Retarded

Message to the Special Olympics:

You are retarded!

Your athletes are retarded.

Your events are retarded.

Protesters gather at Stiller film

Tim Shriver, chairman of disability group Special Olympics, said protestors were particularly offended by the use of the word 'retard' regarding a character, Simple Jack, played by Stiller

'We feel that the use of the word 'retard' throughout the film, 15 or more times, is done without any regard for the dignity of people with intellectual disabilities,' he said.

The word retarded refers to something that is slower than it should be or slower than normal. It was used as a simple technical term long before it became associated with people with mental disabilities who are, very technically speaking, retarded. I use it nearly every day when fixing machines. The timing is retarded. That cam is retarded. The MPD response time needs to be retarded. That operator is retarded.

The organization known as the Special Olympics is retarded for not being up to snuff on the meaning of a term they object to.

Their athletes are retarded because no Special Olympian comes close to even the worst performances among regular Olympians.

Their events are retarded because they have to slow down the pace of things to cater to the people involved.

Based on trailers I've seen, the film they are protesting looks mildly retarded.

And I'm retarded for taking way too freakin' long to explain the meaning of the term retarded to a bunch of retarded people who probably won't even see this retarded post.