I tried, I really tried

One of the books I picked up off a recommendation from anther blog was this one.

Numbers by Rachel Ward

I was enjoying it and then it happened. It stopped me in my tracks. But I shook it off and kept going, until it was there again and a third time - in the space of about 15 pages. I had to stop, I couldn't keep going.

What did this? What word appeared to stop me in my tracks? The R word. Retard. I hate it. With a passion. And I can accept it in literature in context, but there was no meaningful context for this word. I believe this is one of the most hurtful words in the English language today and while I understand an author may use it to make her characters able to relate to her readers, I also believe authors have a responsibility when they use those words - or a responsibility to not make the use of those words acceptable. So Rachel Ward, I'm sorry. I'm sure your book is a good one, and I was enjoying it, but I cannot get past your use of the R word.

Don't get what my problem is? Don't understand my pure hatred of the word? Read this. Watch this. Stop the R Word.