Take Several Seats: The Real Lumberton

The other day, there was an anonymous comment left on my blog. It reads as follows "...you are a liar and a sad little man. You live for free off the government, but complain about working people." Generally, I don't respond to anonymous comments because I feel that individuals that sit behind a computer and spew hate without revealing their identity are cowards. But it happens all the time. I stopped looking at comments on WDAM facebook page because of all the cowardly remarks that were being made anonymously. I really don't know why this comment stuck in my head. Maybe it was the culmination of events that are taking place outside of Lumberton. All the major news has been about Donald Sterling and his racist comments. As a blogger and an African-American male, I was not surprised by the statement he made. However, I was surprised by the quick response. We all know there are plenty of racists in this country and most would not commit the grevious error that landed Sterling in the national hot seat. For the most part, true bigots hide their disgust for people of other races via anonymous comments or they limit their feelings to kitchen table conversation while putting on the mask of tolerance when they enter the real world. The person that made the anonymous comment attempted to give the impression that they were black and wanted to know why I would not allow their post to be published. This is a tactic that could also be avoided by either posting your comment on the Lumberton Informer facebook page or revealing your identity. But we know that's not going to happen unless they take the time to create a fake facebook page and them post their comments. Either way, they're too cowardly to say what they want so they sheet their true feelings by posting anonymously. I take issue with the fact that I was feeling some type of way because I was called a governmental free loader. I can deal with being called a liar but a free loader. Where are you getting your information. I guess in addition to being a liar, I suppose I am schitophrenic as well because I was almost certain that I spent several years at William Carey University getting two degrees, I could have sworn that for the majority of my adult life I went to an actual job, but apparently those are figments of my grand imagination. Now don't get me wrong, I don't feel the need to prove a point to anyone; especially to a coward that don't have the cojones to even use their name. But hey, I digress; that's the nature of Lumberton. The community of Lumberton is very small and gossip travels at the speed of light. To the coward that seemingly think they know so much about me, you should find a new source of reference because you were given erroneous information. Please note, I am actually attempting to make a point. What if I was what you called a "governmental freeloader"? Does that make my subject matter less viable? Does it mean I am not posting truthful information? Are my points less impactful? Everyone in the county is or has benefited from some form of assistance from a governmental program. So for you, dear cowardly reader, to try to diminish the point I was making by saying I was a freeloader, was not an appropriate response. If you're going to accuse me of being something, at least get it correct. Which brings me to the other points I would like to make. The other week, I saw several pictures on facebook and the photos had lines such as "My Community Cares" and "This is what Lumberton is REALLY about." Well, Lumberton has pockets of compassion but for the most part, there are a lot of bitter, backbiting, two-faced individuals in this city and the person they are to your face is not the person they are when you are not present. Let me explain, during the establishment of this blog, I had individuals that were for and against the blog. However, there was this one person that was seemingly an advocate for the Lumberton Informer. Everytime I saw this person, he had encouraging words and would inbox me messages saying "keep up the good work", "I'm glad that you are able to tell the truth", and "we need more people like you to stand up for the city." Well, I later found out that this person was talking out of both sides of his mouth. While sending me words of encouragement, he was also blogging about the City of Lumberton. Correction, he was blogging against the statements that were being made in the Lumberton Informer. As a matter of fact, he had two blogs dedicated to tearing apart the Lumberton Informer. Someone told me of the blog some time ago but I never bothered to read the posts because I didn't want to write posts in response to what he was writing. The other day I sat down and stated reading the eleven posts (5 on one blog and 6 on the other) and it was clear who was the author of the blog. Now keep in mind, I am now on my 854th blog post and the person or persons that wanted to blog along with me managed to get eleven posts. I guess that's why they think I don't work. The fact that I have multiple screens and two cellphones at my work station allows me the ability to multitask. As I was reading over the post, I was thrown off by some of the statements because they were not true. However, it seems that the posts were written collaboratively and that could possibly be the reason why they could not continue. Before going any further, I will let you know this, I will not mention the name of the blog because I would give it relevance and possibly boost their Google search ratings. But as I was reading over the blogs, I noticed that one had four members (Lumberton Concerned Citizen, Melinda Carli, Stephanie Mullings, and Kim Madden) and the other blog had seven members. I think the latter was the original blog but both blogs have the same design and format. As a matter of fact, in one blog, the first post was "Can't Fix Idiocy". Perhaps I should have read the blog when I was first told about the new blog on the block because the author of the blog always used that phrase. Let me give you an example of what was stated in the blog.

I thought it might be about time to spend some time blogging about Lumberton myself since it seems that anyone can write anything they want to about anyone on the Internet with no serious repercussions. Well, except for maybe loss of credibility, alienation of friends and neighbors, and general ill will all around. I have chosen to remain anonymous because who says what around this place doesn't seem to matter anyway. In fact, what is said seems not to matter much either when it comes to truth, morality or legality. So by all means, let me join in. You will gather from my grammar, punctuation and thought processes that I am educated and intelligent. You will also gather that I am a citizen of Lumberton. I grew up here, I have seen the town implode over the last 30 years and it saddens me. But, in reality, Lumberton is really just a microcosm of the whole world right now, and the United States in particular. No one in power seems to have a hold on reality, nor do they seem to care about more than their own short-sighted, self-serving goals. Communities are falling apart everywhere, some just seem to be flowing down that drain alot faster than others. So, I guess a year or more ago, on the scene steps the Lumberton Informer. WOW. What straight-shooting, intelligent discourse there! All under the guise of reforming our floundering little town. But really all it has become is a back-biting, mud-slinging forum where the words and works of people who care are drowned out by people who can barely get a thought out with any real cognizance. While I do have a job and real life goals, I will attempt to post here often with my thoughts on the Lumberton Informer. Why? Because I hope that some real, meaningful social discourse will come out of it. And I hope that at some point it really aggravates the living hell out of the Lumberton Informer. I chose my name wisely, because any Internet search on the Lumberton Informer will eventually pull up this blog as well. Granted, I won't have time to spend all day, every day on this blog, or at this meeting or that meeting because, like I said, I do have a job and a life and I actually own an home. I won't have time to sit around listening to idle talk, but I am connected enough to comment on the Lumberton Informer's information and ramblings.

In another post, the blogger stated the following:

Hello and welcome to Lumbertons newest blog. This one isn't about running other people down, it's about trying to figure out what the real problems are in this city and solving them. I'm tired of watching a select few people in this town trying to rip everybody to shreds if they disagree with their view on a certian point. I use to be an avid supporter of the Lumberton Informer, but the recent posts on that blog have taken things too far. I have no use for someone who will hide behind the internet to spead lies and accusations against other people when they won't approach them to their face. We are the laughing stock of the entire state. And to say the kinds of things about another person that was said about Stephanie Mullings is inexcusable! You are not a child. If you don't want to play the kinds of adult games that are required to play to be a productive part of this city or city government, and you know who you are, TAKE YOUR TOYS AND GO HOME! Enough is enough! It's time for the concerned citizens of Lumberton to grow a backbone and start standing up for this community. Soon this will be a ghost town but everyone will always remember how WE allowed this city to be operated. Who will stand up with a Concerned Citizen?

The murmurings of his posts apparently sounded good to him because those are some of the same statements he made during his campaign for alderman. But I would like to take this opportunity to ask, when did I hide and since you are on my facebook page and follow my blog, give me some examples of when I lied. I can and will stand behind anything I have said; the operative word here is "I". The blogger went on to say that I should be held accountable for the comments posted anonymously. As you can see, there was a reference made about the city clerk, Stephanie Mullings. And that my friend is the reason why the alternate blog was created; for the protection of the white woman. For generations, that has been the root of racism and bigotry, to protect the white woman. According to Stephen Whitfield, co-author of The American Experience,

The Southern whites who believed that "lynchings protected the virtue of white women" were making several assumptions. One is that white women needed protection, that left on their own they might be intimate with black men, or would be unable to protect themselves against the advances of black men. Another is that lynchings were the consequence of rape or attempted rape, which constituted only a minority of the accusations for which this horrendous and barbaric punishment was the result. Finally there was the assumption that white women were virtuous (which was untrue in the notorious Scottsboro case, involving two white tramps or prostitutes), and that all black men furtively desired white women and would under the right circumstances assault them. White Southern men tended to believe even at mid-century that the aim of the civil rights movement was racial intermarriage, whereas the right to marry the spouse of one's choice irrespective of race was in fact the lowest item on the priorities of those seeking racial equality in the United States.

And that my friends, was the purpose of his blog. I have chosen to conceal his name but I know who he is and more importantly, he knows that I know who he. Maybe he will loose the sheet of anonymity and come forth to give his reasons behind his creation of two blogs. I can only speculate as to his true intentions. On thing for certain, you can call me a liar and say that my writings are the work of idle hands but that is far from the truth. In Lumberton, we know the truth but we don't want it acknowledged. That's the REAL Lumberton. Everyone in Lumberton is aware that Roy drives around all day, take naps whenever he want, go to the tobacco store in the city truck, and shops at Ramey's every Sunday, using City of Lumberton gas but nothing is supposed to be said. I didn't need to post pictures of him at the tobacco store; everyone already knew. We know the citizens of Lumberton like to elect individuals from out of town. It has happened time and time again. Anyone can blow into this town, rent or buy a home, and a year later they can be serving on the board of alderman. Hell, they could even serve as mayor. I am called a liar, but I'm not the one that caused the City of Lumberton to loose massive amounts of money via poor accounting practices, failure to complete grant documentation, or just mis-management. The truth is out there and you may not like my methods but if and when I am wrong, I have not problem saying so. So, welcome to Lumberton, where people will block you on facebook but use your photos as their cover photo. Welcome to Lumberton where the truth is shunned and those that smile in your face are the same ones talking behind your back. Welcome to Lumberton where alderman abuse their authority in an attempt to shut down an event that causes them to loose revenue. Welcome to Lumberton where an education does not matter, but if you just moved to this city, you can run city hall. That's the REAL Lumberton. Now to all those anonymous cowards, TAKE SEVERAL SEATS!