Offensive or Not?

Retard...offensive or not? That's the question of the day. I read an article (a very thought-provoking article) about "Tropic Thunder's" offensive use of the word Retard. What is a Retard, I ask? And who came up with the word Retard? According to the Oxford desk dictionary, Retard means "1. make slow or late. 2. delay the progress or accomplishment of." There's nothing offensive about the word Retard. Maybe in context, people find the word distasteful, but isn't the meaning accurate when describing a person who is slower mentally? And what if I start using the word Setard, describing someone who is mentally slow? Would SETARD suddenly become offensive and be the subject of several advocate groups, crying folly over a WORD? Maybe I should start making up words to mean the same as other offensive words (offensive to the people who deemed the word to be offensive - and who are they, may I ask - or is that a distasteful question?), and see what groups are going to be after me. Who decides when something is right or wrong? How can I be on that committee? I hate the word Oriental - I now proclaim that the word ORIENTAL is offensive and distasteful to the Asian community, and no longer should be used, along with the words DUMB, LAZY, and FAT (according to my dumb, lazy fat cat FATSO). Anyway, enough digressing about a topic no one else cares about...unless you do and want to comment on my blog.

BTWC IS BACK TO STAY!!!