Rahm Emanuel uses insult "retarded"

DetroitCity313 · #1 (**permalink**) 02-02-2010, 06:07 PM

Obama chief of staff’s 'retarded' insult brings fallout, Palin criticism - Yahoo! News

I hate when people say "thats so retarded" and "you are retarded" so casually. It is truly offensive. Do I think he should be be let go? Seems a bit harsh, but he should be put on blast for being such an insensitive a-hole. Can't blame Palin for being fired up about this.

Melody · #2 (**permalink**) 02-02-2010, 06:13 PM

My kids always got in trouble for it. They also got in trouble for saying, "That's so gay!"

Rahm needs to be made to lick soap and apologize.

Hongbit · #3 (**permalink**) 02-02-2010, 06:26 PM

I've quoted Pat Healy so many times over the years in this exact situation that I'll let someone else do it now.

pfife · #4 (**permalink**) 02-02-2010, 06:30 PM

I think he deserves heat. Firing is prolly a bit extreme, however I'd like to see him fired because I think he sucks at his job.

smr-nj · #5 (**permalink**) 02-02-2010, 06:43 PM

What a colossal jerk.
He's apologized, but words are cheap. Let's see him do something of substance to signal his acknowledgement that his words are hurtful, and for crying out loud, there's just no excuse to have those words come out of his mouth.

ToledoTigerFan · #6 (**permalink**) 02-02-2010, 07:19 PM

He's been known to have loose lips. Looks like he hasn't changed. Idiot.

Melody · #7 (**permalink**) 02-02-2010, 07:20 PM

Make him work as a volunteer at the next special olympics in order that he learn some compassion and respect for the handicapped. Things his mother obviously failed to teach him.

smr-nj · #8 (**permalink**) 02-02-2010, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Melody

Make him work as a volunteer at the next special olympics in order that he learn some compassion and respect for the handicapped. Things his mother obviously failed to teach him.

I was thinking something like this, or have him make a series of public service messages about respect, etc.

ToledoTigerFan · #9 (**permalink**) 02-02-2010, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smr-nj

I was thinking something like this, or have him make a series of public service messages about respect, etc.

I doubt the sincerity of someone forced to do something like that. It's all about covering his ***, not compassion.

pfife · #10 (**permalink**) 02-02-2010, 07:38 PM

Obama should attend too since he still owes the Special Olympics for his blast.

hueytaxi · #11 (**permalink**) 02-02-2010, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Melody

My kids always got in trouble for it. They also got in trouble for saying, "That's so gay!"

Rahm needs to be made to lick soap and apologize.

I agree if used in a derogatory message. Yet, it is a word that a special interest group has usurped and called their own. If I call an event a gay parade, I mean it made us happy. I will be misunderstood, and oh well. I have to watch myself on retarded, because I have used the term poorly.

Melody · #12 (**permalink**) 02-02-2010, 08:08 PM

Yeah. Not really much of a lesson to be learned in just recording some public service announcements. It would, hopefully, improve Rahm himself though to spend some quality time with a group of disabled children.

DetroitFolly · #13 (**permalink**) 02-02-2010, 08:41 PM

Rahm Emanuel is a dick. He wasn't hired because he's a swell guy. He should apologize. The funny part of all this...He was talking about the democrats when he made the statement.

Irony, huh?

Oblong · #14 (**permalink**) 02-02-2010, 09:12 PM

I do think the word needs to attain the same level of offensiveness as the "N" word.

(Second time I've used that today)

Oblong · #15 (**permalink**) 02-02-2010, 09:19 PM

He called Tim Shriver to apologize.

He didn't apologize to the democrats though. That actually made me laugh a little.

Duane B. Sims · #16 (**permalink**) 02-02-2010, 11:53 PM

Things have changed over the years. The other day I heard a group of kids singing:

The Addams Family Started/When Uncle Fester Farted/
They all became developmentally disabled/The Addams Fam-a-lee

Biff Mayhem · #17 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duane B. Sims

Things have changed over the years. The other day I heard a group of kids singing:

The Addams Family Started/When Uncle Fester Farted/
They all became developmentally disabled/The Addams Fam-a-lee

Melody · #18 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010, 01:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duane B. Sims

Things have changed over the years. The other day I heard a group of kids singing:

The Addams Family Started/When Uncle Fester Farted/
They all became developmentally disabled/The Addams Fam-a-lee

You must be a kid! Back in my day, we were still singing vulgar jingles about Hitler being a jerk, and Mussolini who "bit his weenie ..." and didn't even get in trouble at school for it.

Too darned bad that there are so few convenient rhymes with "Osama Bin Laden" et al. Well, that plus the fact that schools have to be oh, so careful these days about offending anyone, even sworn enemies of the U.S.

/inebriated rant over

But even back then, we'd have a visit to the principal over calling someone a "retard".

djhutch · #19 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010, 06:40 AM

My dad worked for 25 years at a group home with severely mentally ill people, until the state quit funding them. The word "retarded" was used quite a bit back then, specifically by workers, so I heard it quite a bit. I used to use it often myself, but now I try to be more careful. I think there's a difference between calling something "retarded" & someone a "retard."

Oblong · #20 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010, 07:01 AM

"Those goofy bastards....."

pfife · #21 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010, 07:09 AM

I'll admit I have used it quite recently in the same manner as Rahm, and I cringed after I did it. I'd really like to stop doing that.

Edman85 · #22 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010, 10:17 AM

Only time I use it is quoting The Hangover...

RedRamage · #23 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hueytaxi

If I call an event a gay parade, I mean it made us happy.

While this is true, the fair majority of people I hear using the term are NOT saying it's "happy." People are not calling something they think is stupid or dumb 'gay' because they think it makes them happy.

chasfh · #24 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedRamage

While this is true, the fair majority of people I hear using the term are NOT saying it's "happy." People are not calling something they think is stupid or dumb 'gay' because they think it makes them happy.

But neither are they calling it "gay' to mean homosexual.

No one has passed a law stipulating that the word "gay" must be used to denote only certain concepts. Feel free to use it any way you want. If you want to use it in the sense of "happy", go right ahead. Just be aware that how the recipient takes it may not reflect how you meant it.

Oblong · #25 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010, 01:08 PM

If Rahm's brother had said it... would mean something a lot different.

chasfh · #26 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010, 01:11 PM

Myself, I find it interesting that Sarah Palin is now embracing the principals of political correctness in speech, even though she has been repeatedly on record as eschewing political correctness, such as here, here and here.

So I guess what's she is saying is that requiring political correctness is OK when it's your group or a group you're close to who is being mocked or maligned, but when it has to do with groups you have no affinity with, there is no room for political correctness in this country.

Stay classy, lady.

DetroitCity313 · #27 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chasfh

Myself, I find it interesting that Sarah Palin is now embracing the principals of political correctness in speech, even though she has been repeatedly on record as eschewing political correctness, such as here, here and here.

So I guess what's she is saying is that requiring political correctness is OK when it's your group or a group you're close to who is being mocked or maligned, but when it has to do with groups you have no affinity with, there is no room for political correctness in this country.

Stay classy, lady.

I don't think its about being PC, it is about being a respectful human being. People say "I'm not PC" to mean "I am a d-bag and will disrespect anyone I want".

Oblong · #28 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010, 01:17 PM

So the White House chief of staff using a derogatory term for disabled people that most reasonable people agree is harsh falls under the "politically correct" umbrella?

If you believe that you are out of touch.

Duane B. Sims · #29 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oblong

So the White House chief of staff using a derogatory term for disabled people that most reasonable people agree is harsh falls under the "politically correct" umbrella?

If you believe that you are out of touch.

I agree. "Politically correctness" to me means being afraid to say something that in and of itself has no ill will, because some schmuck with thin skin might take it that way. Or it also could be defined as being afraid to tell the truth because someone might be offended.

Something like "retard," which is obviously offensive, does not fall under the category of PC, IMO.

Duane B. Sims · #30 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DetroitCity313

I don't think its about being PC, it is about being a respectful human being. People say "I'm not PC" to mean "I am a d-bag and will disrespect anyone I want".

No, to me it means, "I'll be respectful toward everyone, but I'm not going to dance around the truth or avoid using terms that have no ill will attached to them because some idiot might get his panties in a bunch."

DetroitCity313 · #31 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duane B. Sims

No, to me it means, "I'll be respectful toward everyone, but I'm not going to dance around the truth or avoid using terms that have no ill will attached to them because some idiot might get his panties in a bunch."

From what I have experienced people who say "I'm not PC" are gearing up to say something 90% of the people in the room will cringe at. And they love the attention.

Biff Mayhem · #32 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duane B. Sims

"Politically correctness" to me means being afraid to say something that in and of itself has no ill will, because some schmuck with white skin might take it that way.

Thought you might need a little help.

Oblong · #33 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duane B. Sims

No, to me it means, "I'll be respectful toward everyone, but I'm not going to dance around the truth or avoid using terms that have no ill will attached to them because some idiot might get his panties in a bunch."

and it would be a legit criticism, in my opinion, of political correctness gone awry when someone would complain about the phrase "panties in a bunch"

The only way I see someone thinking that complaining about the use of the word "retard" is someone who likes to regularly use that word.

Duane B. Sims · #34 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010, 01:38 PM

In case anyone is confused as to what is and isn't political correctness:

Harvard in the early 90s issued a directive to its staff that it was no longer appropriate to compliment fellow professors or students on their clothing. In other words, if a Harvard professor told a co-worker, "Hey, I like that coat," he was in violation of the university's edict.

That's political correctness.

If the professor had said "hey, I like how your butt looks in those jeans," that has nothing to do with PC. It's plain old harassment.

That's the difference. PC is taking something that isn't meant to be disrespectful and making it so.

Oblong · #35 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010, 01:39 PM

that's a good way to look at it.

Duane B. Sims · #36 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DetroitCity313

From what I have experienced people who say "I'm not PC" are gearing up to say something 90% of the people in the room will cringe at. And they love the attention.

Well, I'm not PC. I don't want to offend anyone, but I'll be damned if I'm going to avoid telling the truth about something because it might offend someone.

DetroitCity313 · #37 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duane B. Sims

Well, I'm not PC. I don't want to offend anyone, but I'll be damned if I'm going to avoid telling the truth about something because it might offend someone.

Fair enough, I am just saying most people I have met who claim not to be PC are actually going to be unbelievably offensive and ignorant.

Duane B. Sims · #38 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010, 01:45 PM

Saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" because someone might be offended is also political correctness.

DetroitCity313 · #39 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duane B. Sims

Saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" because someone might be offended is also political correctness.

Or it is acknowledging that around Christmas time people also celebrate Chanukah, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, Winter Solstice- all holidays and all celebrated by Americans.

I am not offended if someone says Merry Christmas to me even though I'm not a Christian, but I just find it awfully presumptuous that they think I celebrate it. For my Christian friends I wish them a Merry Christmas but I don't see why I would do that to a Jewish friend.

This is not a Christian nation and to go around saying Merry Christmas to everyone even though they might be Jewish, atheist, agnostic, whatever is silly.

Duane B. Sims · #40 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DetroitCity313

Or it is acknowledging that around Christmas time people also celebrate Chanukah, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, Winter Solstice- all holidays and all celebrated by Americans.

No. It's my wanting to wish someone a Merry Christmas. Nothing more, nothing less. If a Jewish person wished me a Happy Hannuka, I woudln't take offense to it.

Quote:

This is not a Christian nation and to go around saying Merry Christmas to everyone even though they might be Jewish, atheist, agnostic, whatever is silly.

I don't think it's silly. It's simply extending a good wish to someone. You've just summed up PC