LETTER TO THE EDITOR: LymeLine Editor Criticized for Publishing Gencarella Letter Accusing Zelek of Plagiarism

To the Editor:

I write this letter to express my disappointment that you chose to publish the letter from Professor Gencarella accusing Ms. Zelec of plagiarism.

I preface my comments with the acknowledgement that I don’t have a dog in this fight.  I’m not a resident of Lyme and I don’t know either of the candidates or their views.

But this type of baseless name calling is what gives small-town politics a bad name.  Worse than that, it borders on slander – plagiarism is a serious accusation.   And in my mind, does nothing for the reputation of your fine publication.

Ms. Zelec’s statement is not plagiarism.  And Professor Gencarella knows it is not plagiarism!  

Her comments have been the mantra of every small-town politician for the last century.  It is no more plagiarism than the president ending a speech with “God Bless America”.  It is what you say!  It is what you are expected to say!  If the wording is the same as her political colleagues, that’s called “messaging”.

Equally troubling to me is Professor Gencarella’s pompous self-aggrandizement in an attempt to lend credence to an accusation he knows to be frivolous.  It trivializes the growing prevalence of true plagiarism and cheapens the idea of academic integrity.

I realize that every editor has to walk a fine line between free speech and editorial discretion.  I respectively submit that you came down on the wrong side of that line in this case.    

Sincerely,

Tom Beyer,
Old Lyme