Conservative firebrand Ann Coulter is under fire after labeling President Barack Obama a “retard” in a series of Twitter messages.
Organizers of the Special Olympics, Hollywood celebrities and parents of mentally disabled children were among those who called her out after she sent out a message saying “I highly approve of Romney’s decision to be kind and gentle to the retard” during Monday night’s presidential debate.
"You disgust me,” actress Sophia Bush responded in a Twitter message to Coulter. “That man is the president of this country. (& I'm sure all of the disabled children in America appreciate you.)."
A message from the “R-Word Campaign,” a group campaigning to eliminate use of the word set up by the Special Olympics and Best Buddies, replied to her tweet, “Sad to see @AnnCoulter continue her use of hateful language by using the #Rword in her discourse.”
Blogger Ellen Seidman, who has a special needs child, said, “At this point, I'm thinking the woman must surely be aware that the word is offensive, and she chooses not to care. That's pretty vile and heartless."
Congress banned use of the words “retard” and “retardation” in federal health, education and labor laws in 2010, CNN reported, while the American Psychiatric Association is phasing out use of the word in its diagnostic books.
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