In the city we love, the state we serve, the country we reside and the church we steward, we believe in truth. John 17:17 says, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” Yet today we live under a shadow of untruths where lies not only whisper in the halls of power, but lead the way. When lies lead, faith falters, democracy weakens, and communities suffer.
I see an illustration of my point in Orlando, Florida where the race for the District 5 seat on the Orlando City Council exemplifies how political campaigns can turn the truth upside-down. Reports surfaced during the campaign for this seat which indicated alleged misconduct for one of the candidates as WFTV reported that a person who work for the candidate’s campaign also held a job in that candidate/Council member’s office. This raised questions about time sheets, badge‐ins, and the use of public employment for campaign activity. This is illegal and it was denied. Denying the truth in this matter is a lie.
In addition, WKMG reported in a previous election for that same seat that one candidate was accused of engaging in intimidating behavior toward her opponent as she attempted to leverage damaging information if her opponent did not withdraw. That was also denied. When a candidate marshals such claims, misleads the people about past employment, campaign activity, or uses public time for private ends, then the foundation of trust in local representation is shaken. For the neighborhoods in District 5, many of which hold deep hopes for civic uplift and responsive government, this undermines much more than a single election. It damages faith in representation altogether. When your candidate lies, the cheapest commodity becomes the promise of representation rather than the reality. As a Pastor, what I often hear after elections is distrust: “They said this. Then they did that.” When that pattern repeats, folks stop believing or worse, start believing the worst.
Lies don’t just walk the pavement of local politics because they are also seen in our institutions of Higher Learning. At Florida A & M University (FAMU), the appointment of Marva Johnson as president ignited protests, petitions, and concerns about political loyalty trumping, (pun intended) experience. Johnson who is described as a lobbyist and political appointee with ties to Governor Ron DeSantis’s circle has limited experience in higher education administration. Critics point out that in a historically Black institution, where legacy, culture, academic rigor, and community trust matter deeply, appointing someone primarily for political alignment rather than academic leadership is a disservice which could lead to additional unqualified persons being appointed to other positions. This is actually evident as an individual named John Davis, with absolutely zero experience in education and a track record of business failure and mediocracy, is being considered for the position of Athletic Director at FAMU. When leadership is chosen on loyalty rather than merit, when integrity takes a sideline seat so politics can ride shotgun, then institutions meant to empower become vulnerable to commodification. Many of the young people who pass through HBCUs like FAMU believe like I do — that attending an HBCU isn’t abstract, it’s about generational uplift.
If local campaigns and university boards reflect the problem, the design is magnified at the national level. Falsehoods proliferate. For example, a recent fact-check noted that a White House claim about a new ballroom “not interfering” with the existing building contradicted images showing demolition of the entire East Wing. During and between his terms as President of the United States, Donald Trump has made tens of thousands of false or misleading claims. Fact-checkers at The Washington Post documented 30,573 false or misleading claims during his first presidential term, an average of 21 per day. When leadership lies from the top, the ripples reach every level: local officials feel emboldened to shade the truth; voters become cynical; the very notion of objective facts erodes.
In districts like Orlando’s District 5, and in institutions like FAMU, the stakes are high for Black communities. Representation matters but not just representation based on skin color or party but representation of integrity, of accountability and of truth. When a candidate lies about credentials or employment; when a university hires a politically connected outsider instead of an academic leader; when national leaders twist facts for power there is collateral damage. The promise of progress turns into the pain of betrayal.
So the question may be what can we do? I suggest that we must call out lies made by government leaders not from cynicism, but from care. We must foster forums where truth, accountability and transparency become part of our worship, our small groups and our community engagement. We must also invest in educating voters, especially in our Black congregations and neighborhoods, about candidate records, institutional processes (like how a university board hires), and what accountability looks like. In addition, we must hold institutions accountable. At FAMU, alumni, students and faculty have petitioned and spoken out. That’s faithful. If we expect excellence for our children, we must refuse anything less. We must demand structural reform, campaign finance disclosure, transparent hiring practices for public institutions, fact-based reporting and mechanisms that penalize habitual lying in office.
When lies lead, truth retreats. When truth retreats, justice falters, community suffers, and faith becomes hollow. So to the candidate who lies, to the board that hires for loyalty not competence, to the administration that reshapes facts to suit power I say: the people are watching. The world listening. The children are learning. We will not silently submit when lies lead the land! We will live, and act as though truth leads and we will keep the charge of righteousness and good governance because we serve a God who will not allow deceit to stand. You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free!
A Tone-Deaf Ballroom in a Broken Government is a Clear and Present Danger
