It's just one of those things man, where one word refers to a group of individuals that'd be considered offensive, but to another group it isn't a big deal because it has no meaning. Allow me to explain;

It's considered offensive to call an actual retarded person a retard, call an ordinary person a retard and it's up to them whether they take offense or not, but shouldn't take it personally because they're not actually a retard.

It's considered offensive to call a fat person fat, but if you call some skinny guy eating a plate full of burgers and chips then they'd be called fat, but they shouldn't find it offensive because obviously they're not fat in the literal sense.

It's considered to call a gay person a faggot (which essentially means over the top, flamboyent homo sexual), but if you call a straight person a faggot for acting like a flamboyent homo sexual or wearing gay clothes then it shouldn't or wouldn't be offensive to them. However, again they shouldn't take it personally because they're not apart of the group of individuals whom that word actually has an effect on.

Can't think of anymore examples, but that's essentially how it works. These words are only offensive if they're actually true about the person.

It wouldn't be misusing it, but you'd still be an asshole.

whoever made their kid hold this sign is retarded tho

'only a retard would find the word retarded offensive'

ayyyy lmao so only a black person would find the word ****** offensive? That logic maaaaaaaaan.

Actually retards tend to be the least offended by it

unless, of course, they're told to be offended by some asshat pretending to be an authority on things that don't affect them.

Really stupid that vorigan is getting thumbed down here.

That's how basically every cuss word came into existence in the first place. They start as normal words and become derogatory because of how they get used. Yes, 'bitch' can be a female dog and 'faggot' can be a pile of sticks, but those words are no longer appropriate for polite company because of how they have been used for decades.

You can't have it both ways. You can't call that guy you hate 'retarded,' that bad Russian teammate on your favorite video game 'retarded,' and that driver who cut you off 'retarded,' with clear intention to insult and demean all three people... And then also use 'retarded' five minutes later to describe a person with mental disability and expect nobody to take it as a demeaning insult. Pick one and stick with it.

Now, am I saying you shouldn't use it freely on a place like FJ? **** no. As I said, these words aren't appropriate for polite company. This isn't polite company, this is a mature (in humor, not necessarily demeanor) internet forum. Call me a ******* retard to your heart's content if you feel the need to insult me.

I think its funny to call them retards when used humorously rather than to be mean. But to actually think its socially acceptable to say it TO them makes you a ******* idiot, no sorry, it makes you retarded.

Please name one person with downs syndrome that is not retarded in any way. No slowing of any learning process at all. Good luck

"Slowing of any learning process at all" is not the definition of retarded in the first place. Otherwise you're saying that literally everybody in the bottom 50% is retarded, and that's not how it works. Medically, the definition is generally considered to be an IQ of 70 or below. Specifically, the American Psychiatric Association guideline states: "Mild is defined as an IQ level of 50-55 to approximately 70. Moderate is an IQ level of 35-40 to 50-55. Severe is an IQ level of 20-25 to 35- 40."

But since all I have to do is name one person, how about a successful actor? That good enough for you? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Burke_ (actor)

Yes, while mental retardation with downs is extremely common, there are DEFINITELY people with downs who are not retarded. I've got a girl with downs in my 200-level statistics course and she's actually doing better than about half the class. Hope you feel like as much of an ass as you look like right now.

Retardation includes physical development, which is also definitive of down's syndrome.

Pretty sure that it is specified by "mental retardation" psychomotor retardation "can cause a visible slowing of physical and emotional reactions, including speech and affect."

But sure, continue about how I'm just mad, and keep making what I say more specific than it actually is. I was trying to be general

Medically, no it doesn't. Retardation specifically refers to intellectual levels. And down's doesn't actually do much to your physical development in all cases either. Frankly it sounds like you have no idea what down's syndrome actually is.

**** you bitch.

Just like male and female, right anon?!

Gotta make sure you use the correct pronouns, don't ya anon?!

Don't wanna use overly generalized terms, don't we anon?!

STFU anon.

Thats like saying the word handicapped is offensive. Im not gonna call you your specific medical term.

You're retarded

So like refering to caucasian people as "white" when they're actually
german
french
irish
british
russian american
canadian etc?

>Germany
>France
> Britain
>white

Maybe now but not in five years

Finland is not caucasian? Wut.

the exact reason i didn't include sweden lol

including canadians and american's as though we aren't just a *********** of all the other ones

It's offensive when used as an insult but not when describing an actual retard.
I work with retards at school and they call eachother retarded all the time

yeah I know, I'm just saying the retards call eachother retards.
I also help the dyslexic kids and they're obviously not retarded lol

side note: I only signed up to work with the special needs class honestly in the hopes that I would get some cool greentext stories
But apparently my retards aren't retarded enough to get stories out of

that´s some cold ****
even though its probably bait