They say all politics is local. I would argue that local politics is the only politics that genuinely mattersâand that Wake Forest stewardship of our community should be every citizen’s priority. Washington, D.C., does not decide if a road is paved through your backyard. The President does not determine if your town retains its charm or sells its soul for a quick buck.
But lately, I look at our townâand by extension, our state and our nationâand I see a sickness. It is the sickness of secrecy.
We have entered an era in which “public service” has morphed into a “private club.” We have leaders and self-appointed gatekeepers who believe that information is a currency to be hoarded, not a resource to be shared. When citizens ask questions, or when I publish an analysis based on the public record, the response is not data or evidence. The response is: “You don’t know the truth,” “We are navigating things behind the scenes,” or the ever-popular, “Just wait.”
Officials tell us to wait for the truth. They ask us to trust that they know what is best. Meanwhile, they act as if governance is a black box, and we should just be grateful for whatever output eventually slides out of it.
That is not how a free society works. And that is not why I am here.
Wake Forest Stewardship: Roots Deeper Than the Town Line
I do not write this newsletter for clicks, and I certainly don’t do it for popularity among the local “whisper networks.” I write it because I have a moral obligation to this land.
My family has been on this soil since before Wake Forest was a town. My ancestors walked these woods and worked this land before the United States was a country. I don’t just live here; I am of here. When you have that kind of history, you don’t look at a town as just a collection of zoning codes and tax revenue. You see it as a stewardship.
When I see decisions being made in the darkâbackroom deals, “pivots” that aren’t explained, and crucial details being withheld from the taxpayersâI take it personally. Not just as a resident, but as a custodian of a legacy. Our recent coverage of what happened at Tuesday’s Board Meeting reveals just how deep these issues run.
The Rot of Secrecy in Local Government
This isn’t just about a specific development or a grocery store. It is about a fundamental breakdown in trust. The reason our country feels brokenâfrom the Town Hall to the Halls of Congressâis because the people have been shut out of the room.
Insiders tell us we are too emotional to understand the “complexities” of the deal. They insist that if we just knew the “secrets” they knew, we would agree with them. But they won’t share those secrets. They want the authority of the truth without the burden of proving it.
Thomas Paine didn’t wait for permission to write Common Sense. He didn’t wait for a Royal Decree to allow him to question the monarchy. The Founding Fathers didn’t ask nicely for a seat at the table; they built their own.
They understood something we have forgotten: Sunlight is the only disinfectant. As the National Freedom of Information Coalition reminds us, open government is a cornerstone of democracy.
Why Wake Forest Stewardship Demands Transparency
I started Wake Forest Matters because I believe that if you want to know the truth, you shouldn’t have to “go through” a specific person to get it. You shouldn’t have to be part of a social clique to know if traffic is going to ruin your commute.
I rely on public records, data, and analysis. If that analysis is wrong, show me the evidence. Bring the data into the light. But do not tell me to shut up and “wait” for the official story. As we documented in Another Generation Is Being Set Up to Pay for This, the cost of secrecy falls on every taxpayer.
I am exercising my God-given rights and my Constitutional duty to question authority. I am doing this because a town that operates in the shadows is rotting from the inside out.
So, to the gatekeepers and the secret-holders: You are free to keep your whispers. I will keep looking at the records. I will keep asking the questions. And I will keep turning on the lights.
Because this is my home, and I’m not going anywhere.
Tom Baker IV is the publisher of Wake Forest Matters, Wake Forest’s only independent local newsroom. A Wake Forest native, Navy veteran, and intelligence professional, Tom launched Wake Forest Matters to bring serious accountability journalism to his hometown. Tips and story ideas: publisher@wakeforestmatters.com