Letters

Monument to himself

Arkansas Sen. Jason Rapert's monument to Rapert now sits on state property and shouts to all who happen by, "I am the Lord thy God."

It seems Rapert's American History and Heritage Foundation is meant to mask his violation of the separation of church and state clause by pretending the religious text has historical significance as the foundation for the U.S. Constitution and laws.

Forget that the founding fathers allowed and participated in the slavery trade and in the exclusion of all from power and representation except landholding and rich white men.

The commandments clearly do not call for slaves, indentured servants, legalized rape, breaking up families, whippings, starvation, loitering laws, debt prisons, demeaning women, stealing land and despoiling the world's soil, air and water for self-gain.

Rapert's own press release violates at least one commandment: "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor," which he does when he seeks to demean, as "anti-American," anyone or group challenging him; one is to assume the senator is the real American.

Another biblical contrast to Rapert's self-aggrandizing monument is that Moses smashed the tablets because in his absence his fellow wanderers had erected false idols, possibly similar in intent as the monument Rapert has championed.

BOB REYNOLDS

Conway

Proud brother-in-law

My hero is my wife's brother, Jim Orr. Born and reared in Memphis, after high school he went to Oregon and worked in a CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) camp. He sent most of his pay home to help support his parents and five sisters.

In 1942, he enlisted in the Marines. He applied for flight school; after completing flight training he was commissioned a second lieutenant and trained to fly B-25 bombers and sent to the Pacific theater. He was wounded while engaged in a low-level bombing run at Tobruk.

He returned to Memphis and got a job as an office boy at a company that made cotton oil mill machinery. In time he became a salesman and his job took him places in the U.S. and the Middle East. He rose to be president of the Murray Co. He and another man bought the company and eventually sold it for a good profit.

Jim encouraged me to apply for Naval flight school, which I did. Jim had a great personality and was interested in others wherever he went. He was a role model for me as well as others. I was proud to have him as a brother-in-law.

LES ABERNATHY

Jonesboro

Might be bad for them

The Ten Commandments monument on the Capitol grounds should be removed out of consideration for the politicians who work there. To be reminded every day with postings like, "Thou shall not steal, Thou shall not commit adultery, Thou shall not lie," creates--as George Carlin observed--a hostile work environment for politicians.

BETTY McSWAIN

Fort Smith

A hero in the family

He was the Union general with the funny middle name: Birdseye. General James Birdseye McPherson. The second-highest ranking Union officer killed in battle. Our common ancestor was William McPherson, born in Inverness, Scotland, in 1612. At MacPherson Clan gatherings, he is simply referred to as The General.

Prior to the Civil War he helped build Fort Alcatraz and became engaged to Emily Hoffman. A planned wedding was postponed due to the outbreak of the war. During the war, he served under Generals Grant and Sherman at the battles of Vicksburg and Shiloh. On March 12, 1864, he was promoted to major general, assuming command of the Army of the Tennessee (named for the river, not the state). His requested leave to marry Emily was denied by Sherman, who needed him for the Atlanta campaign.

On July 22, 1864, during the siege of Atlanta, he was riding with his aide from one Union encampment to another when a skirmish line of Confederates appeared and ordered him to halt and surrender. Instead, he doffed his hat, turned his horse around to flee but was mortally wounded. When the rebels asked the aide for the identity of the man they shot, he replied, "General James McPherson. You have just killed the best man in our army."

When Sherman learned of his death, he cried openly. John Bell Hood, his Confederate adversary, boyhood friend and fellow graduate of West Point wrote of his "admiration and gratitude for his [McPherson's] conduct toward our people in the vicinity of Vicksburg. His consideration and kind treatment of them stood in bright contrast to the course pursued by many federal officers."

Emily never recovered from his death, never married and lived a quiet and lonely life until her death in 1891. Another victim of that ghastly and terrible conflict.

JOHN McPHERSON

Searcy

Insulted? Stand tall

There are two ways for those who do wrong to take being called out. One is to apologize and correct the problem; the other is to vilify those who called you out. I believe the latter has never been more apparent than in the present version of the Republican Party and its efforts to blame the messengers, whether the press or our law enforcement, for exposing their dirty deeds.

I am not immune from the hate that comes my way. It bothers me, upsets me and occasionally causes me to lose some sleep. That doesn't matter.

For every one-fingered salute, there are hundreds of friendly honks, waves and thumbs-up. For every personal insult, there are dozens of hugs and thank,yous. I am also blessed with having the support of the one who means the most to me, Suzanne. The lesson being that love trumps hate.

MARK EASTBURN

Eureka Springs

Thank God for poor!

I salute all the poor mothers-to-be who did not abort their children.

This country has greatly benefited from the offspring of the poor folks--Abraham Lincoln, for one.

B.E. SPURGEON

North Little Rock

Editorial on 05/27/2018

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