New York lawmakers are considering a proposal to change the name of the state's Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities to something without the word "Retardation" in it. Unintended consequence alert: Could New York lose its reputation for surliness?

Of the dozens of states that once used "retardation" in an agency or department title, only New York and Rhode Island still do.

Sure, advocates are against it, but do we really want Rhode Island to be able to claim sole ownership of "State That Gives Less Than a Fuck About Your Feelings?" That's New York's thing. We'd have to put "Negro" back on the census just to balance it out.

[NYT]