Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Ann Coulter, Annoying Again

Did Romney "lose" last night's debate, or was he "kind and gentle to the retard"? Billy Hallowell reports:

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/ann-coulter-ignites-controversy-over-anti-obama-tweet-i-highly-approve-of-romneys-decision-to-be-kind-gentle-to-the-retard/

Let's be kind and gentle to the person whose recent picture makes her look, in my home town's dialect, taaarrrd. (That's "tired" drawled out in such a way as to make it sound as if you're too tired even to finish saying the word, so it comes out as a long long sigh.)

"Retarded" is a legitimate, if outdated, synonym for "developmentally delayed." It was meant to be a neutral, even hopeful, way to say that a child is behind other children the same age, in terms of physical growth or learning or both, but we don't yet know whether the child may catch up with or pass the others later on. Claiming that this word is offensive is ageist.

"Retard" as a noun, usually pronounced "REE-tard," is an obnoxious primary-school taunt that has no business in the mouth of an adult.

But let's hope that Ann Coulter was just too frazzled to finish typing whatever she meant to type, because this use of "retard" is waaay below her standard.

What do we think? Hallowell asked. The Blaze's log-in system doesn't work with any of the computers I use, so I'll use this space to say that the best comment comes from someone using the screen name Yiska8. Our President's face does look strangely contorted in Benny Johnson's photo clips, especially the close-up near the bottom of the page...

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/happy-halloween-here-are-some-creepy-obama-stares-from-the-debate/

...and although pausing to think through replies to tough questions can be an indication of a better thought-out answer, our President does happen to be a walking demonstration of what mucking around with drugs as a teenager does to the mind of an adult. There is absolutely no basis for the claim that Barack Obama ever was "retarded." He was a bright, healthy child; he is an intelligent full-grown man. There is some basis for concern about the long-term effects drug use may have on his aging process. That lopsided frown looks like nerve damage.

I'm wary about visual perceptions of people's condition. I ought to be, because I suffered acute liver infection for two years following an (unnecessary, state-mandated) vaccination, and lots of people wanted to believe that my liver had been damaged by LSD, which I've never used, rather than by something they wanted to believe is good. Then later on I was sent to Washington to follow up on the claim that Bill Clinton's face looked unnaturally red and thick-skinned--was that some sort of "drug look"?--and was assured by White House contacts that it was a simple "vanity look." Then-President Clinton didn't want to look pasty on TV, so he hired a professional makeup artist to pile on enough rouge to keep his face looking ruddy and healthy all day. Our eyes are so easily fooled.

There are people whose faces and bodies lose symmetry over time. Mild asymmetry, when one leg or foot may be half an inch longer than another, is common and not considered a problem. Extreme asymmetry can cause backaches, and make people look strange, but it's not those people's fault. It would be unfair to assume that President Obama is showing drug-related nerve damage if what he has is an hereditary tendency to lose symmetry with age.

However, I think the President owes it to all of us to share whatever medical explanation there may be for his loss of facial symmetry.

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