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Snowden · Jul 16, 2009

Personally, I find both terms offensive, and try to remember who throws them around without thought as an easy means of insulting others, since I don't have any reason to waste my time on such people. Yet there seems to be this divide where certain things that, if you think about it, logically ought to be equally offensive, aren't.

Is it because we lack any real respect for those who are truly mentally retarded that we can use apply that term incorrectly without worry over who it may offend, or because we've been trained to mark a word like "faggot" as the hateful term it is, so much that there's an automatic impulse to punish whoever would dare to utter such?

Snowden

Barrett2 · Jul 16, 2009

Retarded also has a non-pejorative meaning in current use, faggot no longer has a current non-pejorative meaning in use.

Count Dookkake · Jul 16, 2009

Because it is useful to describe someone as stupid in a pejorative manner.

Forkball · Jul 16, 2009

Because people choose to be retarded but don't choose to be gay.

Costanza · Jul 16, 2009

JoeBoy101 · Jul 16, 2009

This will not end well.

Raiden · Jul 16, 2009

Edit:

I should not post at all.

Pancakes · Jul 16, 2009

GAF has a large gay community however, I don't think many mentally disabled people read GAF.

vandalvideo · Jul 16, 2009

lawblob said:
Retarded also has a non-pejorative meaning, faggot doesn't have a non-pejorative meaning in English.

Bundles of sticks aren't non-pejorative?

typhonsentra · Jul 16, 2009

Because the former doesn't know any better.

Besides, they don't call it "Gayming-Age" for nothing.

Phobophile · Jul 16, 2009

vandalvideo said:
Bundles of sticks aren't non-pejorative?

That meaning has fallen out of use in modern English.

JBuccCP · Jul 16, 2009

When retards start running their own parades we'll start caring about them.

Barrett2 · Jul 16, 2009

vandalvideo said:
Bundles of sticks aren't non-pejorative?

I mean not in common usage.

Snaku · Jul 16, 2009

Gattsu25 · Jul 16, 2009

vandalvideo said:
Bundles of sticks aren't non-pejorative?

I'm pretty sure he means when used to describe a person.

MrOctober · Jul 16, 2009

"And there in lies the problem"

SUPREME1 · Jul 16, 2009

Forkball said:
Because people choose to be retarded but don't choose to be gay.

/thread.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ultim8p00 · Jul 16, 2009

To this thread:

funkmastergeneral · Jul 16, 2009

You don't call retarded people retards. it's bad taste. You call your friends retards when they're acting retarded

Rur0ni · Jul 16, 2009

Pankaks said:
GAF has a large gay community however, I don't think many mentally disabled people read GAF.

.

Oh and be careful of sexism. You'll be hammered.

D4Danger · Jul 16, 2009

MrOctober said:
"And there in lies the problem"

vandalvideo · Jul 16, 2009

Gattsu25 said:
I'm pretty sure he means when used to describe a person.

I could see someone calling someone a bundle of sticks. It makes them seem playful.

Weapxn · Jul 16, 2009

JBuccCP said:
When retards start running their own parades we'll start caring about them.

Is it wrong that I laughed

hard

at this?

Jonny The Pie King · Jul 16, 2009

Raiden said:
Edit:

I should not post at all.

Was gonna say. . .

Anyway, this was the first I heard of either being "alright." I would just figure to not use terms that people could possibly ban you for.

industrian · Jul 16, 2009

lawblob said:
faggot doesn't have a non-pejorative meaning in English.

Cyan · Jul 16, 2009

Count Dookkake said:
Because it is useful to describe someone as stupid in a pejorative manner.

This.

Also, as was mentioned the last few times we did this thread, trying to stomp out the word "retarded" is... well...... foolish. Whew, dodged a bullet there.

Whatever term we use to describe those of lesser mental ability will always acquire a pejorative usage. That's just how it goes. Idiot, imbecile, cretin, etc. Or more recently, special.

btkadams · Jul 16, 2009

i agree with op. i hate saying it. i still do occasionally though.

Rur0ni · Jul 16, 2009

funkmastergeneral said:
You don't call retarded people retards. it's bad taste. You call your friends retards when they're acting retarded

So you can call your friends

faggots

if they aren't gay and are behaving suspect?

Ashitaka · Jul 16, 2009

Pankaks said:
GAF has a large gay community however, I don't think many mentally disabled people read GAF.

I'd argue that nearly everyone that reads GAF is mentally disabled, that's mostly GAF's fault though ;^P

Kinitari · Jul 16, 2009

I might agree with you OP, but just to point out WHY it probably doesn't - retard does not necessarily need to be a slur, if something is 'retarded' it can mean it is developing/growing at an unusually slow rate.

Kevtones · Jul 16, 2009

Aside from the debate, I know people that have chosen 'to be gay' to get closer to girls. Also, people don't usually choose to be retarded in a literal sense.

Neither word is particularly offensive to me personally but gotta' you've please the PC crowd somehow.

Calcaneus · Jul 16, 2009

I personally hate it when I catch myself using it.

Ignis Fatuus · Jul 16, 2009

bjork · Jul 16, 2009

"Packet of fags"
I'm not your fag, mate.

Rich Uncle Skeleton · Jul 16, 2009

Pankaks said:
GAF has a large gay community however, I don't think many mentally disabled people read GAF.

Came here to post this, and now that I'm seeing it I'm tempted to make some snarky comment like "You haven't been in the evolution debate threads have you."

Tideas · Jul 16, 2009

Forkball said:
Because people choose to be retarded but don't choose to be gay.

errr both clause is wrong in that statement

Chamber · Jul 16, 2009

That's why I prefer retarted.

D4Danger · Jul 16, 2009

bjork said:
"Packet of fags"
I'm not your fag, mate.

It just gets weirder for folks when they hear the term "can I bum a fag"

Ninja Scooter · Jul 16, 2009

Ashitaka said:
I'd argue that nearly everyone that reads GAF is mentally disabled, that's mostly GAF's fault though ;^P

Replicant · Jul 16, 2009

Is this an attempt to see if you can use the F word without being banned?

Barrett2 · Jul 16, 2009

I.F. said:

That's amazing. :lol

SoulPlaya · Jul 16, 2009

lawblob said:
Retarded also has a non-pejorative meaning, faggot doesn't have a non-pejorative meaning in English.

Not according to Wikipedia, lol. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pejorative

LQX · Jul 16, 2009

Its not hard to notice that NeoGaf has a large community of homosexuals and a term like that might be offensive to them. I imagine its like the n-word. That said midgets and retards are people too and if you going to go out of your way to shield some from certain offensive words why not them also? Hypocritical but that's the world we live in.

Rur0ni · Jul 16, 2009

Replicant said:
Is this an attempt to see if you can use the F word without being banned?

It's an attempt to get the retarded word banned, along with anything else that can be grossly offensive. Next on the list, midget.

Forkball · Jul 16, 2009

Tideas said:
errr both clause is wrong in that statement

That there grammar be wrong in that one.

Wanace · Jul 16, 2009

I never use either, on the internet or in real life. There are far more creative insults that can be thrown around, I'd rather try to be somewhat original or entertaining.

ItAintEasyBeinCheesy · Jul 16, 2009

Both words have lost their original meaning.

Ignis Fatuus · Jul 16, 2009

I like the term "Fruitcake" for my insults. I'm certain that the fruitcake community is very upset at me but you can't please everyone.

falastini · Jul 16, 2009

Costanza said:
silaspic

love the kings reference :lol

btkadams · Jul 16, 2009

I.F. said:
I like the term "Fruitcake" for my insults. I'm certain that the fruitcake community is very upset at me but you can't please everyone.

smh

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