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Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that Emanuel, exasperated upon learning that liberal special-interest groups were planning to run ads against conservative Democrats not supportive of health care reform, blasted the plan as “f—— retarded” over the summer. Naturally, some outrage ensued after Emanuel’s words came to light, with former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin taking to her Facebook page to call on President Obama to fire him for what she saw as the equivalent of a racial slur.
Palin, whose son Trig is afflicted with Down syndrome, said she was informed of Emanuel's comment by a fellow parent of a special-needs child and pleaded with the president to “show decency” to the political process by “eliminating” the Chicago native from his inner circle.
In a post titled “Are You Capable of Decency, Rahm Emanuel?,” Palin wrote, “Just as we’d be appalled if any public figure of Rahm’s stature ever used the ‘N-word’ or other such inappropriate language, Rahm’s slur on all God’s children with cognitive and developmental disabilities — and the people who love them — is unacceptable,” adding, “it’s heartbreaking.”
via Obama chief of staff’s ‘retarded’ insult brings fallout, Palin criticism – Yahoo! News.
One of the more interesting features of modern America is this mania people have for flipping over the usages of certain words. This thing with Rahm Emanuel is a perfect example. His outburst is now going to become a national news story because Sarah Palin took offense at the word “retarded,” as opposed to the reason it should be making news — the notion of Rahm Emanuel, a White House official, telling progressive activist groups not to run ads against Democrats, and those groups actually listening. The latter story is a billion times more shameful and obnoxious, but instead of any furor there, we’re going to have to get another soap opera over somebody using a naughty word.
I think we ought to get it over with once and for all and ask all the people who are interested in banning words to get together and form their inevitable committee on word propriety. I think it would be a great thing if we could just get the list together ahead of time, along with what the committee feels the appropriate sanction is for each word. “Ho” we know is a fireable word, as is “niggardly,” but what about “snapper”? How about “curry muncher”? What is the appropriate punishment for a “What’s wrong, do you have sand in your vagina?” joke? I mean there are so many unknowns right now, nobody knows where he or she stands.
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Taibbi is the reason I subscribe to this magazine – you never cease to inform, amuse but most importantly keep me informed – thank you – you’re certainly one of the best!
This controversy is ****ing retarded
I’ll stop calling her, her kid and her followers retarded when she stops calling my kid damned and a sinner and worse for being gay. How’s that?
We’re not just living in a society of banned words, but banned ideas. There are so many things I no longer say out loud or comment on, when I’m at a dinner table.
At work I don’t even dare “think” certain things.
We ain’t livin in a free society anymore…
Strange times, indeed.
Let’s get back to real issues, shall we?
FT 2/5/10
US banks face insider TARP trading probe
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b457295c-0ea7-11df-bd79-00144feabdc0.html
Sarah Palin’s indignation should be seen for what it is. Nakedly political. Note that she hasn’t called for Rush Limbaugh to be fired, and he used the word a hell of a lot more. He gets a gentle rebuke. And we already know she’s not above using her children for political gain. She dragged her youngest daughter out into a hockey arena, by her own admission, so that people wouldn’t boo her. When they did anyway, she had the unmitigated gall to shame them for booing a child. How about, you don’t put your child in the line of fire.
Rahm Emmanuel is a f**king retarded. You’re absolutely right. The big story is the way he and other “centrist” Dems demonize the left of their own party.
Greg Palast pointed out that such words are feared because hearing them results in an irreversible loss of childhood innocence.
Where is George Carlin when we need him and his littany of “dirty” words…..
We are so afraid of offending ANYONE anymore, that our language must be clearly thought out before we can speak, lest we get busted by the politically correct police. I say fuck them!
even the comments are about the wrong topic. The president’s chief of staff is telling progressives that they and not the conservative democrats are the problem!!!!!!!!!!!!
Of course, attempts to force language changes, or punish people for their word choices, blow up in everybody’s faces. Nobody likes being told what to do, or say, or think–and nobody likes a shrewish finger wagging in their faces. But there’s nothing wrong, I hope, with asking for, and praying for, more grace and humor from the people who sling around the word retarded. Yes, I do have a young-adult child who is that way, and it’s neither a synonym for “completely stupid” nor “deaf.” I was with her in a movie a few years ago when a character played by Hilary Duff asked someone “Are you in special ed?” and my daughter winced like she had just been slapped. At least, I didn’t hear anyone in the theater laughing, so maybe more people are, in fact, finding it in their hearts not to poke fun at those who are among the vulnerable and who did absolutely nothing to deserve the contempt in which some hold them.