I just read a young adult book that offended me. I’m not easily offended at all and while there are plenty of books out there I don’t like because of the topic or the graphic detail, I generally don’t pass judgment on them based on an author’s choice of language. This one got to me, and for that reason shall remain nameless.

I was in grade school in the seventies and the word on the playground was “retarded”. You remember, if you were there…”God! That’s so retarded.” “You’re such a retard!” “Don’t be retarded!” My parents (thank you, Mum & Dad) were absolutely adamant that we never use that term. It wasn’t like swearing, which could be punished or forgiven (good thing, since both my brother and I became adolescent pros at it). Nope. Using a word like that in a derogatory way was simply unkind and unacceptable and we didn’t do it, not for fear of wrath, but for fear of disappointment. And because they’d instilled in us that it was wrong, like the “n” word, or certain other bits and pieces of slang.

The YA I just read was funny. It had some really, really funny moments. Overall, I didn’t like it anyway, but I can honestly say that even if I’d loved it, I would feel odd recommending it here when the main character refers to people as retards and acting retarded.

So, that’s my rant. What’s yours?