Thirty years ago at a Halloween party- for God's sake this is ridiculous. I know Roger personally and he is a No. 1 Class Act. I did stupid stuff 30 years ago at Halloween parties too.

I cannot believe that someone would really care what happened 21 years ago at a Halloween party. The is ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!!!!

honestly want to know more about Waters and 5 marriages. Who really cares what happened when he was 21, I hope people won't judge character by the intoxicated acts of a 21 year old. I would take a gamble at the fact he knows how to treat and hopefully change the lives of young and stupid inmates at the jail.

All is fair in love and war. Let's include politics in that list as well.
Does anyone here think Roger Garrison is a rabid racist or a KKK supporter? Probably not. I certainly don't.

But it is very entertaining to see this thing go viral and become a burr under his saddle. I feel sorry for those under his command at times like this.

The bottom line for me, KKK photo or not, is that Roger has had the office long enough and has become a dictator. It's time for a change......period.

Have we not seen this same thing over and over with office holders who endeavor to make a career of it???

Knowing his character today tells me that this was a foolish decision by a 21 yr old. He keeps my
vote. I certainly wouldn't want to answer my behavior when I was that age. Luckily we mature and life becomes serious.

Who's the other guy in the photo? I'll bet he's a Democrat.....
Finally, a good political race in Cherokee....Gentleman, start the slinging!!!

Too bad we can't put a "Liar Liar" type spell on some current and/or recent Sheriffs Office employees and then ask them about the Roger Garrison of today.

That would be an eye opener.

I'd like to know where he got the costume. IF he got it at a KKK meeting as a member then I'm very interested. If not it was a great costume, given the movie which I like, and a poor choice for a person seeking political office at any point in their life. If he were black ( I am ) there would be no doubt that this was a joke Halloween costume, however given that he is not, well... that leaves room for at least asking him the questions; what exactly did you mean by wearing it, would you do it now, and most importantly for me are you now and have you ever been a member of the KKK or any other racially exclusive group?

The answers or lack of answers to those questions will drive whether I vote for him or not on this single issue. This is a litmus test for me, I will not vote for a public official who has been a member any racially supremacist group.

Assuming that I get past that issue; if I use my experience with the Cherokee County Sheriff's department as my benchmark for voting yes or no on Roger Garrison - I must vote yes. The department has been professional, efficient, and nice. The department makes me feel safe here. I've never had a bad experience with the Sheriffs of Cherokee County, if that is a reflection of Sheriff Garrison then I don't have a reason to vote no, if it is not I will vote no. I think the only people who can answer that are the officers that work for him. I'll be asking them before I vote.

I have heard that this is indeed a true picture and that he was/maybe even is a member of the KKK....and my source is from someone who has lived in Canton for 40+years. I am voting him out. It's time to clean up the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office/including the Sgts, Captains, etc....

I would vote for David Waters - even with his five marriages - over someone who wears the uniform of a racist. How can we even entertain the NOTION of voting for Garrison when it is clear he has zero sensitivity to the absolute wrongness of racial hatred and racial terrorism? David Waters has my vote. I've met the man, and shook his hand. He is the right man for the job.

ive lived in canton 52 yrs and i would bet just about any amount you want to put up, and i mean lay the money on the table hes not.

y'all racist

there isnt a bigger racist in the country than Al Sharpton. he is anti white everyhing.

You should have lived in Cherokee BEFORE Roger Garrison. He still has my vote. He has brought dignity to this county. It was a constant sideshow...LOTS of embarrasing drama with the sheriffs dept before he took the reigns. He has already stated above, the answers to some of the questions that are being asked in this feed.

I cannot believe you people commenting here about this picture. I find it extremely offensive and insensitive. I find no humor in it. I am proud that I did not grow up in Georgia.

I will vote for Roger any day before i would the other guy just as well put John Say back in there.

Angie,
I lived in Cherokee County as far back as sheriff Bo Ballard. The difference between Roger Garrison and his predecessors is that Roger has been savvy enough to maintain a cozy relationship with the local media.

mary,why are you still here???? there are 49 other states that would love to have you im sure.

Ballard and Seay were a joke. Garrison has seen us through tremendous growth and for this utter BS to be dredged up is a silly attempt to get votes.

I believe I was wearing a Toga back then! My minister would drop on the floor if he saw that! Hope no one judges me for my youth decisions. I look at a person's actions and I agree, Cherokee County was a side show before Garrison took the reigns. He is an honorable good man and loves Cherokee County. He has done so much for us and he has had to change with the times as our world becomes more violent. Sheriff you have my vote.

It's true that John Seay was a disaster and that Garrison did good things with the sheriffs office. The problem is that after a couple terms Roger's focus seemed to have shifted from building a professional law enforcement agency to maintaining his position of power. Our rank and file deputies need a leader, not a tyrant. It's them I care about. They do the real work.

Roger has a GREAT way of sucking up, that's about it. It's sad that you can ask his deputies, sergeants, or anyone that works there how they like him and whether he's doing a good job and they are FORCED to say how much they LOVE him, because Roger has a policy stating that if they say anything negative about their job or about Roger, they will lose their job. That's not a man with integrity- that's a man who wants glory whether he deserves it or not. And as he said at the debate, he would fire anyone who worked for him and went to support a candidate he didn't agree with. What kind of integrity and morale is that? Roger doesn't believe in a democracy- he believes in communist agency where he controls everything, including others first ammendment rights!
I agree with another post on another website- is it okay if I dress up as a 9/11 bomber and carry around pics of the world trade centers, celebrating their falling? Is that okay? And if not, why not? Because it affected millions of Americans? Well guess what- so did slavery, especially in the south!!

Finally- those who compare David to past sheriff's need to do their homework. David LEFT Cherokee because he didn't agree with Seay. He wasn't there during that administration. So before you compare the two, get your facts straight! His idea for Cherokee will make the people working there a lot happier and in turn, will provide the citizens of Cherokee a safer community where cops actually enjoy their jobs again- at least that's they would tell you, if they could!!

Concerned For Cherokee knows what he is talking about. Morale among Cherokee Sheriffs Office personnel is at a low point not seen since the John Seay days and it is because of the sheriff. The fear the deputies have of saying anything about internal problems at the sheriffs office is very real and very justified. Anyone who dares to say anything uncomplimentary about the agency or it's leader is dealt with harshly.

Wow! The Sheriff of Cherokee County wearing a KKK robe and hood right after a missing minority child was found murdered in a bungled case by the county and city also after a minor was shot by a SWAT team sniper. Let's think about TWO FACTS:
1. You don't go to wal-mart or a costume rental store to get that hood and robe combo kit. You get it from someone you know or you put your name on the dotted line.
2. Before Roger was elected he was a DRN officer. Well DNR officer's must complete a Federal Law Enforcement Academy. So that means he was a Federal Law Enforcement Officer. He should have known that it has been illegal for over 50 years to wear in Georgia. SOMETHING SMELLS ROTTEN MUST BE THE SHERIFF, WE MIGHT NEED A NEW ONE!!!!!

Here are the facts:
1. That little girls was murdered NOT BY any fault of the Sherriff's department, she was murdered because she was left alone on a playground and was kidnapped by a sick, demented predator. The photo was 30 years ago NOT after this happened.
2. The SWAT sniper was exonerated yesterday by the GBI. Check the news.

Forget the KKK costume.

Any incumbent that has held the office this long and considers it a career should go. That applies from county sheriff right up to the US Senate.

Keep your eye on the ball people.

Yes--20 years is too long.

All of you who think that this is an OK thing are no doubt caucasian!! It is amazing how we want to be so forgiving when things you do not understand because it has an never will affect you. However, if it had been a 21 year old with a puppy in a noose, you would have wanted him in the electric chair!!!!

Bottom line it is insulting, and insensitive! Atlantans did not want a quarterback because he was involved in dogfighting, but would vote for a sheriff that wears a klan cosutme!?!?

@JohnT Is that factual or hearsay? where can we find proof? I think if there was any proof to that claim, his campaign would fall like apart like a house of cards.
I have read Davids web sites and Facebook pages, I am impressed with his views about reorganizing the department.

we didnt want Vick because he was a terrible QB.

To all those who think that it's OK that Garrison dressed up as a KKK member 20 years ago since he was just a "stupid kid" doing a "stupid thing". I just have to ask you these questions:

1. Did you dress up as a Nazi or KKK member for Halloween or any other party in your youth? I doubt it as you knew that doing so was inappropriate and wrong.
2. If it's OK for Garrison to do this as a young adult why wouldn't it be OK for him to do it as a mature adult? Obviously, your answer is that he wasn't a mature adult. But keep in mind, we as a society sentence younger stupid kids who do stupid things to mature adult sentences!

At age 21, Garrison was a fully mature adult in the eyes of the law and should be held responsible for his obvious bad decision and apparent affinity toward the KKK and lack of disgust or worse, the "humor" of a hate group!

Keep in mind that Garrison, like many of us grew up in the 70's & 80's when there were many Klan rallys, parades, other events by the KKK. In 1979, the KKK and supporters shot and killed 5 parade marchers in Greensboro NC and in the 1987, the KKK and supporters tried to blocked a civil rights parade in Forsyth county and threw rocks & bottles at the marchers.

Basically, Garrison should have known better!

Well said Frank. Joke or not, he knew better!

There are a few questions here that have some bearing on this. First, if this party was in 1985 as I have heard then that wouldn't that make the sheriff about 25 or 26 instead of 21 or 22. Second, this costume appears extremely authentic. I wouldn't know where to get one of these. Third, I have researched the signifigance of the black balloon he is holding. This may be the most troubling aspect of all. Can anybody shed light on this.

Why isn't Waters running to replace his boss for Sheriff in Forsyth County? In January Sheriff Paxton fell down DRUNK in a woman's house and emergency crews had to help him. He was supposed to be "babysitting" the woman's child (his child). Was this not child endangerment? Was he leaving to get into his County paid Sheriff's vehicle and go. Three years earlier he had an accident on his motorcycle with the same woman (not his wife). NO CHARGES were ever filed on the Sheriff who 1) Left the roadside 2) Was traveling too fast for conditions 3) Struck a fixed object (tree) 4) Caused an accident with injury (Her spleen was ruptured and his shoulder was broken). Time for a change in Forsyth County. The Sheriff wants the public to think these are "personal" issues and not make them part of the re-election race. I think Marshall Thomas has it right on the Cherokee Co Sheriff issue.

The fact is that he was 25 years old, had been a sworn federal officer with DNR and held to a higher standard. No latitude is given to an officer to wear a KKK outfit nor has he answered why he had a black balloon in hand with a rope around it. Time doesn't matter, there is no statue on stupidity.

The clown garrison doesn't get a pass because he has been sheriff for 20 years. He should be held accountable

I'm offended by Leslie Brown's remark about other contributors to this dialogue being racist. This is not "moving the conversation forward"
I demand that Rodney reprimand Leslie for this infraction.

Just kidding everyone. It's an inside joke at Rodney.

First roger is quoted in the paper saying the KKK suit wasn't a mistake and now he is apologizing for his actions. How pathetic, it's time for this racist to leave town. He will always be remembered as the dictator in the clown suit. Shame on you roger, you've brought shame now to our county too. I feel sorry for your family too.

Hearing that the costume was linked to Blazing Saddles set everything straight for me. Perhaps you younger, politically correct fanatics do not realize that the KKK was severely mocked in that film. The amazing Cleavon Little - who was black - outsmarted the KKK fools and ended up, along with his sidekick, wearing the robe and hood as a disguise. It was a brilliant comedy, written by Mel Brooks during a time in which we weren't afraid to make fun of absurd groups like the Klan. I'm going to trust that it was in that spirit that Garrison donned the costume. If it was not in that spirit, then I chalk it up to immaturity and misplaced humor in a world that was much different than it is today.

You are judging a decades old photo in at 2012 context. That is absurd. Real KKK kooks are undoubtedly laughing their butts off, reading all these sanctimonious comments and wild conjectures. Folks, if we turn on each other in self-righteousness, they win.

As for the predictable sneers at Georgia that emerged on this discussion thread... It seems that making condescending and stereotypical remarks about this state is the default strategy of the pious when they don't like something that happens here. Gosh, I guess we Georgia goobers aren't as lucky as those living in NY, where there is no crime; in Chicago, where politicians are saints; in any of the 49 states where everyone is a Rhodes Scholar and well-behaved citizen.

Lets not get distracted by the silly costume issue.

The issue is whether the sheriffs office and its many fine and dedicated officers deserve better leadership. I say they do want and deserve new leadership.

about the rock throwing in forsyth county in the 80s. you cant buy advertising like that. as a friend said a few years later, forsyth boomed after that. people moved there from everywhere..............just sayin. and vick is still a bad QB.

dont know you Allison but give em hell. that was funny i dont care who you are.

Youthful indiscretion is not an excuse for poor moral judgement. Yes I was immature at age 21 and some would say at 26. What I did have was a moral compass and this would have been out of step with it. Racism and bigotry is a SIN issue and not a SKIN issue as most people know. As Roy posted earlier there is a need for new leadership and I hope we can begin to focus on that.

I just wonder how many non-caucasian family members are going to see this and be blowing up the phone at the NAACP or Rainbow Coalition saying their son/ daughter/ mom/ dad were locked up for racial reasons?? Talk about a mess in Cherokee!!

Exonerated, charged, whatever, you know what I meant.

Get a life, people! Roger Garrison is a good man and a great sheriff. His leadership has brought Cherokee County from a laughingstock to one of the finest sheriff's offices in the state, if not the country. Youthful indiscretions aside, (and who among us has none?!) he is of unimpeachable character and integrity; something that cannot be said of Waters. As a 34-year resident of Cherokee, I'm very proud to have Roger represent this county as Our Sheriff!

In any application, your past is looked at and it affects whether you get the job or not. Obviously those hiring at the time did not look at Garrison's past or he never would have been hired.

I will be honest I do not know that he is the "best man" for the Sheriff but considering the past week, with the finally accurate (you cant top the homemade video) information about the Messina incident and the KKK photo being suddenly released to the public I am beginning to wonder if he isn't the "best man" running. He has at least been willing to provide us answers (video recorded at that). I am concerned with a few things about David Waters. Every time I try to get an answer I get nothing solid just assumptions. I am still open to information if anyone can direct me to who he actually is ...not who he claims to be. They may be one and the same but I am starting the have real doubts the more backlash I hear from his zealot supporters every time I question him. There seems to be a lack of transparency.

What this boils down to is you have a boatload of people making comments on here that I guess are perfect! They have never done a thing wrong in their lives. I imagine if it was THEIR job that was at risk and some skeleton came out of the closet they would say "oh it was the past" just like that.

We forget about forgiveness in this country. It's amazing that we can blame people and judge people and never forgive anything that people do. It's wrong people. It's wrong to sit there and judge people over somehting that happened so so long ago.

People can and DO change. It's the left leaning people in this country that still sit there and dwell on the sixties and the civil rights movement (heck they dwell on the slavery days prior to the EP!). The liberals are the ones that have never been able to move this country along because the Al Sharptons and the Jesse Jacksons keep spewing RACISM! when there have been such shifts in this country for the better. And just like the Jacksons and Sharptons out there, some of you are making huge MOUNTAINS out of a molehill. The man has his experience and you should base your vote on that AND ONLY on that.

If you think he is a racist, I have news for you....the last two deputies I came into contact with were both black and they were the most polite deputies I have dealt with. So vote with your BRAIN and make the right decision.

Uhhhh.........the last thing Jackson and Sharpton want is harmony between blacks and whites. What would they do with their lives? As i said before,show me two bigger racists than those two stooges.

Sweeney--I admired your beginning about how we all judge. You are correct and I admire you for that, however, you are judging. You are guilty of being judgmental. You start in with the left wing and go to Sharpton and Jessie Jackson. Sir you are guilty of being judgemental.

Two different things and I think you know it.

How about the people judge him by casting their vote against him or for him on the basis of how he has done. For crying out loud people, the man has a record and that is what he needs to be judged on. If you don't like him, vote him out. Simple as that. All this other BS is just that.......BS.

I mean I don't judge Barack Obama because he smoked pot and did cocaine and ate dogmeat when he was younger.

Wow--that was hateful and judgmental Sweeney.

Mary K - please. Don't you have anything better to do than to judge other people judging? People like you don't get it. You really don't. There is a difference and you know it, you just don't like it. And thank you for judging me as "hateful" when I tell the truth. Of course you probably see me as a racist because I don't like Obama even though he is HALF WHITE.

Sweeney I will not argue with you anymore--Try not to judge, I will too.
Have a great day!

Wow people, stop drinking the garrison cool aid, it's clearly not good for your health. With all those degrees you would think a little common sense would bleed through. Stop listening to the hype and read the writing on the wall. Dictator bad, people's opinions are good. Instead of suppressing his employees opinions, garrison should learn from successful private sector and embrace their ideals. If so then garrison would be like by his employees and not feel the need to order his command staff to identify any employees with David waters yard sign and to punish them immediately. If you are wondering, yes that is occurring. The very man we as a community entrust to protect out constitutional rights had been violating his ( sorry, our) employees rights. Do you know that garrison sits on the very board that is the employees appeal if fired for openly supporting another person.

Sorry for misspelled words, I have fat fingers!

I will vouch that what ^^^^ says is true!!!

how is it that if you are bashing Garrison its not being judgemental but anything else is........huhhhhhhhh.

except fot the insignias they drew not exactley matching you gotta say they did a pretty damn good job makin the costumes.

So when will the question be asked of garrison as to who the other person is in the photo, and if the outfits came from the movie blazing saddles, where did the ideal about the black balloon with a rope around it come from. Do we overlook the extras because a federal agent did this at the age of 25 or the fact we the citizens put someone in office who doesn't have to answer to anyone. I know, he will just claim executive privilege or something to that affect that we are getting used to from big government.

i hope nobody finds out there were black balloons at my 40th birthday. i will be in deep poo.

only if you had a kkk uniform on.

Just keep drinking the kool aid!

Some people are so deep in a relationship with a elected officials they don't want to hear the truth. Whether its financial support, personal intimate relationships, or the reality that you will loose your identity and just be an average joe like The rest of us when your saint loses. So what your reason?

Kudos!!! Having anything go viral on Social Media is quite an accomplishment! So glad to see that Garrison is becoming an international star representing all of us with such dignity from Cherokee County!
20 years in office? Times up. Maybe a nice long vacation to help find "himself" would be a good way to start.

I'm going to have to agree totally with "Mad as heck" seems funny how select people can voice their opinion openly while others will be removed from forums, social media, etc..... Freedom of Speech apparently is not alive and well in Cherokee County! All the little sheep....ensure its taken care of.

Mad as Heck---> The sad thing is that some aren't so deep into it, they're just scared. I have a friend who spent many years with Roger at the sheriff's office. He has so much proof of what kind of man Roger is, but is scared to let it go because it can only point back to him and he's terrified of what Roger would do to him as retribution. He's voting for Waters, but still, that's sad- to be scared of voicing what you know and voicing who you are! And some are voting for him just because they know nothing will change, but they're afraid of change because they've been deceived for 20 years that they don't believe someone else could do better- wow, that sounded like I was talking about a beaten wife, but I guess that is a good analogy. Voters need to stop being sheep and take a leap. If they don't like the decission, they can make a change in 4 years when the next candidate runs.

Garrison needs to go! He's been here for 20 years and that is just too long. He's already been telling people he meets that after this election he's not going to run again so let's just get on with it. David Waters actually WANTS to be here andhe has my vote. I want a Sheriff that isn't looking at this as a pre-retirement term.

People who have moved here from other places tend to have a stereotypical view of the south. BOSS HAWG in a KKK suit aint helping that. Now some of you don't care about that and would rather they all just "GO BACK". News flash! There are more of them now than there are us good ole boys. I for one am embarrassed by the the people who defend the lack of MORAL FIBER not MATURE JUDGEMENT that went into a decision to wear this costume. The black balloon just reinforces it. If you are for the STATUS QUO of career elected officials then you are part of the problem and not the solution.

I love your anology of Boss Hawg, that exactly what that clown is.

So it would appear that our beloved Mayor Hobgood is endorcing the racsist sheriff for a 6th term. Clearly he has no problem supporting a man who give a pair of pants to a mike McGowan (spokensman for Cherokee county school system) who bragged on video in December 17th at midnight 12/10 about soiling his pants and wearing roger garrisons brown law enforcement pants after leaving garrisons house drunk. One would think that if garrison was such good friends with a person who had

Tw prior DUI's that he would help him not encourage him to drink. Then again, when that very person was instrumental in employing Garrisons wife with the school system..... Well heck, that's what happens when you don't have term limits, corruption, and people all around drinking the Roger Garrison kool aid

I still want to know when the bank that garrison had the Sheriff office account In a local bank is going to come forward to answer question about when Garrisons wife was let go due to cutbacks, that he got mad, ordered several officers in marked cars to block entrances to the bank, stormed in and ordered the manager to withdraw all the sheriffs office money from the account he had.

Of course there were tons of witnessed, because Garrison waited until the board meeting started so he could show them all what happens when you cross "Boss Hawg"

So I ask you mayor Hobgood, and I think I speak for a majority Of your constituent, will you recant your endorsement of this clown, or do we the people need to look at your office a little harder and see if you too have been drinking the Garrison kool aid. Every long term elected official has dirty laundry, what's yours and where does the Garrison influence stop, or what dirt is he holding over your head to force such a poor choice endorsement?

speakin of Boss Hwag,that was a good show.

It time our community takes back our government and put people in office that understand that they work for the people and not the other way around. It's time to take a hard look at those who have contributed to Garrisons campaign and each persons endorsement. It's time for confession so you can hold you head high and not let a dictator pull your strings like a little puppet. This mafia style has to stop

Agreed! PS: Has anyone checked out Roger's 8 "Apology Videos"? They're quite humorous if I say so myself! And why can't he focus on the camera and keeps looking to the side? Does he have a teleprompter over there or something???

I want a Sheriff who will stop abusing his power.

Term limits for all elected government jobs! Every job! I don't know if sheriff rango garrison is guilty of all that he is accused of, on this board, but I'm sure it's closer to truth than it is to lies!
Ethics are not important to people like rango garrison POWER is what they want.

Those who live in glass house should throw stones. Quit crying and vote. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAA You all sound like little kids not getting their way.

James, it sounds like you are not familiar with the concept of a forum. Do us all a favor and look it up. I would try to explain but heck, I would be belittling you more than I already have. One who pulls another's strings and tells them what to do and say is calling a puppeteer. Cut the strings July 31 and be your own man. Two decades of taurine is enough.

Looks like the king maker, Linda Flory, has her hands full with the Garrison campaign! Couldn't happen to a nicer lady...

I beautiful thing is, no one cares who you are. You are just an average joe on this forum, no need to pound your chest, no one is scared. That what the message is. You should never have to feel the need to be angry when voicing your opinion . I along with millions Of other fought for that right as did Jesus suffered from our sins. We have free choice, it's time to exercise through what's right not what someone forces you to do or else. These elected official are only but one person. We give them the power the so abuse and we can take it back where they listen to the very community that entrusted them with our money and our children. That trust has been broken for sometime and the only reason a wrong has not been righted is through fear. It's time to say no more and get people in office that will listen and not so arrogant.

Im not angry at all. I was just stating that you assume that you know who I am voting for. You are no different than me. I have the freedom to express my opinions as well. The beautiful thing is that many care who I am. So get off of your high horse like you are someone special. Stop stroking your own ego. You act like this little small town forum is the end all beat all. Well simpleton, it is not. Have fun with your pathetic existence, I am off to make a difference for the next ten hours. You sit right here and read and post and make yourself feel important. Bye.

Can't we all just get a long?