EDITOR’S NOTE: This letter to the editor addresses a situation that is definitely impacting the Rockaway Beach community’s access to information. The Tillamook County Pioneer has been blocked from the Rockaway Community & Tillamook Coast Facebook page after posting a notice about the Pioneer’s Candidates Forums. This is not a “community” page, dozens of community members have been blocked, deleted and censured on multiple community pages by this Rockaway Beach City Councilor. Thanks, Robbie McClaran for calling out these unethical tactics.
Social media, and Facebook in particular has become an integral part of political dialogue and debate. In Rockaway Beach we have one Facebook Community Group, Rockaway Beach Community In Oregon, that is run fairly and openly, allowing candidates from all sides to voice their opinions, and citizens to ask questions.
Sadly that is not the case on some other Rockaway community pages.
City Councilor Kristine Hayes is the admin of several Facebook group pages, and her close associates admin other pages. Not everyone realizes that Ms. Hayes uses those pages as personal campaign tools. She promotes her actions within City Government, and promotes her positions on issues before the City. She also uses these pages to promote a slate of candidates that are her close allies, Justin McMahan, Rodney Breazile and Debra Reeves.
At the same time she actively blocks content from other candidates and people who disagree with her. She regularly deletes comments, replies, and blocks users. Rockaway voters should be aware when looking at Ms. Hayes’ Facebook groups, they are only hearing her side of the issues.
Ms. Hayes’ public calls for unity and transparency ring hollow and in fact her behind the scenes actions foster an us against them mentality, and contribute to a toxic and divisive campaign.
If Kristine Hayes, or Justin McMahan, or Rodney Breazile or Debra Reeves silence us on social media, how can we trust they will listen to us when it comes to critical City issues? The answer is we can’t.
Reasonable people can disagree respectfully, and spirited debate is at the core of our democracy. Shutting down debate in attempting to control the narrative is hypocritical, cowardly and unethical. Rockaway citizens deserve better.
Robbie McClaran
Rockaway Beach, OR