Not so PC statements.

[ollie]

Different words make me cringe different amounts. I'm sure I could patch together some sort of rationalisation for which words are in which category, but I suspect there would always be exceptions. Racial insults (including "gypped" which seems to be disturbingly mainstream now) and "gay" as an insult make me cringe, whereas more traditionally "bad" words such as straightforward swearing don't trigger me. "Retarded" makes me cringe but "moron" doesn't.

I also agree that a lot of it depends on the context. Who is listening and the relationship between the name-caller and name-callee are important.

[Harlax]

Ironic that you should mention the term moron:

http://www.slate.com/id/2243728/

Before you organize a torchlight parade to my office demanding that Slate fire me for defending Emanuel, give Cook's article a quick read. As he points out, the R word was "still a clinic term used, somewhat begrudgingly, by psychologists to describe people who score lower than 70 on IQ tests." Cook reports that while practically everyone in the field wanted to banish the word, it wasn't the first time the field had encountered this problem. Cook writes that moron, imbecile, and idiot were clinically approved words until 1959, when the approved nomenclature became mild, moderate, and severe retardation. The Oxford English Dictionary, by the way,traces the nonpejorative, medical use of retarded to 1885.

Writing from experience, Cook notes that whatever "new term comes into favor today will seem insensitive, or worse, tomorrow." He recalls that as a fifth grader, his classmates would insult one another for being LD, which was shorthand for the respectful label "learning disabled." The phrase currently favored by Shriver and his fellow activists is "people with intellectual disabilities," which any sassy third grader knows can be shortened to PIDs and flung in disparagement. Every "solution" to the retarded problem only re-creates the problem.

[Bannister]

At my daughters high school it was "sped", short for special education.

Of course there has been for sometime a group there that proudly calls themselves the "sped clique". Which highlights the fact that words / labels have only the amount of power you give them.

Bannister

[ollie]

Originally Posted by Harlax

Ironic that you should mention the term moron:

It was actually deliberate---I was trying to highlight that there didn't appear to be a rational underpinning for my cringe-o-meter.

I guess I should use words rather than emoticons to express ideas. Who'd've thought?

[Einar's puppy]

My school has one of the few special education programs in our county. As such, we have about 11 or so mentally handicapped kids. One of them, a girl, is in my band class, as part of a really cool enrichment program they have for them. I just have to say that she is one of the nicest people I have ever seen in my life.

One of my sister's best friends is gay. He's a really cool guy too. I've only met him a few times, but he's nice.

I use terms like retarded and gay a lot, but I never mean it as an insult to the people who actually are. I feel like the words have almost taken on a second meaning. When I'm talking to a gay person I don't say "Oh...you're gay." I say "Oh, you're gay." I really don't mean it as an insult in that sense.

[jschild]

Well, she did exactly what I expected, but I'm not surprised (at least not as much as her checking notes written on her hand for an interview).

PALIN: I agree with Rush Limbaugh. He was using satire to politically correct —

WALLACE: He used the “r” word.

PALIN: He used satire. Name-calling by anyone, I teach this to my children and you teach it to your children and grandchildren, too. Name calling by anyone is just unnecessary. It just wastes time. Let’s speak to the issues and — [...]

PALIN: I didn’t hear Rush Limbaugh calling a group of people whom he did not agree with ‘f-ing retards’ and we did know that Rahm Emanuel has been reported, did say that. there is a big difference there. Again, name-calling, using language that is insensitive, by anyone, male, female, Republican, Democrat, is unnecessary. It’s inappropriate. Let’s all just grow up.

Of course, she is full of it, no surprise there as Limbaugh did say the Democrats were retards, so we know how much of this is real offense and how much is political for her (here's a hint: 100%).

LIMBAUGH: Our political correct society is acting like some giant insult’s taken place by calling a bunch of people who are retards, retards. I mean these people, these liberal activists are kooks. They are looney tunes. And I’m not going to apologize for it, I’m just quoting Emanuel. It’s in the news. I think their big news is he’s out there calling Obama’s number one supporters f’ing retards. So now there’s going to be a meeting. There’s going to be a retard summit at the White House. Much like the beer summit between Obama and Gates and that cop in Cambridge.

[Agent Minivann]

Originally Posted by jschild

Well, she did exactly what I expected, but I'm not surprised (at least not as much as her checking notes written on her hand for an interview).

Of course, she is full of it, no surprise there as Limbaugh did say the Democrats were retards, so we know how much of this is real offense and how much is political for her (here's a hint: 100%).

The real irony is that Sarah Palin is part of the "these people" Rush is referring to in calling for someone's resignation for using the term retards.

[SuperflyTNT]

Wow, sounds like they're all a bunch of retards, and so are we for electing and/or listenting to them.

[Harlax]

Nah, I just think they are dizzy from all the spin...

[Raudulfr Shieldcrusher]

Remember, the best and brightest don't usually go into politics.

[Harlax]

Originally Posted by Raudulfr Shieldcrusher

Remember, the best and brightest don't usually go into politics.

I'd agree with that if you said "usually don't go into politics." I can think of some examples from my home state of Indiana. Former Democratic Congressman Lee Hamilton and Republican Senator Richard Lugar. You might not always agree with them but they both have a keen grasp of issues and high integrity.

[Romination]

i live in maryland, and these people i know are so obsesed with polotics its not even funny.