd laugh your ass off. With context, it's only funny in certian situations.[e.g. "ieatcrayonz got piss drunk (yet again) and stuck his head in the barcalounger last night. His dog then jumped on the foot rest closing his head in it. Thinking it was a game, the dog became overly excited and pissed all over ieatcrayonz as he was suffocated."] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Fong Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 Seems like she's just not old enough to have established proper empathy with her fellow humans. Hopefully it's something she'll grow into. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crap Throwing Monkey Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 laughter is the best medicine. giving this all some thought however, that which is offensive is not the fact that this poor kid died (we laugh at death all the time e.g. the Darwin awards) The trick with any good humor is to point out what is funny without loosing empathy: to raise the fear, and then to diffuse it. Yes...nut not my point. There's a cognitive function at work in gallows humor (which, by its nature, is empathic, and not what this lady did) that allows one to better process information and relate to difficult situations. Even something like a mentally "Dawgged" kid strangling himself in a recliner...the woman's comments we're discussing were non-empathic in the extreme, but it's entirely possible to maintain a healthy measure of empathy while dryly and quizzically chuckling at the fundamental absurdity of being strangled in a La-Z-Boy. Or commenting to someone who loses a family member that they should check under the couch. That type of humor actually serves a very important purpose. The blogger seems to think that she is funny because she is immune to Politically Correct speech. Not so. She is not funny because she doesn't have empathy or understanding for the social boundry to begin with. Richard Pryor was so funny because he understood this. I personally don't think the problem's the blogger. I think the problem's the rest of the world, which seems to think the right to be heard includes the right to be taken seriously. As I'm continually saying, it doesn't. That everyone happens to listen to her anyway isn't her fault...some people are best ignored, and most people don't seem to be capable of even realizing that, let alone deciding who should and should not be taken seriously. If people were smart enough to recognize that, "politically correct" wouldn't even be an issue. Now goiters, those are just damn funny. 530186[/snapback] Bipolar disorder's a riot - oooh, look, a shiny thing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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