Board Thread:General Wiki Discussion/@comment-24011918-20131214001227/@comment-24486926-20131216181706

The Bitter Cold wrote: My reasoning in linking those websites, all of which are reliable sources, is that the term [retard] is very rarely applied to those who are legitimately disabled. A person should not be punished if the word "slips out" so to speak. The word "retard" has been used so frequently to express the foolishness of an idea that it has become offensive only when directed towards a person who is actually mentally handicapped. Some ideas, like the term "retard" being offensive outside of the context of having an intellectual disability, are just that - retarded.

Obviously enough, there is no real reasoning with you, is there?

I've had friends who were "retarded," and they take offense at the word, no matter what context is used. So please, don't tell me it's not offensive just because it's not directed at someone.