“In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” – George Orwell

 Though it is debated whether or not Orwell said these infamous words attributed to him, the truth within them is no less relevant – in an age where lies are peddled as facts, propaganda is passed off as news, those who actually work to speak realities will be condemned.

Such was the case Monday night when Selma Mayor Darrio Melton, during his “State of the City Address,” berated the news media for misinforming the public – “fake news” he said, pulling a page directly from the playbook of President Donald Trump who, like Melton, has little patience for facts that don’t support his vision of reality.

While the mayor never specifically called out this publication, it can only be assumed that it was the main target of his attack as, day in and day out, this newspaper is the one carrying the news on the numerous failures of his administration.

Demeaning the value of the press is a common tactic among those who prefer to keep the populace ignorant for, as is well known, an uninformed community is one incapable of experiencing justified outrage and, therefore, easier to manipulate.

It is a fact that the mayor has refused to provide the city council with access to financial documents; it is a fact that the mayor continues to refuse to speak to the press, thereby only providing additional avenues for suspicion and distrust; it is a fact that the mayor does not attend city council meetings and is therefore unable to be held accountable by the public or their elected representatives – this is not “fake news,” it is simply a reality that the mayor would prefer we not discuss.

As journalists, we do not work in hearsay or gossip, we work with facts and research and the lived experiences of those in the communities we serve across the nation – that these facts paint a picture the mayor would prefer the city not see is neither the fault or the concern of any reputable news agency.

Rather than slander those who present the news to the public, those whose trade is protected by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, the mayor would do well to adopt a commitment to transparency and accountability, as he claimed he would when elected, both of which are demanded by the people of this city and the lack of which continues to embarrass the citizens of Selma.

If you don’t like the news, make new headlines – just as we report on the failures, we report on the successes.

However, to date, those successes have been few and far between and the silence from city hall only delegitimizes that entity’s standing – not the standing of the people’s local news source.