LETTER: Strike offensive word

In his letter of March 3, Craig Kerwin used the word “libitard” several times in reference to Mike Patrick and several others (his letter regarding the school bond levy). Aside from an incoherent rant and the misspelling of the blended word “libtard,” I am somewhat shocked that the Coeur d’Alene Press would allow this kind of offensive smut to be printed. As it suggests, the word is taken from combining “liberal” and “retard.”

Regardless of what he thinks of the liberal-minded, the word “retard” describes a mentally handicapped person (often used as a general term of abuse) and is considered quite offensive when referring to another human being. Printing this kind of language is not very professional, nor does it speak to the integrity of journalism.

Please remember that the word “libtard” is a very thinly veiled use of language (i.e. “retard”) that needs to be culled from our vocabulary, not given to wide distribution by the bigoted and narrow-minded.

SHANNA BUBLITZ

Rathdrum