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[Scoops Novel]

If we could not call people retards, Sheb.

[Sheb]

Well, I usually don't, but I make an exception for extinct species.

[Scoops Novel]

No exceptions.

[Owlbread]

Neanderthals were people too.

[Sheb]

Depend on your definition of people. And given that neither you nor I ever met one (except for the 3% of their DNA that's lurking in my mitochondrias), we don't know. Maybe they were smart as us, and just lost out by sheer luck or inneficient metabolism. Or maybe they were really inferior if only technologically and got stomped out of Europe by a more versatile and intelligent species. We don't know.

[Dutchling]

Why exactly are we not calling people retards anyway?

[Owlbread]

Retard is actually a highly offensive word in the UK, believe it or not. Or at least it was until it gained traction in social media.

[Sheb]

Apparently to the point that 50,000 years is still too soon to call people (or non-people) retards.

[Owlbread]

Apparently to the point that 50,000 years is still too soon to call people (or non-people) retards.

For some people (myself not included) it's a slur. I mean, granted, their cognitive ability would be "retarded" by their lack of development when compared with modern humans.

[Sheb]

Oh, feel free to replace retard by a more politically correct alternative. It's true that not bein a native speaker myself, I sometime don't realize thr loaded meaning of some words.

[Dutchling]

*

[Leafsnail]

In the context of mentally ill people it's really offensive.

In the context of neanderthals it makes no sense at all because they don't have any kind of developmental disorder.

[Scoops Novel]

Yes, it's a slur. Not exactly one against a dominant group, either. This is not 4chan, and though it shouldn't matter, some here will have had family been affected by it.

[Sheb]

Well, I apologize if I've hurt anyone, this was not my intention.

Anyway, have you noticed that Obama again spoke about gays during the inauguration speech? I feel like the US really passed that turning point where being pro-gay is more or less the normal thing to do. I'm sure than in a decade or so homophobia will be considered as racism is now.

[Dutchling]

I'm sure than in a decade or so homophobia will be considered as racism is now.

I sure hope not. Homophobia being considered bad? Yes please. Homophobia being considered equal to Joseph Mengele and Ubisoft eating mentally disabled babies of impoverished minority families? No thanks.