letter to the editor
A relative’s response to June 18 letter about labels on matters of patriotism
This letter is written in response to Bill Johns’ letter printed (June 18) in the farragutpress Opinion section.
Here we go again.
I first must thank the Editor for publishing my wife’s letter on June 11 and Bill Johns’ letter on June 18. One letter showed empathy and lamented the deaths of so many African American’s at the hands of police. Her hope was for all people to look inward at themselves and start the journey to redemption.
The second letter acknowledged the senseless murder of George Floyd, while ignoring the underlying causes for his death. Then he immediately goes into the attack mode and tries to divert the focus of the letter by labeling people he has never met as communist. Really.
It seems that any person expressing any opinion or thought other that of Bill Johns is labeled a communist. I don’t know Bill Johns and he does not know our family. But he, like many people of his ilk, abhor anyone who expresses concern that his American way of life, as he sees it, does not equally apply to all people. He seems to believe that if you don’t agree with his philosophy, then you are a communist. My wife felt anguish and empathy for the 8 minute-an- 46-second slow death of Mr. Floyd ,and now she is labeled a communist or communist sympathizer. Where is America going? Why does one side automatically label anyone who does not share their thoughts as liberal, leftist liberal, socialist or communist?
As you read his letter, he showed little interest in the concerns expressed in this letter.
I wonder if he also had any empathy for the fathers and mothers of the children killed at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, Parkland High School in Florida or the people killed at Mother Emmanuel AME Church in South Carolina, and the recent killing of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia.
Members of our family have served this country proudly in the military in every conflict from World War I to present day. I served. My brothers, her father, uncles, cousins and nephews have all served this country proudly.
My son spent 20-plus years in the Air Force as a search and rescue helicopter pilot with missions in every country our military fought in the last 25 years. We are now communist?
Get real Bill Johns. We have earned the right to express our opinion, just as any citizen in this country earned that right.
My wife spent over 30 years in teaching and administration in the public schools, and there is not one peer, one student, one administrator who did not love and respect her for her thoughts and opinions. Fire her?
Not in your lifetime.
Matthew 22:39 says that “you should love you neighbor as yourself.” If, as God commanded, you love your neighbor, you cannot look at them with malice as you seem to indicate in your letter.
I may be wrong, but all I glean from your letter is hatred for anyone that does not believe the way you do. I wonder if the real issue is that you are uncomfortable discussing the racial injustice system addressed in her letter.
In order to understand the meaning of being a racist or antiracist, I would like to suggest that everyone read the book “How To Be An Antiracist “by Ibram X. Kendi.
Harold Hicks,
BSME, MBA retired
Farragut
