You people are taking this topic waaayyyy too seriously.

On the contrary, you are the exact embodiment of what I was talking about when I said the vast majority of people on this forum are too immature to discuss something like this. Please leave.

I don't have autistic relatives, but my friend's cousin is autistic. I know autistic people, and as a matter of fact there's a kid down my street with cerebral palsy and autism. It's no laughing matter. I watch the Health Channel (don't ask) , and my friends have learning disabilities, so I don't go "lol ure mentally retarded lol"...it's cruel. My friends aren't autistic, but they have learning problems and information goes in through one ear and out the other.
The sad thing is most people make fun of autistic children. Go look up the term "savant" and be amazed. Austistic people can sometimes be savants.
BTW, I think "autistic" sounds better than "mentally retarded", so that's why I'm using that term.

-Gardevoir~

EDIT: I always thought they were the same thing...I thought having autism meant you were mentally retarded, but oh well, I could be wrong. I'm only twelve...thanks for pointing that out.

I dunt have any siblings. Havign a little brother or sisnter would be cool maybe. NAH! Then i couldnt hog the computer all day.

They're different in the first place. Autistic people are hardly retarded, in fact some argue that autistic people somehow are more talented than normal people. There's a whole list of symptoms and characteristics associated with autism that I don't feel like quoting, so check out wiki or something

Like I said, there are many mental ailments in existence, and not all has to do with retardation.

On the contary, I am mature enough to discuss a topic such as this. But however, I am entitled to an opinion, and so, I see no reason to leave. I could make a long post explaining my opinion, but I will not.

No, you really are too immature to discuss this. It's not a joking matter, we're talking actual retardation, not 'lol my sister is so stupid he lieks britney spears so he's retarded'.

I don't want to see any more idiotic posts in here. Only say anything if it's relevant to the topic and not another person saying 'rofl my brother is stupid' thinking that's what was meant by mentally challenged.

When I attended primary school (a rather long time, I know,) I knew an autistic guy called George and we became pretty good friends. We were only like eight but he was pretty clever in his own way, so it annoys me when people use retard as a way of insulting someone due to a lack of intelligence.

I also read somewhere that people who have a "retarded disposition" (I really don't like that word, don't know why, perhaps because of its other uses such as insults,) are very good at other things, like music and art. Perhaps they are not as "intellectually challenged" as some might think, but on a higher level of intelligence than us?



Yes, but you are not entitled to disclose an opinion that could upset someone else.