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Chad Coker, Politicians Campaigning at Funerals

S Sarah1969Member
In the "You Said it" section of today's paper, someone was quoted as saying: "If you're running for an office in Colbert County, it is terrible that a candidate that is in office now goes to a funeral home and passes out cards. That's very disrespectful to the family and the person that is deceased ..."

This stuck out in my mind, because I (and several other people I have spoken with) saw Chad Coker, who is running for District Court Judge in Colbert County, campaigning at the funeral of Mable Carpenter, mother of current District Judge George Carpenter.

I don't know who all is doing this, but I think we can all agree that campaigning at a funeral is downright low! People who do that don't deserve our vote!
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G GetHonestMember
It is sickening to see a candidate (and/or his supporters) so desperate for votes that his only means of casting a shadow on his opponents is by spreading gossip, lies, and mudslinging.

The funeral in question was over two months ago. These comments are a sad and obvious attempt to assassinate the character of the very man Ms. Carpenter's family requested to speak her eulogy. In no way was their campaigning of any kind inside 1st Baptist Church on the day Mable Carpenter was laid to rest.

This post is simply not true. Shame on you.
J justjanedoe35674Small Talker
I have been a member of these forums for quite some time, and I have been conducting my own investigation of each of the candidates for district judge in Colbert County. This thread interested me because it is the first time I have seen a thread that I have some personal knowledge about.

Sara1969, you had the location wrong - Chad Coker was soliciting for votes at Mable Carpenter's visitation. Get Honest, it is true that Chad Coker was campaigning for votes at Mable Carpenter's visitation. I know this is true because he personally asked two of my friends for their support and votes at the visitation. Interestingly, my friends do not really know one another and were at the visitation several hours apart.

I don't care who the candidate is or what office he or she is campaigning for, but campaigning at a funeral or a visitation is completely classless. The purpose of a funeral or a visitation is to celebrate the life of the person who has passed away and to comfort the loved ones left here on earth, not to further one's political ambitions.
S Sarah1969Member
Thanks, Jane, for clearing up my misstatement . I apologize to the other readers for saying funeral when I meant visitation.

As for the election, I don't know any of the candidates, and I haven't decided which one I will be supporting in the election. I put up this post because I was surprised to see that more than one candidates in our area campaigning at funerals. I think this is a low and counter-productive tactic, and that was all I was trying to say.
G GetHonestMember
I don't have to be associated with any campaign to have an opinion about dirty politics. The purpose of the original comments were clearly made to induce gossip.

I am posting to defend the integrity of the Carpenter Family. It would be wise for you to leave Ms. Carpenter and her loved ones out of your plan to slay the character of any candidate. Any person who has had contact with the Carpenters over the years could quickly tell you that they have class, morals, and ethics. I assure you that the day long visitation in Ms. Carpenter's home was all about her 90 years on this earth and not about obtaining votes. No one in her house that day would have attempted or allowed such disrespect.
J justwannaknowFamiliar Face
"It is sickening to see a candidate (and/or his supporters) so desperate for votes that his only means of casting a shadow on his opponents is by spreading gossip, lies, and mudslinging...
This post is simply not true. Shame on you."

AMEN. I do not now nor will I ever believe that Chad Coker would do what you suggest. Reeks of desperation of other candidates, maybe?
S Sarah1969Member
quote:
Originally posted by GetHonest:
I don't have to be associated with any campaign to have an opinion about dirty politics. The purpose of the original comments were clearly made to induce gossip.

I am posting to defend the integrity of the Carpenter Family. It would be wise for you to leave Ms. Carpenter and her loved ones out of your plan to slay the character of any candidate. Any person who has had contact with the Carpenters over the years could quickly tell you that they have class, morals, and ethics. I assure you that the day long visitation in Ms. Carpenter's home was all about her 90 years on this earth and not about obtaining votes. No one in her house that day would have attempted or allowed such disrespect.


Nobody attacked Mrs. Carpenter or her family. On the contrary, I was also shocked at the disrespect to her and her family.

The whole point of my post was to express my shock and disappointment in Mr. Coker and any other candidates who are doing this (and, apparently, there is at least one more), and to tell them that such behavior will not be tolerated.

I mentioned Mr. Coker specifically because he is the one I saw doing it. But my post is directed to all politicians, including the one who was referenced in today's paper. Surely we can all agree that funerals and visitations are not the place for politics.
C colbertcounty1Familiar Face
HERE IS THE DIRECT QUOTE FROM THE YOU SAID IT.

"If you're running for an office in Colbert County, it is terrible that a candidate that is in office now goes to a funeral home and passes out cards. That's very disrespectful to the family and the person that is deceased ..."

That statement in the paper was not about Chad Coker. It was about a current elected official. That elected official was Sheriff Ronnie May. He was at a visitation, which was held at Colbert Memorial. He was standing at the visitation book handing out cards for a long time. The family was mad about it and put the Statement in the paper. They did not put the name of the elected official but after Chad Coker was attacked they asked for it to be posted.

The following is from me and not the family.

I believe desperation is setting in on the sheriff. The citizens of Colbert County want something done about drugs and theft. He is running around putting signs up without permission in citizen’s yards. His campaign supporters are tearing down other candidates signs. All this is just pitiful and shows how desperate he is getting.
G GetHonestMember
Sarah1969,

If that is true please tell me why you posted Ms. Carpenter's name at all. Why didn't you just state you saw someone campaigning at a visitation? You obviously included the Carpenter name to draw more attention to this subject. In my opinion, name dropping is a tacky way to get your point across.

As I said, the Carpenter Family has class, morals, and ethics. I find it incomprehensible that they would choose someone so disrespectful to represent them in front of the entire town at her funeral.
S Sarah1969Member
As I said before, I mention Chad Coker because he was the one I saw. And I mentioned that it was Mrs. Carpenter's funeral because I wanted people to know that I wasn't just making something up, but that it did occur at a specific time and place, with other witnesses who could verify it. Furthermore, I am not the only one who saw it. JustJaneDoe mentioned some friends who experienced it. And there are others who have not posted, but can also attest to it.

I haven't posted anything until now because this is not typically my kind of thing. But when I saw that there was at least one other candidate doing this, i thought I should speak up.

The point remains that politicians should not disrespect the dead and their families by campaigning of any sort at a funeral or visitation. That's just not the place for it.
J JugflierHall of Famer
quote:
Originally posted by Trutooit-II:
I've been to plenty of visitations. Ppl always wind up standing in the hall talking about other things. I can see how Mr. Coker would discuss his campaign if asked and then give the other person a card. No biggie or disrespect.


I've been to many visitations where you would'nt of thought anyone had even died.
immolate99immolate99Familiar Face
What this really is another thinly veiled attempt at casting a shadow on Chad Coker's character by the Tim Milam campaign. The fact that Chad Coker has a close relationship with Judge Carpenter's family and they asked him to speak at her Memorial Service shows the incredible amount of respect they have for him, and so yes, we can therefore ascertain that Judge Carpenter is a supporter of Chad's campaign. Having people tell Chad that they support him or ask him how his campaign is going during this particular day was not Chad seeking votes. As active as Mrs. Mabel was in the Democratic party I think she would have enjoyed talking politics on the day that celebrated her life. I think the family sends an implicit message to our county that they have all the faith in the world of Chad Coker succeeding Judge Carpenter when they asked him to speak at Ms. Mabel's funeral. I think this type of trust in Chad Coker is worth more of a campaign contribution than donating $30,000 to yourself could ever do. That should and does scare Mr. Milam and his camp hence all these new accounts created to try and smear Chad's good name with the general public. Like candidate Tina Miller Parker said recently at a campaign meet and greet with ALL the candidates present: if you have a candidate that will resort to dirty politics now-do you think that will stop once they are elected?
S Sarah1969Member
quote:
Originally posted by immolate99:
What this really is another thinly veiled attempt at casting a shadow on Chad Coker's character by the Tim Milam campaign. The fact that Chad Coker has a close relationship with Judge Carpenter's family and they asked him to speak at her Memorial Service shows the incredible amount of respect they have for him, and so yes, we can therefore ascertain that Judge Carpenter is a supporter of Chad's campaign. Having people tell Chad that they support him or ask him how his campaign is going during this particular day was not Chad seeking votes. As active as Mrs. Mabel was in the Democratic party I think she would have enjoyed talking politics on the day that celebrated her life. I think the family sends an implicit message to our county that they have all the faith in the world of Chad Coker succeeding Judge Carpenter when they asked him to speak at Ms. Mabel's funeral. I think this type of trust in Chad Coker is worth more of a campaign contribution than donating $30,000 to yourself could ever do. That should and does scare Mr. Milam and his camp hence all these new accounts created to try and smear Chad's good name with the general public. Like candidate Tina Miller Parker said recently at a campaign meet and greet with ALL the candidates present: if you have a candidate that will resort to dirty politics now-do you think that will stop once they are elected?


I've said this before, but I will say it again. I am not involved in anyone's campaign. I put this post up because I thought Mr. Coker's behavior at the visitation was out of line and completely inappropriate.

Now, it seems, Mr. Coker's people are trying to discredit me in order to take attention off of the fact that Mr. Coker used Mrs. Carpenter's visitation as an opportunity to push his candidacy.
bamagirl10bamagirl10Small Talker
I have been in contact with both opponents wife's, one when my son was at our local school and the the other one I have waited on at a local department store (many many times) that I worked at plus seeing her out in other stores and seeing how she acts does play a big role in my voting!! When I go to vote I consider them two women as well, I do not know either women on a personal note but I can tell what each one is like by the way they act in public!!
tinabethtinabethHall of Famer
My view on the three candidates is one that they are on an even playing field with me.
I have had the opportunity of meeting Tina a few times and she has always presented herself as a lady with no hidden agenda. Mr. Milam I haven't met personally but have spoken with him in dealings for other family members and he was cordial and professional. My first contact with Mr. Coker was last Fall when he attended area Homecoming parades and took pictures of the children, and them mailed them to the parents. He sent out Christmas cards, sweet Mother's Day cards, and has visited door-to-door, leaving personal notes when missing the homeowner. He has worked diligently on his campaign for quite a while now. Not to say that he has worked any harder, as the other candidates may have done things of which I am not aware. I just feel that each is deserving and they have chosen to run for office. It is not our duty to sling mud at/for any of these candidates. Just go to the poll and vote with your heart and what will be, will be.
S ShoalsWomanSmall Talker
I was interested in the ads taken out in the Courier Journal yesterday. Tim Milam stated that he had served as a municipal judge, but he never stated where. Does anyone know where he served as a municipal judge and if he did serve as a municipal judge, how long did he serve?

I also have a question about Tina Parker. Ms. Parker's ad stated that she was experienced. I heard her speak at a union meeting and she talked about her experience handling personal injury cases, but she was fairly vague when it came to talking about any other experience she had. It is my understanding that personal injury cases are not handled in district court. As she has touted her personal injury experience as her chief qualification and those cases are not tried in district court, could anyone tell me what other qualifications she has?
T Trutooit-IIHall of Famer
I've never heard Milam was a city judge, but could be.

I've also never heard that personal injury case are not held in District Court. If somebody is injured enough to try for SS then I suppose they could go to Circuit Court. Not sure, but lawguy could tell you.

I understand Ms. Parker has practiced for 9 yrs, put herself thru lawschool and before that owned her own business. Milam can run a backhoe.
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