Councilor uses slur in video

Apr. 23—SALEM — Ward 7 City Councilor Steve Dibble is being criticized after using a derogatory term for people with intellectual disabilities on a Salem Access Television program and successfully asking the station to edit the word from future airings of the show.

In response, the Salem Commission on Disabilities plans to discuss appropriate ways to refer to specific disabilities at its meeting next month, according to the group's chairperson.

Dibble, who is in his third term representing South Salem, recently appeared on an SATV show called "Inside Salem" hosted by Mike Allen. In the episode, filmed April 7, they discuss housing issues. Roughly 12 minutes into the discussion, he outlines how he and former Councilor Elaine Milo helped create the city's in-law apartment ordinance.

"She and I met as councilors with a group of senior citizens from the Senior Center," Dibble said in an unedited clip from the episode.

"We talked about in-law apartments and the need for them in Salem to help your family members," he said referring to family members that may have developmental or intellectual disabilities, but using the outdated, derogatory term long considered by advocacy groups to be a slur.

Patrick Kennedy, executive director of SATV, said Dibble asked him to remove the word after the segment, unedited, aired once. The word can no longer be heard on the edited version.

Kennedy said Dibble "realized that he probably shouldn't have said it, even though he isn't trying to use the derogatory word by any means."

Debra Lobsitz, chairperson of the Salem Commission on Disabilities, said the term is considered offensive and hurtful.

"We support the use of person-centered language that respects and empowers people in their unique life experience," she said. That language will be the topic of discussion at the commission's next meeting, which will be broadcast on SATV.

"References to specific disabilities should emphasize abilities and be free of hurtful, oppressive and critical words," she said. "While every individual with a disability has the right to choose their preferences for describing their specific situation, some terms have very negative connotations and should be avoided."

Dibble said he stands "by what I had to say, and like anybody else, I could've used a better word."

"What's very frustrating here is that we're talking about one word I used instead of the entire message about how we're overpopulating the city of Salem and we're not creating any housing that helps Salem residents," Dibble said. "We're not creating truly affordable housing. We're not building senior housing. We're just ruining the city by building thousands of units of luxury housing that Salem people can't even afford.

"That's the story here," added Dibble, "not about one word I used."

"It really makes good people not want to run for office when one word can be taken out of context," said Dibble, who went on to announce that he plans to run for mayor. "Look at the whole message. Look at who the person is. Look at what they're saying, what they're trying to do."

Kerry Neenan, co-chairperson of the Salem Special Education Parent Advisory Council, said she believes Dibble needs to publicly apologize for the remark and should have done so before requesting the video be edited.

"I looked at his Facebook page. I didn't see a public post or acknowledgment — he posted the edited video on his Facebook page," Neenan said. "It's not very forthcoming of him to request the video be edited before he issues a public apology acknowledging what happened."

Neenan, who has a child with Down syndrome, said the City Council "just recognized a resolution relating to being an accessible and inclusive community at the end of February."

"That's an empty gesture," she said, "if representatives from the City Council are going to turn around not even two months after the resolution and use a word like that."

To respond to this story or suggest another, contact Dustin Luca at 978-338-2523 or DLuca@salemnews.com. Follow him at facebook.com/dustinluca or on Twitter @DustinLucaSN.

___

(c)2021 The Salem News (Beverly, Mass.)

Visit The Salem News (Beverly, Mass.) at www.salemnews.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.