By now, another attack mailer from my opponent has hit Republican voter mailboxes that I heard was in development. As they say in the dark corners of political consulting, “It doesn’t have to be true. It just has to trend.”
Here are the facts about my attendance at the second Black Lives Matter rally in Benton County in June of 2020. I attended to see and hear firsthand what was being said. The Black Lives Matter movement was new, and we had never experienced activism like this in our area. I had many doubts about whether the national narrative was true here. An acquaintance encouraged me to speak to the group. I believed these protests were not an effective way to address any issues these students were marching for.
An acquaintance who knew my record of respect for everyone across the political spectrum encouraged me to speak to the group since I was there to observe. Call it an act of courage or an act of stupidity, I decided to deliver an alternative idea to protesting.
An acquaintance who knew my record of respect for everyone across the political spectrum encouraged me to speak to the group since I was there to observe. Call it an act of courage or an act of stupidity, I decided to deliver an alternative idea to protesting.
Being almost completely unfamiliar with the movement, I unknowingly marched boldly into the belly of the beast. The two organizers didn’t know me but allowed me to address the group.
I told the students that our government leaders couldn’t hear their signs and protests. I told them if they wanted to make a difference, they should share their concerns with them by phone and e-mail. They should show up at government meetings and share what is on their heart during the public forum section of our government meetings. This is the same message I’ve given hundreds of constituents during my public service.
I told the students that our government leaders couldn’t hear their signs and protests … they should share their concerns with them by phone and e-mail … and share what is on their heart during the public forum section of our government meetings.
… the same message I’ve given hundreds of constituents during my public service.
And then the wheels came off.
Before I turned to leave. I told the young activists that the rally organizers were not residents of the county (one was from Joplin) and that it was up to the students to advocate for their concerns at the local level. Apparently “outing” the organizers as “not local” caused great concern to their ability to control the narrative and organize their activism activities. They began to assume control of the crowd and called my message divisive to the movement. One organizer assumed the classic position of popping her iPhone up in my face and screaming her messaging over anything I said to her. A photo of that moment made it to the front page of the newspaper the next day.
Organizers and other adult attendees rallied the crowd to outrage. As I moved out of the crowd, a local television reporter asked me to do a quick interview — complete with angry protesters in the background. I reiterated what I told the students — engage with your local elected officials individually.
I walked back to the outer edges of the rally. More than a dozen attendees gathered around to talk more. We spent more than 30 minutes talking about concerns. I asked them specifically about their concerns and I wrote them down. I vowed that I would look into issues.
More than a dozen attendees gathered around to talk more. We spent more than 30 minutes talking about concerns. I asked them specifically about their concerns and I wrote them down. I vowed that I would look into issues.
As the crowd became more rowdy, the gentleman came over and said it would probably be safer if I left. I took his advice.
The organizers doxxed me that night. That means they put all my information — phone, email, address, etc.) on the internet and told activists to send their angry thoughts to me (many weren’t even local). Activists contacted my Facebook-connected friends and told them I was a racist for disagreeing with the movement’s method to create change. The first four days were the worst. I kept the worst of the e-mails, texts, and voice mails. Of all the messages I received, I realized only four were constituents. Four. Most didn’t even live in Northwest Arkansas. My husband and I play in a band. Members of the machine that drove the BLM rallies contacted all the venues our band were booked with and threatened to punish them if they didn’t cancel their bookings with us. Some did. Fellow musicians from the live music community unfriended me on Facebook because they feared they might also be canceled if anyone knew we were friends.
Even though, I was terrorized and inconvenienced by the aftermath, I was never physically harmed. No one every approached me in person to take me to task. It was a digital movement that operated in the shadows. The fallout activity eventually slowed. In two weeks, they doxxed another female member of the Benton County Quorum Court. Two weeks later, they doxxed a female Republican running for Washington County Quorum Court. I have heard in years since that this activity has caused women to decide against running for elected office. Perhaps this is why we only have two women today serving on the Benton County Quorum Court.
During every one of my nine campaigns, I accepted all the interviews and filled out all the candidate surveys I was invited to complete. I sit down with individuals who don’t agree with me and I lean into the conversation. This is what sets me apart from a lot of Republican candidates.
During every one of my nine campaigns, I accepted all the interviews and filled out all the candidate surveys I was invited to complete. I sit down with individuals who don’t agree with me, and I lean into the conversation. This is what sets me apart from a lot of Republican candidates.
If you are looking for an elected official who only listens to one side or to only one group of people or only to special interests, I’m not your candidate. But last time I checked, we were all taxpayers and deserved to be heard, whether it was at public forum, at a protest, or across the table at Rick’s Bakery over a piece of cake and a cup of coffee.
This is why I am running for Benton County Judge. I work for you.
