Dear editor,
Re: Trending – Recall Campaign fails to oust Richard Lee, June 24, 2015
Journalistic integrity is taking a hit. I am referring to the choice made in printing the comments made by “MikeB” regarding the recall campaign and directly attacking an individual’s reputation (mine) by saying harsh criticisms that the paper knows are untrue, all under the guise of anonymity.
While the campaign is a political one, all comments I have made about Richard Lee were based on hundreds of first-hand reports from constituents as well as factual reports from newspaper articles. Not only that, there was no anonymity involved. I put my full name to everything I said.
“MikeB”, on the other hand, has made unsubstantiated comments about my character that are proven to be untrue. Proof can be found in the Burnaby Now vaults where I have tried to hold Richard Lee to account in past years during all-candidates’ meetings and rallies outside his office. And these are just the cases where a reporter happened to ask me for a quote. “Mike B”, on the other hand, claims that I have had no dealings with Richard Lee at all and do not know a thing about his performance as an MLA.
How is it that an anonymous person can make false claims about another person, yet his comments are chosen to be printed? Regardless of whether the comments are underneath an online article, on Facebook, or on another social media platform, journalistic standards should prevail.
Society is already showing strains from what happens on the internet under the guise of anonymity. We are becoming a less civil, less compassionate group when we allow others to be slandered at will. It is a step in the wrong direction to allow it to happen in print media as well as online.
In the future, I would hope that the Burnaby Now would refrain from choosing to print anonymous posts that are unsubstantiated attacks on someone’s character.
Jennifer Heighton
