"Lesser people"

The local paper, The Peninsula, has just had to issue an apology for a news headline last week which referred to people with Down Syndrome and other genetic disorders as "the 'lesser people'".

The editor says: "Even though the intention of the editor who wrote the headline was contrary (the phrase in the quotes was meant to make people introspect their attitudes to people differently endowed because of genetic differences), It was not in good taste and could offend." You think?