It’s not a campaign: It’s a blog entry.
Reports that the Calgary Public Library launched a “Don’t Be an Idiot” campaign are mistaken, according to library officials.
Spokesperson Gerry Burger-Martindale said that on Aug. 17, a staff member posted a personal entry on the library’s Slice of Calgary blog regarding the upcoming civic election, urging residents not to be idiots — harkening back to the original use of the word “idiot.”
“In ancient Greece, an idiot was a person who failed to involve himself in civic affairs,” said the blogger, who encouraged residents to use library resources to become informed.
Since then, the headline has “caught a lot of people’s attention,” said Burger-Martindale.
“I’m sorry if we offended anyone,” she said.
“If people read beyond the headline, there’s nothing to be offended about.”
