Writing in the [Toronto] Canada Free Press, Diane Grover explains why she wishes people would stop using the ‘R-word’ as an insult. An excerpt:

You see, it is personal. I spent many dark nights, crying over the words they are laughing about. They haunted me by day, and put fear into me by night. I had to learn their true meaning, and push forward to accept them. And I did! And so, when they use them so casually, to describe how they feel about people they do not respect, well, truly, it hurts my mama’s heart. It took me a long time to understand what these words would mean to my daughter. Yes, she is slow to learn. But she is more than that. She is a champion. She is a star. She is my daughter. If they want to know why those words hurt me, all they have to do is meet her, and they would understand. She is more than her diagnosis.

… My daughter is my hero! Please, think of her the next time you almost say those words. And on her behalf, don’t!

CNN Political Analyst Roland Martin says Sarah Palin should have confronted Rush Limbaugh over his repeated use of the “R-word.” An excerpt:

As the mother of a child with Down syndrome, Palin has often used her bully pulpit to demand respect for the mentally challenged. Nothing wrong with that. It is an issue that is close to her heart, and she should be a fierce advocate for them.

Yet when one of her biggest supporters, conservative radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh, also castigated liberals by calling them “retards,” Palin provided him cover, even trying to explain away his comments.

… Sarah, when you hold yourself up as a fierce protector of the mentally challenged, politics shouldn’t enter into the equation. Either you criticize everyone who uses a word that you consider a slur, or you come across as a crass politician who is afraid to offend your chief booster.

… If you were true to your cause, you would have demanded an on-air apology from Limbaugh and scolded him for using the word. Instead, you showed your true colors.

Editors at the Idaho Statesman endorse proposed legislation that would remove the following words and terms from Idaho’s state code: “mentally retarded,” “mentally deficient,” “handicapped,” “lunatic” and “idiot.” An excerpt:

These words haven’t become merely archaic. They are hurtful. They should give us all pause and make us cringe a little.

Critics will accuse [the bill's sponsor] of indulging in political correctness. This argument is as flimsy as it is convenient.

If our state law contains language we know to be needlessly offensive to a segment of our population, shouldn’t we do the right thing and change our wording? Isn’t that just common sense and common courtesy?

See also:

Lawmaker: Nix ‘retarded,’ ‘lunatic’ from Idaho law — AP/Idaho Statesman

From Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report:

Following the logic of Sarah Palin’s defense of Rush Limbaugh, political humorist Stephen Colbert says Palin’s supporters should defend her by calling her a “f — ing retard.”   Transcript follows.

Colbert: … It reminds me to give Sarah Palin a big thumbs-up for standing up for the little guy. Rush Limbaugh. Last week, Sarah Palin rightfully demanded the resignation of White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel for calling liberal Democrats “f — ing retarded.”

Well, El Rushbo used the R-word himself when talking about liberal Democrats. Jim?

Video from Rush Limbaugh Show dated Feb. 3, 2010

Limbaugh: Our political correct society is acting like a giant insult has taken place by calling a bunch of people who are retards, retards. So now there’s going to be a meeting. There’s going to be a retard summit at the White House..

Colbert: But Sarah Palin explains to Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday why that’s okay.

Video from Fox News Sunday dated Feb. 7, 2010

Palin: Rush Limbaugh was using satire to bring attention to what this politically correct ..

Wallace: He used the R-word …

Palin: Used in satire … I didn’t hear Rush Limbaugh calling a group of people whom he did not agree with “f — ing retards.” And we did know that Rahm Emanuel, it’s been reported, did say that. There’s a big difference there.

Colbert: Thank you. Big difference. It was satire. Listen to Rush Limbaugh talk about the Democrats again.

Video from Rush Limbaugh Show dated Feb. 3, 2010

Limbaugh: Our political correct society is acting like a giant insult has taken place by calling a bunch of people who are retards, retards. So now there’s going to be a meeting. There’s going to be a retard summit at the White House..

Colbert: It’s so subtle, see. There’s so many layers. And Sarah Palin knows that it is okay to call someone a retard if, like Rush, you clearly don’t mean it. Which is why we should all come to her defense and say: Sarah Palin is a f–ing retard. Get it? You see? It’s satire.

Video from NBC’s Saturday Night Live. (Warning: Offensive language is bleeped out, but is still obvious.)

Comic Andy Samberg, playing White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, offered an “even-tempered apology” to Americans for his use of the term “f–ing retarded” to describe liberal Democrats in a strategy session. The apology started out quietly, then quickly turned into an expletive-laden rampage. An excerpt:

As for the progressive Democrats whom I used the term in reference to, I should never have called you that. What I should have called you are [bleeping] babies, stupid [bleeping] babies who can’t keep their mouths shut.

You went to the Wall Street Journal with this, you [bleeping] turncoats?! The Wall Street Journal? I’m trying to get [bleep] done here. And I know we’re not moving as fast as you want on health care, but maybe you’ve noticed the Republicans are trying to paint us as Soviet crack dealers.

Offering “humblest apologies” in response to criticism by former Alaska governor Sarah Palin on Facebook, Samberg said:

Here’s a status update: grow the [bleep] up! Poke me again and I will write [bleep] on your wall so obscene your computer will cry.

Go back to the [bleeping] tundra, you [bleeping] gimmick!

Here’s the text of Tim Shriver’s letter inviting Rush Limbaugh to join the campaign to end the use of the words “retard” and “retarded” as epithets. The letter from the Special Olympics chairman follows a national radio broadcast in which Limbaugh repeatedly used the word “retard”, and referred to the President’s meeting with disability advocates as a “retard summit.” An excerpt:

People with intellectual disabilities – the largest group of people with disabilities in the world – have suffered generations of discrimination and humiliation. In the 21st century, they, together with their families and friends, are continuing their battle for the simplest form of justice: the justice that comes with a recognition of their full humanity. In their eyes and in the hearts of millions of others who love and care about them, language is important. So together, we have chosen to try to sensitize others to the pervasive but often ignored prejudice they suffer by asking for a change of language and a change of heart.

For you or for anyone else to mock those who strive, often against long odds, for the recognition and respect they deserve, seems gratuitously hurtful and degrading.

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.