Okay, so Rahm Emmanuel said “retarded” and all those parents, friends, and groups that support the …. R-word …. ah… Well, that’s the problem. I don’t know what is politically correct. In fact, the politically correct language in America changes faster than Microsoft upgrades.
No one can appreciate derogatory comments — except perhaps the person who delivers them. However, let’s all grow up and get a grip on life and our constantly hurt feelings. These double standards are confusing all of us. Now, we have to add the “r-word” to the politically incorrect list of words in the English language.
Perhaps, I wasn’t as shocked to hear that Rahm Emmanuel had used the word “retarded” as a slam as I was to hear Jake Tapper’s lead in to “This Week.” As “Good Morning America” asked Jake Tapper what was on tap (no play on words intended — don’t know if I can say “pun”) I was shocked and quite honestly totally dismayed to hear Tapper say something about a discussion on “the R-Word.” It was a great lead in. I had to stay tuned to find out what the “R-Word” is.
So, let me get this off my chest. My mother referred to black Americans as colored people. More than once I overheard someone say how “incorrect” it was for her to refer to black people as “colored.” Of course, my mom had Alzheimer’s, was well into her 80’s, and I was most often thankful that her mind had traveled back to “colored” rather than …. ah…. the “N-word.”
I heard more than one black person asked, “And what color is that?” Well, from where I sit, it isn’t black although that is one of the preferred terms of the day. And, what about those adverts that talk about the skin toning cream especially created for “women of color”? Doesn’t that make them “colored”?
And, what makes it okay for some of my black friends to say “nigger” when speaking to another black friend, but the word is off limits for white people? Don’t give me the crap about between certain people…. yada, yada, yada. The word is either okay or it isn’t — across the board.
The next word that I’m not sure of is “queer”. I refer to my gay and lesbian friends as “gay” or “lesbian.” I hear them talking among themselves occasionally saying “queer” or “faggot” yet I’m not supposed to use those words.
Our outrage concerning the English — American — language has decided to censor the word “retarded”. I guess we are supposed to say “special needs” although that leaves me uncertain as to what the “special needs” are. That seems too generic for me. It doesn’t point to the special need, but leaves my imagination to flourish and flounder.
And, one last rant. Maybe the first time Oprah said, “va-jay-jay” when referring to the vagina it was cute, at best. But, when I heard Dr. Travis whoever on “The Doctors” say “va-jay-jay” I wanted to puke. It’s a frigging vagina! And the male counterpart is a penis. Of course, I suppose in this Puritanical era of the American language it is incorrect.
The point is simple. I do not want to offend anyone, although I am sure I do from time to time. But, censorship is not the answer. Whatever happened to “sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me?”
And, that’s all this Cracker has to say on the subject.
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