‘Ugly’ attitudes in the signs

Dear Editor,

The purpose of advertising, be it for a product, a service, or political candidate, is to present your cause in the most favorable light. Political advertising has taken a new turn in this election cycle, and I can see that it does promote a candidate, but not the one intended. One can only assume that these banners have been approved by both the candidate and the political party he represents.

These large, colorful, and “profane” (as generously described by your newspaper) banners do present a candidate in what I consider a favorable light, but not the candidate that the banners advertise. I see these flags proudly flying from porches and from the backs of trucks, and all I can think is that this candidate is someone that I do not want anywhere near the White House. He purports to be a conservative Christian — yet I haven’t seen one of these flags near a church, nor would I expect to hear these words from the pulpit.

They clearly demonstrate his contempt for anyone holding an opposing viewpoint, and his unwillingness to even entertain a differing opinion. They contemptuously display the worst of the ugly political attitudes embodied by this candidate and his supporters.

And I can only wonder, if the other political party flew banners with an equally “profane” statement, would it be looked upon as acceptable “political speech” by the party officials currently giving a wink and a nod to the “profane” banners now flying?

Elizabeth Buonocore,

Warren

Injustice to innocent

Dear Editor,

“With liberty and justice for all.” These closing words of The Pledge of Allegiance highlight the importance of both liberty and justice in our republic. In an earlier missive I had elaborated on liberty so in this letter I will concentrate on justice.

In the preamble to the United States Constitution the phrase “establish justice” is immediately followed by the phrase “insure domestic tranquility.” Our founders realized the linkage between these. Apparently, the present lack of domestic tranquility is caused by a failure to establish justice.

The greatest injustice in the United States is the death sentence pronounced upon millions of innocent unborn babies since the Roe v. Wade decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in 1973. It is also true that a disproportionate number of these babies are of African-American descent.

On top of the Warren County Courthouse there is a statue of a blindfolded woman holding scales. This represents two eternal truths about justice. The blindfold symbolizes the lack of bias or prejudice based solely on the outward appearance that can be seen. As Jesus indicated in John 7:24, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” The scales represent the need to accurately weigh the evidence in all cases. As Deuteronomy 25:15 states, “You shall have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure, that your days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.”

Jesus himself experienced the injustice of the legal system while on this earth. However, He knew the key to overcoming injustice is love and forgiveness. Even while being crucified Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

My ancestor Rebecca Nurse was unjustly accused of witchcraft in Salem in the late 1600s. Though she and many others were executed, the ensuing revulsion against this miscarriage of justice resulted in reforms to the legal system to ensure that similar injustices would not be repeated.

To summarize, vote for those who will establish justice for all, pray for all those in authority, and show love and forgiveness to those who have wronged you or your relatives. Then will come to pass the words written in Amos 5:24 that Martin Luther King quoted in his famous speech in our nation’s capital: “But let justice run down like water, And righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Hollister McNeal,

Warren