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Home > Blogs > Ohio politics > Archives > 2009 > April > 22 > Entry
Ohio Senate jokes around with ‘retardation’ bill
Within the clubby, button-down confines of the Ohio Senate, there is a hint of hazing for freshmen senators when their first bill is up for a floor vote. No matter how worthy the legislation is, senators vote no.
Then they all laugh, say ‘just kidding’ and vote on it again.
Sen. Jimmy Stewart, R-Athens, on Wednesday, April 22, made a heart-felt speech about how the words “retard” and “retarded” are commonly used to belittle and insult people and then asked his colleagues to vote Yes on his bill that would remove the words “mental retardation” from the titles of state and county agencies that serve 122,000 Ohioans with developmental disabilities.
The joke was played and then Senate President Bill Harris, R-Ashland, was in the uncomfortable position of explaining the tradition to a Senate packed with people who didn’t get what was so funny about voting No on a bill to stop using the words “mental retardation.”
The bill eventually passed on a unanimous vote and now moves to the House for consideration.
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Comments
By WP Themes
December 24, 2009 4:01 AM | Link to this
I over recall the collection is good and on the point. This brief in point of fact helped me in my assignment.
By viagrax
October 6, 2009 4:05 PM | Link to this
yeh right.. great post, Thank You
By Debt Settlement Program
September 19, 2009 1:20 PM | Link to this
Great headline. If your cookie has a bite-sized action and your reader completes the action, I think two things happen. Their self-confidence goes up (which feels good) and their trust in you increases.
By Tad
April 28, 2009 7:32 AM | Link to this
This country has more problems then worrying about the political correctness of the word retard.Grow up people. Do you have nothing better to do than worry about this. In my opinion you are a “tard”
By Ruthee Goldkorn
April 27, 2009 1:07 PM | Link to this
Ohio is ridiculous. This comedic tradition has most assuredly run it’s course. The bill about the”R” word is not fodder for such folly. Enough! Find another outlet for your Sophomoric antics.
By AliveUD
April 23, 2009 1:07 PM | Link to this
You missed the point of the joke. They passed the bill unanimously, with no insinuated humor. The joke they played went south. Holy crap, grow up. It’s a little gesture of humor that can be fun for all involved, but in this particular case it sent the wrong message. It happens: you make a ‘your momma’ joke to a freshman and then you find out his mom died in some terrible accident. I can imagine the stressful lives of the senators needs a little laugh here and again.
By David McDonald
April 23, 2009 11:03 AM | Link to this
I’ll bet that when they changed terms like “negro” to “black” or “fag” to “gay” the costs of changing signs, etc. was of no concern to folks like L Berry
By Disappointed in Dayton
April 23, 2009 9:27 AM | Link to this
I don’t see humor in any of this. If any of you had a special needs child you would know why this needs to be addressed. They are absolutely not retarded. Have a little sensitivity. changed.
By L Berry
April 23, 2009 9:07 AM | Link to this
This is what is wrong with our government. They spend valuable time addressing these so-called harassment type claims. We spend way too much time on politically correctness than solving important issues like the economy, taxes, jobs, healthcare and education. President Obama said he was about change, I guess changing words is job creation at its lowest. With this change, every sign, address, business card, stationary, web site, etc will need changed. Anyone wish to guess how many thousands of our tax dollars will be wasted changing the term retarded to developmental disability? This whole issue is retarded.
By outraged
April 23, 2009 8:24 AM | Link to this
I am outraged over the behavior of the senate. Hazing is wrong in any form and needs to stop. What a bunch of retards.
By Dianne
April 23, 2009 8:22 AM | Link to this
Maybe someone could explain the humor in it to us, too.