Shame On You

By Greg Ritchie

Messenger Reporter

Editor’s note: Greg’s Corner is an award-winning editorial (opinion) section where Messenger Reporter Greg Ritchie shares odds and ends from the job and unusual or interesting facts from across the world and across time.

MESSENGER OFFICE – As the election nears, tensions are…getting tense, let’s be honest. How the county will vote for President is a foregone conclusion – some areas of the county voted over 96% for Trump in 2020. People are keeping their focus on more local issues. With many local races unopposed, Laronica Wooten Smith and James Angerstein are running for the position of County Tax Assessor/Collector and we will be producing a video forum and releasing that next week, to let people get to know them better and make a better choice. 

I am trying to remember if there is anything else local on the ballot for Nov. 5. Lovelady has a tax issue, but that seems pretty straightforward. Hmmm..there are a few judges running for the court of criminal appeals…

Oh, that’s right, Crockett Economic and Industrial Development Corporation will be on the ballot for those living in the city of Crockett! Gosh, I almost forgot!

I have, you may have noticed, written a word or two about CEIDC. I should have asked to be paid by the word when I took this job – I’d probably be retired on some beach by now.

I had planned to hold a public forum at the Crockett Civic Center, inviting someone from both sides to debate the issue of whether CEIDC should continue or not, and if the sales tax that goes to fund it should go to relieve property tax. Both sides did agree, but without much enthusiasm, and I decided to give up on the idea. I don’t want confrontation, and this pot already boileth over.

I love passionate people, even when I disagree. If you stand for something and can explain why, I respect that. If you can give your facts and lead me down the path of your logic, I may still disagree, but at least I can put myself in your brain and see how you got there. Most of our politics these days is too personal. When people disagree, they don’t debate – they just argue – then start attacking each other, personally. 

As a history buff, I know only too well that many of my heroes were probably not the best people. But is that the point? Truth is truth, no matter who delivers the message. One great leader in history should have taught us that. Would you listen to truth from a bearded man in sandals, surrounded by a group of disheveled fishermen, even though His truth is undeniable? 

So, I was pretty disappointed to see a flier circulating at one of our local grocery stores, apparently printed and passed out by people who want CEIDC to stay around, current leadership and all. The problem is, there were no facts or arguments. It showed pictures of some of those against CEIDC, labelling them all racists. There was even a random picture of an old slave auction poster, just in case someone missed the point. 

That is your best argument? That is your best defense? Nothing about CEIDC’s accomplishments, nothing about why we should stay the course? Nothing to explain the inexplicable decisions which that office tends to produce? No, apparently the only reason in the world someone would be against CEIDC is racism – end of discussion. 

I can tell you the local police department is looking into this. The group on the flier is not registered, and the post office box listed on the flier no longer belongs to the person who is publicly listed. I worked on this all week, and I even know the person who asked these fliers to be passed out – although I will not reveal that just yet. But it was you, and we know it was you…

I know every person who appeared on that flier. Almost all of them have called me out at least once, disagreeing with my take on this or that nugget about CEIDC. I can tell you, those people have done their homework and are not afraid to share their opinions, even with a poor old newspaper guy like me.

We don’t always see eye to eye, but I can assure you, they are good people, trying to do what they see as best for this city. I doubt any of them has ever attended a slave auction or has the power to oppress anyone. 

This is wrong and it’s gone far beyond any semblance of a public debate. If the best one side can do is come up with this sort of garbage, CEIDC is doomed – no matter what the vote tally says. How can you respect or have a civil debate with anyone who puts their hand up and says, “To disagree with me is to be a racist.” It reminds me of a character from a few years ago who said to disagree with him was to disagree with “science”.

There is a story in today’s newspaper about a service at one of our local black churches, where pastors and others from all races were invited to attend. I won’t speak for anyone else, but my wife and I loved it. The music, the atmosphere, the warm feeling as we all sat together, worshipped together – there was nothing but love in that temple, black and white included. 

I may not have sang with as much soul as others, maybe my clapping was a touch off-beat from time to time, but the love the people of that church showed to all of us guests was a sign that underneath, we all love our families, we all love God, we all cry and we all bleed red. 

There are only 6,000 or so of us in this city, no matter what race. Is gas more expensive for black folks? Are groceries cheaper for whites? Does anyone like being the target of crime? Who doesn’t want a better future for our young ones? We need to get our act together and stop reliving the 1960’s. The same people who printed this flier tried to scuttle a project which could bring dozens of jobs to this city. Yes, jobs for blacks and whites, alike. 

The main organizer of the church event, Hilliard McKnight, asked me why white people don’t go to black churches and vice versa. I admitted I didn’t have a good answer to that.

If you found yourself lost, on the other side of the world, and you heard a familiar voice say, “Crockett? I am from Crockett, too!” 

Would you care if they were black or white?

I will be going back to that church, and other historically black churches, too. I realized I don’t need an invitation. The attitude of the people in that church was inviting enough. 

The people who are only capable of shouting “racism” should visit those churches, too, and maybe try and take some of the message there to heart. 

Shame on you. 

Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]