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Why do we believe what we believe?
It has always been shocking to see how easy it is for some people to dismiss news that can easily be confirmed as accurate, while believing things that have nary a shred of compelling evidence.
The Cherokee Scout reported in the Oct. 12 edition how internet hoaxes are presenting problems with local law enforcement agencies, causing a needless waste of time and resources. One recent hoax involved a lost child in Andrews, something guaranteed to get people engaged; another wildly inaccurate rumor was that area school systems allow children who “identify as cats” to use litter boxes in place of toilets, something guaranteed to get people enraged.
It’s also so ridiculous that reasonable people should have dismissed the stories outright. While a similar animal tale out of Australia has caused quite a furor in some circles, the reports don’t contain any details that can be independently verified – which is a great way to determine if you’re getting accurate information, or if the website is just looking for clicks without any accountability.
Cherokee County sheriff’s Detective Roger Williams offered the best advice for folks to take when they hear about such seemingly unbelievable things. “They need to check the source,” Williams told the Scout. “You can’t believe Facebook.” He’s spot on.
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Last write-up of a faithful pastor
In 1978, Boilings Springs Baptist Church pastor Eddis Dockery accepted the Cherokee Scout’s offer for ministers to send in their sermons for the local newspaper’s Faith pages. And for the next 44 years, he faithfully sent in his sermons as columns every week or two, perhaps making him the county’s most-published columnist since 1889.
Whether you agree or disagree with his viewpoints, which occasionally ventured into the political arena, you have to admire Dockery’s commitment. While many people tire of submitting columns after a few months or so, the pastor was dedicated to spreading the Word, and he knew the Scout was a good place to get that message across to people who may not have a relationship with God.
Dockery’s column on page 6B in this edition is his final one for the Scout, as it’s time for him to focus on other important aspects of life. We just wanted to take a moment to say thank you to the pastor who cared enough to never miss a deadline, and who has always been there for readers who needed to hear something from Scripture that day. Many blessings in your future endeavors.
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Politics brings out the worst
Every election year seems to up the ante on just how badly we can treat our neighbors. The race for the District 1 seat on the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners is the latest example.
In the Republican primary, everything including a figurative kitchen sink was thrown out there in an attempt to unseat incumbent Cal Stiles, who has faced opposition from fellow board members in his own party ever since he was first elected in 2012. Despite that, he has survived every primary and general election battle at the ballot box to become the longest-serving commissioner.
Facing him in the general election is a write-in candidate – Jeana Conley, the retiring superintendent of Cherokee County Schools, who has much higher name recognition than most first-time candidates. Whether that’s good or not will be decided at the polls Tuesday, Nov. 8, and as early voting begins Thursday.
While the conduct at many public meetings has been less than becoming, what’s of primary concern before the general election is what’s being spread by unscrupulous people online. Both candidates have track records that can and should be questioned to determine who would be the best leader for our county, but they also deserve better than to face misleading questions, silly speculation and outright hostility. You only get respect back when you give it out first.
Many of the best, brightest and most reasonable people in America have long ruled out running for public office because they don’t want to put up with conspiratorial nonsense from online flamethrowers – and they also don’t want their families to have to face hatred from their neighbors. We won’t make Cherokee a better county by acting this way.
– Publisher David Brown