Petty's Peculiar Folly

All in opposition

Petty's Peculiar Folly

Anyone who makes the mistake of believing Fayetteville Alderman Matthew Petty hasn't ignited a firestorm in that community with his misguided proposed ordinance to establish a commandant of anti-discriminatory behavior wasn't paying attention to the dozens of voices raised in unison that rallied on the town square and outside City Hall for three consecutive afternoons.

Representatives from several community churches joined with concerned citizens who simply don't like or support Petty's wrongheaded idea to pass an ordinance giving city government legal authority, complete with criminal sanctions, against businesses that a political appointee deems unfairly biased or intolerant based on gender, race, culture, sexual preference and, well, you can pretty much name the supposedly inappropriate attitude and behavior.

Clearly there are many hundreds, even thousands in Fayetteville who neither agree with, nor appreciate, Petty's proposal. I believe this is a wholly unnecessary and intrusive ordinance in feeble search of a problem. Plus, many believe this ordinance unquestionably constitutes the potential for violating guaranteed constitutional liberties, especially First Amendment rights.

Petty says he likes the idea of placing an appointed city official in charge of administering what he perceives as justice should an instance of discrimination occur. That's because Petty says he's against discrimination. I don't know about that comment, valued readers, but that may be the most juvenile argument for inflicting a needless law on good people I've ever heard. Does Petty truly believe the rest of us aren't as accepting as he is? Yet he can't provide one example of the need for what I've come to call Petty's Peculiar Folly?

I was pleased to see the rallies last week (that included prayers at City Hall) against what strikes me and so many others as yet another example of government attempting to creep its tentacles into every aspect of our lives for no legitimate or proven reason. I also see this attempt as moving ever closer to establishing "thought police" even at the grass-roots level.

These are exactly the kind of overreaches we all need to be speaking against. The city council is expected to entertain a third reading of Petty's Peculiar Folly tonight. Why, I'm betting at least 10 citizens will attend, including those from churches across the city.

The resignation--not

Grant County Sheriff Ray Vance said Friday he would resign his office Monday; he became ineligible because of the law that prevents those convicted of "infamous crimes" from continuing in elected office. The state Supremes ruled nine years ago that offenses including the elements of deceit and dishonesty constituted an infamous crime.

Sheriff since 2010, Vance pleaded no contest to a charge in Kansas that he'd obtained a lifetime hunting license in Kansas under false pretenses that same year, which means he was convicted of an infamous crime in the eyes of the law.

But Vance and his political supporters can rejoice in knowing that, because he ran unopposed, Vance also will be re-elected to his job come November. That means, because his record has been expunged in Kansas, he's all clean legally and might as well leave all his stuff in the office since, come January, resigned Sheriff Vance will become the county's new (well, OK, not really so new) sheriff!

Do the right thing

I received the following message (of many) from a reader in Bryant the other day. Seems to me this man speaks for many Arkansans and others in writing to Cargill:

"Mike--As a lifelong Arkansan, I want to express my opposition to the hog farm Cargill is affiliated with in the Buffalo Watershed. I've had no communication with anyone actively opposing this venture other than what I read in the paper. I also want to point out that I am completely pro-agriculture, pro-farmer, pro-USA and pro-common sense.

In this instance, I believe common sense and the understanding that any revenues generated from this farm will never compensate for the public relations nightmare and bad press Cargill is and will continue to receive moving forward. I would think there is another location that could be utilized outside the immediate area of this nationally treasured river, our nation's first national river no less.

Personally I have much respect for Cargill and actually work with a former employer whom I consider a friend. The respect and admiration Cargill would gain by "doing the right thing" in this situation cannot be measured in dollars and cents but in the knowledge that [Cargill] lead by example in hopes others would follow. Arkansans would surely agree."

Half-century reunion

As many of you already know, I appreciate a good high school reunion, and the 50th for Harrison's class of 1965 is rolling around next summer. Dr. C.W. "Bill" Dill ([email protected]) of Fayetteville was the president of that rowdy group during the year of The Beatles and Rolling Stones, so he's the fortunate one who gets to head up the planning committee, which meets this Saturday at the Harrison Country Club at 11 a.m. If you're one who gets no satisfaction from missing a reunion, Dr. Bill says you're invited (even downright encouraged) to show up that day and help plan for what likely could be a hard day's night.

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Mike Masterson's column appears regularly in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Email him at [email protected]. Read his blog at mikemastersonsmessenger.com.

Editorial on 08/19/2014

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