Maryland Is Mentally Retarded

A young girl with Down Syndrome has her feelings hurt at school because kids use "retarded" as a synonym for "stupid." What's the solution? You guessed it: pass a law. Don't talk to the offending kids. Don't try to, you know, educate someone in a school situation. Pass a shortsighted, useless law affecting millions of otherwise compliant people.

The Maryland law bans government use of the descriptor "mentally retarded" and requires "individual with an intellectual disability" be used instead.

If anyone used the term "individual with an intellectual disability" in 'Puter's presence, he'd call them retarded. Just for kicks. Sanctimonious jerkmonkeys.

Not to be outdone, short, semi-closeted lesbian Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)(not actually mentally retarded, just behaving as such in the Senate) introduced legislation to ban "mentally retarded" from the federal lexicon as well.* As a bonus, Sen. Mikulski advises that the legislation if enacted will not cost the federal government a dime. Well, except for redoing every form, regulation or code that uses the phrase "mentally retarded." That'll be cheap.

Look, calling a person retarded to hurt them is evil, whether the person is actually retarded or not. Using the terms "mentally retarded" as a medical or clincal descriptor is not hurtful, but descriptive. Misuse of a phrase does not mean it should be forever banished from the lexicon, or that we should invent some sort of Newspeak replacement term.

If altering language to assuage a victim class' feelings is the new norm, 'Puter's recommends substituting "legally sanctioned monogamous buggery" for "gay marriage."

*N.B. in the linked article that Sen. Mikulski has time for this crap, but not time to stand up for her lesbian and gay brethren. According to the article, she's refused to back gay friendly legislation because she fears voter reaction if she comes out. She'd rather stay closeted and remain a Senator than be who she really is. The problem with Sen. Mikulski is the problem with all Senators. They will do anything - including denying who they truly are - in order to retain power. Pathetic.