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Twice in the Opinion pages last weekend, the satire "Tropic Thunder" was maligned for its use of the word "retard." The first critic, Don Bailey, made it clear in his Point of View piece that he had not seen the movie. It appeared that neither had Rep. Verla Insko, who flatly declared "the R-word is not funny." It only confirms people's worst notions of political correctness when academics and politicians let loose with this kind of uninformed, alarmist moralizing."Tropic Thunder" is a satire, and it works precisely because of its position outside the bounds of taste and correctness. Neither the movie nor its producers condone use of "the R-word" as pejorative -- in actuality, the film takes Hollywood to task for its profit-minded exploitation of people with disabilities.While not perfect in any way, "Tropic Thunder" is a bold -- and funny -- statement about the hollowness of the self-congratulatory industry of so-called "prestige" films. There's plenty of offense to be taken, but that is kind of the point.Please, oh, arbiters of culture and morality, before you set forth telling us what is funny and acceptable and what is not, take the time to watch the film, read the book, listen to the music.Lincoln HancockRaleigh
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