Palin's campaign against the "R-word" hits snag with Limbaugh

Yahoo! News ^ | Feb 5, 2010 | Brett Michael Dykes

[LussaO]

In 1983 James Watt said “cripples,” and he lost his job in the Reagan Administration. Which begs the question yet again, why are libs good at making people pay and conservatives aren’t.

[A Texan]

I have no doubt that Palin and Rush are cool, I just think this is amateur politics. This will come back and bite her (or some other Republican) in the ass.

I think this is pointless, it serves no real purpose and it’s stupid. Or can people say “stupid” without offending stupid people too much?

[Piers-the-Ploughman]

I heard Rush and he overdid this sarcasm. Once maybe twice in the context of the story, but he said it maybe 10-12 times, sometimes only barely referncing the fact he was quoting Emmanual.

But Rush is not a politician nor is he major staffer to the president/congress. Still he overdid it this sarcasm, imho.

[ilovesarah2012]

I know a family very well who have an 18 year old daughter with Down Syndrome. The word retard hurts them. She’s a wonderful, sweet girl and I would hate for anyone to hurt her or her family.

[ilovesarah2012]

I doubt anyone is glad they have a child with DS but they love the child just as much as a “normal” child. It is hard, though. Lots of other health problems, too.

[rae4palin]

yawn

[FormerACLUmember]

“Brett Michael Dykes, a blogger notorious for fake listings on Craigslist”

Good detective work. Brett Michael Dykes is also one of the denouncers and (preposterous) “fact checkers” of a mild, lame Saturday Night Live satire of Obama. Remember that? What a tool this despicable weasel Dykes is.

Documentation:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/ynews_pl942

[FormerACLUmember]

Post 93: God, that is funny.

[Publius6961]

In my opinion, if I used the word to describe someone who has Down's Syndrome, then its unacceptable, and no one I know would ever do it. If on the other hand I use it to describe rank and file O-zombies, then there are times when there is no better word. Its not offensive at all, its a word that exactly fits the purpose.

I agree without reservation.
To me, it's akin to banning books because one offends you. That slope is not only slippery, it usually is terminal.

There are many words I have never used; but I will resist without compromise any attempt to criminalize any word accepted in our language. Why?

Because they, who control language, control you.

Let's examine a few of the common words that are in the process of losing their clear and long-standing meaning:

Achievement.
Always.
American.
Bipartisanship.
Change.
Charity.
Citizenship.
Cooperation.
Corruption.
Education.
History.
Hope.
Informed.
Insurance.
Investment.
Job-Creation.
Never.
Patriotism.
Poverty.
Stimulus.
Treason.
Unprecedented.
Voluntary.
Welfare.

I will expand this list from time to time, and welcome additions.