The "R"-word, Really?

I know words have power. I know some words hurt. I also know that some words, like "spatula" are funny, and that some words like "wagknot" are not a word.

I also know that in America we have the power of free speech. As Americans we have freedom to say what ever we want about whom or what ever we want, unless you are one of the Dixie Chicks.

But I see a storm a-brewin'. It first reared it, ugly head this summer. And now it has poked its ugly head up again. Bill O'Reilly has his annual "War on Christmas" we we here at The Spike Report now have our own war....

THE WAR ON RETARDS... oh that sounds bad...

THE WAR AGAINST RETARDS!... that is kinda worse....

THE WAR AGAINST PEOPLE WHO WON'T LET YOU SAY "RETARD".... wordy, but it will work for now.

This all started over the summer when the movie Tropic Thunder caused "controversy" because it used the phrase "Full Retard," in talking about actors who do movies where they play mentally ill people to win Oscars. It was silly. But the movie came out, people saw it in context. Robert Downey Jr. got nominated for an Oscar for it, and then it all went away.

Well it came back this week, when President Obama (GOD I LOVE SAYING THAT) went on The Tonight Show and said something akin to his bowling being in the Special Olympics. This again got the Pro-Retards, or are they Anti-Retards, all riled up and the President had to apologize.

But honestly... really?

Trust me I know there are situations where saying "retard" is inappropriate. For example, when you tell a co-worker "Hey I'm not retarded", and then you remember that said co-worker has a child with Down's syndrome. Yeah you are kinda an asshole if you do that.

But if a guy cuts you off on the freeway, almost causing an accident because he is on a cell phone. That guy is a retard, he is also an asshole.

For me "retard" is simply a more extreme way of calling some one an idiot.

Example: Bill won't vote Democrat because all they do is raise taxes. OK in this case Bill is stupid.

But Bill won't vote Democrat because they love terrorists and hate America. Well now Bill has kicked it up a notch and is now retarded.

See how that works.

So to all of you Anti-Retard types... or well... Pro-Retard types, don't take away my precious retard. There is a need for this word beyond the medical classification of someone's mental capacity. We need it to call the non mentally challenged yet, really stupid people... REALLY REALLY STUPID.

Because let's face it, a world where you can't call a drunk guy who has been hitting on the girl in the bar holding hands with her husband a RETARD... well that is just not a world I want to live in.

Jason