Belief in verbal magic rumbles on

"Retarded" was originally a neutral word replacing terms like "stupid", "dumb" etc. but it became a derogatory word because what it describes is unattractive. The same will rapidly happen to any new terms the do-gooders come up with. Reality bites no matter what you call it. "A rose by any other name..."

"A movement to eliminate references to the disabled as "mentally retarded" from laws and regulations gained steam this week after New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie signed legislation replacing the terms with "intellectual disability" and "developmental disability."

This month, the U.S. Senate passed a similar bill and the House will take up its version next month.

While advocates for the disabled have campaigned for years against the R-word, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel drew attention to the issue this year when he apologized for privately calling a group of liberal Democrats "retarded" last year. Sarah Palin, who has a son with Down syndrome, criticized Emanuel in a Facebook posting.

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Posted by John J. Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).