To the editor:
It has been more than a year since hatred and venomous slander began inside the Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County. My frustrations are no longer with the collegiate offenders, but with the public library itself. A small band of fanatics has been urging to have content that goes against their faith to be removed from the children's section of the library. It is upsetting enough to hear residents of this county portrayed with such hate and demonization. These people somehow believe their personal interpretations of faith are superior to other denominations, faiths or moral beliefs. However, the public comments at board meetings are no longer focused solely on the content of books; the root of my criticism.
The Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County has policies and a code of conduct that patrons and staff must abide by while in the library. If someone were to be spewing this vile, dehumanizing attacks at BIPOC communities, the Jewish community or the Christians of the valley for that matter, the library would not allow that behavior to continue. The code of conduct explicitly prohibits such language and hatred within the walls of the library. I write not to point fingers at the people spewing the filth, but to the ones remaining silent and complacent.
The director or the presiding officer of the board of the Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County have shamefully and harmfully permitted this to continue for over a year. There are calls for librarians to be fired, for books a few radicals deem immoral to be removed and the worst dehumanizing, vile epithets imaginable. Yet, the director and the board have remained silent with the exception of once.
Last month, after the public statements were heard, a board member praised the civility in the meeting and stated "both sides" were justified in their concerns. I cannot even write the things these people have said in this letter because it is that obscene. There is no civility in their meetings, the behavior of the board and administration included. If these things were being spewed at another community, the library would have ended this before it continued. Instead, they have permitted it to continue for over a year.
The Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County needs to enforce its code of conduct and stop pretending they can't stop these people from hurting others inside the walls of the library. If they want an example of how to do this, the director can read the policy on public participation from the Cleveland Public Library. The board or the director could have ended public harassment months ago, but instead pretend they don't know what to do. I urge the board of the Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County to enforce the code of conduct or not occupy a seat they refuse to utilize. I also ask all residents to visit the libraries and speak to the harmful and cowardly complacency of this persecution.
River Hunter Wiley
Bergholz