Editor’s Note: The comments in this article are the opinion of Bishop Michael Goings and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Dillon Herald.
Perhaps the most appropriate way to begin this column today is with this incredibly famous and relevant saying from William Shakespeare: “The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones.”
On the night or perhaps the early morning before I awakened to begin my daily chores and objectives for the day, I received an alarming and disturbing phone call about something that someone had posted on social media or a fictious Facebook® page.
This posting by an anonymous, slanderous, and cowardice source had already gone viral attracting over ten thousand viewers by the time I got wind of it from the person who called me.
Not only did it alarm and disturb me, but it also interrupted my tranquil sleep and caused me to be visited by the ghost of dirty politics and memories of elections past that Dillon County has become infamous for throughout the state of South Carolina.
Just when it appeared that we were overcoming our dubious political reputation and slogan of “Quietly Progressing” into actually fulfilling our new slogan of “Coming Alive on 95,” here it comes again.
It seems that the evil that men do actually lives after them and in a very mysterious way has a negative effect on posterity and proceeding generations.
Given the facts and historical aspects that speaks to the reality of Dillon County’s past and present political climate and culture, I want to proceed to unmask the sinister and perhaps misguided force or person(s) that dared to use and weaponize social media as a vehicle to drive home their point and obvious vendetta against various political people, both deceased and living.
Regrettably, although what they presented perhaps could have (in the opinion of some) an inkling of facts contained in it, the manner and motivation of how and why they put it on social media right before a run-off election must be given some serious consideration.
Before I proceed any further, let me say to those who are behind the scheme and insulting the intelligence of the citizens of Dillon County, by hiding behind the infamous hacking group, Anonymous. This group is too concerned with bigger targets, places, and people of fame and power to involve themselves with a small, southern county, like Dillon.
At the end of the day, it seems obvious that the perpetrators of this sham are people with close ties to Dillon County.
Now, let us consider the way this social media phenomenon (that is exponentially growing in viewership) was done. The following questions need to be answered:
• Was it presented in a courageous, non-intimidated, non-apologetic manner without fear of favor toward anyone?
• Was it presented with a real name of endorsement ascribed to it or behind a guise of anonymity?
If the obvious answer to both questions is no (as I believe), then it fails the acid test of being credible and reliable information worthy of consideration and acceptance.
Though it may contain some information that perhaps could be accurate, the presenter’s lack of boldness and sheer cowardness has rendered it suspect and unreliable to people like myself who believe in signing your name to your gripes and complaints about others regardless of who they are.
The protection of remaining anonymous, like whistleblowers are assured under the law, does not apply here.
A whistleblower is one who blows the whistle on an employer or someone who is over them professionally and is breaking the law.
Again, the way this thing was put on social media was not done in a legitimate and proper way and should not be taken seriously by people of prudence and fairness.
Secondly, let us consider the motivation behind why the person or persons put this mess on social media that must be classified as mudslinging, slander, and character or reputation assassination.
Again, since I do not indulge my eyes and ears to such gossiping and negative information whether in person or through this medium or any other media, I must go off the information that was given to me. As I gave much thought and analysis to the entire matter, it became crystal clear that even as the way the person or persons presented their information was wrong, so too were their motives.
In situations like this, motives are everything and the driving force behind what we all do, whether good or bad.
The Scriptures emphatically assure us that God, who sees and knows everything about all of us, weighs the motives and what is in the heart above the action (Proverbs 16:2). He is more concerned with why we do what we do than He is about what we do because the why will always determine the what.
In light of this divine principle of determining man’s character and actions as well as hidden agendas, although I do not know who did it and perhaps do not want to know their true identity, in my honest opinion, their motives smelled of dishonesty, deception, and the manipulative attempt to sway the voters in this run-off election away from some candidates who they oppose towards others they support and endorse.
Since the election will be over by the time this article appears in my column on Thursday (today), no one can truthfully accuse me of trying to affect the election outcome that took place on Tuesday.
In all fairness, this piece today is just an attempt to bring some awareness to the dirty politics of Dillon County that started many decades ago and how there is a resurgence of it due to the advent of social media.
These things (although very constructive and very positive when used to the well-being of the community and citizenry) can be nevertheless divisive and destructive when used to spew venomous slander, gossip, and character assassination against others. I will close with these words from the Judge of the whole earth who we all will give an account to one day: “Whoso privily (secretly) slandereth his neighbors, him will I cut off (destroy)” (Psalm 101:5).
