Need clarification of offensive terms.

[bobbolink]

A few of us take exception to the use of the term "retarded" as meaning a person or thing is "stupid". It is rampant with young people, is used on DU, and in the past, alerting on it did no good.

After another polite request to not use the term was ignored and a failed attempt to alert on this offensive use of the word, I posted a thread about the people who are hurt by this term.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9435541

This website is very clear about how offensive this term is and the need to eliminate it:
http://www.r-word.org/

So, here are two responses to my thread, being determined to use the term:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=9435541&mesg_id=9436776

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=9435541&mesg_id=9436892

Alerts have been ignored. Then when someone tells me to alert and I report that it didn't have any effect, *my* post is deleted.

Is this term accepted on DU or is it not?

[Skinner]

1. When we are aware of it, we always remove the word "retarded" when it is used in this way.

If, however, someone is expressing condemnation of Rahm Emmanuel's offensive use of the term, we usually permit it to stay. This is a distinction which I'm sure http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=9378544&mesg_id=9379557">you understand.

If you alert and a post is not removed, feel free to (politely) alert again.

[bobbolink]

2. Thank you for the clarification. There is confusion about this issue on DU, and I have bookmarked

your reply.

Certainly I understand about the exceptions, and certainly I will post it when *I* am called such an obnoxious term, as I would any other term used against me or against those I care about. It needs to see the light of day for what it is.

I also hope you understand that alerting repeatedly for something that is that blatant is very discouraging.

I do appreciate the clarification, and hope the mods understand why these terms are so hurtful. Sensitivity is one of the main characteristics that should set us apart from the RW. Maybe we need to have some discussion about that on the forum.