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Why we shouldn't use the R-word

deletedover 8 years

"Do not call something you don't like "Redacted". By calling something "Redacted", you are essentially saying an undesirable object or event is the same as someone with intellectual, developmental, or physical disabilities. This invalidates feelings and the identities of people with disabilities and puts them in a position where they are used to describe something that is considered to be flawed, useless, or stupid. It also makes YOU look flawed, useless and stupid by using such an uncool term. There are a ton of great words you can use instead to describe things, people, and situations that anger or annoy you.

For example: If something is a bad idea, you can use words such as dense, useless, obtuse, pathetic, or vapid. Don't forget terms like jackass or bonehead. Or make up snappy new insults. Swearing may be okay, but might make you look less impressive.

If someone or something angers you, use words like contemptible, enraging, evil, infuriating, horrible, irrational, rage-inducing. If someone or something is disgusting, try using nasty, gross, foul, nauseating, skeevy, repellent, repulsive, vomitous or terrible instead."

"The historical context of the word is important to know. People with disabilities have been treated poorly, discriminated against, abused, and neglected in the past and even today. Just changing the way you speak and avoiding using the term can make a difference for people with disabilities today and in the future."

"…support the elimination of the derogatory use of the r-word from everyday speech and promote the acceptance and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities."

Short video: https://youtu.be/T549VoLca_Q

225 other word substitutes: http://specialchildren.about.com/od/disabilityrights/ss/225-Subsitutes-For-The-R-Word.htm#step2

Reading material: http://www.r-word.org/r-word-effects-of-the-word.aspx

Please keep on-topic or your posts will be deleted.

Is the R-Word acceptable to use? (Please do not vote unless you have read the OP/reading material)
66
No
40
Yes
over 8 years

Ryuko says

is "thinking someone a jerk" being intolerant of them?

should i feel guilty for thinking people are jerks?


When you go out of your way to make people try to feel guilty, or any less of a person than you, for having a difference in opinion, it is you who is being the jerk.
deletedover 8 years
No, I am not commenting on if it is right to think someone is a jerk or not.

To me, it seems like you automatically dismiss someone because they use the word, and that is the part that is intolerant. You are not having an open mind to different points of view.
over 8 years
is "thinking someone a jerk" being intolerant of them?

should i feel guilty for thinking people are jerks?
deletedover 8 years
Above.
over 8 years

rutab says

Connor, from my understanding, you have no tolerance at all for anyone who has this word in their vocabulary, yes?


depends, what are you trying to "gotcha!" me with?
deletedover 8 years
If that is true, then I believe you're more intolerant than anyone who were to refuse removing the r-word from their vocabulary.
deletedover 8 years

Retti says

who are you hurting? who here is actually medically the r word? which person are you trying to protect?


they're changing the world!
over 8 years

johnreid says

Its not that we should have the right to say slurs or something. Its just stupid that you can be banned from playing a epicmafia by saying r-tard in 3 games.

Why is the word gay not HC?

"The HC rules are pretty gay"

Im insinuating that being homosexual is a bad thing therefore the word should not be allowed.

Thats basically the same argument.


thats actually true except no one uses the word gay by itself derogatorily any more. i personally would disallow it if i got the choice
deletedover 8 years
Connor, from my understanding, you have no tolerance at all for anyone who has this word in their vocabulary, yes?
deletedover 8 years

Ryuko says


rutab says

The most important thing in my opinion is trying to eradicate the word when used specifically for being hateful to one person, whether or not they are truly mentally disabled. There is a major difference in saying "This is r-word" rather than "You are r-word."

I think the only difference in my opinion versus the anti-r people is that I believe context is very important when moderating someone's speech.


clearly u didnt read the op


Oh, I did. The difference in you and me currently is that you're taking it as law and I am taking it as matter of opinion.
deletedover 8 years
who are you hurting? who here is actually medically the r word? which person are you trying to protect?
over 8 years
Its not that we should have the right to say slurs or something. Its just stupid that you can be banned from playing a epicmafia by saying r-tard in 3 games.

Why is the word gay not HC?

"The HC rules are pretty gay"

Im insinuating that being homosexual is a bad thing therefore the word should not be allowed.

Thats basically the same argument.
over 8 years

Retti says

i dont think it's about authority, only in the extreme cases

you can advocate something and advise people to change without coming off as domineering. i don't think anyone has said that Bae was doing such and that it should just be ignored, but then again

that doesn't make people suddenly care, and usually being apprehensive towards those who don't doesn't get them to change their mind

it's like a salesman trying to sell me on the idea of not using the r word


I agree.

This is a mafia website after all, not a subreddit to discuss social affairs.
deletedover 8 years
Connor, we do not all travel around in public saying "r-word" every other sentence we speak.
over 8 years

Ryuko says


projectmatt says

I think it's worth noting that using slurs doesn't make you an inherently mean or bad person.


unless you're informed


Disagreed. You can be informed and still use those words, even though I think that's silly.
over 8 years

rutab says

The most important thing in my opinion is trying to eradicate the word when used specifically for being hateful to one person, whether or not they are truly mentally disabled. There is a major difference in saying "This is r-word" rather than "You are r-word."

I think the only difference in my opinion versus the anti-r people is that I believe context is very important when moderating someone's speech.


clearly u didnt read the op
over 8 years
"having this word in my vocabulary is more important to me than the ppl i could be hurting directly or indirectly by using it" -all yall
over 8 years

Retti says

i dont think it's about authority, only in the extreme cases

you can advocate something and advise people to change without coming off as domineering. i don't think anyone has said that Bae was doing such and that it should just be ignored, but then again

that doesn't make people suddenly care, and usually being apprehensive towards those who don't doesn't get them to change their mind

it's like a salesman trying to sell me on the idea of not using the r word


dont use the r word, you will live forever if u dont.

did i sell u that sales pitch
deletedover 8 years
The most important thing in my opinion is trying to eradicate the word when used specifically for being hateful to one person, whether or not they are truly mentally disabled. There is a major difference in saying "This is r-word" rather than "You are r-word."

I think the only difference in my opinion versus the anti-r people is that I believe context is very important when moderating someone's speech.
deletedover 8 years
i dont think it's about authority, only in the extreme cases

you can advocate something and advise people to change without coming off as domineering. i don't think anyone has said that Bae was doing such and that it should just be ignored, but then again

that doesn't make people suddenly care, and usually being apprehensive towards those who don't won't get them to suddenly change their mind

it's like a salesman trying to sell me on the idea of not using the r word
over 8 years

vilden says

the op is basically someone telling me not to use the r-word in the very first sentence and then tries to pass the topic off as being informative instead of what it actually is -- authoritative

in most normal people's minds, the r-word is not even worth thinking about. when you start to censor words then you can convince a whole mod team that alternative words should also be censored -- like when i called the whole mod team mentally challenged and all of them agreed it was HC


I respect what the OP is trying to achieve.
over 8 years

projectmatt says

I think it's worth noting that using slurs doesn't make you an inherently mean or bad person.


unless you're informed
over 8 years
I think it's worth noting that using slurs doesn't make you an inherently mean or bad person. Some people just have it hard wired into them that certain words are OK to use and have used it their entire lives.


In fact, the fact that they use it for the entire lives explains why they get so angry when asked to change it.
over 8 years
Well....

I'm not sure it's that bad.
over 8 years
the op is basically someone telling me not to use the r-word in the very first sentence and then tries to pass the topic off as being informative instead of what it actually is -- authoritative

in most normal people's minds, the r-word is not even worth thinking about. when you start to censor words then you can convince a whole mod team that alternative words should also be censored -- like when i called the whole mod team mentally challenged and all of them agreed it was HC