Jeff Davis County Commissioners Censoring County Facebook Page
Ah, Jeff Davis County! A southern hamlet steeped in history, tradition, and a complex social dynamic that currently feels like the setting of a modern-day rewrite of John Kennedy Toole’s “A Confederacy of Dunces.” A very apropos analogy given the county’s namesake, Jefferson Davis, and his propensity for suspending certain rights to suppress dissension during the days of the Confederacy. (To be fair, Lincoln did it too!) Thus, illustrating a basic tension that has existed (and still exists) in America: balancing individual liberties against the power of the government.
The protagonist in Toole’s novel is the comically intolerant Ignatius J. Reilly, who loves to rage against any perceived “dunce” who dares to disagree with him. He is a memorable, albeit complex, anti-hero that is both repulsive but can also evoke grudging admiration. He believes in free speech for himself, but has zero tolerance for speech that is critical of him or his actions, or speech that challenges his own narrow-minded worldview. Like the enigmatic Ignatius J. Reilly, who couldn’t abide by disagreement, The Board of Commissioners’ decision to disable comments has raised concerns among citizens about transparency. Their chosen method of quashing criticism? Shutting down public comments on their official Facebook page. This action raises a fundamental question: Is the Board of Commissioners intolerant of public criticism of their actions? Or is it a simple, if misguided, case of a generational divide and a failure to grasp the role of social media as a modern-day public forum?
The answer to these questions, like most everything today, is complicated. To understand what’s really going on, allow me to introduce you to the latest drama that’s got everyone in Jeff Davis County gossiping at the local coffee houses and convenience stores. While this is, arguably, a small-town drama, you’ll just have to trust that this is more than “Facebook fodder”. It’s a story that touches on issues that we should all care about: the safety of a community and the right to free speech.
For the past several years, Jeff Davis County (population 15,000) has operated with a single ambulance on duty at any given time. This predicament has left the county’s residents in the incomprehensible position of accepting that help may not come when they call, as a single ambulance cannot be in two places at once. Making matters worse, those who reach Jeff Davis Hospital (a critical access hospital) face the possibility that an ambulance will be unavailable to transport them two hours away to Memorial Health in Savannah (level 1 trauma center) if enhanced care is required.
As a result, the hospital has become increasingly reliant on LifeFlight helicopters for transport, a solution that has left some patients without AirEvac insurance facing astronomical medical bills. In a low-income area like Jeff Davis, these high costs can be financially devastating for families. There is also the added factor that AirEvac is grounded during bad weather leaving no alternative transport for critically ill patients. These patients are left in hours-long limbo at Jeff Davis Hospital, with no ambulance and no helicopter, cut off from the critical care that can only be provided at trauma centers.
Even the self-absorbed Ignatius J. Reilly, in a moment of empathy, would likely stand up and denounce a system that, in 2025, requires a premature birth or a sudden heart attack to compete for a single ambulance. A situation that would be comical if not for the fact that citizens of Jeff Davis County have already experienced significant injuries from delays caused by the state of the current EMS service.
In November of last year, the Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution that prioritized, under certain circumstances, transporting patients to larger hospitals over responding to local 911 calls, potentially leaving the county without ambulance coverage. Prior to its issuance, local medical professionals had advised against creating any scenario whereby the county would be left without an emergency response ambulance. The Board of Commissioners’ decision to adopt the resolution and prioritize transports exposed a troubling disregard for the expertise of medical professionals. At the beginning of January, the Board of Commissioners convened a “think tank” that included the hospital, the EMS Medical Director, and EMS Services Director to examine the issues and develop substantive solutions to address the EMS issues. Around the same time, the Board of Commissioners announced position openings for an EMS Director, 2 Paramedics, and 4 EMT-A’s/EMT-B’s. The Board also announced that it has also contracted with five EMT students starting school in January and graduating in August. The county states that they “expect to have three full crews available at all times.“
Within days of the first meeting of the “think tank”, the EMS Services Director was suspended with pay by the County Administrator, his suspension was attributed to “personnel issues”. Adding to the intrigue, the EMS Medical Director announces his resignation pending the selection of his replacement. The timing of the EMS Services Director’s suspension has led to public speculation within the community and ignited a firestorm online.
The public outcry, fueled by social media, ultimately caused the Board to release a statement via Facebook attempting to clarify their actions in regards to the resolution, the “think tank”, and the suspension of the EMS Services Director. The original statement was deleted within minutes of being posted (raising questions from the public of whether this is a violation of Georgia’s Sunshine laws), and quickly replaced with a revised version. This statement, issued on January 8, stated that the Board of Commissioners would “not leave the County without an ambulance under any circumstances.” However, on January 10th, the Board of Commissioners issued a subsequent statement that said “Jeff Davis County is committed to providing responsive and high-quality EMS Services to our Community. We are not leaving the County unattended due to non-emergency transport for our Hospital.” Thus, implying a policy shift from no EMS transport out of the county “under any circumstances” to only emergency transports.
Comments on both Facebook statements revealed the community’s anger as residents expressed concerns about the lack of ambulance coverage and questioned the EMS Director’s suspension. These concerns were posted on the county’s official Facebook page, which, arguably, had become a de facto public forum for residents to express their opinions. A review of prior postings shows that the public had previously commented about county issues on numerous postings. However, the public’s reaction to the EMS crisis was decidedly rancorous towards the decisions of the Board unlike past comments. In response to the criticism, the Board of Commissioners silenced its Facebook page entirely by turning off public comments.
The Board of Commissioners’ decision to shut down public comments on its Facebook page raises serious questions about potential viewpoint discrimination, a violation of the First Amendment. While the government can establish reasonable, viewpoint-neutral rules for online participation, it cannot suppress specific viewpoints simply because officials disagree with the content. The timing of the shutdown, immediately following a wave of public criticism regarding the EMS crisis, is particularly troubling. As Mark Twain aptly observed, “Censorship is telling a man he can’t have a steak just because a baby can’t chew it.” Silencing dissent because it is critical of those in power undermines the very foundation of free speech. The fact that the county took this drastic measure specifically after facing public backlash for its handling of the EMS situation has raised questions within the community about whether the Board is trying to control the narrative rather than engage in open dialogue with residents. This should raise a red flag for anyone concerned with government transparency and accountability.
We must also consider whether this is a case of a generational divide i.e. the “old school” Baby Boomers/GenX versus “new school” Millennials/GenZ. Is this entire situation a failure to grasp the role of social media as a method for the public to communicate with its elected officials? It is conceivable that some board members are unfamiliar with the fact that social media has greatly expanded the way in which the public now communicates with their government. Indeed, the courts have routinely ruled in favor of the public’s right to comment on official social media pages and disagreeing with government officials that sought to quell public discourse online. It is also conceivable that these same officials view critical comments as personal attacks or disruptions, rather than legitimate feedback. A lack of familiarity with online communication can lead officials to misinterpret criticism as personal attacks.
While a lack of familiarity with social media might explain the Board’s decision, it doesn’t excuse the potential violation of First Amendment principles. Elected officials, regardless of their understanding of social media, have a duty to uphold the constitutional rights of the public. Silencing citizens simply because some officials may be less familiar with online communication platforms is unacceptable. This is especially true when that silencing appears to be a direct response to criticism levied against the Board. The courts have consistently affirmed that social media pages operated by government entities often function as limited public forums, where viewpoint discrimination is strictly prohibited. As Thomas Jefferson once said, “Ignorance of the law is no excuse in any country. If it were, the laws would lose their effect, because it can always be pretended.
The residents of Jeff Davis County deserve more than an explanation for the Board of Commissioners’ censorship; they deserve a local government that respects their First Amendment rights. They deserve a local government that engages in open and transparent dialogue and doesn’t avoid public debate. The silencing of the community’s voice on social media is a disservice to the citizens of Jeff Davis County. It’s time for the Board of Commissioners to restore public comments on their Facebook page and demonstrate a genuine commitment to free speech and open government. The citizens of Jeff Davis County should demand and receive nothing less.
