McGrath...if you use a word in print that denotes prejudice, such as "nigger" or "wop" or "retard" or whatever...and you deliberately place said word in the mouth of a fictitious character who is clearly intended to represent a fool, an idiot, a dimwit of the first order...

The clear intention of doing so IS to point out that such prejudice is wrongful and stupid!!!!!

Why, therefore, do you find it objectionable if you are in fact opposed to such prejudice in the first place?

This, again, was the whole point of Lenny Bruce's satirical humour. I contend that you, like those who charged Lenny Bruce with obscenity, are looking at the cover (reacting to a mere word in isolation) and not reading the book or getting the real message.

There is no word in existence that in itself is so bad that it can never be used anywhere under any circumstances..."slut" included. What do you think the intention was in using the word? If you think the intention was to denigrate retarded people, well, I think you are entirely wrong. I think the intention was to poke fun at and rebuke people who DO denigrate retarded people.

- LH