Editor, The Era-Leader:
Shocked and appalled is how I would describe the recent posting on Facebook about a town alderman's wife by one of the candidates running for alderman in the 2024 election.
What the poster wrote was false, but it still was hurtful to this person. It brought up circumstances that were heartbreaking and tragic and included her children. This Facebook poster obviously relied on false tales and rumors instead of facts. Shame on him.
In the June 19th edition of The Era-Leader, in the report about the town council meeting, Mayor Greg Route said, “A mudslinger should not be running -- run on your own merit.”
I agree with you, Mayor (and those who know me know I don't do that very often).
Well, Mayor, someone you know is doing the “mudslinging” and the mudslinging was directed at someone who is not running for office. The mudslinger was present at the Council meeting and obviously he didn't hear you.
This “mudslinger” is running for an alderman's seat and in my opinion his desperation is showing. This is another example of the “old-time” politics of lies that we, as voting citizens, should not allow in our political system. We, as voters, can stop candidates like this from achieving office and continuing this type of political garbage.
This mudslinging candidate has since posted that what he wrote wasn't about the alderman’s wife, but it is so obvious that apparently it was. And then he later posted an apology.
Town of Franklinton voters, if this candidate will outright lie and only recant when he is exposed, then what type of alderman will he be?
Think very hard about the candidates you will vote for in the November election.
Ben Sarro
Rural Franklinton
(Editor’s note: The person who apparently wrote the unfortunate Facebook allegation did indeed later post an apology.
Readers of The Era-Leader will be surprised to learn that Facebook is not held to the same libel standards that printed newspapers and printed magazines are held to.
Social media platforms are federally exempt at present from being legally responsible for content posted by others. Thus, you can sue someone for posting something libelous about you, but you can’t sue a social media platform for allowing the libelous post.
This is outrageous. Social media platforms need to be held to the same standard that print media is held to. We hope that at some point Congress will do something about this crazy situation that allows false and libelous content to be posted. It’s certainly not asking too much of Facebook and other social media platforms to require them to police themselves.
Meanwhile, citizens of Franklinton are well aware that the town faces many challenges in the years ahead. We need responsible elected Town officials to meet those challenges. Candidates, show us with your goodwill, your good ideas, your neighborliness, and your high standards of personal ethics that you are suitable and qualified to serve us as elected officials.)
