Melanie Stetson Freeman/Christian Science Monitor/AP
On Wednesday, Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner apologized for using the r-word in an article in the Maine Monitor, saying that he is “sorry that I said it” and “I am endeavoring to improve every single day.”
Platner used the r-word in the context of dismissing concerns that people had with his tattoo, a Totenkopf, a symbol that continues to be embraced by Neo-Nazis.
On Monday, I was the first reporter to highlight the problematic aspect of Platner using the r-word to dismiss concerns about the tattoo in the other article published over the weekend. As I highlighted, the term is very offensive to many disabled people, and just because President Donald Trump has an affinity for the term that doesn’t mean other politicians should as well. Platner also previously used the r-word on Reddit, along with making racist comments.
Considering how the Trump administration has targeted disabled people—including enacting brutal cuts to Medicaid, which will alter the services some disabled people receive—some people may argue that others are overreacting to Platner’s use of the r-word. However, having better standards than President Donald Trump has for himself is a good thing when trying to play a role in flipping the Senate to Democratic power.
I asked Platner’s campaign on Monday before publication about why Platner was still using the r-word, despite disabled people calling out the offensiveness of using the term for years. I have still not received a response.
In his apology at a press gaggle, Platner did not highlight what work he has done to engage with disabled Mainers or what work that he plans to do. He did, however, say that he continues “to try to be better.”
