After learning that information of the incident would soon become public I went to a local Pinckneyville watering hole. I watched and listened as talk was regarding anything but what it was about to become. Then, as if someone had flipped a switch, cell phones began chiming like Christmas bells at dusk. The critical mass of people hearing the news had been reached and word was spread.
I listened to reactions of dismay. “No way,” “Oh my God,” “You’ve got to be kidding?”
They were predictable reactions and ones I shared hours earlier. What I wasn’t prepared for is what happened next as the patrons became divided by those, like I, who sorrowed for the sheriff and his family and others who seemed to celebrate the potential fall of a man.
As an elected official and person of authority, the sheriff is going to have his proponents and detractors. Public office is a nasty sandbox in which to play. What I couldn’t understand about the “high fivers” was why they relished the news?
As expected, tasteless jokes, puns and metaphors were quickly thought up to summarize the alleged incident. Admittedly, I laughed at the creativity of the gallows humor because I can’t resist a good one liner myself even though I felt uneasy about it.
That aside, I immediately logged on to Facebook when I returned home. It was filled with postings of more distasteful comments, disconcert and empathy. It was also replete with links sharing the story about the incident from other news sources from near and far. With all these tools of communication I saw firsthand how the world has indeed become smaller.
The next morning I found nothing new in terms of information in the papers, but satchels of more innuendo on the street. I also noticed county officials would initially not respond to media inquires about the reports. As a journalist, I always believe this is an ill-advised strategy usually driven by legal counsel.
A “no comment” or no call back translates to a message of a covered up or, more accurately in this case, that the officials were so ill-prepared and overwhelmed, they don’t know how to respond. Either way, the county board owes the public a statement lest a situation it did not create becomes one in which suspicion is aimed at them. (Hear that, city?) The question becomes: does such misconduct, if proven true, warrant dismissal?
By evening, the sheriff’s lawyer did talk to the Du Quoin Call with a “pay no attention to the man behind the curtain” answer.
“What’s this (charge) got (sic) to do with his job?” he said.
Well, since he asked, I think it is very pertinent. If the charge proves true, one wonders how effective the sheriff can be in leading his office and executing his duty. It also demonstrates a severe lack of judgment on his part and a degradation of credibility by our top law enforcement officer. (It pains me to write this as I truly like the man.)
Without being graphic, it is known that the sheriff was caught in an alleged sexual encounter with another man. The question I ask is, “Would the reaction been different if he was with a woman other than his wife?”
Alas, we seem to forgive such acts of infidelity when it is heterosexual. Remember the revered local high school basketball coach who was briefly sent to Coventry only to be re-elevated to a position of stature? Or, how about a president who frolicked in the White House without a wrinkle of ramification?
Granted, the circumstances are different, but because the sheriff has a family, no one expected such alleged conduct from him. But if we are to be tolerant of alternative lifestyles, then why should we hold this suspected misdeed to a different standard than one between a man and a woman? That is, of course, if we are tolerant.
I hope the family can begin to heal quickly. I also hope they can block out the jokes and humiliation that will inevitably continue to be perpetuated by the ignorant. It won’t be easy, but they are a strong family.
And, to those who continue the hurtful banter I say, be brave enough to peer into the deep, dark truthful mirror to examine your warts close up before you cast more stones. At least keep the comments to yourself.
