Sheriff Shannon Zeman
Saddened me this week when I listened to a local elected official go on a rant about Floyd County Sheriff Shannon Zeman’s decision to appear in a television ad endorsing Senator Mark Warner’s re-election bid against questionable, and corrupt, Ed Gillespie.
This official, a Republican, claimed Zeman “violated an oath” he signed to promote Republican candidates and, apparently, only Republicans, over others who might actually do something unique like represent the area they serve.
Zeman, it seems, is expected to sign such an oath from the GOP since he is a Republican who holds an office.
As a former GOP operative at the national level for a number of years, I’m familiar with that so-called “oath.” It’s one of those political propaganda items that comes out of narrow minds that promote politics over real representation and places the wishes of the party over the real needs of an area that an elected official is elected to serve.
As a resident who lives in Floyd County, and who votes for local officials like Sheriff Zeman, I was delighted to see him place recognition of real public service over political propaganda. It distresses me that another elected official feels the sheriff, somehow, violated some non-biding “oath” over the needs of the community.
Such lockstep adherence to such pious political policies raises questions about that official’s abilities to property serve as a representative in our community.
Blind adherence to politics over principle is a major problem with so-called “representative” government in our nation today. When decisions are required based on political, not practical, reasons, it cheapens the process and undermines our theory and practice of government that is supposed to be “of the people, for the people and by the people” instead of by “the whim of political pressures.”
Sheriff Zeman deserves applause and respect for his actions. The critic who claimed he “violated his oath’ deserves distaste for putting politics over everything else.
You said it…
Well said!
I, for one, would like the name of the elected official who “ranted.” Am I alone?
Always knew Shannon walked his own path. Shame both parties use an oath. When will the far right and left learn that there are way more people in the middle than on each end.
More conservatives who don’t actually read the Bible, apparently.
“But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” -Matthew 5:34-37
Seems Shannon was a hot topic at local GOP meeting. It looks as if they don’t think he should run on their ticket next time and are looking for another. One day they will learn that just because Gillespie is the republican it didn’t make him the best person for the job.
Wow…so sad that because he chose to support Warner he is deemed by the local GOP as not a good Sheriff because that is what that says..”we want a oath taker over a good sheriff”…now that is crazy. I work for the man and I can tell you that he is as good of a sheriff as he was 2 months ago….Here’s my opinion to the GOP…Happy Shopping because I just don’t think you will find a better Sheriff…(disclaimer…This is MY opinion)
Well said Jeff.
When you swear an oath, you subordinate your role as a human being with an intellect and free will. I agree with the scripture quoted that this should ONLY be done before the Divine Being and even that is an act of free will.