Dear Editor,
I am writing this is reply to a certain “personal resignation” letter from Donna Mendelsohn in the March 13, 2012 Leader (name used with permission)
I happen to have been a corresponding journalist for over 65 years and in all this time I have never seen such a totally blatant misuse of judgment as the Leader staff pulled on this issue. Since when does a staff member cut-up, mangle and re-write someone’s personal resignation and, worse yet, put a name of a non-existent place in our community? I have lived here 30 years now and never heard of “Pine Valley.” Even the elementary students at the Fort school know the name of that valley. I am sure any of my former editors or journalists would turn over in their grave if they ever caught someone doing that. Are they in the habit of re-writing obituaries or wedding announcements too? That letter of resignation was already printed verbatim in the Fort Express with no problem of being re-written and added to by other people. I know editors can and do EDIT submissions, but they don’t usually totally re-write the whole thing.
Donna Mendelsohn is a very well educated and knowledgeable lady and has spent a lot of her personal time on many matters for the people of Fort Assiniboine and area and knows what she is talking about. We are fortunate to have her as a resident here.
Respectfully submitted by: Esther Lynn
Editor’s note: Mendelsohn’s personal letter of resignation was not printed because of libel issues. The Leader tried repeatedly to contact her for comment on the story.
