The editorial board of the Seattle Times says signing the pledge to end the use of the word “retarded” was the least Rahm Emanuel could do after he was caught dressing down liberal Democrats by using the term “F***ing retarded.” An excerpt:

The profanity is not what is shocking, rather the derisive use of the word “retarded.” This word should be discarded with all the other words that have denigrated people who are different — people of color or of certain religious or ethnic affiliations.

… Though news of both gaffes was publicized widely, both Obama and Emanuel called up Timothy Shriver, CEO of the Special Olympics, to make a private apology. Wednesday, Emanuel met with Shriver and five other disability-rights leaders and again made a closed-door apology…. [Tim Shriver]  is not the oracle of the U.S. community of people with intellectual disabilities, able to dispense absolution for all Americans offended.

A private apology in either instance is not good enough. Not by a longshot.

This entry was posted on Friday, February 5th, 2010 at 3:18 pm and is filed under NOT2BEMISSED, Obama Special Olympics remark, Obama administration, R-word, commentary, language. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.