I was born a girl. I was born with brown hair. I was born with brown eyes. I was born with arms, legs, a heart, and lungs. None of these words are an insult or make me a freak, or even stupid, do they? So please explain to me why using the word "retarded" to insult someone is okay. People are born retarded. Some people develop retardation. So are they insult an insult to society? Are all of the kids in the special education classes around the world meant to be a joke?
So that person you just called a retard because he didn't know the answer is mentally challenged? Or that assignment you just got in chemistry has mental problems? That outfit was born with a mental disability? That TV show will struggle for the rest of its life? I didn't think so.
Have you even ever met someone who's mentally disabled? If the answer is yes, then you probably know that they are some of the kindest, most innocent people you'll ever meet. If not, then who are you to even talk?
I've never called you "American" or "Asian" or "mute" or "blind" as an insult, have I? No, you were born that way. I've never said "oh, that's so girl" to describe something as an insult, have you? Of course not, because people are born that way, they can't help it. Why would you use that as an insult?
Why is it that our society has now found it socially acceptable to use retarded as an insult in every conversation? But when someone doesn't have an arm, it is not, under any circumstances okay to make fun of them, or make of some rude nickname about them. Just because people are mentally challenged, and don't have a physical disability, doesn't mean that their disease is any less serious.
Now let me ask you another question. Have you ever insulted a child? Maybe a cute little girl around the age of four. She's super cute, and really very nice and sweet. You would probably never dream of insulting her, would you? Well do I have news for you. You insult her every single day. EVERY time you use retarded as an insult, you're insulting millions of children who have mental retardation. What did they ever do to you to deserve to be made fun of every single day? You are now the bully who makes fun of CHILDREN. How does it feel to have that title? I would assume not very good.
So when you bring me a book, or a situation that is LITERALLY mentally challenged, then and only then, may you call it retarded. Until then, every time you use that word to when referring to someone or something that is clearly not retarded, you are insulting about 170 million people in the world. Do you feel good about yourself now?