How do you feel about the R word?

Question

I hear people use it all the time and I think its kind of offensive...whats your opinion?

Answer 1

It's politically incorrect.  Anyone with a mentally handicapped family member should take offense to the word being misused for the sake of comedy.

Answer 2

i say it all the time

but i feel bad about it

Answer 3

What's the r word?

Edit: r****d?

That's not offensive whatsoever...  It means 'to slow down'.  It's an actual word.

Answer 4

well it depends how its being used

i personally mess around with my friends

a lot with word

like saying or ur retarded or ur a r****d

but thinking about it now if i or someone in my family was mentally challenged i woul find it offensive

Answer 5

I'm sorry.  I'm not familiar with the word you are referring to.

*It depends in which context its being used.  Like the first person responded, retarded is an actual word.  Mental retardation is a medical term.  The only time I find it offensive is if someone is using it as an insult or is just casually tossing the term around like its no big deal.

Answer 6

It depends... If they are talking about people with disabilities then yes it is offensive to some people, but if they are just messing around then I dont think it would be offensive. Well hope I was helpfull

Answer 7

I think that people have the right to be offended, but also that people have the right to be offensive.

Free speech, babycakes. It's not going to make everyone happy, but the more we censor ourselves, the more shallow and ignorant we become.

Answer 8

i do think it's wrong. i used to use it until one of my friends went to a ball game with her other friend and she was talking about some guy at a dance and she was saying that he was retarded. there was a girl who was sitting a couple seats down that was in a wheel chair thought that they were talking about her and she burst into tears and her mom came over and told my friend that they had really hurt her feelings and that they shoudnt use that word. anyway, it made me alot more conscious about what i say around people

Answer 9

Well as an insult it is marginally better than what people used to use to imply someone was ah, mentally challenged..  NO I am not telling you what the other word was but it was pretty brutal.  

Answer 10

It depends on how it is used. If you call someone retarded because they are acting like a dipsh**, then thats rude. But if you are walking by someone and your going really, really slow, and you say "Wow, we're retarded," then thats actually correct.

Words are subjective in nature. There is a place for them all. Retarded means slowed, and if it is used to mean that and not in a derogatory manner, than it is perfectly fine.

My little brothers have Autism and are thereby mentally handicapped. I don't really take offense to the word, and neither does my family, but I completely understand how others would.

Answer 11

lol that aint anything bad... =)

Answer 12

How do I feel about the word retarded. Hmm umm I am asking myself how I feel abt it and I seen to not care

Answer 13

hmmm..it offends me a little because i know most say it like for a mentally disabled person and that disgusts me..but when they are not saying it like that i don't really get offended..

personally i wold prefer not say it because it does offend some people and i would never want to hear that word if my children or family/friend was mentally disabled so i just don't say it..it is kind of like the n word some people first think if a black person my first thought is its real meaning ignorant..so as i said i would just refer to not hear it

Answer 14

I think it is an 'unkind' (for lack of a better word), word.  Sorry that sentence didn't make much sense, I hope you understand what I mean.  You would never go up to a mentally retarded person and say "You are so retarded", at least I hope you wouldn't.  So I don't think it should be used.  The context is important though.  Mental retardation is a real thing, so if you are using it in the correct context, kindly, I think its okay.

Sorry that answer was so complicated, I hope someone gets what I'm trying to say.

Answer 15

I must be too old or something but what is the R word????

Answer 16

I don't find it offensive but if you are serious and you are saying it to a actual r****d person then thats messed up.