Jefferson has long had a history of “interesting” politics. From street fights following, or during, council meetings, to behind the scenes “good ol’ boy” favors and actions, there’s always been something to “entertain.”
In truth, it’s more like “embarrass” than “entertain.”
The last few years we’ve seen an uptick in these kinds of actions. From a former mayor accosting a merchant on the sidewalk, to insinuations of physical abuse of spouses, to unfounded accusations made during council meetings, elected officials have had their share of outbursts.
But it doesn’t stop there. Local residents, and some who used to live in Marion County, have embarked upon anonymous letter writing campaigns, distributed widely, in an attempt to embarrass individuals.
They’ve called businesses saying they’ll boycott them if they don’t do what someone wants. They’ve posted flyers and signs about people, threatened church membership, and even gone to the extreme of threatening, and even following through, on anonymously calling Child Protective Services on individuals with unfounded claims just to embarrass someone.
Some of the organizations have been no better as they’ve attacked and created accusations to their friends about another organization or event because they don’t like it. Some seem to think that their event, and maybe one or two more, are all that Jefferson needs and the rest of the events should follow their lead and just go away.
But they won’t speak up publicly – they’d rather make phone calls and whisper among themselves instead of trying to work together to better everyone’s events.
It’s all been about intimidation and to get people to stop talking – unless it fits the accuser’s narrative.
Bumper stickers saying “Quit Your Meanness” circulated in 2018 trying to point out how these actions are childish, and to get people to stop and think before opening their mouths.
Op-Ed pieces in the Jimplecute pointing these things out, and encouraging people to do better, didn’t work.
Personal discussions with individuals only seem to spur them on to even meaner, and sneakier ways of attacking those they don’t agree with or want to embarrass so the accuser feels better about themselves.
The latest involves a digital sign out on US 59.
Most wouldn’t have even seen it except for a few well placed, vague Facebook posts about it. A picture of the sign wasn’t even posted – it was added to the comments later.
But the vitriol started spewing regardless. As did the even wilder accusations of spousal abuse, CPS calls, illegal use of public funds accusations and personal attacks.
All without reference or background.
What started with one post, spread to others. Then it went wider than just Marion County. People chimed in on how this “looks bad” for our town, and how we “don’t want this image out there for tourists and travelers.”
Some even commented about how they received calls and messages from friends in Dallas and other places wanting to know what was going on and how awful this was to see online.
Thankfully, area news stations didn’t take notice of the sign in the 15 hours it was up.
And, typical Jefferson, the online postings about it mostly died down after about 36 hours.
The Jimplecute refuses to run a photo of the sign. The individuals involved have both not commented to us about it.
The City has been mum on it other than to say, “no public funds are involved” and this “is a matter between two individuals.”
So it’s not news. It’s gossip.
The issue here, in truth, is about more than the sign. It’s about our actions as a dysfunctional community that seems to love to attack anyone who doesn’t agree with our own viewpoint, and then go cry about how those same attacks reflect badly on our town.
Threatening to boycott a business because it’s near a sign or owned by someone one doesn’t like, and getting ones friends to call and threaten the same thing, is not community. It’s childish.
It’s not even kindergarten politics. Kindergarteners know not to do this and how to get along.
We obviously don’t.
Jefferson Mayor Rob Baker said it best at the last Council meeting when he called many actions here a “shit show” and how we can “mess up a ham sandwich.”
He’s right.
People here seem to thrive on conflict and will work harder to discredit or embarrass an individual than they will to grow our community.
Not everyone is guilty of this.
There are lots of people who work very hard at helping others without asking for credit or blowing their own horns.
Many of them also just let things “roll off their backs” instead of fighting back when things turn ugly.
It’s time for those who are tired of this type of activity to step up and start shutting this behavior down.
Or for us to admit we’re just a mean, insensitive, selfish group of people who want to do little beyond attacking our neighbors and making everyone as miserable as we are.
How about instead, let’s try this: When you see it, call it out. Ask people to stop this wild spewing of meanness; try and work through issues with an individual instead of running the rumor mill to try and get your own way; and work with each other instead of against.
That’s the only way we’re going to get better.
Unless we really don’t want to, or maybe even aren’t capable of being any better.
Editorials reflect the collective opinions of the Jefferson Jimplecute staff, Hugh Lewis and Austin Lewter— publishers.