Florida Considers Removing 'Retard' From State Law

'That word needs to go,' say advocates for the mentally disabled

It wasn't always used to be mean or flippant, but since some folks had to ruin it, "retard" is going the way of the dodo.

Florida is the newest state to consider striking the term "retarded" from the wording attached to state regulations, following pressure from activists who claim it's cruel and insensitive. They hope to replace the r-word with "intellectually disabled" in a move that would echo changes made by the American Psychiatric Association as well as the federal government.

"That word [retard] needs to go," said one parent of a 24-year-old with developmental disabilities. "Let's face it, it's hurtful."

Florida advocates are working with a state senator, Republican Thad Altman, who's backing a bill to replace the word that was once a legitimate medical term, but has since devolved into a slur.

"The r-word only serves to reinforce the negative stereotype that a person is less valued," said Special Olympics Florida CEO Sherry Wheelock. "We have always been supportive of this initiative."

Via the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Is it about time the word 'retard' was no longer used?

[Penn1699]

Have to say it..... That's retarded!

[VVP]

Grrr... ninja

[PoliticalSpice]

Florida is considering removing retards in the law? Does that mean they are recalling their governor?

[gregtoye]

@PoliticalSpice hey hey hey lets not be so hasty no I agree completely they are.a.bunch of idiots the Jeb Bush years were the.best that's my home state.born and raised and its just.gone.to Heck in gasoline draws but my brother is handicapped and that dose hurt his feelings because even though he dosnt really know he knows it a negitive way of addressing him

[PoliticalSpice]

@gregtoye no offense meant. I may be far left, but I'm not quiet politically correct...

[gregtoye]

@PoliticalSpice no I understand and honestly its a freedom of speech thing Idk I just see first hand how my little brother reacts to it but I called someone a regards today so Im guilty also

[Real4WheelDrv]

Don't see what the point is, we're supposed to abolish the n word too and it's still used in everyday conversation by the very people who dictate WHO can use it. Same deal here.

[DARSB]

The difference, of course, is that most of the people who object to the N word can fight back. Not so much for the intellectually disabled.

[Real4WheelDrv]

@DARSB Most of them CAN, but let mouthpieces like Jackson do it FOR them, all the while being indignant while it continues to be used in rap culture etc. Same thing will happen here.

[Real4WheelDrv]

The only REAL distinction that can be drawn, is that unlike the n word, retard is yet another word that started out as having an actual meaning but has been confiscated for use exclusively as an insult because people are asshats.

[dances-weebles]

@Real4WheelDrv actually the so called 'n' word began with a real meaning, also. it was what they called people from the niger river basin. also the word 'negro' is nothing more than spanish for black. it was only, as you so aptly called them, 'asshats' that made it into something that it's not.

[Real4WheelDrv]

@dances-weebles My apologies, didn't realize that's what the n word meant, I always thought it was supposed to be an even more dismissive form of negro.

[g4me]

Florida has a LOT more problems they need to address than attempting to abolish a word, for crying out loud.

[frigginhell]

I was thinking honest election reform instead of waiting to try and change the rules 8 weeks from the actual election might be nice. Perhaps the only retards florida need to worry about are the ones that keep electing these assclowns.

[g4me]

@frigginhell Cant disagree with you on anything you have said here!

[jessejaymes]

And the word moron will be next and then we won't be able to say dumb or idiot/ First thing you know we'll be right there with "big is beautiful". There we'll be. Broke and on the streets because we're too stupid to know how to do anything and we'll be too fat to do it even if we did know. But we'll all be equal. Gays can get married. Fat people can sit on two seats in the dirt anytime they like. Blacks can put on white face but whites won't be able to put on black face, Indians can sue for any work that contains the letter r-e-d. We'll all riot for grain and get shot down by our Military and the Westboro Baptist Church can protest while our bodies are dumped in the nearest mass grave but hey, we';ll all be politically correct.

[dances-weebles]

wow! you've certainly got it all worked out, huh?

[hankf68]

but isn't big "beautiful'? or is that all perception, something that's different for us all... Idk, but my child with Angels syndrome or my cousin's child with severe Autism is far from retarded...just saying, some words are offensive, such as retarded, but I agree, many are foolish in the politically correct area of words and usage...

[jessejaymes]

@hankf68 I don't know of anyone personally would use the word retarded in regard to a challenged child. It doesn't mean that anymore and hasn't for most my lifetime. It means dumb. Seriously dumb. Kids with autism or other such challenges are by no means dumb. They don't have certain brain functions that work as ours do but just because they don't doesn't make them dumb or retards. It makes them challenged. But just because a Cerebral Palsy kid can't speak doesn't mean they can't think. I just don't understand why people like yourself think someone is referring to your child when they use the word retarded. We used to call kids with Downs Syndrome "Mongoloid idiots" back in the 1950/60's. I don't know where that name came from but I don't know anyone that uses either the word Mongoloid or the word Idiot for the condition of Downs Syndrome today. And even if there are people who do mean that when they say it they're not going to stop because you pass a law. How are you going to enforce that? Put people in prison for saying the word retarded? Fine them a weeks check? I mean what is the point here?

[hankf68]

@jessejaymes ...it is foolish to make such laws, all I'm saying is that surely, we, as a modern and advanced people, could use our language better, by using such words, and yes many intend it's usage to mean such children as mine, we are only showing our lack of intelligence...I understand your argument, but you give too much credit to those who are demeaning other's with hatred and hurtful words, surely a lack of intelligence regarding debate, I would think...most who use such terms are referring exactly to children such as mine, using them, by definition, where they came from...

[jessejaymes]

@hankf68 Well I tend to not use the word myself but I don't take offense when it's used within the context of friends or family using it among themselves. I have no time for people who would use it to describe children or mentally challenged adults. I would challenge those people as being well, retards themselves.

[stepped_in_it]

Guess Florida hasn't heard.....banning it only makes it worse! I can see it now. A mentally challenged rapper calling all his mentally challenged audience "retards" all the while fighting any who also uses that term......jeez!

[Hireman]

They're not banning the word. They're updating the law to reflect today's terms.

[stepped_in_it]

@Hireman Does the term "buzz killer" and/or "party pooper" ever get hung on your door? Remind me to call my agent and request a new "straight" man for my comic routine.......

[Hireman]

@stepped_in_it Man, I got fired AGAIN?

[stepped_in_it]

@Hireman Better.....one more chance or it's the door hits ya where the good lord split ya.....lol

[hankf68]

it is within us all to stop this nonsensical foolishness of name calling, especially when it comes to such words as "retarded", indeed offensive to many and if you support the word, then that's saying a great deal about yourself, weak for sure, if your intelligence can't use the English language better than that, then there is not much to say about your own intelligence...think about it!

[DyingBreed]

"Retard" didn't start off harmful like it is now. We made it that way. We could (a may) do the same thing to the term "intellectually disabled." In fact, "Retard" literally just means "slow" and "intellectually disabled" means no cognitive capability at all (which is worse?). But I digress.

The term isn't the bad thing, its what we've turned it into. Banning or doing away with a word will not change the heart of man, so we will inevitably find another word to turn into a stinger.

[dances-weebles]

yeah... like 'florida governor' or 'florida senator'

[g4me]

@dances-weebles The words Rick Scott should be banned.

[dances-weebles]

@g4me *lol*

[AlexMIA]

I like the word, it sets my son straight when he's not using his head.

[TheJimmy]

I prefer to call my kids imbeciles but, hey, to each his own.

[FenceSitter K]

Thanks for your comments everyone. A friendly reminder that personal attacks/insults are not allowed. Diverging opinions are expected on hot-button issues, but civil discourse is a must.

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[AMSCountryboy]

This PC garbage is getting a bit retarded!

[Concerned_Cit]

Oh look, more PC crap. When the economy is tanking, be sure to divert divert divert attention away by any means. We're losing the 1st Amendment right along with the 2nd Amendment judging from the majority of the articles on this site.

[zachsquatch]

Michael Scott said it best "You don't call retarded people retards. It's bad taste. You call your friends retards when they're acting retarded."

This PC crap has got to end now. Has our society really become this pussified? It's sickening. What's next? Boycotting midget pickles? Oh, wait, that's already happened. We need to grow up. I remember when people that were called names who threw a fit were told to turn the other cheek and grow up, now it's lets tell the local paper how you were offended and your rights were taken. In a town in KY, a boy went to the local papers because he was called a racist...If he is racist, it is up for grabs because you're only getting half the story, but this is plain ridiculous.

[lawnmowrman]

Intellectually disabled sounds slightly worse than retarded. Those two words could easily be applied to almost everyone I know. I'd swear way too many people's brains are running on autopilot. Sometimes I sit and wonder what I would be like if I had never consumed red food dye and aspertame.

[BelinKS]

A few years after the word retard is replaced by "intellectually challenged" over our entire country, kids wil just start using slang taken from the new official words and will be using that. Kids can be mean. How do you think the word retard came about? From retarded mental development. It's sad, but true.

[retiredvet]

I think we should ban everyword that is offensive to somebody then we won't have anything to talk about.

[jessejaymes]

I think Politix is culpable here with some of the confusion. The article is about changing the wording in state law only but Politix by saying " Is it about time the word retard was no longer used" is a general statement asking if the word should disappear from the English Language. Sure it should be removed from State documents because word as generally used today has nothing to do with the meaning in state wording. Politix you're kind of expanding the question beyond the article.

[justapirate]

Lessee here........ Mentally retarded ain't proper. Mentally disabled is. So, uh, saying someone is mentally broken as opposed to mentally slow is preferable. Is that it? What a bunch of retards.

[Eagle1]

If the dictionary can redefined a word, then FL should be able to change a word if the current meaning has changed. To better describe a condition and be sensitive at the same time, is a worth while endeavor. I wouldn't condemn this action because other words have been hijacked for supposedly good reasons.

[Bob_J_1440]

Well they shouldn’t remove it all the way…just save it for their politicians :-)