The Word “Retard”
The first amendment allows Americans to freely express themselves without the fear of imprisonment. This amendment is also understood as a gateway to freely using offensive language regardless of how it impacts an individual. Although there are certain words and phrases that should not be used, it is important that there is a distinction between something that is prohibited versus something generally frowned upon. Words should not be banned, that can lead to other words/phrases/etc also being banned, and that will diminish the significance of the first amendment. Instead, society should be made aware of why certain phrases or words are offensive, thus leading to a conscious and consensual removal of said phrases or words. …show more content…
Margaret faces rude people on a day-to-day basis. The beginning of the essay recalls an event where a group of teenage girls point at Margaret and call her a retard, causing Margaret pain. Technically, Margaret is mentally retarded, and that is medically accurate. However, those girls used the phrase in an insulting fashion. They did not mean to medically diagnose her; but rather, their purpose was to offend. These days the word retard had become synonymous with “stupid”, “idiot”, etc.. This is why Bauer wants the word to be banned all together.
Bauer further introduces this topic by referencing something many readers might be familiar with: the movie, Tropic Thunder. The movie repeatedly uses the word “retard” as an insult, making the Bauer family quite uncomfortable and upset. “Never go full retard” has become a famous phrase, it is printed on T-shirts, coffee mugs, etc.. The quote has been referenced on many different forms of media, and it has become a funny quote. People who have never even seen the movie are aware of its existence, and even less aware of how offensive it
The first amendment allows Americans to freely express themselves without the fear of imprisonment. This amendment is also understood as a gateway to freely using offensive language regardless of how it impacts an individual. Although there are certain words and phrases that should not be used, it is important that there is a distinction between something that is prohibited versus something generally frowned upon. Words should not be banned, that can lead to other words/phrases/etc also being banned, and that will diminish the significance of the first amendment. Instead, society should be made aware of why certain phrases or words are offensive, thus leading to a conscious and consensual removal of said phrases or words. …show more content…
Margaret faces rude people on a day-to-day basis. The beginning of the essay recalls an event where a group of teenage girls point at Margaret and call her a retard, causing Margaret pain. Technically, Margaret is mentally retarded, and that is medically accurate. However, those girls used the phrase in an insulting fashion. They did not mean to medically diagnose her; but rather, their purpose was to offend. These days the word retard had become synonymous with “stupid”, “idiot”, etc.. This is why Bauer wants the word to be banned all together.
Bauer further introduces this topic by referencing something many readers might be familiar with: the movie, Tropic Thunder. The movie repeatedly uses the word “retard” as an insult, making the Bauer family quite uncomfortable and upset. “Never go full retard” has become a famous phrase, it is printed on T-shirts, coffee mugs, etc.. The quote has been referenced on many different forms of media, and it has become a funny quote. People who have never even seen the movie are aware of its existence, and even less aware of how offensive it