Am I an asshole or am I employing a defense mechanism because I'm so compassionate?

Retarded and handicapped people make me laugh, especially the ones with cerebral palsy. Yes, I manage to stifle my laughter and usually I will remove myself from the situation. I support expanded civil rights for the disabled and I correct people -both kids and adults- who sling the word "retarded". However, they do make me giggle and I'm serious, this is not a troll post. I've tried biting my tongue and my lips, but I can still feel that smile spreading. Can anyone else relate?

• Your compassion will be your undoing.

• Try collecting Troll Dolls. Hobbies can be helpful in diverting thoughts. If you're tempted to giggle -- concentrate on what you'd like to add to your collection.

• Op, no one here cares about how you react to seeing pics/video/reflection of yourself.

• It sounds like they make you extremely uncomfortable and you laugh out of nervousness. Something subconscious is going on there, especially seeing how you sympathize with the difficulties they have in the world. Do you recall ever having an encounter with a disabled person when you were very young? If so, how would you characterize that encounter? The answers to your questions may lie in the answers to mine.

• When I was young, MR kids were made fun of, but sometimes they were tolerated by the other kids. I remember crying when I got home when one MR kid was taunted.

  OP

• Midgets freak me out, big time. Usually results in nervous sweats or laughing. Just don't be this guy. ;-)

  http://m.youtube.com/%23/watch%3Fv%3DkXf3wx5nPXU%26desktop_uri%3D/watch%3Fv%3DkXf3wx5nPXU

• I am prepping your room.

  Satan

• Having worked with the developmentally disable community at several jobs and maintaining contact with some of my clients for many years I do know a bit about this subject. Some can be the sweetest warmest most insightful people. They are capable of humor, compassion, comraderie and commitment. Socializing with many of these folks can be fun. If you befriend genuinely befriend someone like this you might have the most sincere friendship of your life. why don't you go do some volunteer work with special Olympics which I have done. I am apt to run into my buddy Ramon today. He is outgoing and we hug and chat and I never have any idea what he is saying, yet, I understand it all.Unlike many in his group that have small amounts of money he is an immigrant and not able to have some of those things. I always ask to see his wallet and make sure he has a few bucks to spend.

• You're retarded

• OP, I'd go for you being an asshole. A revolting, disgusting asshole.

  Anon

• I have no idea OP. It may be a carryover memory from a past life or something where you were Quasimodo. Who knows. It's a common reaction though. My dad is a shrink who worked with a boy who had MS and was on crutches. He visited us once and me and my brother kind of heckled him, "Whoah, what the hell happened to him." Then, hopefully, you grow up and are exposed to different types of people. A good friend of mine is on permanent disability. He's gay, very good looking, and was used and taken advantage of by other gay guys and others his whole life. But he's one of the most optimistic, compassionate, and wise people I know. In fact, when I need a good answer to a moral or ethical question, I always ask him first. Maybe you need to get out more.