Drag Queen Story Hour library opponent resigns due to ‘unprecedented’ hostile, malicious response

By Guy Page

After facing reportedly vicious public attacks due to his efforts to cancel Drag Queen Story Hour at the public library in Chester, the library board chair and all but one member have resigned — calling in to question the library’s ability to stay open.

town of Chester

Whiting Library in Chester, Vermont

“My natural response to vitriol is to respond with reason, calmness, and professionalism,” Board Chair Thomas Nied said in a public letter of resignation, published in the online (“All News, No Paper”) Chester Telegraph. “This time is different: the attacks are unprecedented in their hostility, baseless, uninformed, untruthful, and some are motivated by personal malice. In the last several days I have faced insults shouted from a passing car and several public comments that cross the line into defamatory.”

The Telegraph reported June 1 that five more trustees have resigned, leaving just one member:

“The six resignations come following a public outcry over the resignation of Whiting Librarian Deirdre Doran, first reported in The Chester Telegraph on May 16. Doran’s action was spurred by a controversy over who has ultimate say over programming: the Trustees or the librarians.

“The situation began in early May over one specific program — Drag Queen Story Hour — which prompted Nied to either ask that the program be paused or in Doran’s words “yelling at me to censor a library program,” citing concerns over public reaction. Later Nied expressed concern over safety and then over one of the performer’s website, which contains adult material. The public outcry was at times rude, with those deriding Nied and the Trustees outnumbering those defending them.”

May 25 letter of resignation by Thomas Nied

Dear Chester Town Manager and Select Board: 

After almost fifty years of gratifying public and community service, I find myself the target of intense personal attacks in my role as Chair of the Whiting Library Board of Trustees. The attacks have questioned my integrity, fairness, and honesty, then moved quickly and ironically to questioning my support for inclusion and LGBTQ+ rights, to which I have a deep and very personal commitment and have worked, and will continue to work, passionately to advance.

My natural response to vitriol is to respond with reason, calmness, and professionalism. This time is different: the attacks are unprecedented in their hostility, baseless, uninformed, untruthful, and some are motivated by personal malice. In the last several days I have faced insults shouted from a passing car and several public comments that cross the line into defamatory. While I have not lost my affection and respect for the community in which I have enthusiastically volunteered, it has certainly been challenged.

The attacks will continue as long as they serve the agenda of some, empower the perpetually angry, feed the social media frenzy, and bring clicks to websites. As they continue, they will apply undeserved pressure on my family and will eventually impact their right to live a peaceful and meaningful life. They will also spill over to the amazing and dedicated colleagues and the critically important institutions that I have had the privilege of working with and for. That undeserved collateral impact is unacceptable to me.

So, I will leave public service to others who are willing to step forward, and I will focus on working quietly for the people and causes I care deeply about.

Effective immediately, I am submitting my resignation from the following positions:

• Whiting Library Trustee and Chair of the Whiting Library Board of Trustees

• Town of Chester Justice of the Peace and Member of the Board of Civil Authority

• Member of the Town of Chester Local Cannabis Control Commission Hopefully, this step will help the library return to its mission and continue to serve the community with thoughtful, innovative, and impactful programs and services. I will be available to my colleagues to answer any questions they may have and to ensure a smooth transition in all areas in which I have served.

Best Regards, Robert Nied cc: Whiting Library Board of Trustees 

Guy Page is publisher of the Vermont Daily Chronicle. Reprinted with permission.

Image courtesy of town of Chester

21 thoughts on “Drag Queen Story Hour library opponent resigns due to ‘unprecedented’ hostile, malicious response

  1. Pizza Stone restaurant in CHester says that they will be GLAD to host the Drag Queen story hour for little innocent children of the Chester VT area.

    They’ve even shared some pics on Facebook

    • I don’t agree that these folks, who have blatant pornography on their website, should be reading to children. But if people in Chester want that and they want to have it in a private venue like the Pizza Stone, that’s their business.

      The entire issue revolved around having these folks in a public library supported by the taxpayers. And it didn’t even revolve around “these” folks– meaning drag queens. Lots of folks would’ve been tolerant of that– not saying approving, just tolerant. It really revolved around the fact that there was blatant, for-adults-only pornography on their website.

      Pornographers as role models for our children, in our public library? Surely we can do better.

      Jim1

  2. What percentage of the nations population do you think are transgender? Perhaps 2% of 1%? And probably the same percentage within the gay and lesbian population as well. Fuel prices are at a staggering inflated price, driving up inflation, causing the dollar to devalue. Russia is threatening WW3, mental illness seems to be more endemic than COVID at this point. Violence is rife in our cities. The family structure is falling apart. The infrastructure of this nation is falling apart. But we are focused on drag queens…in a small Vermont town where, maybe, one or two might or might not exist. WOW! Reminds me of what Einstein once quipped; ‘Two things are infinite…the universe and human stupidity…and I am not sure of the former.’

  3. How sad. One of the things I have always appreciated about Vermont is the tolerance. People are allowed to live the lives they wish, but the understanding is that is your life and you have no right to force your views on others. Seems like some have forgotten or never learned the second part of this equation.

  4. This is a method, it’s not about Drag Queens, it’s about modern warfare..
    We need to all understand this.
    It’s but another arrow in their quiver.

    • Agree, Laura.

      We’re being assaulted from all directions.

      The goal is to destroy society so they can “build back better.” To do that, they first have to destroy the old.

      They (WEF and friends) actually come right out and tell us what they want to do, and too many people don’t bother to ask what they really mean by all that.

      I’d argue that school shootings might also be part of the plan. Yup, maybe that’s a bit cynical and yes, it is speculation, but consider that the Uvalde police chief participated in a shooter drill at that very school, and that the standard for such situations is to rush the shooter.

      Was he blackmailed into doing what he didn’t do? Maybe someone had some photos on him?

      If they can have a disease and withhold life-saving treatments and let people die– that was/is just plain evil– then these folks will do anything to get what they want. And they definitely want to take away our guns.

      Jim1

  5. So…”social media frenzy”? Simple! Stay away from the “anti” Social Media! Ditch the gov.’t tracking devices posing as phones! Get a hobby! Get a life! Get outdoors! Talk to people IN PERSON! Look up for crying out loud! Trust me, you will ALL be happier & healthier when your dopamine levels return to normal.

    • This is part of the problem, Steve. People don’t understand what’s real and what’s not.

      Consider that our founding generation had to feed animals, hitch up horses, tend gardens, and if they wanted to research something they actually had to go to a library and talk to a real person. They knew what real things, and real interactions, were. Now consider that so much is mediated to us through electronics and we can literally go all day without having to get outside and confront the world: we can even have our meals delivered.

      Kids are taught all sorts of relativistic stuff that makes them think that whatever they think is real, might be real after all (how about that metaverse?) And then the boys get on shoot-’em-up video games, and they get on psychiatric drugs, too, with huge problems, and we wonder why we have school shootings? Why can’t they be like their shoot-’em-up game heroes? Well, it turns out the can be, and drugs can help them see this “reality.” https://amidwesterndoctor.substack.com/p/the-evidence-for-antidepressants?s=r

      I don’t think the problem is video games per se, but rather the problem is that kids don’t understand what’s real and what’s not.

      Jim1

  6. to confuse the population about their sexuality and break down the family structure. I thought it crazy when I first heard of it, now I realize the evil genius behind it…

    People love bringing others into their lifestyle, it validates their ideas. They don’t say the road to hell is wide with many people for nuthin’….

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gnpCqsXE8g

    Yuri spells it out. So does Sun Tzu, in The Art of War

  7. Drag Queen Story Hour. Just who are these people who are hell bent on POISONING our children’s minds? And more importantly, WHY are they doing it?

    • Who are these people, Tamituna asks?

      It’s those on the far left who have a well established modes of behavior that we have witnessed over the past many years. Behavior that has turned more ugly and extreme in recent years.

      The left responds to what they don’t like with name calling of those with whom they disagree, disturbing people at their homes, physically attaching people, looting, tearing down and burning down both private and public property.

      This is what has happened to Robert Nied, a decent man with a long history of dedicated service to his community.

  8. Vermont is and has been cancel culture on steroids, for decades.

    It is similar, but cleverer and more underhanded than Roman rule, whereby they would crucify people along the apian way, to get compliance of the populace. But there is a problem, you can get compliance, but you can never win hearts and minds.

    If you read the handbook, Rules for Radicals, you will find their techniques the exact opposite of Christian teachings, and since the book is dedicated to the great liar himself what would one expect?

    This is an organized take down; normal people would not coalesce around this to the degree that has happened. It is a subversive activity.

    Why would drag queen story hour be such a huge issue in a small town? Why? Is there even a drag queen group in the town?

    When Ivanka Trump came to visit a friend in the Mad River Valley, there were people protesting on the corner, big groups of people. They were all from out of town. It was “organized” by Rights and Democracy, a fledging “grass roots” organization just appearing in Vermont, “spontaneously” with people directly from the south side of Chicago.

    Nobody in our town would protest a wedding, let alone a guest of a wedding, it’s our central business.

    What should be done is names of everyone “complaining” taken down and noted. My hunch is you will find these people doing all sorts of nefarious activity. We could have a drag queen story hour commission, kinda like the Jan 6th commission. Or we could push to have a drag queen establishment opened up in that town…..see how that permitting goes. See where the town support truly lies.

    We are being played on an continual basis.

    Perhaps we could have state sponsored bus trips for those whom feel it necessary for their youth to experience the drag queen events. Go to Boston….there has to be a bar/establishment there that runs on a daily basis…..

  9. I was involved in the back-and-forth in the Chester DQSH debate.

    All one really has to know is the video, “WAP,” on the Vermont DQSH website: https://www.nightpagne.com/video

    Those who were so sure that the Trustees were being haters were themselves trying to push pornographers as role models for our children, in a public library no less. Those who were so quick to condemn those who questioned DQSH did a huge disservice to the town, and as for the resigned library director whose protests led to all this: don’t let the door hit you on your way out.

    Chester is a fairly leftist town, but so far we still have enough people here who can call a spade a spade to hold these folks at bay as they try to shove their agendas down our throats.

    The good news is that I think a lot of people here now see these “progressive” folks for what they really are.

    Signed,
    The “other” Jim (I noticed there are now two of us. I was first! I’m going to have to sign as “Jim1” from now on.)

  10. Someone needs to go in there and do story hour about God and read Bible stories. Time for Christians and believers to stand up and fight back against the demonic possession going after our children’s souls.

    • Too funny, in church we were talking about how people are willingly believing in shamanism, the universe, spirts of rocks and trees, but would anyone read or open up a bible for advice in life, marriage or troubles? Nope

      But I’ll get a psychic reading and do it that way. Or just google it……has all the best answers.

      Our founding fathers brought scripture to all parts of the country, which served us will, God’s grace knows no bounds. Yet here we are training children to be more lustful than the nature of natural man already is…..

      Listening to a young woman talk about how she and her significant other don’t believe in marriage. The only reason why they would get married would be for his government health benefits. Oh…she said and the ring.

      So with a foundation like that, how do we expect our youth to thrive and survive. We have led them terribly astray.

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