Clampitt’s Oath Keeper membership an embarrassment

Iknow Rep. Mike Clampitt, R-Swain, and he’s a likeable, personable guy whom I disagree with on a lot of issues concerning how best to govern North Carolina. Political and ideological differences, though, are healthy and make for good debate and are the cornerstone of our representative democracy. Finding common ground amid those differences is how good government works.

However, count me among those bothered by Clampitt’s membership in the Oath Keepers, a controversial far-right group whose members tend to show up heavily armed at events around the country.

Clampitt’s affiliation as an avowed member of this looseknit organization became a topic of discussion back in October when ProPublica acquired a list of the group’s members from an anonymous hacker. According to the story, published Oct. 20, Clampitt’s name appeared on a list of more than 35,000 Oath Keepers that was presented to ProPublica from its source.

The list contained Clampitt and “47 more state and local government officials … all Republicans: 10 sitting state lawmakers; two former state representatives; one current state assembly candidate; a state legislative aide; a city council assistant; county commissioners in Indiana, Arizona and North Carolina; two town aldermen; sheriffs or constables in Montana, Texas and Kentucky; state investigators in Texas and Louisiana; and a New Jersey town’s public works director.”

To Clampitt’s credit, his name being on this list was not the breaking news ProPublica made it out to be. He’s been upfront about his membership in the Oath Keepers since an interview with The Smoky Mountain News in 2014 and in voter information guides dating back to 2012.

Just last week Clampitt had this to say about the organization to The Smoky Mountain News’ Cory Vaillancourt: “I would not say it’s a militia. I never attended a meeting in the past that there was any armed participation and organized attempt to conduct any kind of paramilitary training or education. [It’s] concerned citizens that wanted to ensure that their rights aren’t infringed upon by the federal government.” Though Clampitt is obviously not intricately involved with the Oath Keepers, most in law enforcement don’t think the organization is as innocent or benign as he makes it out to be. According to the FBI — which with its staff size and investigative capacity likely are better informed than me or Clampitt or — the Oath Keepers are a “large but loosely organized collection of militia who believe that the federal government has been co-opted by a shadowy conspiracy that is trying to strip American citizens of their rights.” By one count at least 17 Oath Keepers were charged after the Jan. 6 Capitol riots with conspiring to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s electoral victory.

Clampitt and other elected leaders who claim membership lend credibility to an organization that has, at most, 30,000 members in a country with 330 million citizens. The group seeks former military, law enforcement and fire and rescue personnel as members, which — as a former firefighter — is likely how Clampitt got involved.

And since he claims membership, Clampitt will be associated with the organization’s beliefs and actions. The Center for Strategic and International Studies — whose board members include former GOP House Speaker Paul Ryan and former Richard Nixon Secretary of State Henry Kissinger — has this to say about the group: “Before their well-documented participation in the January 6 Capitol assault, the Oath Keepers were involved in several confrontations with local and federal authorities, as well as with far-left political protesters and rioters. So far, these confrontations have all been nonviolent, but the Oath Keepers’ heavily armed presence at emotionally charged and sometimes chaotic events remains a significant concern due to the potential for violence stemming from deliberate or miscalculated actions.”

Clampitt says he support the Oath Keepers fundamental beliefs about limited government, and among those beliefs is a list of “10 Orders We Will Not Obey.” So, if Congress or the state legislature, as duly elected representatives, vote to do something the Oath Keepers disagree with, will Clampitt support Oath Keepers who take up arms against what they consider an inalienable right? One can’t support and swear an oath to obey the Constitution but then make their own determination as to what exactly that oath means.

Look, we’ll always have far left and far right organizations in this country, and right now the militia movement has gained a disturbingly strong toehold in the Republican Party as defined by President Donald Trump. If this is where Clampitt wants to be, so be it. But, I for one, wish he would disavow his membership in this organization. It’s just embarrassing for his constituents and this region. (Scott McLeod can be reached at info@smokymountainnews.com.)

Scott McLeod Editor

Non-conservatives won’t accept fascism

To the Editor:

A recent letter purports to represent conservatives but contains mostly platitudes and hardly anything substantive. The writer’s mention of “questionable votes” of the 2020 election is amusing.

There have been more than 60 recounts, heavily monitored, and zero have found any fraud. Actually, many of these recounts have resulted in fewer votes for Trump, indicating much pro-Trump miscounting during the election. So the results are questionable and, along with the highly questionable January 6, point out Trump’s attempt to steal this election and establish himself dictator of our country.

If, as the writer states, conservatives will not accept socialism, I don’t believe non-conservatives will accept fascism. I agree that we are a divided nation. So, what is each side willing to give?

Maybe we could start with a democracy where everyone has the freedom to vote, whether by mail, early voting, or the ballot box. And the person getting the most votes is elected.

Paul Strop Waynesville

LETTERS

No big money from outsiders

To the Editor:

My name is Carrie McBane and I was a candidate for Town of Sylva Council 2021 in the election held just this week. I just read the letter to the editor from former candidate Luther Jones and have a couple of things I’d like to address that are of utter import to the validity of his claims and for the sake of the readership.

Mr. Jones is spouting the same misinformation this election about the supposed financial support for my campaign from Down Home NC that was spouted during the 2019 election. Let me say this one more time loud enough for those who didn’t hear me the first time, like Mr. Jones — Down Home NC (DHNC hereafter) never financially supported my personal campaign during the 2019 election. The only advertising that I paid for was business cards because I didn’t have the financial means to pay for yard signs, etc!

I worked as a part-time community organizer during that time and was never a part of DHNC’s local election campaigns, which was a focus during that election year. The actual focus was to get the rural residents to cast their vote. It was made very clear to me, via DHNC, that I could not and should not participate in any meetings or conversations that related to election matters so impartiality wouldn’t be questioned. I took that directive very seriously and still do to this date! I will not sit by and allow anyone to attach negative and false assumptions or besmirch my candidacy for the 2019 or 2021 campaign(s).

The question of outside influence and “big” money involvement in my personal campaign(s) has been bandied about like a punch line. I do not find these accusations humorous nor are they credible. There has never been nor will there ever be any impropriety in my personal campaign for Town Council.

Down Home NC ran newspaper ads in support of me and David Nestler and Greg McPherson. Are they “in” on this “outside money and influence” as well? Of course they aren’t, just like me. None of us asked for DHNC to campaign on our behalf; that was a choice decided upon by DHNC as an organization, which is their right. The negative connotations attached to grassroots organizing are unfair, belittling, demeaning, and disrespectful to the organizers who give their energy, their heart and soul, and sometimes their very lives to social, educational, criminal justice, political, and environmental reforms (just to name a few).

It’s a sign of bad faith and ignorance when you accuse someone of “big money/corporate” political collusion without actually doing your research or asking said person any questions. All I have ever asked of the residents of Sylva is to vote their conscious and feel free to ask me questions should they ever have any.

It was my honor to be a candidate regardless of the outcome. Let’s all do our part to move forward with conviction, authenticity, meaning, and compassion! Thank you for your time.

For several years, The Smoky Mountain News has partnered with the Haywood Chamber of Commerce to publish its annual magazine.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Chamber. One of our feature stories focuses on the history of commerce on Waynesville’s Main Street. It’s been a joy to dig into the past and chat with a number of business owners, many who have been around for decades.

While I’ve called Waynesville home for over 10 years, I knew very little about the origins of Main Street shops. As I interviewed merchants for the article, I learned of former establishments like The Toggery, the Open Air Curbside Market, Whitman’s Bakery, Tom’s Dairy Bar, Waynesville Hardware, Red Wing Gift Shop and others. I wish a time capsule could transport me into the past to experience those older locales during their heyday.

I grew up in Weaverville, a small Western North Carolina town similar to Waynesville. There weren’t many retail stores so for our backto-school or other types of shopping, we went to downtown Asheville. Most vividly, I remember shopping at Tops for Shoes and A Dancer’s Place. We would spend hours in Tops walking the creaky floors and looking at all the racks of shoes. A knowledgeable associate in the children’s department would measure our feet and help us find the exact shoes we needed or wanted.

A Dancer’s Place, a retail store for young dancers, was located on Patton Avenue. My sister and I would hold my mom’s hands and cross the busy streets from wherever we found parking with the goal of buying pink tights, black leotards and Capezio dance shoes for the coming season. They had a fulllength wall mirror with a ballet bar, so while my mom was checking out or talking to the sales associates, we would play around at the ballet bar practicing our positions.

The nostalgia of Main Street for many Waynesville locals and my own nostalgia of downtown Weaverville and Asheville would not exist if it weren’t for mom-and-pop stores and small town merchants. It’s impossible to conjure those emotions when shopping at Walmart or Amazon.

Since my boys were little, I’ve tried to

ensure they have experiences frolicking around any small town we can find, but especially their own. They are very accustomed to downtown Waynesville and even know some store owners by first name, such as Patricia at Affairs of the Heart. They Susanna Shetley Columnist love shopping in her store, eating lunch at Boojum, getting ice cream at 828 Market or going into Mast General to look at toys and pick out candy. The experience of writing the Chamber article reminded me how integral our small businesses are not only to our everyday economy but to the very threads that weave in and out of the American psyche and our own memories. As the holiday season rapidly approaches, consider moving away from Amazon, Walmart and other big box stores. Move toward neighbors, friends and community members who own businesses in your very own town. Do your research. Their prices are typically very similar to their chain competitors. In fact, buying local is often cheaper because you save money on shipping and handling and other unnecessary taxes and fees, not to mention the fact that your money is going back into our own economy. When I was teaching, I had seventhgrade students who had never shopped or eaten on Main Street. They held the false belief that Main Street was for tourists. It made me sad to hear this. I’ve always been a champion for my town’s merchants and have attempted to make that obvious to all people I encounter. It’s a collective responsibility to ensure younger generations carry on the tradition and obligation of supporting local businesses. Of all the ways people tout “supporting America,” this one is the most important and honorary, but is often forgotten in lieu of flashier, more selfish agendas. Let’s do the right thing and shop small. (Susanna Barbee is a writer, editor and digital media specialist for The Smoky Mountain News, Smoky Mountain Living and Mountain South Media. susanna.b@smokymountainnews.com.)

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