RETARDED.COM - Should this domain be auctioned in the largest domain industry convention?

[Internet.Domains]

Retarded.com - Should this domain be auctioned in the largest domain industry convention?

The term RETARDED is defined as "offensive" on Dictionary.com, Merriam-Webster.com, Vocabulary.com and Wikipedia.org. The latter one describes it: "The word retard was widely accepted in the late-1900s to refer to people with mental disabilities; however it is now more commonly used as an INSULT. The word has gained notoriety for causing a growing number of mentally disabled people to feel unfairly stereotyped."...

This insulting and offensive domain should not be part of the the largest domain industry convention. This reflects on sponsors and attendees alike. The auction has been advertised as "Super Premium" and there is nothing "SUPER PREMIUM" about offending and insulting mentally and physically challenged individuals. As a person who knows and works with autistic children I kindly ask for this domain to be removed from the sponsored industry event immediately. This domain does not and should not reflect on the entire domain industry, but at this point it does reflect, and it is insulting.... Here is a list of of the top sponsors for the convention that is promoting the auction with the offensive and insulting term to those that are physically and mentally challenged, through no fault of their own.

Uniregistry
RightOfTheDot
Namejet
Rightside
Verisign
Radix
InternetX
Affilias
GoDaddy
Escrow.com
101Domain
DomainSponsor
.WS
Donuts
CentralNic
.Blog

 

[mad409]

I mean, this creates a precedent. Do we want various social organizations to come to our domaining world, scare investors and shame auctioneers? Today it is autism-related, tomorrow it will be marijuana, then tobacco, then sex, then politics, then religious views against new tech, there will be no end to shaming strategy if we let it in and let it succeed once.

I see your point but you're getting a bit deep. There are certain words that should not be in this auction and that is the subject here. If I contact the owner of N***er.com which sits parked would they add that one too?

 

[Nerevar]

Why should some words not be in that auction? Does that auction have specific rules against it? If so, then yes.

 

[cipcip]

I think it should be in the auction. If it was autism.com I bet it was the star of the auction. People who chose the domains for namecon have no clue about domaining. That is the truth.

 

[wormfood]

Not to be used as an informative site??
How about just a redirect to that r-word.org site?

Would you hate to see n****r (.com or other) developed into an informational site about the word and why it's offensive? Or does it have to be n-word.com or similar.. because it's just that bad.. That seems ridiculous.

There are some things so terrible that they should be closely monitored if they are registered.. But there's probably only a very tiny number of people who would try those.

The domain isn't that attractive imo.. I mean how many people would really care to own it? But at the end of the day, it shouldn't offend people. It's a word with no context. Auctioning it publicly is not an endorsement of its use in a demeaning way.

 

[mad409]

Why should some words not be in that auction? Does that auction have specific rules against it? If so, then yes.

It's called morals, that's all. As the OP pointed out this auction represents the domain community as a whole, a domain like this should not be considered for this setting. JMO

 

[hxp]

Obviously many are not reading and following the entire thread. There's a huge push, I mean huge to do away with this term and NOT to be used as an informative site either.

"R-Word" itself implies "Retarded". Even if you didn't know that "Retarded" was a derogatory term beforehand, now you do. It's only natural. One such person might ask "What is the R-Word?", you tell them "It stands for 'Retarded' a derogatory term used towards mentally disabled people". This person was previously unbeknownst to the evils that the word represents, and ironically enough, you've just introduced them to it in your efforts to try and get rid of the word.

In my personal opinion, if you want to do away with something, you simply do away with it. Cease use. Cut the connection. Focus your efforts on the creation of good, rather than the destruction of evil. In the words of R. Buckminster Fuller: "You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.".

Going from "Retarded" to "R-Word" makes little difference to the actual existence of the term "Retarded", and I don't see how or why hosting an informative site on Retarded.com, would be detrimental to the positive effort...

It's called morals, that's all. As the OP pointed out this auction represents the domain community as a whole, a domain like this should not be considered for this setting. JMO

&Again, the moral responsibility lies in the hands of the person who decides to buy it and how they decide to use it.

Just being mad at the fact that the word exists, and is for sale, helps no one.

 

[Nerevar]

Care to visit "Rape.com"?

Absolutely. If it was developed to a rape-preventing website, it would be a huge service to society. All those who search for "rape" would see this website in the first search results, maybe visit it and become less inclined to do harm or to enjoy other people's harm. I think we cannot fight real-life attitudes by silencing people and erasing words from dictionaries. On the contrary, try to phohinit something - and it will become most famous exactly for that fact.

 

[mad409]

"R-Word" itself implies "Retarded". Even if you didn't know that "Retarded" was a derogatory term beforehand, now you do. It's only natural. One such person might ask "What is the R-Word?", you tell them "It stands for 'Retarded' a derogatory term used towards mentally disabled people". This person was previously unbeknownst to the evils that the word represents, and ironically enough, you've just introduced them to it in your efforts to try and get rid of the word.

In my personal opinion, if you want to do away with something, you simply do away with it. Cease use. Cut the connection. Focus your efforts on the creation of good, rather than the destruction of evil. In the words of R. Buckminster Fuller: "You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.".

Going from "Retarded" to "R-Word" makes little difference to the actual existence of the term "Retarded", and I don't see how or why hosting an informative site on Retarded.com, would be detrimental to the positive effort...



&Again, the moral responsibility lies in the hands of the person who decides to buy it and how they decide to use it.

Just being mad at the fact that the word exists, and is for sale, helps no one.

Other than long posts ya just don't get it do you? NamesCon 2017 represents the domain industry, so you're saying this domain should be auctioned and shouted through the casino during a live auction?

Give me a freakin break

 

[Giode]

It's called morals, that's all.

No, I believe it's called being a self-righteous ahole. Let me guess, you were also deeply offended by Steve Martin's tweet about Carrie Fisher, right!?. Give me a break. You don't get to decide for everyone. Sorry to break the news.

A lot of possible uses for this url, and not all sinister.

 

[hxp]

Other than long posts ya just don't get it do you? NamesCon 2017 represents the domain industry, so you're saying this domain should be auctioned and shouted through the casino during a live auction?

Give me a freakin break

The purchase/sale of this domain could happen outside of NamesCon as well, and it would still represent the domain industry as a whole. So, why blame NamesCon?

The only flaw I see with the auctioning of this domain, is that there may be no way to include a clause that says "This domain must not be used to insult disabled persons in any way, shape, or form.". In a private sale, that would be a possibility. A clause like that would not only support the cause, but prevent an attack against it. Happiness all around. Otherwise, I see nothing wrong with the sale of a domain like this, in any setting. Imagine if someone who loved using "Retarded" as an insult owned the domain, and was unwilling to sell to anyone who supported the fight against its misuse. Would that not be twice as bad?

Anyway, break given. To each his own.

 

[wormfood]

I agree that might be kind of weird hearing it since people are accustomed to it being used negatively more often than not, I guess. Hearing retarded.com makes me think of someone posting insults and mean videos, but that's probably just me jumping to the negative as usual.
Retarded.org would be more acceptable, I think.. It at least gives the sense that you are either trying to help mentally disabled people by taking advantage of the popularity of the term (or fighting the (rude) use of the word).

I guess some people might feel a bit uncomfortable, but it's not the end of the world if a dictionary word is being sold. If it was a much more taboo word that people don't even want to hear or say, I'd agree that isn't the place for it. But this word doesn't just have one meaning and is unlikely to bother people too much.
It doesn't seem good enough to be used in the auction, imo. But neither does nocarbohydrate.diet

 

[Bram C.]

Domain names do not hurt people, people developing the domains however can. It's the moral responsibility of the owner of the domain to use the domain in a good way.

The domain name itself comes with no context as many have said before. Unless there currently is a demeaning website on retarded.com I don't see how it should not be listed? For all we know the future buyer will build a site that posts silly jokes on it on a daily basis, using "retarded" in the sense of "foolish". Or they will build a site on it that explains that "retarded" is an offensive term when referring to people with mental disabilities. In that way it would be beneficial to society as it would educate some people to stop using this insulting term.

Rape.com, which was mentioned as an example before, is currently forwarded to some political campaign which is fighting against sexual violence and has a phone number listed to the National Sexual Assault Hotline.

Murder.com is a developed site for people who love reading about murder mysteries.

Just because a word is bad doesn't mean it can't be used in a good way.

Having said that, I don't like the domain and I doubt it will fetch a lot of money (if sold).

 

[mad409]

No, I believe it's called being a self-righteous ahole. Let me guess, you were also deeply offended by Steve Martin's tweet about Carrie Fisher, right!?. Give me a break. You don't get to decide for everyone. Sorry to break the news.

A lot of possible uses for this url, and not all sinister.

I didn't understand any of what you said other than calling me an ass hole. Check your PM..

 

[wot]

It's simply a word that a few will consider a useful domain for whatever reason, and a word that will offend some.

It's business, if you don't like it don't look.

 

[mad409]

It's a word to make fun of people with disabilities, plain and simple. And when used in slang form.

Everyone can color coat this all you want but if there's such a big push to stop this insulting term why is NamesCon 2017 supporting such a domain within the domaining community?

OK I'm repeating myself, have at it, call me an ass hole again I don't care, said my part...

 

[mad409]

http://www.thedomains.com/2016/12/3...st-domain-industry-convention/#comment-217719

News spreads...

 

[dordomai]

I can understand that some feel offended, but I don't see how this is related to Autism which is not the same as being mentally retarded.

 

[The Durfer]

"The fire was retarded long enough by their fire retardant suits to save everyone from the retarded jerk that left a fire burning." To retard something is to block and slow it down. Not always derogatory.

 

[Bram C.]

This is what Rick Schwartz said about it in the comments on TheDomains.com:

I think this is a retarded disussion. lol
Retard is also to delay.
When I had a Pizza stand, we had to “Retard the dough”
I remember one of my employees got crazy because he thought my brother called him a retard.
That meant that you had to store the dough overnight. To delay using it. To slow things down.
And with any domain, it all depends on use.
I don’t own this domain and don’t even know who the owner is.

http://www.thedomains.com/2016/12/3...st-domain-industry-convention/#comment-217719
http://www.thedomains.com/2016/12/3...st-domain-industry-convention/#comment-217719

 

[Silentptnr]

Its a good discussion but at the end of the day I agree, the auction probably isnt a good platform to sell the domain. Negative word domains generally arent popular.

If i knew someone that was bothered by the word i would tell them to ignore it. Sticks and stones...you know.

Anyway, the world wouldnt miss words like that.

 

[mcahn]

Retarded.com - Should this domain be auctioned in the largest domain industry convention?

The term RETARDED is defined as "offensive" on Dictionary.com, Merriam-Webster.com, Vocabulary.com and Wikipedia.org. The latter one describes it: "The word retard was widely accepted in the late-1900s to refer to people with mental disabilities; however it is now more commonly used as an INSULT. The word has gained notoriety for causing a growing number of mentally disabled people to feel unfairly stereotyped."...

This insulting and offensive domain should not be part of the the largest domain industry convention. This reflects on sponsors and attendees alike. The auction has been advertised as "Super Premium" and there is nothing "SUPER PREMIUM" about offending and insulting mentally and physically challenged individuals. As a person who knows and works with autistic children I kindly ask for this domain to be removed from the sponsored industry event immediately. This domain does not and should not reflect on the entire domain industry, but at this point it does reflect, and it is insulting.... Here is a list of of the top sponsors for the convention that is promoting the auction with the offensive and insulting term to those that are physically and mentally challenged, through no fault of their own.

Uniregistry
RightOfTheDot
Namejet
Rightside
Verisign
Radix
InternetX
Affilias
GoDaddy
Escrow.com
101Domain
DomainSponsor
.WS
Donuts
CentralNic
.Blog

I think I will step in here since I chose this name in pre-bidding. I have sold many many controversial domainnames in my 21 years in this industry I certainly feel it’s about who buys it and how they use it not who sells it or if it should be offered for sale. This domain name can be turned into the most positive name depending on what the buyer does with it. It is a dead on keyword, dictionary term and extremely valuable in my opinion! We will see if it makes it to the live or online auction……

 

[RWD]

I think I will step in here since I chose this name in pre-bidding. I have sold many many controversial domainnames in my 21 years in this industry I certainly feel it’s about who buys it and how they use it not who sells it or if it should be offered for sale. This domain name can be turned into the most positive name depending on what the buyer does with it. It is a dead on keyword, dictionary term and extremely valuable in my opinion! We will see if it makes it to the live or online auction……

What a horrible response...

Retarded can never be used as a positive, anyone with half a decent education will understand.

Mental Illness is the correct term...

So many things wrong with this industry...Rick S. Refers it to retard the pizza dough...the name is retarded.com in question not retard.

 

[GeorgeK]

The NAACP owns N*gg**.com (they almost let it expire many years ago; they should redirect it, rather than letting NSI profit via PPC). It's all about usage, in my opinion, not being 'politically correct' and trying to 'ban' certain words.

 

[Internet.Domains]

I think I will step in here since I chose this name in pre-bidding. I have sold many many controversial domainnames in my 21 years in this industry I certainly feel it’s about who buys it and how they use it not who sells it or if it should be offered for sale. This domain name can be turned into the most positive name depending on what the buyer does with it. It is a dead on keyword, dictionary term and extremely valuable in my opinion! We will see if it makes it to the live or online auction……

That is a completely repulsive and ignorant statement. As mentioned on a blog, that response tells us a lot about you.

 

[GeorgeK]

There is no word more insulting to the autistic community and those that have similar medical issues.

There are many who also find the word 'autistic' to be 'offensive', e.g. see:

http://autisticadvocacy.org/home/about-asan/identity-first-language/

As I said earlier, I don't believe 'political correctness' should be used to censor. I think some of the most offensive ideas or thoughts can also be sugar-coated, so it's a slippery slope to start taking words out of the dictionary, regardless of context.