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Sunday, February 16, 2025
Letter: Outrage against NOTL librarian based on false premise
Letter to the editor. FILE

Dear editor:

As a former library trustee in Lincoln, I’ve followed your reporting on the wrongful termination of chief librarian Cathy Simpson, who apparently was discharging her responsibilities dutifully, yet ran afoul of a strident cabal, consisting of a misguided resident, some mutinous library staff and a plainly hysterical library board chairperson.

The concert of predictable outrage at her dismissal has been ably reported by your paper, yet I remark a persistent partisan imbalance with respect to the characterization of the civic support group, FAIR, which was referenced by Simpson in her article, igniting this hateful outburst.

This mischaracterization depends on the assertion of Heidi Beirich, formerly of the once well-regarded Southern Poverty Law Centre’s Intelligence Report, which incidentally, was dropped by the FBI in 2014 as a “trusted resource” for information on hate groups.

This untrue assertion, referenced by your reporting, should be considered, therefore, as a false premise, (i.e..the source relied upon to discredit FAIR is itself a discredited source), and thereby constitutes a partisan imbalance, which mars the otherwise excellent reportage of this very sad matter.

For the sake of clarity, I am not associated in any way with FAIR, yet completely agree with the concept of institutional neutrality: school and library boards have historically underpinned the elements of responsible government in Canada, and while never free entirely of rabid partisanship, still provide the basis of civic discourse, upon which the community in general, depends for the progress of our public institutions.

Kevin Burns
Jordan Station

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