Hypocrisy Abounds: The “R-Word” Rears Its Ugly Head
Well yes, Ann Coulter did it once again. She used the “RWord” to describe members of the political left. I mentioned her nastiness in an earlier post. HERE And yes I even derided a popular conservative talk show host whom I liked, Dennis Prager, for supporting her. He was listing people to follow on twitter and her name was included. I tweeted him. Received no answer but at least I didn’t remain silent.
@#hypocrite
— Independent Patriot (@LibertysSpirit) October 24, 2012 I also refuse to watch Sean Hannity or any other television personality who does not call her out on her nastiness. In fact, I do the same with those that have racists and antisemites on their show. It’s why I do not watch MSNBC because of Al Sharpton (HERE) and went after those who had Pat Buchanan on their program as well.
What annoys me however, is not how quick the autism and special needs community attacked Coulter for her ignorance, but the fact that they remain quiet when anyone on the Left derides or bullies a republican or conservative, especially a woman. Where were these holier-than-thou special needs advocates when conservative women are called “c***ts” “bitches” “whores” or any number of repulsive names? Where were they during the VP debate and even during this entire political season? Were they hiding under a rock somewhere?
No one used the “RWord” so it doesn’t affect your special needs child, you respond? Everything is connected. Attitudes are connected. Nothing happens in a vacuum. Bullying is bullying. Name calling is name calling.
What galls me is that people do not see that their actions, or lack thereof, as part and parcel of the problem. If you do not want your child derided and bullied then do not remain quiet when the bully is using a different vernacular than the “RWord.” Do not remain silent when those on the other side are maligned. Was it OK for Stacy Dash to be called vile names and even threatened with rape for voting for Romney? Where was your voice then?
Personally I despise hypocrisy. I do my best to avoid it. I cannot say I am perfect at it but at least I try. Now tell me what is your excuse for remaining quiet? Are you too parochial to see that your general silence is part of the bullying problem?
UPDATE: Interesting turn of events. Apparently a popular liberal radio talk show host working for Salem Radio Network, wrote this on twitter:
I’d totally understand Ann Coulter’s use of the word “retard” only if she was in the same room as Michelle Malkin.
— brian whitman (@brianwhitman) October 24, 2012
So tell me where is the outrage from the special needs community now?
Elise Ronan
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@NeverSubmit@xanga – I know about politics for disabled people. I am disabled. I have a mental illness which bounds me as disabled. I don’t personally like being brought into bratty politics like this. The important stuff like who’s getting taken care of is one thing. But who called who what is just shit, it’s not actual politics. Like I said it was wrong for them to use the “r” word, but we shouldn’t say “O it’s okay because the other party called people whores”.
I noticed that you didn’t call out Sarah Palin who was horrified when Obama joked about the “Special Olympics” – for which he happened to apologize, and when Rham Emmanual said “retarded” for which he also apologized. She didn’t show such horror with Rush Limbaugh’s reference to ‘retards’ stating it was ‘political satire’ nor to Ann Coulter, nor to Mark Ewing the Wasilla candidate who suggested that some children are just not worth educating because they ‘can’t even move their wheelchairs.’ BTW, none of those people apologized.
Suggesting that Joe Biden’s snarky and sarcastic remarks are in the same league as Ann Coulter’s use of the R word shows political bias beyond reason. It isn’t bullying just because you don’t like it!
So there is hypocrisy, but it is on your side of the isle.
@MyPublicSite@xanga – It’s very political. Using the word “retard” as a derogatory term plays into the oppression of our society against people with intellectual disabilities. It’s part and parcel of the system that will deny disabled people employment opportunities, and devalue the work that they do find. Minimum wage in this country is not enough to rent a single-bedroom apartment in any state, and many companies use the fact that some of their employees have a certain IQ to pay them even less–and it’s completely legal. There are a lot of people who want to make this about nothing more than name-calling, but for many their very lives are at stake. It’s not about one single person being mean to you; it’s about an entire system that is constructed by and for people who do not want you around. That’s politics for disabled people.
@RaisingAspergersKids – Obvious troll comment. ‘Nough said.
@Joel – exactly my point. It’s about responsibility.
@MyPublicSite@xanga – but that’s exactly my point. I am not saying its ok. I’m saying if you are angry about what they say on the right side of the aisle why aren’t you angry about what they say on the left side of the aisle. Name calling is name calling and bullying is bullying. It doesn’t’ matter who does it and what they think they represent. Wrong is wrong.
I really don’t think whether you think use of the “r” word is political in nature. It’s wrong from either side and it’s not okay for somebody to use it, whether they’ve been called whatever else. It’s obviously not okay to attack people in general, but you’re making it sound like “well they called her a slut, so why can’t she say the word retard!” NO, that’s not how it works.
@TheRightBrainToHisLeft@xanga – Personally I don’t think your opinion is offensive – in fact I think many people think the same way you do – thanks for sharing it.
@NeverSubmit@xanga – @RaisingAspergersKids – Let’s take Ann Coulter out of the picture, and even the politics. The overall issue that I see here is the aspect that there is someone who has a serious reach and influence in their field. People follow this person and take what they say as an opportunity and a reason to repeat and say that as well.
The fact is that the word ‘Retard’ has changed in it’s cultural significance. It now has become a word that when used usually means something derogatory and demeaning. Granted we wish that many words don’t change over time to take a negative connotation – but this one has, to serious consequences.
With people of influence believing it’s ok to use this word, those who follow these people of influence believe it’s ok as well. Not just a matter of using the word, but by which the context that the word is used in – and in this case it was a negative and derogatory comment.
As we live in a free society, Ann Coulter does have the right to say what she wants to say. But like anyone – there is a responsibility that needs to be exercised in the recognition of what she said and how it has impacted the special needs community.
I could go on, but I would assume already that we may or may not disagree on this subject – so I’ll step aside for the moment.
Exactly @freelyking@xanga –
Actually using uour position in multiple groups is exactly what is called for. It’s what grown ups do. @NeverSubmit@xanga –
@NeverSubmit@xanga – wow spoken like the Nasty bullies I’m talking about.
@RaisingAspergersKids – You’re trying to invent hypocrisy and spread it around to where it doesn’t exist. That is fundamentally dishonest rhetoric and frankly something I’d expect from a troll who is only trying to stir up trouble.
@RaisingAspergersKids – Who is “most people”? Ann Coulter? That’s not most people. Congressman Ryan told lies and VP Biden busted him on them. That’s not bullying, that’s life. If the sore losers on the right wing don’t like getting called “dishonest” they should tell the truth more often.
And there is no reason for me to list every single ideological position I have when I am only addressing a single one. I am both a feminist and a disability advocate, but it’s ridiculous to expect people to address both when only one of them has come up. Why on EARTH would I bring up my belief in disability equality when feminist issues come up? It is literally nonsense. There are plenty of feminists in the disability rights movement, but disability rights and feminism are two distinct movements. That doesn’t make anyone a hypocrite.
We’re all a little different in this great Sapphire World of ours, but that doesn’t mean we need to let ugly prejudice get in the way of our good judgement.We are each unique, each special in our own way.Bullying and name-calling does not contribute to that growth.
Metal labels Fabric labels
@PassionFruit06@xanga – Coulter is all about politics and i want to know why while the special needs community attacked Coulter they never call out the other side of the aisle? Tons of blogs posts and tweets were dedicated to Coulter but not one person in the special needs community I saw, other than me, has ever called out the other side. I am pointing out hypocrisy and baloney in the community about anti-bullying and their political bigotry. When the leaders of the community marginalize themselves by their own political machinations they marginalize my children. Quite frankly I resent that. I work too hard to create a future for my children. A future that they are entitled to and a future that should be respected by all people not just if they follow one particular political path as dictated by the self-appointed special needs community.
I’m kind of wondering why you felt the need to bring in politics at all with this? I’ve heard people from both sides of politics call members of the other side awful and demeaning words.
@TheRightBrainToHisLeft@xanga – you are entitled to view the RWord as you want to. If it is something that doesn’t bother you you are allowed to feel that way. I reject most of what the special needs community thinks is important when it comes to our children so I am no stranger to speaking my mind either or not agreeing with the majority.
@NeverSubmit@xanga – did watch the VP debate and I along with most people think the VP was a bully, demeaning ,smirking, classless embarrassment to our country.Only someone looking to make excuses for their side of the aisle would see it otherwise and that was the point of the post.
Second, disability advocates should say something about anti-women language as disability advocates. If you are against all forms of hate you need to stand up and be counted always.
What is this I don’t even
If someone was going to make a fuss about anti-woman language, it would hardly make sense for them to do so as a disability advocate, since being a woman isn’t generally considered a disability.
I mean, honestly. Do you think that disability advocates are incapable of being feminists? That’s not the case at all. I’m a feminist and a self advocate, and a man, all at the same time.
As for the VP debate, you obviously didn’t watch it, so here you go. You really should watch it before you complain about it again.
I realize what I said is not a very popular opinion. I just want to portray another viewpoint so we can all understand one another a little better. 🙂 So I hope no one takes offense.
I agree about being consistent in opposing name-calling. It shouldn’t be okay for one person to do it and not another. Possibly they just don’t notice as much because it’s less relevant to them. But attacking someone personally, rather than attacking their argument, is a surefire way to lose an argument.
Personally, I have mixed feelings about the “R-word.” Because technically, it means “slow.” When someone calls someone else the “R-word”, they generally mean to say “you have no excuse for not grasping this, because you don’t have developmental difficulties.”
While it’s not a tactful way to do it, I don’t think it is meant to be offensive to people with mental disabilities. I think they almost mean to give them a pass- like, “this person is delayed developmentally, so they are excused for being slower on this issue than others.”
Again, it’s tactless. And probably people shouldn’t say it. But I don’t think the intent is quite as bad as it’s made out to be.
@RaisingAspergersKids – I’m quite familiar with this ! I’ve been called so many different things it’s no wonder I have a bit of an identity crisis today (serious).
In any case, yes, the term, “Sticks & Stones” really doesn’t apply today cause it’s not just simple words like, “You big dummy.” it’s gotten much – much worse, and personal, and if you add to that bullies spreading lies and rumors for YEARS of good honest people, then you have serious damage going on at that point.
We’re all a little different in this great Sapphire World of ours, but that doesn’t mean we need to let ugly prejudice get in the way of our good judgement. We are each unique, each special in our own way. Bullying and name-calling does not contribute to that growth.
As someone bullied most of life cause I am a little different I guess, I would definitely like to see Xanga make a domain to support those attacked, not just of Autism, but where bullies are reported and their accounts ousted based on existing posts and messages existing in Xanga.
I’ve done a bit of this, but I’m only one person. And the R word, you are quite right, is one of the word for those already having a difficult enough time to discover life.
@dw817@xanga – exactly..but its the same with all name calling no matter what words are used.
Bullies use the R word. Unless you’re a scientist discovering the detrimental effects of certain reagents acting on a plankton growth, you should never need to use it in your vocabulary. Φ ≡