What Does the R-Word Mean?

The R-word is something that occasionally makes the news when someone is dumb enough to use it. So what is the R-word?

I like to think that I am up to date on these things, but if you're reading this, then there's a chance that you also don't know what it means.

The R-Word stands for retarded, a slur against all people with disabilities.

The R-Word first came to my attention at the time of this article when Nascar driver Kyle Busch used the word during a post-race interview at Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia.

"It's frickin' r-------, man, so stupid," Busch said. "I don't understand these guys. I should beat the s--- out of [Keselowski] right now, is what I should do, but that doesn't do me any good either."

The following day, Kyle Busch apologized, saying he used a word that "I should never use." He also sent out a tweet that stated, "In one of my post-race interviews, I used a word I should never use, and I want to apologize for it."

I read through the tweet replies, and it seems that the response is pretty close to split down the middle, with some agreeing that shoving a microphone and camera in the face of someone with very high adrenaline may have led to the slur. Others feel in this situation; the name-calling was warranted or forgivable.

Naturally, many people with disabilities or family members with disabilities replied as well, and with few exceptions, were rightfully offended by using the slur.

Nascar also responded Monday, saying that Busch will not be fined but will need to take sensitivity training before the 2022 rasing season.

Hopefully, we can all agree that some might not be familiar with the R-word, and this is a reminder that it's just not a nice word.

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