North Carolina Air National Guard hauls over 100,000 pounds of supplies from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in a C17 to Western North Carolina as a part of Hurricane Helene support. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Maj. Monica Ebert)
“Turn that garbage off…get off Facebook and get out there and put on a pair of boots and pair of gloves and get to work.”
Those were the eloquent words last week of Bill Wilke — the Republican sheriff of hard hit Haywood County — in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
Wilke was responding to the ridiculous rumors and conspiracy theories being circulated by disturbed individuals and deeply cynical politicians who have falsely alleged that relief efforts were being targeted at certain areas based on partisan political concerns.
Some of these allegations were simply blatant lies – like Donald Trump’s claim that relief was being denied to quote “Republican areas” — while others were downright insane – like the loony claim that federal officials had used some sort of secret weather control technology to direct the storm.
Indeed, it’s hard to know what’s worse: that someone would promote such delusional ideas or that others would actually fall for them.
The bottom line: Sheriff Wilke was absolutely right. The conspiracy theories are B.S. Leaders of both major parties should keep saying so.
For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield.