Emanuel says he will join effort to stop use of 'retarded'

WaPo ^ | 2/4/10 | Michael D. Shear

[Nachum]

White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel apologized again Wednesday for using the word "retarded" during a private meeting last summer, telling advocates for the disabled that he will join their campaign to help end the use of the word.

The controversy over Emanuel's remark continued to dog the sometimes foul-mouthed senior Obama adviser despite his having privately apologized to Special Olympics Chief Executive Tim Shriver shortly after the comment was made public last week.

In a statement after an afternoon meeting at the White House, Shriver and five other disability rights advocates said Emanuel had "sincerely apologized" for the earlier comment during a strategy meeting, which was reported in the Wall Street Journal.

[phredo53]

Since the word 'handicap' is no longer acceptable in polite society I suppose I now can say "In golf, my handicap...er...challenge...is 18.
Mind you, it doesn't bother me in the least to use the word 'handicap' for my golf score. Its the freakin' number that embarrasses me.

[MtnClimber]

I suggest that “dem-dum”(DD) and “prog-tard”(PT) should be substituted. In my youth we were forced to retreat to (RT). At least the RT’s were not evil like the DD’s and PT’s!

[lonestar]

the R-word

[dogcaller]

Guess if Obama wants to get rid of him he’ll have to toss him under the little bus.

[Cvengr]

Are we implying he’s a Mental Midget or just a Gimp.

[sportutegrl]

This is like OJ Simpson joining an effort to help stop spousal abuse.

[OrioleFan]

You-re probably right although it may be a tie if he puts them together.

[Fiji Hill]

We can’t use “retarded” anymore?

Sadly, it seems "retarded" is about to join "handicapped," "oriental," "Jew," "midget," "niggardly," and the other "politically incorrect" words we may no longer use.

[BunnySlippers]

g

[I see my hands]

[eyedigress]

Rham is the very essence of the Obama admin and the Special Olympics told him in no uncertain terms to F-off. Obama is killing charities all over.

[pissant]

What a retard

[Bernard Marx]

Sorry, but politically correct Newspeak censorship is just as wrong when Republicans invoke it as it is when it comes from the Left. The word “retarded” may be considered insensitive in certain contexts but it’s a valid word and shouldn’t be shunted off to share the Purgatorial fates of “gay,” “man,” “Negro,” “bum,” “swine flu,” “founding fathers,” “Christmas,” etc.

[Razz Barry]

Sorry, but politically correct Newspeak censorship is just as wrong when Republicans invoke it as it is when it comes from the Left. The word “retarded” may be considered insensitive in certain contexts but it’s a valid word and shouldn’t be shunted off to share the Purgatorial fates of “gay,” “man,” “Negro,” “bum,” “swine flu,” “founding fathers,” “Christmas,” etc.

Thank You!

[Kirkwood]

We would have to stop using idiot and imbecile, which also mean retarded.

[dfwgator]

I agree, and to me it’s further proof that Sarah is not ready for prime time. Her attack on Rahm smacks of political opportunism and nothing more, as much of a dirtbag as Rahm may be. But Republicans acting like Democrats doesn’t help.

[cynwoody]

Sorry, but politically correct Newspeak censorship is just as wrong when Republicans invoke it as it is when it comes from the Left. The word “retarded” may be considered insensitive in certain contexts but it’s a valid word and shouldn’t be shunted off to share the Purgatorial fates of “gay,” “man,” “Negro,” “bum,” “swine flu,” “founding fathers,” “Christmas,” etc.

It also provides a convenient four-letter suffix. E.g., libtard. Or f*tard (not to be redundant).

[BP2]

> If he stops using it, how will his “****ing retards” over
> at Kos, MoveOn, DUmmies Underwater and the Huffington Puff
> know when he’s talking about them?

LOL, very funny.

The ONLY reason Rahm is even apologizing is that since the Lefties can't FIRE the “Light Skinned” “magic negro” who actually lacks a “Negro Dialect”, they'd gladly accept Rahm’s head on a pike for f*cking up their precious attempt at plunging America into Socialized Medicine.

[karnage]

Hoist on his own retard!

[TigersEye]

Sarah pulled the PC card and Rahm fell for it? What a retard!