There’s a clear campaign against the mentally ill with the global rise of fascism. Lots of it shows up in anti homeless rhetoric, but you can see it in the MAHA and anti vaccination movements.
There’s no reason to use the word “r-tarded” to describe someone. As someone who’s worked with the intellectually challenged, it’s an insult to them to compare them with people who are willfully ignorant.
In IRL public I rarely use any strong language against anyone. On the internet and in private with people that know me, I tend to talk like a sailor, not apologizing for that.
In public, I know everyone has their story, everyone has their reason for making dumb mistakes, and oh man, have I made a few. I’ve acted removed on occasion too, not proud of that
Having said that, I really think people overreact with the word. I wish they would react like that when something actually bad happens, but usually then you hear crickets