Really, how bad is the word "retard"?

If you are saying to your friend that is acting like an idiot, about a zero.

If you are shouting it through a bullhorn at the Special Olympics, about an eleven.

These types of questions always make me laugh. It baffles me that it's acceptable to call everyday people retards, but it's considered offensive to call mentally handicapped people retarded, even though that is the origin of the term.

Retard originally was meant as the whole group of people having an IQ of 70 and below. Idiot is actually a subterm referring only to those with an IQ of lower than 25.

In short, calling someone an idiot should be more offensive than calling them retarded.

I've heard retard bleeped out on tv while leaving son of a bitch, ass, bastard unbleeped. That's retarded.

I do find it amusing when someone calls someone a "retart" or being "retarted".

I think that it's offensive if you are directing it towards somebody with a mental or physical disability, but if you're just saying it to a friend/family member as a joke, it's not a problem. People need to stop getting so butt-hurt over words. If I call somebody a retard, I'm not trying to say they are 'disabled', and I'm not trying to direct any offense towards somebody who is disabled. I just think the word has changed meaning now, and people need to stop being so fucking sensitive.

I voted a 7. I'm not particularly offended by it myself, but it's still not a good thing to say. There are still people who find it extremely ableist, and I'd like to respect that.

Met a retarded kid named Gred w a wooden leg
Snatched it off and beat him over the head w the peg
Go to bed w a keg
Wake up w a forty
Mixed it w alka seltzer and formula forty four d

There's nothing wrong with the word "retard." People use it all the time. It's just like any other derogatory word -- people use it to get their point across without going into a long, drawn-out explanation.

8. In public I would only use it on occasion, and only when referring to a person who is acting extremely immature of weird. That way, the word would be deserved. I use it more often on the Internet though.

It kind of makes me uncomfortable. Not as uncomfortable as racially offensive or homophobic language, but still a bit. It's also the insult of choice for a lot of idiots, and for that reason alone hearing someone use it as an insult makes me sigh internally. There's nothing special about "retard" that makes it less offensive than "faggot" or "nigger", but it nevertheless "feels" a bit less bad and I wouldn't look down quite so much on someone who used it (although maybe I should).

In true sitting-on-the-fence fashion, I'll say eight.

EDIT: Although I've not made my mind up at all and other opinions are invited :P

You know what? I gave it a ten. You should never say it, unless maybe, we let all other racial/offensive terms be socially acceptable as well.

It's ALWAYS going to be offensive to some group of people unless we make it also socially acceptable to use fag, dike, nigger, beaner, jew, jap, cracker, etc.. in the same way.