The Facebook post created by a small upstate New York mayor calling Democratic voters “retarded” only reiterates the detrimental narrative that Republicans and Democrats need to be enemies. The derogatory language used by the mayor is unbefitting of someone in a public office and as such, he should formally apologize and face retribution.

Mayor Denis Langlois of Fort Ann claims his use of the word in the Facebook post comes from his “Republican values as a person,” The Post Star reported. The post also said people who voted for a Democrat should “check yourself into the Mental Health unit at your local Hospital.”

In today’s politically charged state, people feel immense pressure to be strictly aligned with one party or the other. The nation is heading down the same path that once led to the Civil War — different and dividing ideologies once halted progress, and they could again. And so it is frustrating, yet unsurprising, to see a mayor write that people voting for the opposite party are wrong.

On top of that, it’s 2018. “Retarded” is a toxic, loaded word and shouldn’t be used by anyone, let alone someone in a public position of influence and power. The two major parties should support citizens voting, even if that’s supporting votes for candidates of different political affiliations.

Langlois shouldn’t have used his social media account to insult Democrats — but since he was dead set on posting his political opinion, he should’ve picked another less-charged word.

The country may be in a political turmoil, but public figures still need to set an example to the nation. They need to show that they will work together, maturely, to support progress in the United States regardless of their political parties.

Bethanie Viele is a junior biology with a focus on environmental sciences major and religion minor. Her column appears biweekly. She can be reached at bmviele@syr.edu and followed on Twitter @viele_bethanie.

Published on November 9, 2018 at 12:15 am