{"id":659040,"date":"2013-05-20T15:48:24","date_gmt":"2013-05-20T19:48:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.webpronews.com\/?p=230981"},"modified":"2013-05-20T15:48:24","modified_gmt":"2013-05-20T19:48:24","slug":"joe-flacco-pledges-not-to-use-the-r-word","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/659040","title":{"rendered":"Joe Flacco Pledges Not to Use the R-Word"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>This year, just before the Super Bowl, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (the self-proclaimed <a href=\"http:\/\/www.webpronews.com\/joe-flacco-thinks-hes-the-best-qb-in-nfl-2012-04\">best quarterback in the NFL<\/a>) stated that holding the Super Bowl in non-domed venues where the weather is cold is &#8220;retarded.&#8221;  He immediately took his words back, calling it &#8220;stupid&#8221; instead, but the word had been said.<\/p>\n<p>Flacco issued a public apology on Super Bowl media day, saying it was &#8220;a bad choice of words.&#8221;  This week, the Ravens&#8217; starting quarterback is going even further.<\/p>\n<p>The Special Olympics of Maryland this weekend held a &#8220;Casino Night&#8221; to promote the Special Olympics and related organizations.  At the event, Flacco and his teammates Gino Gradkowski and Ed Dickson signed a pledge not to use the word retarded.  The Facebook post:<\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\"> div.dittoboxf10151456962352358 { background-color: #E7EBF2; padding: 15px 15px 15px 15px; font-family: \"lucida grande\",tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; } div.dittoboxf10151456962352358 div.innerdittoboxf10151456962352358 { background-color: #FFF; padding: 15px 15px 5px 15px; border: 1px solid #C4CDE0; text-align: left; color: #000; font-size: 15px!important; line-height: 14px; } div.innerdittoboxf10151456962352358 div.pic { display: inline-block; float: left; padding: 0 10px 0 0 } div.innerdittoboxf10151456962352358 div.pic a img { border: 0; } div.innerdittoboxf10151456962352358 span.author { display: inline-block; line-height: 10px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-top: 10px; } div.innerdittoboxf10151456962352358 span.author a { font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; color: #385998; } div.innerdittoboxf10151456962352358 span.metadata { display: block; font-size: 11px!important; line-height: 13px; padding-top: 5px; } div.innerdittoboxf10151456962352358 span.metadata a.timestamp { color: #999; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none } div.innerdittoboxf10151456962352358 span.metadata .fbextra { color: #385998; text-decoration: none; } div.innerdittoboxf10151456962352358 div.fbookmessagebody { border-top: 1px solid #C4CDE0; margin: 15px 0 0 0; padding: 15px 0 0 0; } div.innerdittoboxf10151456962352358 div.fbookmessagebody span.metadata { display: block; font-size: 11px!important; background: #EDEFF4; padding: 5px; margin: 20px 0 0 0; color: #3B5998; width: auto; } div.innerdittoboxf10151456962352358 span.metadata { height: auto; } div.innerdittoboxf10151456962352358 div.fbookmessagebody span.metadata a, div.innerdittoboxf10151456962352358 div.fbookmessagebody span.metadata a:visited, div.innerdittoboxf10151456962352358 div.fbookmessagebody span.metadata a:hover { color: #385998; text-decoration: none; } div.innerdittoboxf10151456962352358 div.fbookmessagebody span.metadata span.powersd { float: right; color: #3B5998; } div.innerdittoboxf10151456962352358 div.fbookshared { font-size: 13px; margin: 10px 0 0 0; border: 1px solid #C4CDE0; padding: 10px; } div.innerdittoboxf10151456962352358 div.fbookshared a, div.innerdittoboxf10151456962352358 div.fbookshared a:visited, div.innerdittoboxf10151456962352358 div.fbookshared a:hover { font-weight: bold; color: #385998; text-decoration: none; line-height: 25px; } div.innerdittoboxf10151456962352358 div.facebook-photo { text-align: center; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; } .clear { clear: both; } <\/style>\n<div class=\"dittoboxf10151456962352358\">\n<div class=\"innerdittoboxf10151456962352358\">\n<div class=\"pic\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SpecialOlympicsMD\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/graph.facebook.com\/52156042357\/picture\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"author\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SpecialOlympicsMD\">Special Olympics Maryland<\/a><\/span><span class=\"metadata\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/photo.php?fbid=10151456962352358&amp;set=a.414619467357.188650.52156042357&amp;type=1\" title=\"Monday May 20, 2013 at 12:07pm\" class=\"timestamp\">3 hours ago<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"fbookmessagebody\"> We had a blast on Saturday at Al Packer&#8217;s White Marsh Ford Casino Night &#8211; games, prizes, and Spread the Word to End the Word pledge signing! Thanks to everyone who made it out, including Baltimore Ravens Joe Flacco, Gino Gradkowski and Ed Dickson.<\/p>\n<div class=\"facebook-photo\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/photo.php?fbid=10151456962352358&amp;set=a.414619467357.188650.52156042357&amp;type=1\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/sphotos-h.ak.fbcdn.net\/hphotos-ak-ash3\/s480x480\/734276_10151456962352358_1015339246_n.jpg\" style=\"float: left; padding-right: 10px;\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"clear\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"metadata\"><span class=\"powersd\"><a href=\"http:\/\/socialditto.com\/\">Powered by socialditto<\/a><\/span><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.ientrymail.com\/socialditto\/facebook-icon.gif\" width=\"15\" height=\"15\" align=\"top\" alt=\"\" \/>&nbsp; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/photo.php?fbid=10151456962352358&#038;set=a.414619467357.188650.52156042357&#038;%23038;type=1\" class=\"fbextra\">20 likes<\/a>&nbsp;&middot;&nbsp; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/photo.php?fbid=10151456962352358&#038;set=a.414619467357.188650.52156042357&#038;%23038;type=1\" class=\"fbextra\">0 comments<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The pledge is part of the &#8220;Spread the Word to End the Word&#8221; campaign, which seeks raise awareness that the words retard and retarded are seen by many as &#8220;dehumanizing and hurtful.&#8221;  The campaign is a joint effort by the Special Olympics and Best Buddies International.<\/p>\n<p>(Image courtesy Keith Allison\/Wikimedia Commons)<\/p>\n<div class=\"feedflare\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/webpronews\/all?a=0x3_H9bq78k:AS93x2JXXdY:yIl2AUoC8zA\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/webpronews\/all?d=yIl2AUoC8zA\" border=\"0\"><\/img><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/webpronews\/all?a=0x3_H9bq78k:AS93x2JXXdY:wF9xT3WuBAs\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/webpronews\/all?i=0x3_H9bq78k:AS93x2JXXdY:wF9xT3WuBAs\" border=\"0\"><\/img><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/webpronews\/all?a=0x3_H9bq78k:AS93x2JXXdY:7Q72WNTAKBA\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/webpronews\/all?d=7Q72WNTAKBA\" border=\"0\"><\/img><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/webpronews\/all?a=0x3_H9bq78k:AS93x2JXXdY:V_sGLiPBpWU\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/webpronews\/all?i=0x3_H9bq78k:AS93x2JXXdY:V_sGLiPBpWU\" border=\"0\"><\/img><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/webpronews\/all?a=0x3_H9bq78k:AS93x2JXXdY:qj6IDK7rITs\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/webpronews\/all?d=qj6IDK7rITs\" border=\"0\"><\/img><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/webpronews\/all?a=0x3_H9bq78k:AS93x2JXXdY:mfZ73u_VV2s\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/webpronews\/all?i=0x3_H9bq78k:AS93x2JXXdY:mfZ73u_VV2s\" border=\"0\"><\/img><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~r\/webpronews\/all\/~4\/0x3_H9bq78k\" height=\"1\" width=\"1\"\/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This year, just before the Super Bowl, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (the self-proclaimed best quarterback in the NFL) stated that holding the Super Bowl in non-domed venues where the weather is cold is &#8220;retarded.&#8221; He immediately took his words back, calling it &#8220;stupid&#8221; instead, but the word had been said. Flacco issued a public [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7356,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-659040","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/659040","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7356"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=659040"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/659040\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=659040"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=659040"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=659040"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}