Be prepared for misinformation, disruption and violence

The County Compass is a tabloid-sized weekly publication distributed free to Pamlico, Beaufort, Craven, Jones and Carteret Counties. It claims to offer “360 degrees of thorough and honest news coverage – furnished FREE to thousands of loyal readers every week.”  The truth is that it is about 90 percent ads and any editorial content is so far to the right as to make Atilla the Hun look liberal.
 
The issue for September 12-16 caught our attention. On page 15 and bleeding over to page 16 is a big article for the 2ndAmendment Patriots of North Carolina. We assume it was a paid ad, however it is not identified as such. 
 
There is a slug in a box within the message showing the County Compass logo. The group further identifies itself with the Pamlico County GOP and the ad was published within the Pamlico GOP website. 
 
In a big bold box heading the ad is the slogan “If you want peace, prepare for war.” 
 
The message attempts to connect the modern-day group to colonial militiamen, reminding readers that men between 16 and 60 were required to train regularly. It urges gunowners to stock up on ammo, get to the range and practice, claiming that protecting freedom is their job today.
Unwritten, but implied, is the message that if this election doesn’t turn out right, with Trump winning, there will be violence and bloodshed.
 
In 2023, the Southern Poverty Law Center identified 50 hate and anti-government groups in our state. Twelve have a statewide footprint. But there is only one legal militia in North Carolina – The North Carolina National Guard.
 
“Be prepared” appears to be a common theme of these groups. All North Carolinians would be well advised to heed this warning.
 
The misinformation campaign since Hurricane Helene struck our state has grown to such proportions that federal officials have joined Governor Cooper and leaders from both political parties in warning people not to listen to the lies. Trump has been the genesis of many of the lies about disaster response. Marjorie Taylor Greene is posting garbage saying the National Weather Service and meteorologists can control the weather. Because of malicious and fallacious social media posts federal officials who are trying to help have received threats in at least two counties. 
 
Already we see attempts trying to discredit and disrupt our elections. The State GOP filed a lawsuit trying to get 225,000 registered voters thrown off the rolls. Another lawsuit from them claims the state is not canceling the voting registration of persons who refuse to serve on a jury because they aren’t a citizen. The State Board of Elections vehemently denies this claim. Republicans are challenging absentee ballots that aren’t sealed in the proper envelope…there are two envelopes enclosed with the ballot. They are also challenging ballots of overseas voters born in our state but who aren’t living in our state. And the most preposterous of their claims is that Helene was merely an attempt to steal the election. 
 
Some of the polling places in the western part of the state no longer exist and The State Board of Elections is doing all they can to ensure western voters are able to cast their ballots. It could only benefit Republicans if they helped instead of trying to disrupt. A close look at voting trends shows these western counties are almost solid red Republican. 
 
And we need to be prepared for interference in polling places.
 
We’re told outcomes might be learned later than election night this year to assure votes are accurately reported. It might take a week before the final presidential outcome is known. Our State Board of Elections has implemented rigorous procedures to ensure votes are recorded and tallied accurately, however they are also preparing for a barrage of expected challenges.
 
Donald Trump has intimated that if he doesn’t win there might be bedlam. In an April Time magazine article, Trump, when asked about possible violence said, “If we don’t win, you know, it depends.” In another interview he said, “If everything’s honest, I’ll gladly accept the results. If it’s not, you have to fight for the right of the country.” 
 
Trump has never thought any election he was involved in was honest. He’s never accepted the results. Not with Hilary Clinton. Not with Joe Biden. And he won’t with Kamala Harris. He is still claiming the 2020 contest was rigged.
 
Are we so gullible, so partisan and mistrustful that truth no longer matters? Can we not understand that these deliberate misinformation campaigns are designed to cause us to lose faith in all institutions? What happens when we no longer trust anyone? 
 
Is it too late to stand up for the values that we once held dear? I cannot believe that lies and misinformation, that authoritarians who divide us, and that fairness and justice no longer matter. 
 
What has happened to us?
 
Tom Campbell is a Hall of Fame North Carolina broadcaster and columnist who has covered North Carolina public policy issues since 1965.  Contact him at tomcamp@carolinabroadcasting.com