The Shadow
Welcome back, Shadowers! We are in full Olympics mode this week, so I’m guessing you are proudly sporting red, white, and blue and shouting at your TV from the comfort of your coach-couch. Go Team USA!
Our Stars and Stripes have always represented a messy experiment in a radical notion we call “Democracy.” It’s neither Republican, Democrat, or Independent. It’s all of them combined, squished tightly together like 10 Patriots trying to get into an old telephone booth. Heaven forbid someone forgot to shower that day or had a good helping of ramps or beans the night before.
Or sometimes it could be akin to a bunch of circus clowns trying to all fit inside a Volkswagon bug.
But that old telephone booth or car represents something truly amazing, provocative, and intense. It represents something that we, as Patriots, believe in and hold True. We have all committed to the notion that everyone has a right to the pursuit of happiness, to be treated equally before the law, and to have a say in our government.
And we believe our Creator has endowed us with these unalienable Rights.
For example, as a Patriot, you not only have the power to partake in the hard-earned freedoms of our Nation, but also the freedom to debate, challenge, and change our society. And all without having to live in fear of retaliation from an autocracy or a monarchy which we rejected 248 years ago. And I’m guessing you’re just like me, you wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
Go Team USA!
Have you noticed there’s a wonderful buzz of Democracy going on around the Highlands? We’ve got everything from “The sky is falling!” to “Things are finally changing for the better.” Good change is in the air!
Now here’s a thought…
What if this is how a Democracy is supposed to work at a local level? Yes, it’s messy, full of arguments, discussions, and change. But what if a community that finds itself neck deep in this ugly mess, is actually a healthy sign of change to reaffirm and realign ourselves to our core values in a much more effective and meaningful way?
Here in the Highlands, we’ve been having an ongoing accountability discussion about our current administrations. Over the past year, the Shadow has investigated, observed, and reported on many public officials who seemed to have forgotten the words of Democracy, seemingly to even zombify the Pledge of Allegiance they state at the beginning of council meetings. Has the Power of office given them a false sense of entitlement?
Do they rightfully have the power to ignore and act above the Law?
Power is a slippery thing. Handled well, it can lead to greatness. But when wielded for self-gain, it morphs into corruption. Power is addictive, causing many leaders to cling to their positions longer than necessary, their initial passion hardening into a grip stronger than gorilla glue. In their obsessive attachment to power, they risk becoming unethical, authoritarian, and narcissistic, caring more about their own hold on power than the well-being of their constituents.
Like Mayor Tom Sibold apparently quietly using the taxpayer’s checkbook as his own personal slush fund for his pet projects? Or using the City’s various departments to help some businesses, but attack others? Or to think that a couple of water violations (3 State and 11+ Federal) are a nothingburger? Or enabling a city-partnered business to put an entire generation of school kids in a fire hazard that the State Fire Marshal had to shut down? Or the Covington Small Business Coordinator refusing to equally promote all small businesses in the Highlands because she doesn’t like some of them? Or several law enforcement officers only applying the law to some, but not to their own alleged unethical or illicit actions? Or the former Chairman of the Alleghany Highlands Public School board allegedly thinking public intoxication and harassment of former students is a good example for our young folks? Or Chairman David Crosier of the Alleghany-Covington Department of Social Services allegedly allowing and fostering a toxic and highly dysfunctional department that so many people and children critically rely upon for their health, safety, and welfare? Or the County for allowing their public servants to commit alleged bad acts that resulted in at least two major lawsuits to the tune of $10M? Or the Vice Mayor David Crosier refusing to hand over taxpayer-owned public content, allegedly lying that it doesn’t exist, and apparently being so addicted to power that he can’t morally see anything wrong with his massive conflict of interests that have surrounded him for years?
Could we have found ourselves in the same situation our Patriots did in 1776, where the Administration (a Monarchy) that governed them was not working in the best interest of the people? We all know what happened. Perhaps it’s that time again in the Alleghany Highlands to take a good, hard factual look at our current Administration’s actions. Come November, we all have a chance to change our course with our voice and our vote.
We’ve had some new activity on the 2024 local elections front, with District 5 incumbent David Crosier and challenger Susan Crowder officially announcing their candidacy for Covington City Council. As I understand, the Virginian Review has asked all candidates to submit their backgrounds and statements, and has offered to conduct interviews for all. And looks like a public debate will be happening this fall, so as soon as I hear the details, I’ll fill you in.
By the way, have you ever wondered, why hasn’t The Recorder, or the Alleghany Journal covered any of these 100% facts, proven from official records provided by the officials themselves? Have we grown complacent and accepted a standard of unethical and illicit behaviors from our current administration? WDBJ has had no problems covering these actions.
Perhaps the editors of these local publications are conflicted because they can’t report on bad things they themselves do, or they’re part of the scheme and have been told to ‘filter out the bad stuff?’ How is this even the hallmark of what a real news organization with integrity is supposed to act like and function? Aren’t news agencies supposed to be the “Fourth Pillar of Government” and hold government officials accountable?
No wonder we have an issue with “Fake News.” Some reporters and editors just don’t have enough guts to tell the truth. Or they’re compromised.
I’m out of time, and out of coffee, but never out of faith that Democracy has an uncanny way of righting itself amid uncertainty and turmoil. It’s the beauty of our experiment, and as Country Singer Lee Greenwood sang in 1984, “Thank God I’m an American.” Go Team USA!
