Dear mayor and members of council,

 

I was recently alerted to the following news item:

 

 

The article describes how a discussion group in Fall River were told by Barry Dalrymple that if they brought in an Occupy NS person to speak to their group, he would apparently "do everything in his power" to stop the meeting from happening and to make sure they could no longer meet at the community centre where they have met for 2 years.

 

If this story is true, then it both astounds and horrifies me - even if Mr. Dalrymple was not acting in his capacity as councillor, he is a public figure and he should take care to act, in his public life, in a way that befits someone in his position.

 

Also, even though he is not officially my councillor, it is a fact that because decisions at city hall are made through a vote, that I have a personal interest, as a resident of this city, in ensuring that all councillors in HRM are honest, respectful and accountable individuals.

 

I cannot conceive of how Mr. Dalrymple could call himself a respectful and accountable person while behaving as this article alleges him to have behaved.

 

What on earth (on earth?!?) could be wrong with having someone from Occupy come and speak to the group? 

 

- Does he believe that Occupy promotes hate or represents a terrorist organization?  These are the only two legitimate reasons I can think of for barring their their visit, and if Mr. Dalrymple actually believes either of these things then he is clearly not an educated enough person to deserve the position of councillor.

 

- The only other possible explanation I can fathom is that our councillor is terrified that the Occupier's arguments will be so very compelling, that this speaker will instantly convert the entire community of Fall-River into drum-beating, hula-hooping, dreadlocked, tent-dwelling hippies.*

 

But surely not!! If Mr. Dalrymple is as strongly opposed to their view as his behaviour implies, then I can only assume he'd be confident enough in his own views that he would not be afraid that his constituents' opinions would be so easily swayed.

 

This incident has shaken my faith in the integrity of this particular councillor.  I demand that he issue a public apology, and I would also like to see disciplinary action taken against him, in order that HRM demonstrates that such behaviour is not acceptable.

 

thank you for your time,

 

Katherine Kitching

Halifax, NS

 

*This description was included for the purposes of ironic humour, not to reflect the letter-writer's true opinion of who the Occupiers are and what they represent!