As both a Pastor and an elected Judge in Cherokee County, I have a personal belief and practice that everyone should be treated with respect and dignity until they prove that they are not worthy of it. The most disheartening aspect of that conviction is that others do not necessarily share it. Being a judicial officer is unpopular, and is definitely an underpaid, overly demanding, and exceptionally difficult job. Yet it requires the greatest character and patience when dealing with a challenging environment. The most challenging of which is working around the disrespect, discourtesy, and rudeness of the Cherokee County Commissioner’s Court.

Most elected officials in the county find the unenviable need to go to the Commissioner’s Court sporadically to address needs for the administration and function of their public service office. Not only are their jobs very difficult, understaffed, and underpaid, but they certainly deserve better than being degraded and treated rudely by arrogant, power-hungry despots. Given time, the longer the term, the more hateful and despotic they become.

It would be in the interest of every voter in Cherokee County to sit in the Commissioner’s Court meeting and witness first hand the disgusting way that fellow public servants are treated. As I myself have had to do many times, going before them is something that takes long hard preparation, and prayer that God will give you grace and dignity to be able and put up with their demonic attitudes. I can only imagine the retaliation that I will face for this expression of my freedom of speech. But even that will further prove their hateful corruption.

Now I do not expect that the Commissioners should give a blank check to whomever comes before them. After all they have the sole responsibility of controlling the purse strings of the County coffers. They truly love to spend our tax dollars on what they want at their own whim and fancy, but let some other elected official stand to make a request for a better way to serve their constituents then they belittle, argue, criticize, castigate, and condescend to their corrupt heart’s content. Whether or not they disagree with another elected official’s method of administrating their own office is irrelevant. They do not have the legal authority to micro-manage, and they certainly do not have the moral authority to condemn.

I, as a tax paying voter, call upon the voters of Cherokee County to say "enough is enough" where government abuse is concerned. For far too long the voters have avoided their responsibilities in watching over the local government. Only a few turn out for municipal elections, and only slight few more concern themselves with county politics. Over 150 years of corrupt political domination of Cherokee County has caused us to have ingrained tolerance of the County "Boss" mentality, and have let these men - who could not possibly hold a real job outside of elected office - run the county into the ground, and then use their supposed power to abuse those who dare stand before them. Like gods on Mount Olympus, they wield power with hate.

The TEA parties held across the nation, and our local communities, established the fact that many, of all political tastes, are upset with the way government has abused us. Not only are taxes an issue, but demoralizing abuse by power hungry tyrants should be on the forefront of our minds. We should not let the energy die down, which is exactly what they want. These tyrants will be campaigning for re-election in the coming months, and this is the time to replace them and send them to the unemployment lines where so many other abused tax-payers have found themselves. Remove and Replace your County Commissioners, because only we as voters can take the blame for the continued abuses and disrespect that they give. As I mentioned, I believe that everyone should be treated with respect and dignity until they prove unworthy of it. And these Commissioners and proven their unworthiness time and again. The abuse must stop here.

James Morris

Pastor: New Hope Baptist Church, Jacksonville

Justice of the Peace, Pct. 3 Cherokee County