Post: 1,568
Way down in the deep south, in an area known as the 'Bible Belt,' there lived a Baptist minister with a very large congregation. One morning, after a particularly moving sermon, he announced, "Friends I have been hearing very nasty rumors!"
The crowd fell into an expectant silence. The Minister continued, "One of you, here among us, has been reporting that I am a member of the dreaded 'Klu Klux Klan.' This, of course, is not true! I am asking that the guilty party confess and apologize now - right here - before my flock of loyal followers."
Sister Margaret quickly stood up and pleaded, "Preacher, please, I don't know how this all came to be. I just mentioned to one of my close friends that you were a wizard under the sheets."
Our purpose this morning in publishing this humorous story is to illustrate just how easy it is to start and perpetuate false rumors.
Why friends, I can give you a recent, real-life story about how false rumors get started and how ignorant people perptuate them. I went downtown to pick get some gas and a cup of coffee at the local convenience store. A couple of my friends were waiting in line to pay. Knowing that I'm a top-notch journalist here in Hermann, they were eager to tell me their latest gossip:
Margaret: Lois, you can't believe what I heard this morning!
Me: What's that, Margaret?
Margaret: I heard that a former county commissioner came into the commission meeting this morning. He had no particular official business to discuss in the meeting. He just wanted to inquire about a "rumor" he had heard.
Joyce: Wait till you hear this story, Lois! I'm sorry for interrupting, Margaret! Please tell Lois the rest of the story.
Margaret: This is funny as hell! All the local press members were present. They were all poised to snap photos. Even Dave Marner from the Gasconade County Republican had driven up here to Hermann for the meeting. That's unusual for Marner. He doesn't attend the meetings here in Hermann very regularly.
Me: Yes, I know that. He only comes when he's been tipped off about a big controversy and when an ambush has been planned. Oooops! I'd better not say anything further!
Margaret: That's what I've heard!
Joyce: Me too!
Margaret: Well, the former commissioner asked one of the current commissioners whether the rumor about him drawing unemployment benefits was in fact true.
Lois: I think I get the picture! I'm sure I can guess the name of the former commissioner and the name of the current commissioner to whom he was addressing his question! Ha ha ha!
Margaret: The commissioner who was being grilled answered that he was not currently drawing unemployment benefits.
Me: Go on, Margaret! Then what happened?
Margaret: Well, at that point, another commissioner jumped into the obviously pre-arranged interrogation of his colleague. "I thought you told me that you were drawing benefits, just a week or so ago?!"
Me: What did the poor embattled accused say in response? Why didn't the Presiding Commissioner step in to stop this petty nonsense?!
Margaret: He said "You must be confused. I didn't say that." The Presiding Commissioner seemed impotent to redirect the meeting back to more constructive topics of legitimate county business.
Me: Then what?
Margaret: Well, the two eager inquistors looked dumbfounded and they dropped their line of questioning. Marner snapped a few photos, and the members of the press who had been summoned for the planned ambush scribbled down their stories.
Me: Oh boy! More drama at the county commission meeting, eh!? Don't suppose any real business was actually conducted, was there? Did they discuss the planning for the construction of the much needed new emergency courthouse access road? Did they discuss the county's budget problems? Did they disuss their inadequate financial accounting systems and purchasing procedures? Did Jerry give a report on what he, the Gasconade County IDA and GVEZ are doing about the county's 10.1% unemployment rate?
Margaret: Don't know? The person who told us this story didn't say anything about any real couny business getting done.
Joyce: I guess we should standby to read all about the false rumor which was brought into the county meeting by a former commissioner who had obviously conspired with others in an attempt to somehow publicly embarrass a current commissioner. Standby to see how CNL and the Gasconade County Republican report this false rumor. Reckon they'll cover this little flair up OR will they cover the real business of the county that DIDN'T get done?! Do you think the County Clerk will be so irresponsible as to actually issue official meeting minutes which include this false rumor? If she does, she will be guilty of publicly broadcasting a rumor which is false.
Me: You're right Margaret, the real story is the failure of our county commissioners to accomplish anything constructive. They're just playing their pathetic little vindictive political games. Distract the public's attentions from their own failures!
Joyce: Yeah, but false rumors can be very damaging to a person's character and reputation. People who start rumors against others need to be exposed. And those who knowingly repeat false rumors should be exposed. 'Hope you write an article exposing these individuals!
Me: I don't know. We're very busy. I'll have to check with my Editor.
Reciprocal Links: http://www.DSchaefer.Vemma.com (Nutrition For A Lifetime), http://www.Heart2HeartLyrics.blogspot.com (Song Lyrics Seeking Singer-Songwriters), http://www.HermannMoNews.blogspot.com (The 'Drudge Report' of Hermann), http://www.RivertownRecipes.blogspot.com (Great Local Recipes)
Other Recommended Links: http://www.AccuWeather.com (Weather Forecasts), http://www.DorasSpinningWheel.com (Embroidery), http://www.HermannAdvertiserCourier.com (Gasconade County's Newspaper of Record), http://www.MUTigers.com (Official Website of the Missouri Tigers), http://www.RushLimbaugh.com (Conservative Talk), http://www.Time4Pie.com (Great Pie, Coffee & Conversation), http://www.ToedtmannGrosse.com (Obituaries), http://www.WatkinsOnline.com (Watkins Natural Products)
Our new SNAKE ALARM SYSTEM has been triggered by another two angry comments in response to this posting by Joe "Little Joey" Citizen, the fictitious name of a snake who is making false accusations against a citizen of Hermann.
ReplyDelete"Little Joey" just can't get it through his thick skull that we refuse to publish and thereby amplify his false and malicious accusations.
"Little Joey", you should take your false claims to the proper law enforcement authorities rather than bringing them to us. We've checked out your story, and we believe you are pursuing some sort of personal vendetta using illegally obtained partial information and then using half-truths and innuendo to smear an innocent person.
You are a snake, and therefore we are issuing the following warning:
WARNING - Slither onto some other website. You are not welcome at Hermann Hearsay. We do not like snakes and our regular readers do not like snakes.
Jimmy Oldsun
Editor
I think this former Commissioner doesn't realize that his oppinion means nothing to anyone. He is a pawn in a little game and dumb enough to get sucked in. The sad thing is the commissoner that keeps slamming the unemployed but does nothing to bring jobs to the county. We have seen lawyer bills paid a road and new bridge on his property and who knows what else the county has paid for! For all you folks that like this keep bending over and grab your ankles. The rest of us should work hard to find jobs for our family and friends so they won't be called scum and deadbeats by this fine public servant.
ReplyDeleteWe've had another intrusion by our resident "snake', but our new SNAKE ALERT SYSTEM detected and intercepted him. "Joey", you started out threatening an innocent Hermann man, and now you are threatening me. I won't put up with your adolescent bullying. Here is your second warning after three angry, threatening comments in one day:
ReplyDeleteWARNING - Slither onto some other website. You are not welcome at Hermann Hearsay. We do not like snakes and our regular readers do not like snakes.
Get lost, "Joey"! You are becoming an angry internet stalker and there are laws against that!
Jimmy Oldsun
Editor
Thank you for "OUTING" CITIZEN JOE and the EX-Commissioner!
ReplyDeleteThe County Needs Jobs, The country Needs Jobs, yet the politician keep playing petty games and use the their PAWNS, the so-called Press, to hide their ineptness!!!
This bunch reminds me of the Porky's movie. Are they watching movies in the basement of the courthouse? I wonder which one is wearing argyle socks? What a bunch of clowns.......
ReplyDelete