# Astro, I'm calling you out.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astro-im-calling-you-out/526506
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [January 26, 2010, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astro-im-calling-you-out/526506 "2010-01-26T13:56:54Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2010, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astro-im-calling-you-out/526506/1 "2010-01-26T13:56:54Z")
I was nice in my reply to [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=549248).
Astro, you are an ignorant asshole. I hope karma bites your sorry ass.
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### Author:  [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2010, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astro-im-calling-you-out/526506/2 "2010-01-26T14:04:49Z")
When I saw this thread, I immediately thought, “Oooh, it’s a needless overreaction Pitting!” And then I clicked the link and saw that it was so.
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### Author:  [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2010, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astro-im-calling-you-out/526506/3 "2010-01-26T14:07:45Z")
tart-pit. A tart by the way is wasted on idiot retards. It should be reserved for whores.
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### Author:  [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2010, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astro-im-calling-you-out/526506/4 "2010-01-26T14:11:55Z")
I think the problem here is (in part) euphemism creep.
Early IQ tests gave us terms like idiot, imbecile, and moron. Intended to be used to describe ranges of functionality described by the tests, they took on an aspect of pejorative insult, as people began using “idiot” or “imbecile” to describe each other.
In an effort to escape the pejorative aspect of those terms, diagnosticians coined the phrase “mental retardation,” as a clean, medical, non-pejorative diagnosis.
Of course, it wasn’t too many years before that phrase, too, began to be used in an insulting way, and today _mentally challenged_ is an acceptable description, although it, too, is getting used as an insult. I suspect that _intellectual disability_ is the up-and-coming word.
But thirty years from now, I am almost certain that intellectual disability will be an insult, and some other phrase will be necessary.
I guess what I’m saying is that while **Astro** ’s use of the word was ignorant, I don’t see any reaction from him that indicates anything other than unintentional, “I didn’t realize…” type of behavior. Maybe this Pit was a tad premature?
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### Author:  [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2010, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astro-im-calling-you-out/526506/5 "2010-01-26T14:13:39Z")
idiot retards can be whores in the tart pit
I once found in the yellow pages the subject heading “Retarded” That was weird, but reflected on the demographics of the area??? I dunno…
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### Author:  [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2010, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astro-im-calling-you-out/526506/6 "2010-01-26T14:17:01Z")
Maybe if **racer** talked about his family members as having Down’s Syndrome, the rest of us could say dumb shit is retarded.
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### Author:  [@adhay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhay)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2010, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astro-im-calling-you-out/526506/7 "2010-01-26T14:24:33Z")
Are you whooshin’ or is one of us 'tarded?
Relax, brother.
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### Author:  [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astro-im-calling-you-out/526506/8 "2010-01-26T14:47:49Z")
> [@Bricker](#):
>
> …today mentally challenged is an acceptable description, although it, too, is getting used as an insult. I suspect that intellectual disability is the up-and-coming word.
A friend of mine works in a school. They have a “Special Needs Unit”. Now, any kid who acts dumb is perjoratively called by the others a _unit_, complete with insulting hand and facial gesture.
The word “special” is being used an insult too.
> [@Bricker](#):
>
> Maybe this Pit was a tad premature?
You misspelled “tard”.
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### Author:  [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2010, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astro-im-calling-you-out/526506/9 "2010-01-26T15:16:45Z")
> [@jjimm](#):
>
> A friend of mine works in a school. They have a “Special Needs Unit”.
That sounds like a new _Law & Order_ series.
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### Author:  [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2010, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astro-im-calling-you-out/526506/10 "2010-01-26T15:23:07Z")
It is. Both the “duh duh duh DUH DUHHH” theme song and the “CHUNK-CHUNK!” scene segue noise are sung _a capella_ by real-life “special needs” kids.
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### Author:  [@tacoloco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tacoloco)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2010, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astro-im-calling-you-out/526506/11 "2010-01-26T15:31:39Z")
This pitting is retarded.
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### Author:  [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2010, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astro-im-calling-you-out/526506/12 "2010-01-26T15:38:49Z")
> [@jjimm](#):
>
> A friend of mine works in a school. They have a “Special Needs Unit”. Now, any kid who acts dumb is perjoratively called by the others a _unit_, complete with insulting hand and facial gesture.
In my junior high, “sped” was the over-the-line insult, because our school called it “special education” and put “Sp. Ed.” on everything.
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### Author:  [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2010, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astro-im-calling-you-out/526506/13 "2010-01-26T16:10:40Z")
Heh-heh… “calling him out” in response to a thread about cellphones. That’s funneeeee…
You’re an idiot, racer.
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### Author:  [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2010, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astro-im-calling-you-out/526506/14 "2010-01-26T16:30:08Z")
> [@racer72](#):
>
> I was nice in my reply to [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=549248).
> Astro, you are an ignorant asshole. I hope karma bites your sorry ass.
You do realize that you have Pitted him before he has even had an opportunity to see your response and reply–possibly with an apology?
After this, of course, the odds are long that there will not be an apology.
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### Author:  [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2010, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astro-im-calling-you-out/526506/15 "2010-01-26T16:32:00Z")
The response in the original thread was at least arguably appropriate. But a pitting? Really!
There’s a series of books called “The idiot’s guide to …”. It seems to me that the OP needs to buy “The idiot’s guide to The BBQ Pit”.
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### Author:  [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2010, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astro-im-calling-you-out/526506/16 "2010-01-26T16:33:52Z")
And heaven help racer72 when ivn1188 sees this.
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### Author:  [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2010, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astro-im-calling-you-out/526506/17 "2010-01-26T16:48:29Z")
> [@tomndebb](#):
>
> And heaven help racer72 when ivn1188 sees this.
Well, ivn’s a retard, so who knows?
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### Author:  [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2010, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astro-im-calling-you-out/526506/18 "2010-01-26T16:51:16Z")
My first wife was 'tarded. She’s a pilot now.
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### Author:  [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2010, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astro-im-calling-you-out/526506/19 "2010-01-26T20:54:02Z")
> [@Bricker](#):
>
> I think the problem here is (in part) euphemism creep.
>
> Early IQ tests gave us terms like idiot, imbecile, and moron. Intended to be used to describe ranges of functionality described by the tests, they took on an aspect of pejorative insult, as people began using “idiot” or “imbecile” to describe each other.
>
> In an effort to escape the pejorative aspect of those terms, diagnosticians coined the phrase “mental retardation,” as a clean, medical, non-pejorative diagnosis.
>
> Of course, it wasn’t too many years before that phrase, too, began to be used in an insulting way, and today _mentally challenged_ is an acceptable description, although it, too, is getting used as an insult. I suspect that _intellectual disability_ is the up-and-coming word.
>
> But thirty years from now, I am almost certain that intellectual disability will be an insult, and some other phrase will be necessary.
>
> I guess what I’m saying is that while **Astro** ’s use of the word was ignorant, I don’t see any reaction from him that indicates anything other than unintentional, “I didn’t realize…” type of behavior. Maybe this Pit was a tad premature?
Good point about the way phrases and terms come to have “bad” connotations over the years.
I avoid this risk by using the always popular “what are you? fucking stupid?” myself. 😃
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### Author:  [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/astro-im-calling-you-out/526506/20 "2010-01-26T21:11:39Z")
> [@bup](#):
>
> In my junior high, “sped” was the over-the-line insult, because our school called it “special education” and put “Sp. Ed.” on everything.
Holy shit, I heard “sped” as an insult like 30 years ago and never knew what it meant until now. As retarded as this thread is, it at least killed a bit of old ignorance that’s been stuck in my head for a long-ass time.
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