The window to qualify as a candidate for the 2019 general election, at either the state or the county level, has now closed, and there is a plethora of strong candidates for all offices throughout Newton County and the state governments. From now until the primary election, which will be in August, those running for office will be working hard to earn name-recognition, share their platform, gain support and fundraise.
I love election years! I love the ideas, the energy and the dialogue that is created by the messages put out by the political hopefuls. The debates, however, take the cake for me. The back-and-forth tit-for-tat exchange, the banter, the increasingly miffed timekeeper who is almost always ignored; I can’t get enough.
Elections can be a lot of fun, and they can do a lot for a community when residents speak up and let their potential leaders know what they want, what issues they care about and what concerns they have for the coming years. Quality candidates listen to those comments and concerns and work to incorporate them into their message. It’s the people speaking and the leaders – or in the case potential leaders – responding and working to find a solution. It’s democracy at its finest.
However, elections can also have a darker side. With the rise of social media, partisan news outlets and unscrupulous organizations trying to sew doubt in our communities, I don’t doubt there will be times over the next nine months when the internet is not such a fun place to be.
I don’t understand the phenomenon of rudeness and cruelty on social media. I see it every day, but it astounds me how some seem to forget even the most basic lessons in decency as soon as they get behind a keyboard. Sure, the internet provides a level of anonymity, but even Facebook, on which we proudly display pictures of our homes, family members and pets, is rife with people spouting venomous words and accosting even their closest friends over trivial issues. I just don’t get it.
Regardless of why, I am begrudgingly certain there will come a time during this campaign cycle when each of us has to stand up and walk away from the keyboard for a while. Oftentimes the hardest part, for me at least, is to resist that urge to comment back, to scratch that itch. As many times as I’ve fallen to my baser instinct, I can’t recall an instance where replying to a hateful comment made the situation better. Often, it just makes it worse.
And, that brings me to the true purpose of this column. Election season can be a lot of fun, but it requires cooperation and civility from candidates, members of the community and the media to make it that way. This election season, I encourage all to speak out about the issues that matter to you and share your thoughts with those running for office.
Let’s not use this election to tear each other down or deepen the partisan divide. Let’s use it to support the candidates and give them the tools they will need to be successful in their new positions. Get involved, volunteer, talk to the candidates and learn about what they want to do. Come the general election in November, use the knowledge you’ve collected to make and informed choice about who you think will be best for your community.
I also encourage all to take advantage of this page, which, while it may seem like it, is not empty space for me to fill up with odd ramblings about my dogs or political views every week. It is meant for you. Letters to the editor do not cost anything to run and can give any resident of Newton County a space to share their ideas and concerns. This election season, I invite you all to make use of that. Open a dialogue with your candidates and your community and participate in shaping the future of our state.
Thomas is the managing editor of the Newton County Appeal. He can be reached at thoward@newtoncountyappeal.com
