Mr. Bowman,
When I read your well-written article "Profanity and vulgarity diminish the Hope Mills Commission's credibility," (published July 10) I honestly couldn't agree more. Hopefully, this will help to curb some of the unprofessional and unbecoming conduct of our Hope Mills Commissioners.
I agree; this is a blatant expression of disrespect to the citizens of Hope Mills. Many residents here miss having Hope Mills news and information in your Up & Coming Weekly newspaper. Hope Mills residents and businesses need local media. Unfortunately, our most prominent source of news and information comes from social media networks, and, like most online platforms, are fueled with wild speculations, rumors, and gossip.
Lisa Carter Waring of Hope Mills manages The Chatter website, which has rules for participation, with the number one rule being: "Be kind and courteous to one another, even when you disagree. No hate speech, combativeness, or bullying will be tolerated." Well, this is not so in reality. During the last election, I and three other Hope Mills citizens attempted to promote a candidate forum for the community. Unfortunately, I was bullied, criticized, and villainized by The Chatter site postings. So much for Rule Number One! As a result, I was uninvited to participate in The Chatter and exiled from another social media site called Hope Mills Cumberland County Matters.
I was blocked by citizens with whom I had never had any conflict, all due to the nonsense put out by The Chatter. I do not doubt that if the Town of Hope Mills had its own media source, the citizens would be far better informed on local news and current events, and this unprofessional and toxic behavior would be eliminated, putting a stop to the dissemination of false information, public shaming, and hurtful criticisms within the Hope Mills community. Hope Mills desperately needs a cheerful voice to help businesses and organizations develop economically and capture the beauty and essence of Hope Mill's living.
This kind of honest media would provide our citizens and town officials with the confidence and support they need to make good decisions concerning the community. I applaud you and your staff for reporting on the activities of the government of the Town of Hope Mills. I believe this compliments the entire Hope Mills community.
Keep up the excellent work.
Cindy Hamilton
Hope Mills Resident