Obnoxious? Yes. Retarded? No.
I feel compelled to write to you (again) to object to your use of the term “retarded” in today’s paper (“Kvetchfest” [WW, April 9, 2008]—Jack Nicholson’s “retarded cousins.”). If Mr. Nicholson actually had relatives with neurological limitations, you would never refer to them this way, nor would you make a joke about someone in a wheelchair. So too is your usage here inappropriate.
I dislike the L.A. Lakers as much as anyone, but there is nothing funny about this derogatory usage of the word retarded. As a parent of a child with a developmental disability, I’m more accustomed to hearing this from thoughtless middle-schoolers, but unfortunately this usage seems to have increased. Fortunately school kids are open to being educated that people shouldn’t be picked on because of tragic conditions they didn’t choose and had no ability to prevent. I hope your writers are similarly open to finding other ways to express themselves than using terms such as “retarded” (or “autistic”).
Thanks in advance for addressing this point—this type of comment really shouldn’t be found in your otherwise fine paper.
John Ashworth
Northeast Stanton Street
Stand by Your Facts
One of your authors, Mr. Byron Beck, wrote in WW [“Stand by Our Woman,” March 26, 2008] that Senator Barack Obama’s former pastor, Dr. Jeremiah Wright, had made “homophobic tirades.” This is completely false and requires a retraction from Willamette Week. Dr. Wright is a long-time supporter of the gay and lesbian community and his former church, Trinity United Church of Christ, provides leadership and advocacy in support of gay and lesbian causes. In fact, the United Church of Christ, which Trinity UCC is a part of, is the only mainline church to support marriage equality for gays and lesbians. As a minister in the United Church of Christ, I respectfully request that you correct the false reporting published in your paper.
This article from The Washington Blade will help to correct the record: washblade.com/2008/3-21/news/national.
The Rev. Chuck Currie
Interim Minister
Parkrose Community United Church of Christ
Byron Beck responds: Consider me corrected.
.nar.jpg)
A young woman was about to finish her first year of college. Like so many others her age, she considered herself to be liberal and among other ideals, was very much in favor of higher taxes to support more government programs, in other words redistribution of wealth.
She was deeply ashamed that her father was a rather staunch conservative, a feeling she openly expressed. Based on the lectures that she had participated in, and the occasional chat with a professor, she felt that her father had for years harbored an evil, selfish desire to keep what he thought should be his.
One day she was challenging her father on his opposition to higher taxes on the rich and the need for more government programs. The self-professed objectivity proclaimed by her professors had to be the truth and she indicated so to her father. He responded by asking how she was doing in school.
Taken aback, she answered that she had a 4.0 GPA, and let him know that it was tough to maintain, insisting that she was taking a very difficult course load and was constantly studying, which left her no time to go out and party like other people she knew. She didn't even have time for a boyfriend, and didn't really have many college friends because she spent all
her time studying.
Her father listened and then asked, 'How is your friend Audrey doing?' She replied, 'Audrey is barely getting by. All she takes are easy classes, she never studies, and she barely has a 2.0 GPA. She is so popular on campus; college for her is a blast. She's always invited to all the parties and lots of times she doesn't even show up for classes because she's too hung over.'
Her wise father asked his daughter, 'Why don't you go to the Dean's office and ask him to deduct 1.0 off your GPA and give it to your friend who only has a 2.0. That way you will both have a 3.0 GPA and certainly that would be a fair and equal distribution of GPA.'
The daughter, visibly shocked by her father's suggestion, angrily fired back, 'That's a crazy idea, how would that be fair! I've worked really hard for my grades! I've invested a lot of time, and a lot of hard work! Audrey has done next to nothing toward her degree. She played while I worked my tail off!'
The father slowly smiled, winked and said gently, 'Welcome to the conservative world'
Your letter is RETARDED.