Brazil's Bad Words

Brazil's President distributes a list of words for the country to avoid

The administration of Brazilian President Luiz InĂ¡cio Lula da Silva would prefer his fellow citizens to describe him as a vertically challenged, well-nourished supporter of liberal causes--and not as a short, fat communist. In an 87-page document drawn up by the Special Ministry for Human Rights and distributed to members of Congress, police chiefs, newspaper editors and other opinion leaders, the Lula administration lists 96 terms it wants to hear less of. Many are obvious: Don't call the physically handicapped cripples or the mentally handicapped mongoloids, and when describing Afro-Brazilians, steer clear of the Portuguese equivalent of the N word. But...

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