the r-word: Spread the word to end the word - everyone please read

[dhak1yya]

http://www.r-word.org/

This is a website to eradicate the use of words like "retard" being used as an insult, because it is very insulting to people who have intellectual disabilities and their families to use it like that.

The mods have already been taking action against the use of these words like that, e.g. warnings, infractions, so users here should already know that it's not acceptable. And just recently the mods have been discussing using a harsher infraction for the r-word and similar than the regular name calling infraction.

We will continue to infract anyone who uses this word in that way, or other words that are insulting to people with disabilities.

Please support the above site by visiting it, and by stopping using words like this (if you use them), and by telling others not to use them.

Please note, this is not limited to vocabulary related to intellectual disability, it's related to any kind of disability, and also to mental health. E.g. saying to someone "you should be on medication" because you disagree with something they say, would come under this infraction. Anything used as an insult that relates to a disability, medical condition or mental health problem basically.

[LailaTheMuslim]

I think what you Mods are doing is good. Keep on enjoining good 'n' forbidding evil!

[dhak1yya]

I think what you Mods are doing is good. Keep on enjoining good 'n' forbidding evil!

thanks sis

[Deen commited]

Subhanallah!

[Pippin1376]

[extempers]

what about saying are you crazy? If this is being censored as well then you guys are going too far.

[Marwan]

It's silly PC at the forum. No wonder why the quality of posts have dwindled over the years in the forum.

[dhak1yya]

It's not going too far, because using words that mean mentally handicapped, or relate to other medical problems as insults is offensive to people who have those problems and their families. If you want to call someone stupid, call them stupid, don't use a word that means "mentally handicapped" - have some respect for people with handicaps, the whole mentality of using their conditions to insult others is sick, and if you can't see how it is, then what can I say?

[bro chat]

It's not going too far, because using words that mean mentally handicapped, or relate to other medical problems as insults is offensive to people who have those problems and their families. If you want to call someone stupid, call them stupid, don't use a word that means "mentally handicapped" - have some respect for people with handicaps, the whole mentality of using their conditions to insult others is sick, and if you can't see how it is, then what can I say?

I kinda think you missed his point.

[dhak1yya]

I kinda think you missed his point.

I kind of think YOU missed the point.

If you call someone a retard, who do you WANT to hurt? You want to hurt the one you said it to. Who do you ACTUALLY hurt? You actually hurt people who have mental handicaps and their families. That is the point.

[bro chat]

I kind of think YOU missed the point.

If you call someone a retard, who do you WANT to hurt? You want to hurt the one you said it to. Who do you ACTUALLY hurt? You actually hurt people who have mental handicaps and their families. That is the point.

sorry, I wasn't referencing calling anyone names at all.

[IMMY]

It's not going too far, because using words that mean mentally handicapped, or relate to other medical problems as insults is offensive to people who have those problems and their families. If you want to call someone stupid, call them stupid, don't use a word that means "mentally handicapped" - have some respect for people with handicaps, the whole mentality of using their conditions to insult others is sick, and if you can't see how it is, then what can I say?

May Allah reward you for realising this, i for one am eternally thankful.

[Yanal]

Yes,I believe that what you are saying Sister is true.

[Marwan]

It's not going too far, because using words that mean mentally handicapped, or relate to other medical problems as insults is offensive to people who have those problems and their families. If you want to call someone stupid, call them stupid, don't use a word that means "mentally handicapped" - have some respect for people with handicaps, the whole mentality of using their conditions to insult others is sick, and if you can't see how it is, then what can I say?

I have a sister who suffers from cerebral palsy. The word "retarded" by itself doesn't carry the same connotations as "medically retarded" or "mentally retarded."

The word crazy is a good example. It could be used in a hyperbole, as in "you are crazy", or it could refer to someone's actual mental state of mind ("he is crazy"). Are you going to ensure that word is not used either? If not, why not?

If you really care about the mentally disabled community, do your part in helping volunteer in hospital/school activities rather than enforce a silly PC rule which benefits no one.

[dhak1yya]

I have a sister who suffers from cerebral palsy. The word "retarded" by itself doesn't carry the same connotations as "medically retarded" or "mentally retarded."

The word crazy is a good example. It could be used in a hyperbole, as in "you are crazy", or it could refer to someone's actual mental state of mind ("he is crazy"). Are you going to ensure that word is not used either? If not, why not?

If you really care about the mentally disabled community, do your part in helping volunteer in hospital/school activities rather than enforce a silly PC rule which benefits no one.

how do you know I don't do that kind of thing already?

The site I linked to in my first post on this thread comes mentally handicapped people and their families and the campaign to stop using this word as an insult is backed by them. It's not some silly rule - that word causes a huge amount of hurt.

[naila-k]

i spotted it! the r word http://www.ummah.com/forum/showthrea...02#post3870602

[mohammad kharim]

Any insulting term which makes reference to a real physical condition can be deemed offensive, but where do you draw the line? I have a ginger cat. If I was to post a picture of him, would this be seen as an insult to people with red hair? It all depends on how a specific term is used. Surely we are all grown up enough to know when a slur is directed at an individual, or whether it is directed at a group of people. We can also tell from the context of the conversation whether the term was used in a malicious way. I appreciate the need to censor any remarks that would cause offence, but I know people who are mentally handicapped who actually use the 'r' word in conversation to describe people who are not mentally handicapped but have said something stupid.

If a mentally handicapped person were to post in this forum and used the 'r' word, would that result in infractions? What if they were describing their own condition? Does context come into play? If so, then is it one rule for some people, a different rule for everyone else?

[MMohammed]

How will you feel when someone says you that? Think!
JazakAllah for the share!

[MMohammed]

How will you feel if you have some physical problem? Think! God Made ALL and we have no right to insult His Creations
JazakAllah for the share!

[wirusiuke]

great idea n site I am on for action to make world better

[Megalomaniac_uk]

what if someone is behaving like a retard on the forum or better still like a spasm> for example making fake posts and threads etc....

can we call them retard then

[islam4u2]

The day you bleep out the word paki I will stop calling people retard no matter how politically incorrect I am. Ok?

[mughalprincess9]

I kind of think YOU missed the point.

If you call someone a retard, who do you WANT to hurt? You want to hurt the one you said it to. Who do you ACTUALLY hurt? You actually hurt people who have mental handicaps and their families. That is the point.

May Allah reward you for sending this kind of message. This word does hurt alot of people, it is surely offensive.. even i have used it sometimes but later on i realised how wrong and rude using that word has been. May Allah give us strength to keep our toungues clean and in the Zikr of Allah. Ameen

[oral1139]

I think what you Mods are doing is good. Keep on enjoining good 'n' forbidding evil!
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[Ismail Simjee]

Depends on the person using this term as to what it means to her/him and how it is being intended when used.

To me, this term means someone who has Learning disability from the mildest to the extreme which crosses into the term Mental Illness. This is how we interpreted it when I was in Social Services and serving as Mental Health Manager chairing appeal hearing by patients and their representatives.

Having said that, I will also add that this term is used by people living in the indo sub continent and africa. I have a "physically" disabled dependant. Everytime we visit Saudia we inevitably run into well meaning and intelligent sisters/brothers from those part of the world. They always talk "over the head" about my dependant enquiring about the well being of that "Retarded" person in the wheelchair. At first it caused great upset to us but we learnt to accept that attitude as stemming from pure ignorance and goodwill.

This term, when used on this forum does have different connotation, hence, my comment on how it is intended or understood.

[SaeedK]

Good post. What we need is dialogue and debate. Anyone can hide the weakness of their arguments by calling someone a retard etc. Its much harder to intellectually discuss an issue. And as Muslims we should have the correct morals and should not be using such language anyway.

[Amatullah786]

Yoh. Hectic stuff