Implication. Intimidation. Inaccurate Information

Strategies of Wayne Gay’s campaign

We’re continuing our discussion of the WRAL interview on Friday, where Wayne Gay publicly accused Woodard's supporters of handing out “pamphlets” that could divide the community down racial lines. Gay’s comment should be taken as an insult intended to disrespect and sully the integrity of the African-American citizens of this community.

Truth be told, throughout this campaign Wayne Gay and his supporters have insinuated activities in the African American community were designed specifically for political purposes to intentionally exclude him. This latest offense of openly accusing citizens of dividing the community requires a closer look at what’s really going on behind the scenes. And since Mr. Gay brought the race issue to the table – let’s talk about it.

Gone are the days where citizens who reside on the east side of Wilson sit idle during a campaign season and not voice their opinions openly and freely. Constitutionally speaking, each and every citizen in THIS city and in THIS county have the freedom and the liberty to share their thoughts with fellow neighbors, family and friends. And there’s nothing you can do about that Mr. Gay – BUT … DO YOUR JOB… to obey the law, and uphold it as it is written.

Gone are the days where citizens who reside on the east side of Wilson are not paying attention to what you and other local ELECTED officials are and are not doing in and for our communities. We are paying attention and we are observing the activities and lack thereof of active solutions that directly address the needs in our neighborhoods.

It is evident, based on your actions and your comments you have no clue as to what’s going on in this community. Citizens’ have rallied together for the betterment of this community to inform ourselves as to the operations of this city and county as it concerns WE, THE PEOPLE.

Our grassroots effort has championed neighbors, friends and foes to unite and join forces to make this side of town and this city and this county a better place for all people as you say to live, work and raise our children.

In an attempt to smear and malign the communities effort and the works of the citizens in East Wilson, you falsely accused the Wilson Police department of using their citizen all-call system to endorse your challenger.

Additionally, you falsely accused a neighborhood association group of purposely misleading the WPD by requesting the call be placed. Your actions insinuated it was a deliberate act on the part of the association group to get citizens to the meeting to endorse a particular candidate. You “assumed” since you were not a part of the program that evening and your challenger was it was conspired by the group to make it look as if the WPD was making an endorsement.

Your way of thinking, which borders suspicious and devious created “a perception” in this city and community that was not true. Based on what YOU and your supporters thought. The meeting announcement was also placed in the community section of the local newspaper. Did its presence in the paper qualify it to be the same? An endorsement by the Times for your challenger?

Your conclusion was ”inaccurate information”. The association meeting was tentatively being planned in January several months prior. Your challenger requested to attend the meeting whenever it was finalized.

Your challenger knew we held neighborhood association meetings as he had participated in a community meeting back in the fall of 2008.

Your challenger made an effort to reach out to the neighborhoods in this community to address the citizens and expressed his concern for the issues plaguing the community. We can’t say you have actively participated in any neighborhood association meetings in our area. If you had we would have heard and known about it.

The citizens’ all-call system is a community policing tool used by all neighborhood associations in this city to inform the citizens when a community meeting is being held in their area. Nothing new. Nothing out of the ordinary. And the WPD has never asked for and is not aware of the particulars or the “agenda” of the neighborhood meetings.

Ordinarily, WPD representatives are present at the meetings if requested or if there is information they need to share with the citizens about criminal or suspicious activity within the community.

At this particular meeting Mr. Gay, the WPD came to share information about the newly named Lt. who would be commanding the district. And the Chief had the opportunity to say thank you and good bye to the community he’d been working with very closely for the past few years.

This neighborhood association meeting was not conspired to be a political assembly designed to endorse anyone. Contrary to the complaint you made to the City of Wilson and the WPD.

Your actions and your accusations single-handedly manipulated the system, so much so, that you required an apology be made by the WPD based on a “perception” that was not true. I suppose that would be part of your “Proven Experience” demonstrated by your influence to have what you want done when you want. That attitude also garners “Proven Entitlement” on your part. Be ye right or Be ye wrong.

The headline read Wilson Sheriff’s race raises questions of race, favoritism. On Friday, Gay who is white, accused Woodard’s supporters of handling out pamphlets that could divide the community down racial lines.

Again, another case of “inaccurate information” initiated and circulated by you. What you called a pamphlet is actually a community newsletter that keeps the citizens and community informed of local news, events and politics. Circulation of this newsletter did not start when you learned about it. And you’ve only learned of its existence during this election. And we dare say, if it had not been such a season, you would not have known about the newsletter at all. Your presence is not in our communities like that Mr. Gay. Perhaps if you were more accessible you would have known this.

The publisher of the newsletter is not directly affiliated with the Woodard campaign. Regardless of who they desire to endorse. The publication is not an official part of Woodard’s campaign as you have declared. It will continue to be distributed throughout the community even after the campaign is over.

Again, we’re back to the issue of freedom of speech and the right of an individual or group to freely speak what they want. Your false accusations with intent to intimidate can no longer dictate to this community the course of actions that you personally want accomplished.

Let’s say it again one more time, the lies and un-truths you’ve formulated to be a smoke screen to manipulate the voting process in the African American community as you once did no longer exists “ GONE ARE THE DAYS”. Mr. Gay, nobody is trying to keep up with the Joneses anymore.

Deviant minds think of deviant things such as what you’ve suggested, Mr. Gay. Ingenious, it would have been if it had been true.

Fortunately, everybody doesn’t think as you do Mr. Gay. That mindset is for those who manipulate the system. For those whose actions are rooted in deception which usually leads to corruption and conflicts of interest with questionable motives. That’s your legacy, Mr. Gay.

“Proven Experience or Proven Entitlement.”