> Some years ago, I causally used the "r-word" and didn't even think anything of it, and blam! big mistake.

Doug Stanhope has a great skit in which he explains that the word "retarded" was originally the sensitive way to refer to this group, because at the time they were called directly derogatory terms.

But, like with every such attempt it was quickly adopted as an insult.

My not particularly original take is that policing language addresses only the effect, not the cause. Question remains: should the world learn of our peaceful ways by force?