Liars, Experts & Responsibility
By Marianna Cochran
We’re all familiar with Mark Twain’s quote: “There are lies, damn lies and statistics.” Few are familiar with the 1892 variation: “… a liar, a damned liar, and an expert.” For outraged Kootenai County citizens, both quotes immediately bring to mind our so-called library “Trustees” – who’ve been untrustworthy about their oversight of the kids’ book collections.
Library Trustees don’t select individual books; rather, they set policies for book selection and hire a Library Director to implement those policies. But we citizens who run households and businesses know that what goes on under our roofs and in our businesses ultimately is OUR responsibility – “the buck stops here” as famously said. And so it goes with library trustees – what goes on at the library is ultimately THEIR responsibility.
Speaking of responsibility, CLN library Trustees Judy Meyer & Regina McCrea want voters to give them credit for a checklist of what they call “proven results.” Their actual results include being responsible for an abundance of sexually explicit materials in the kids’ sections. They beat the drum about their “proven results” but disavow any responsibility for the libraries’ collections and vile kids’ books. They can’t have it both ways.
As for expertise – just watch any of the CLN board meeting videos for an earful from Regina McCrea – the legal “expert” on the board. Watch her vehemently assert obscene materials are fine for adolescents:
Community Library Network Board of Trustees Regular Meeting Thursday 19 January 2023
McCrea is referring to an outrageous teen book titled Identical about a father repeatedly sexually abusing his 9-year-old daughter:
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) – The Child Catcher Scene (8/12) | Movieclips
When it comes to the lies, it doesn’t get more blatant than claiming that Trustees Meyer and McCrae “implemented” restrictive youth library cards. In reality, McCrea & Meyer hurriedly rushed a vote on a new youth library card policy proposal the day before the election filing deadline. The policy exists only on paper, yet Meyer and McCrae have the audacity to say it’s “implemented.” In fact, per the minutes from CLN’s March 16, 2023 Board meeting:
“McCrea moved to adopt the Library Cards for Minors Policy dated March 16, 2023, with a target implementation date for the Children’s card July 1, 2023, and the Teen card by January 1, 2024.”
Libraries have dictionaries, too. The Merriam-Webster definition of “implemented” states, “CARRIED OUT, ACCOMPLISHED; especially : to give practical effect to and ensure of actual fulfillment by concrete measures.”
Calling Out The Lies
Hear from citizens who call out the lies…
Post Falls mom: Community Library Network Board of Trustees Meeting April 2023
Alarmed Rathdrum resident: Community Library Network Board of Trustees Meeting April 2023
SHAME on incumbent CLN Trustees Regina McCrea & Judy Meyer for their SHAM policy on youth library cards and their lies to voters about it.
Hold On a Minute
In case the reader may think, “who goes to libraries anymore anyway?” or “kids can get worse stuff on their phones.” Actually, according to the CLN, there are 10,077 active library cards issued to minors. Visit any local library after school and you’ll see kids roaming around everywhere. As for kids’ smartphones – that’s used as a diversionary tactic since taxpayers don’t fund kids’ phones.
Per their own campaign postcard, Meyer & McCrea assert they’ll “Save the Libraries.” What about saving the KIDS from the wretched books being promoted to them? The vile book Traffick was displayed for kids in Rathdrum and Post Falls. Disturbing!
This happened on Meyer’s & McCrea’s watch.
Meyer and McCrea promote themselves as like the candy M&Ms. They bring to mind this candy-bearing Child Catcher character:
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) – The Child Catcher Scene (8/12) | Movieclips
There certainly shouldn’t be anyone like that around our libraries tempting children.
Library Trustees Judy Meyer and Regina McCrea act more like UNTRUSTEES.
Replace them with candidates who will protect kids: vote Tim Plass & Tom Hanley on May 16th!