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.
As someone who isn’t differently abled I try not to use the word. Though, it’s a shame I came up with an insult for Republicans that uses the word that I’ll never be able to use. Republicunts works instead.