Stanwood mayor urges careful word choice

Stanwood Mayor Sid Roberts published an opinion essay on Oct. 30 detailing why he believes public leaders must choose their words with greater care. The piece focuses on the continued casual use of the word “retard” in political and popular culture. Roberts argues that this term remains deeply offensive to families of individuals with cognitive disabilities.

The mayor’s perspective is shaped by his oldest grandson, who was born with Fragile-X syndrome. Roberts described the condition as a rare genetic corruption of the FMR1 gene. In a healthy brain, the FMR1 gene secretes hormones that aid in proper cognitive development. His grandson carries the corrupted gene through no fault of his own.

Roberts noted that he had never heard of Fragile-X syndrome before his grandson’s birth. The family now uses the diagnosis to guide how they speak and interact with others. They removed the R-word from their vocabulary when the child was born. Roberts stated that the grandson will likely never drive or work outside the home. He will most probably live with his parents for life.

The mayor drew a direct line between his family’s experience and the 2024 presidential election. He referenced an incident where Donald Trump publicly used the word “retard” to describe Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. Roberts viewed this specific usage as troubling because it came from a high-profile figure in leadership. He asked what the choice of words reveals about Trump’s character and leadership style.

Roberts quoted Jesus, noting that what comes out of a person’s mouth reveals what is in their heart. He applied this standard to President Trump, suggesting the current president is corrupt from the inside out based on the words he uses. The mayor emphasized that words should build people up rather than tear them down. He described encouragement as a tool that smooths difficult roads, while trash talk creates roadblocks and feelings of humiliation.

The essay concludes with a request for leaders at all levels to respect those with intellectual disabilities. Roberts spoke on behalf of his grandson, who cannot articulate this specific concern. He thanked readers for choosing their words more carefully. The views expressed in the essay are solely those of Roberts and do not reflect the position of the city of Stanwood or its city council.