The Real Reason Why The Tobacco Valley News Attacks Sheriff's Candidate Bill Clark

The Real Reason Why The Tobacco Valley News Attacks Sheriff's Candidate Bill Clark

by Brandon Smith, a resident of Lincoln County  9 23 14

Maybe you care about politics and maybe you don't. Maybe you care about the Lincoln County Sheriff's election and maybe you've never thought about it. In my experience, most people WANT to care about government issues and problems, but they feel that the process has become such an insulting piece of theater that they have given up on the whole system. On a daily basis we see mismanagement, corruption, apathy, and often pure stupidity from elected officials and representatives. To top it off, every new election cycle we get to choose from the same batch of miscreants from the “good ol' boys club” as the last election cycle. We are taught to vote strictly official party line, and never to deviate because the “other team” might win, but this hasn't been working out for the average citizen considering both teams are becoming more and more alike in their rhetoric and their actions.

The common American is continuously reduced in value and influence over his own surroundings, his own community, and his own nation. Whenever we entertain the notion of a break from the status quo, we are attacked, and this is where I hope Lincoln County residents will finally take a stand.

I have witnessed numerous local elections with dirty politics on display, but never quite to the degree common when a candidate runs as a defender of the Constitution. It has become clear to me and many others that the establishment (the select few people who benefit from the otherwise negative conditions of our country) simply will not tolerate even the presence of a constitutional candidate, and they will do ANYTHING within their power to make sure such candidates suffer a destruction of their character. This problem could not be more apparent than it is in the treatment of sheriff's candidate Bill Clark by local media rag, the Tobacco Valley News.

In a recent article you may have read, the newspaper published one of the most dishonest and libelous hatchet jobs I have ever seen.

It is one thing to have an honest disagreement with the views of a political personality; it is by far another thing to use false associations and outright lies in order to discredit that person in a slobbering frenzy of yellow journalism.

First and foremost, the Tobacco Valley News apparently decided not to credit the name of the author to the article. Whenever a writer is too cowardly to place his or her name on a hit-piece attacking the reputation of another individual, this is a sure sign that the validity of the article is questionable. By writing anonymously, the “journalist” never has to answer any specific questions about the attack. They never have to answer for false statements. And, they never have to present evidence to back the claims listed in the piece.

I could, for example, state that “some people” think that the editors of the TVN are puppy killers with a penchant for sparking forest fires, and if I refused to represent myself honestly with a real name, the reader would be forced to either take me at my word, or not. But, they would always have that unanswered question in their mind, and retain suspicion for TVN when there was none before.

The primary brunt of the attack revolved, of course, around the inclusion of Pastor Chuck Baldwin at Bill Clark's ice cream social meet and greet. The “source” of TVN's negative information on Baldwin was cited as the Montana Human Rights Network, an extreme left wing propaganda front group posing as a “hate watch” institution. I can only suggest that since the TVN took the claims of the MHRN at face value (and published them without supporting evidence) that the Tobacco Valley editors and staff must be leftist in their views as well.

I happen to know Chuck Baldwin personally, and I can say with authority that none of the accusations made by the Montana Human Rights Network or TVN are true. I have never met a white supremacist attending Baldwin's church. In fact, his church has parishioners of every racial background, which would be rather distracting for white supremacists, I imagine. Chuck has, time and time again, stated his adamant opposition to any form of broad-brush hate group or philosophy. He has been saying this openly for years, with literally hundreds of web videos as proof. So, when MHRN and TVN disregard this fact and continue to slander Chuck Baldwin, you should be compelled to ask what their agenda really is?

For years there has been a concerted effort by leftist groups to hijack all meaningful discussion of unconstitutional actions by labeling pro-constitution activists as “racist”. I don't know about you, but I am beyond disgusted with the constant use of the race card when dealing with such people. When can we get to the real issues facing our county and our nation? Why are TVN and others so desperate to steer the debate with baseless character attacks rather than meeting constitutionalists on fair ground to discuss factual issues?

The article also claims that Baldwin's church preaches an “apocalyptic anti-government religion”. I've never heard Chuck talk about “apocalypse” except to admonish religious nihilists who think that the world around us is not our responsibility because they believe the “end is near”. Also, Baldwin's Liberty Fellowship is not “anti-government”, but they ARE anti-corruption. There is a difference; a difference which I doubt the Tobacco Valley News has the inclination or the intelligence to acknowledge.

The TVN reiterates what it sees as an unhealthy disregard for the “separation of church and state” within Baldwin's sermons. Hilariously, TVN and its sources seem to think that “separation of church and state” means that a church should not be allowed to discuss political issues as they pertain to biblical values. Whether you are a religious person or not, I think it is safe to say that most of us agree that freedom of speech is a paramount value. Freedom of speech does not stop at the doors of your local church. What is wrong with a church group discussing the state of their society and government? This is what churches did from the very birth of America. Only recently has such church participation in politics become “taboo”.

I know several people who attended the God And Country Conference mentioned in the article as well, and NONE of them witnessed a “book burning” as described by TVN. Where does TVN's animosity for religious expression come from? I wish I could ask the writer who brought us this unfortunate slash-and-burn journalism, but again, they have chosen to remain anonymous.

What about the accusation of police and judges being threatened? What police? What judges? Who specifically made the threats? Where is all of this information coming from? Where is the evidence? Did the Tobacco Valley News staff simply pull all of this from their collective posterior? I think so...

We all know elections get nasty. Some people like it that way, as if it's a spectator sport. That's fine. But when all is said and done, and whether we like it or not, there are consequences for us all depending on how these elections go. It's not just a game.

For example, incumbent Roby Bowe says that he would rather cooperate with the Federal Government on all issues pertaining to Lincoln County, as if there is no clash of interests between the two entities. But what about Montana's lumber industry? What about the Federal Government's refusal to properly handle or dismiss frivolous lawsuits by hardline environmental groups, preventing resource utilization on forest service land? Doesn't this affect Lincoln County? How many tangible jobs have disappeared in this area in the past two decades? Isn't a moderate timber industry reasonable? Shouldn't the people of Lincoln County be allowed to decide how to use the land?

What would happen if Lincoln County one day said “enough is enough”, and let the saw mills run again whether the federal government liked it or not? Who would the feds go to first to stop this development? Well the sheriff, obviously...

And what would Roby Bowe do in response? Look at it this way; Robbie Bowe so far has not been honest enough or man enough to publicly denounce the Tobacco Valley News' unjust treatment of Bill Clark, and he seems to have no problem with having the far left Montana Human Rights Network in his corner, so what do you think he would do? He would cave in and step aside, or he would help them outright. Some people might think that this is what any sheriff would do, but they would be wrong.

In Nye County, Nevada in 2003, Constitutional Sheriff Tony Demayo defended ranchers being harassed by the Bureau of Land Management, which was attempting to steal cattle and remove water rights in order to drive off landowners. Sherrif Demayo sent in his own SWAT team to defend the ranchers, even after the federal government threatened to arrest him. The BLM retreated, and the ranchers were saved.

What would Roby Bowe do in that situation? By his own previous admissions and attitude, he would sell out the farmers. Ask yourself, is this the kind of sheriff that you want? Maybe you feel that the situation in Lincoln County is fine the way it is and that you are unaffected, but will it always be that way? If the tide were to turn and Lincoln County was facing great hardship, wouldn't you want a sheriff that respects your constitutional rights, even if he has to take personal risks to defend them?

I have heard that a third candidate for Lincoln County Sheriff has suddenly materialized out of the fog in the past couple days. I don't know anything about him, but I do know that it is common for political gamers to introduce a third-wheel candidate when a constitutionalist is running successfully. This third candidate usually boasts of his own constitutional background, and divides the vote in favor of the incumbent. To me, this action means the good ol' boys club is afraid of Bill Clark. They fear him, and attack him, because he is not a part of the club, and that is his best of many qualifications in my opinion.

If you are one of the few who are perfectly happy with the status quo, then by all means, vote for Roby Bowe. If not, then why not stop the incessant apathy, lies, and manipulations, and step outside the box Lincoln County has been placed in? Why not ensure that you will have an ally to defend your liberties if and when the time comes? If you are a true conservative, then you are a constitutional conservative, and you have an opportunity, an infinitely rare opportunity, to make your county a pro-constitution county, where petty bureaucracy no longer holds sway.

I myself am not a big fan of traditional politics or elections, however, I do believe we have to take a chance, at least on the local level, to try to create a better path than we are on. I think that the animosity shown towards Bill Clark actually makes him the best man for the job. When in doubt, do the exact opposite of what the good ol' boys club wants you to do...

Regards,

Brandon Smith, a resident of Lincoln County

brandon@alt-market.com