Two Individuals - Lightening Rods to Debate

What’s Alamogordo’s favorite hobby? To Use social media and let’s tear each other apart.

Alamogordo has two individuals that the community lives to watch, like a driver who slows to look at the wreck on the side of a road. 

Alamogordo has two individuals that spark debate and discussion because they seem to be people that follow their own path. Each has followers that are loyal and faithful, and each are lightening rods to public comment.

One is a conservative Republican, and deeply committed Trump advocate. The other a moderate Republican activist in the arts.

The political establishment and the business community has used both individuals for political and business gain, and then the establishment of politics and business has turned on each of them.
Couy Griffin was the love child of the Republican political establishment, and then when they could not control him or his actions, they turned on him, and they dropped him like a hot potato. The establishment jumped on his celebrity, tagged along in the glow and his national attention, and yet, when Griffins’s star dulled, they celebrate in glee with his every stumble. 

Chris Edwards was once the darling of the creative arts community and liberals of local Democratic Party leadership. Edwards a registered moderate Republican, the Democratic leadership felt it could manipulate to its advantage, certain business owners jumped on his band wagon, enjoyed the glow of good press associated with him, and then turned on him when he didn’t jump at their beck and call and when he admitted seeking mental health care and treatment.

Couy Griffin and Chris Edwards should be best friends. Each march to their own beat, champion their beliefs and have an equally loyal following of those that love them and those that hate them.

Couy Griffin challenged the political establishment, championed an agenda of the former president and fought for what he believes is a corrupt political establishment. Love his methods and rhetoric, hate his methods and rhetoric; he is consistent in fighting and speaking for what he believes in. Rather right or wrong he is committed to his beliefs. Mr. Griffin is a proud, passionate and nice fellow.
Mr. Griffin wants to see the best in others and because of that naivety he attracts others that use him, then turn on him, then celebrate his stumbles.

Mr Edwards has engaged and challenged this community to be better, prouder and more tolerant and inclusive. Those that hate him apply a scarlet letter of F to his chest and anytime they disagree with him they remind others he was once a white collar felon. They cannot stand the good he champions, their goal is to always attempt to discredit him due to errors in judgment of his past. For all the good he has created on behalf of business owners, being a proponent for creating opportunities for ex-felons employment at Goodwill Industries in California or locally he wears a scarlet letter in the minds of some locals. For 3 years, he has championed a revolution in the creative arts community, and yet members of that same community, and members of the Democratic Party leadership, scorn his very presence in the Alamogordo community.

Mr. Edwards wants to see the best in others and because of that naivety he attracts others that use him, then turn on him, then celebrate his stumbles.

Mr Griffin, this past weekend was arrested and stumbled via an overreaction to a civil complaint. And yet again he drives conversations, media attention and social media dialog.

Mr Edwards, has been attacked by a campaign of innuendoes, rumors and accusations via a whisper campaign in recent months hurting his business ventures. Those whispers were facilitated by a certain element in the business community and certain members of the Democratic establishment. 

What does Mr. Griffin and Mr Edwards have in common? They are both men who care about their community. Both care, both are reasonably nice people, both want a community that prospers.

Both attempt to work within the norms of society to bring about change yet both get discouraged with the established norms and create their own path forward.
That determination upsets the norms, undermines the establishment and makes people uncomfortable. Thus these two individuals are misunderstood, judged, fodder for social media digs, and are viewed as a threat to the status quo.

My view of these two individuals; they keep Alamogordo interesting, they don’t seem to give a damn what others think of them, and continue on their journey no matter the consequences. 

They are determined, and they are each to be respected for their passion to their faith and their causes.

Those of us that at times judge each of these gentlemen should take a closer look at ourselves. Glass houses break. These gentlemen like all of us are flawed, but they each bring value to our community. Let’s stop the condemnation and find pathways to reconciliation and figure out a way to all get along.
- David Anderson, retired, Alamogordo Transplant