Is the word imbeciles prohibited?

[Left_Hand_of_Dorkness]

@Mama_Zappa

Agreed, though in the context of the referenced poll, it looks like more along the offensive-slur line, vs targeted at politicians. Had some of the answers been “their party line” or some such, I might feel differently.

100%–I was very closely paraphrasing the referenced poll with my “obnoxious” example. Here’s the offending post:

Polls only: No discussion

Can imbeciles dribble? poll

@Thudlow_Boink

Were Men Without Hats being offensive when they sang “I can act like an imbecile” (in “The Safety Dance”)?

I don’t think so: there, “imbecile” is used to reference the singer, who clearly isn’t someone with a mental impairment, and it’s used in the sense of “fool.” If you say someone’s acting like a fool, you’re not referencing someone with a developmental disability.

That lyric is much closer to “That politician’s an imbecile,” only it’s even less cutting.