Since the film's recent DVD release, we've been seeing another round of TV commercials, which in turn has prompted me to think again about this controversy.

Thanks to John Weldon for his sane and humane comment.

Some people, it seems, will never understand the difference between actual man-spirited use of offensive language, as opposed to the ironic/satiric presentation or portrayal of fictional characters whose ignorant and/or offensive utterings serve to (a) further define their personalities and (b) cast their behavior in a negative light ~ at least, to those with eyes to see and ears to hear.

Condemning an entire film because a character is depicted as stupid enough to use the word "retard" as an epithet directed towards his companions ~ never towards any person with an actual mental/neurologial diability ~ is pretty much akin to banning "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" because Mark Twain dared to use "the N-word" back in the late 19th century (when writing a book about an earlier era of the 19th century).