Can We Stop?

I'm hardly the PC police, and those of you who know me well enough have surely heard me make a joke about something in a vulgar or demeaning sense. Maybe I'm cynical, but I think most of us probably have made a joke or laughed at one because of someone's gender, race, sexuality, religion, disability, psychological state, etc. Honestly, I wouldn't believe someone who says they've never indulged in some form of humor that is less than kind to a group of people, or they've never in their life used a word with a particular connotation. I'm not one to be preachy, but I'm about to be preachy.

Can we please stop using "retard/retarded" as slang, or to mean "stupid" or whatever you want it to mean?

I'm not going to sit here and act like I've never used that word because I have. However, at some point in my teenage years I realized this wasn't acceptable, and that it was ignorant. Also, it's just more fun to call someone a "jackass." I think it gets the point better, granted there are times when using that as an insult is just plain rude to the donkey.

Today at work I heard a co-worker, while on the sale's floor, refer to something as being "retarded." Over time, this word has been one that makes me cringe anyway, but this scenario made my skin crawl. Not only did she say it in front of customers, but in front of a woman who came into the store with her mentally disabled daughter in a wheelchair.

The facepalms...and the urge to slam head to wall.

 

I was disturbed, and fortunately the woman didn't appear to hear this happen. It would've been one thing if she had been behind the scenes, but she was at the bloody cash register! I know not everyone thinks that word is offensive, but I personally do. I don't think it is acceptable to use that type of language at you job, even if you are a little sale's associate. I had a moment where I thought about correcting her, but I don't know that I want to start drama with someone I've only known for two days (not to mention cause a scene in front of customers). Considering the other words I heard pretty casually used on the sale's floor it's only a matter of time before she (and I use she pretty openly, because I'm not sure which of the two girls I worked with said it...they both were swearing on the floor though) is caught and reprimanded. Knowing the professionalism of my store manager, I can only imagine she wouldn't tolerate it.

 

I just don't like use of this word as something derogatory, or meant to mean someone is stupid. Not to sound like those commercials advocating PC language, but knock it off. Get a thesaurus because there are better words AND they are work appropriate. For me, it's right up there with words like "faggot." I think they are offensive, to put it mildly, and have absolutely zero place at work. Just because we work in a retail store it does not mean we cannot be intelligent, well-spoken, and mannered people.