What is that ‘rather long list’?
Aha! Excellent question! I’ve never seen it enumerated but you can think of some words that are on it. Racial slurs, specifically, when directed at a person as an insult. “Faggot,” probably. “Tard,” I wish (but not yet). Et cetera. I understand the moderators are reluctant to publish an actual list, which is sensible. Moderation calls are made case-to-case.
Oh, and edited to add: the sexual slurs listed here: http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=508858
Even that was only the adjectival form, not the noun; see my earlier remarks about which one is more insulting.
I hate the word. I even call flame retardant clothing combustably challenged. Or I did until that became unacceptable. Now it’s threads with special heats.
Those words usually arent modded in the Pit despite the sticky. Its a judgment call by the Mods.
I don’t think it should be banned on an internet message board, but I work in elementary special ed and I never ever ever use that word. Because I’m terrified that if I get careless and utter it even once, that there will be chinks in my mental fence around it and it might slip out at work. Which could devastate a student and/or my professional position, depending on who heard it. Never ever.
what is the correct/polite term?
But why would anyone use it anywhere? Ad hominem argument is an acknowledgement of defeat. You might as well say “Nar nar ne nar nar, you smell and so does your ma”.
Well, I use it for fun, e.g., “my cat is retarded”. I don’t make a habit of insulting anyone to their face.
Self-deprecating humor hasn’t gone out of style yet. Sometimes I’ll set up a story by saying something like, “You know how I’m kind of tetched, right?” I’d never call someone “tetched” to their face. But it’s alright if I do it to myself.
Also, “mongoloid” is much better, is it? A term that implies that the facial features of people of certain ethnicities make them look mentally disabled is just fine, I guess? Unless I’m being whooshed.
Rather the reverse: the disability is a syndrome (collected set of symptoms) among which is that the patient, even if Caucasian, develops a stereotypically Asian look about the face, notably the eyes. But this was felt an uncomfortable way to refer to it, and is now accordingly discouraged.
Intellectually disabled.
I think retard is a kind of word that you use when you talk about people behind their backs or when you’re talking about that driver that keeps tapping his brakes on the freeway.
I’m a free speech kind of girl but I chose the third option.
This board is not “public” it’s more or less privately operated. Therefore the operators can set the rules to suit themselves or the posters.
I dislike seeing arguments(well, in 99% of the cases) devolve into name calling, so since those words are offensive I wouldn’t mind seeing them banned.
We clearly have a racist here.
Obviously I’m kidding, but yeah, these days it seems whatever you say someones going to be offended.
I find it more offensive to use an obsolete term that has developed a pejorative connotation to describe the intellectually disabled.
I couldn’t have put it better. As a former special ed teacher and the former stepmother of a kid with neuroblastoma, terms that contain “tard” in any way, shape, or form annoy the hell out of me. That and any reference to a short bus anger me to the point that I will immediately terminate the conversation. Though I might end it with the medical definition of retardation or the information that a loved one did in fact ride the short bus.
I did not vote for banning it. As noted earlier, it’s such a handy way to spot the jackasses. Really, try and get a little more creative with your insults.