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\f0\fs26 \cf0 \cb2 (Image source: {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.insideedition.com/"}}{\fldrslt
\cf3 \ul \ulc3 Inside Edition}}) \f1\fs24 \
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\f0\b\fs26 \cf0 BY CHRISTINA HARTMAN \f1\b0\fs24 \
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 Conservative commentator Ann Coulter has seen a lot of backlash {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK
"https://twitter.com/AnnCoulter/status/260581147493412865"}}{\fldrslt \cf4 for a controversial tweet Monday}} in
which she referred to President Obama as a quote \'93retard.\'94
\f1\fs24 \ \
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\f0\b\fs26 \cf5 \'93I highly approve of Romney's decision to be kind and gentle to the retard.\'94
\f1\b0\fs24 \cf0 \ \
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 She was referring to the candidates\'92 performance during Monday night\'92s debate.
\f1\fs24 \ \
\f0\fs26 But her use of the \'93r-word\'94 raised eyebrows.
\f1\fs24 \ \
\f0\fs26 And late Wednesday, {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://specialolympicsblog.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/an-open-letter-to-ann-coulter/"}}{\fldrslt
\cf4 Special Olympian John Franklin Stephens wrote her an open letter}} saying:
\f1\fs24 \ \
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\f0\b\fs26 \cf5 \'93...you just wanted to belittle the President by linking him to people
like me. \'85 Well, Ms. Coulter, you, and society, need to learn that being compared
to people like me should be considered a badge of honor. No one overcomes more than we do
and still loves life so much.\'94 \f1\b0\fs24 \cf0 \
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 Stephens \'97 who has Down Syndrome \'97 signed the letter from \'93A friend you
haven\'92t made yet,\'94 and invited her to watch the Special Olympics \'97 saying she
would walk away with her heart changed. But when asked earlier for clarification about
her use of the word, she told Inside Edition: \f1\fs24 \
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{\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.insideedition.com/"}}{\fldrslt \f0\b\fs26 \cf4 COULTER, VIA INSIDE EDITION}}
\f0\b\fs26 : \'93Oh, please, not the words. (Come on.) No, not come on, we're going to
need an encyclopedia britanica of the words we can't use.\'94
\f1\b0\fs24 \ \
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 We should note the word appeared in another, {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "https://twitter.com/AnnCoulter/status/260795637874954240"}}{\fldrslt
\cf4 later tweet from Coulter}} \'97 \cf5 in which she referred to a room of Obama supporters
as \'93retarded\'94 \f1\fs24 \cf0 \
\f0\fs26 In fact, {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://politicker.com/2012/10/ann-coulter-calls-obama-the-retard/"}}{\fldrslt
\cf4 in an emailed response to Politicker}}, Coulter wrote:
\b \'93 \i The only people who will be offended are
too retarded to understand it.\'94 \f1\i0\b0\fs24 \
\f0\fs26 Coulter is, of course, no stranger to controversy, and also isn\'92t one to issue
apologies. \f1\fs24 \
\f0\fs26 But Special Olympian John Franklin Stephens\'92 letter to her nonetheless is
getting praise from fans on Twitter who are calling it \'93powerful\'94 and \'93inspiring.\'94}