Well, looks like that indeed generated some issues. In the Letters page of Fantastic Four #575, the entire page is dedicated to two very long reader letters. Both are extremely upset and offended with Valeria Richards' calling her brother "retarded" in an earlier issue. The letters are heartfelt--i believe one of the writers works with mentally disabled children. I see their points, but again, not sure I find this "wrong". Interesting is the writer's response, which basically says that Valeria's words are not nice, but that kids are often not nice, and it's his duty to be as realistic as possible in portrayal of his characters in this fantasy world.
Check out this cool link, in which someone has scanned the entire letters page, where you can read it: http://scans-daily.dreamwidth.org/1530066.html ****************************** ----- Original Message ----- From: "Keith Johnson" <keithbjohn...@comcast.net> To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Sent: Thursday, February 4, 2010 6:55:46 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] OT: Emanuel Apologizes, Signs Pledge to End Usage of "Retarded" As an aside, i was reading an issue of the Fantastic Four comic earlier today. Reed and Sue Richards have two children now: the older, their son Franklin, who has normal intelligence, and their young daughter Valeria, who at the age of four is already a supergenius on the level of her father Reed. In playing around with Franklin about a question he was asking, Valeria says "Oh Franklin, you're such a retard!" Do we need to alert Sarah Palin so she can get Marvel comics censured? Demand an apology from the creative staff? Maybe get the FF canceled? ********************************* To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com From: keithbjohn...@comcast.net Date: Thu, 4 Feb 2010 17:33:52 +0000 Subject: [scifinoir2] OT: Emanuel Apologizes, Signs Pledge to End Usage of "Retarded" I'm sorry, but I don't see this as a firing offense. "Retarded" has many meanings and connotations. When you call a person "retarded" for doing something stupid, it's not in any way meant to suggest that person has Downs or Autism or any other developmental condition. It means the person is an idiot, pure and simple. The words "simpleton", "geek", "cretin", and actually even, "idiot", could be tagged as equally offensive in this light. This is a tempest in a teapot, especially seeing as this took place behind closed doors. I'm not saying people don't have a right to be upset. Had he used the n-word behind closed doors, even, I'd be pissed. If some hate "retarded" on this level, i respect that. But I do think we need to do some serious examination of how much stuff said in private can and should be used to evaluate a person's character. No single one of us could bear the scrutiny if everything we said in private were publicized. If my private utterings around the house ever got out, I think a lot of conservative white religious fanatics would probably want to have me drawn and quartered! End of the day, I don't think he at all was thinking of people with true developmental problems, but now that it got out, an apology was the right thing to do. Past that, let this die, and let's move on. The bigger problem is a new Internet/Twitter/Facebook world where every single thing is instantly universal, without any benefit of filtering, explanation, or real analysis. And the biggest problem? A world in which that idiot Sarah Palin is still being quoted for her opinion on anything of substance. With apologies to the idiots of the world for that comparison.... ***************************************************** [Yahoo News ] Dating back to the time he worked in the Clinton administration, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel has developed an almost notorious reputation in Washington for being a brash personality with a penchant for profanity-laced diatribes. Conversely, his intense nature, in addition to his sharp mind, are what many attribute to his success and effectiveness as a Washington power player. But a recently revealed remark he made in a closed-door meeting attended by White House aides and leaders of liberal special-interest groups has irked many, prompting him to issue an apology. ...
