There was a time in our history when black people were considered less than human, and the N word was the label used to convey that. There was a time when gay people were considered less than human, and the F word was the label used to convey that. I would like to think that we have come to a point in society that we consider developmentally disabled people human and show them the respect they deserve.... seeing as how they are largely unable to enact social change on their own. To say these terms are acceptable now is to publicly convey that the time in which they were used was a time when these groups were treated fairly. That's why I use the word hate, and that's why I simply pointed it out to the OP - because I had faith that he doesn't openly think less of that group of people. It's a simple way of showing respect for/not forgetting history and the hardships people have had to endure.
I would love to follow you around as you call black people n****rs to their face, or gay people f****ts. And I guarantee, if you were to call a handicapped person a r****d around me, you would change your thoughts on that statement. Some people want to call it over-sensitivity, then I am absolutely over-sensitive about this particular issue.....
Truth is, I have personally been diagnosed as autism spectrum. I don't like sharing this information, because people still DO treat me differently. I often have the hard choice of trying to fit in, and having people treat me like a fool (as Deus Irae has so eloquently done), or I can admit to it and have people pat me on the head. Like the handicapped people I'm defending, I just desperately want to be on the same playing field - hence my handle.
I have trouble grouping together and simplifying my thoughts, especially when it comes to my views on altruism and social justice.... but it doesn't mean my thoughts aren't well thought out or objective. Most of the time, when I try to convey my ideas to people, I get close minded, prepared responses used from other arguments they've had... like I did from Deus Irae. People who want to group me in with the "PC crowd" or insist that I "subscribe" to a certain way of thinking. My whole goal is to be objective and my initial response was just that, an honest response. I found myself taken aback by the willingness to link that group of people to a compete piece of **** like Goodell.
I understand that the OP wasn't referring to an actual disabled person by that term, but he used it with the connotation that it's an insult - that Goodell is a bad person because he is mentally handicapped, NOT because he's an unreasonable, vindictive, overpaid *******. That's the kind of thinking that I personally feel is my duty to limit. It's just not ok.
Edit: just wanted to point out that calling Goodell an ***hole was auto-edited out.