The build-up of Super Bowl XLVII between the 49ers and Ravens hasn't been without controversy, and Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco was right in the middle of one on Monday, when he called the idea of hosting a Super Bowl in a cold-weather city sans domed stadium "retarded."
Naturally, 2013 being what it is, people jumped all over Flacco for his very poor choice of words, and rightfully so. Using that word is quite insensitive, especially for someone in the public spotlight, and the Ravens' quarterback quickly issued an apology.
As a Steelers fan, I've never been much of a Flacco supporter (for many reasons that should be quite obvious), but regardless of what I think of his quarterbacking abilities, it's been fairly obvious for quite some time that he's a pretty decent guy.
The only thing I'll say about the sanctimonious-types out there (and they are certainly always in abundance in the Internet Age) who jumped down Flacco's throat for the ill-advised remark, remember to have that same reaction the next time someone says "retarded" in one of your real-life encounters.
In today's PC society, very rarely do public or even private citizens make racially or ethnically insensitive remarks, but when they do, someone is usually quick to call the person on it, and rightfully so.
However, I hear people use the word "retarded" almost on a daily basis, yet, 9 times out of 10, it goes in one ear and out the other with very little reaction from people.
Next time a public figure uses that word and you get "outraged" and want to jump to your nearest message board to give said public figure an Internet beat-down, think about the last time you, one of your friends, or just some person at a bar used that word.
If you said the word, did you apologize for it? If your friend used that word, did you call him or her on it? If some guy at a bar used that word, did you ask him to step outside?
Probably not on all three counts.
Don't be so hypocritical.
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