Letter to the Editor
September 16, 2020
Dear Editor,
In the September 9, 2020, issue on page 1B, you – as the editor – wrote about the only hanging to occur in Barry County. You give your personal opinion as to how it was chilling to you because “somebody saw fit to record the deed in a photo, also because throngs of people showed up to witness it.”
What you say next I find unacceptable. Next you say, “It goes to show we’re a blood-thirsty lot, and I doubt we’ve changed.”
Allow me to say, I am not blood-thirsty; my family is not blood-thirsty; and my friends that I’ve come to know here in Barry County over 49 years are not blood-thirsty either.
I find your opinion to be negative and based on your speculation. While none of us can explain why, 133 years ago, people would gather to watch a murderer be hung, I ask myself why you find it necessary to write about it today, 133 years later, and go on to indicate we’re all blood-thirsty??? You mentioned it “chilled” you, so if it chilled you, why bring it up? Is it being dug back up to chill the rest of us, and be used as a platform to bring negativity into the community in which we live?
Speaking for myself and many other Barry County citizens, we are tired of negativity. If you and your reporters want to dig up things that have happened in our county over the last 133 years, may I suggest you all search for positive things and print them. Instead of chilling us and judging us, you have the power to lift us up and encourage us through positive writings.
Instead of adding fuel to the problems in our world, you could add fuel to the solution our world needs. This is what the majority of the citizens of Barry County and the readers of your paper would prefer.
I challenge you and your writers to move us by writing positive articles and positive news.
Jerry James
Cassville
In the September 9, 2020, issue on page 1B, you – as the editor – wrote about the only hanging to occur in Barry County. You give your personal opinion as to how it was chilling to you because “somebody saw fit to record the deed in a photo, also because throngs of people showed up to witness it.”
What you say next I find unacceptable. Next you say, “It goes to show we’re a blood-thirsty lot, and I doubt we’ve changed.”
Allow me to say, I am not blood-thirsty; my family is not blood-thirsty; and my friends that I’ve come to know here in Barry County over 49 years are not blood-thirsty either.
I find your opinion to be negative and based on your speculation. While none of us can explain why, 133 years ago, people would gather to watch a murderer be hung, I ask myself why you find it necessary to write about it today, 133 years later, and go on to indicate we’re all blood-thirsty??? You mentioned it “chilled” you, so if it chilled you, why bring it up? Is it being dug back up to chill the rest of us, and be used as a platform to bring negativity into the community in which we live?
Speaking for myself and many other Barry County citizens, we are tired of negativity. If you and your reporters want to dig up things that have happened in our county over the last 133 years, may I suggest you all search for positive things and print them. Instead of chilling us and judging us, you have the power to lift us up and encourage us through positive writings.
Instead of adding fuel to the problems in our world, you could add fuel to the solution our world needs. This is what the majority of the citizens of Barry County and the readers of your paper would prefer.
I challenge you and your writers to move us by writing positive articles and positive news.
Jerry James
Cassville
Point well taken, Jerry. I will attempt to rise to the challenge of writing positive stories as often as possible in the future. In fact, I have a couple on the back-burner just waiting to be written.
However, writing about the positive does not mean the negative doesn’t exist. To turn our eyes away from it, or gloss over history, sometimes allows evil to flourish unnoticed. The study of history has been compared to holding up a mirror in front of ourselves: a measuring stick to see how far we’ve come, how far we’ve fallen, or where we might be headed.
I admit, I’ve been dwelling on the negative a bit too much lately. It’s easy to do in these confusing times.
Regarding my remark that we’re a blood-thirsty lot: sadly, as humans (and generally-speaking), we have those tendencies in one form or another. I believe it was the Apostle Paul who said, “we’re all men of like passion.” While most of us wouldn’t commit literal murder or relish the sight of someone being killed, we’re often quick enough to wound with tongue or pen.
Thankfully, I know several people who I believe are exceptions, but, to my regret, I can’t claim to be one of them - thus I include myself in the generality.
Thank you for your letter. It’s given me pause for reflection.
- Editor
However, writing about the positive does not mean the negative doesn’t exist. To turn our eyes away from it, or gloss over history, sometimes allows evil to flourish unnoticed. The study of history has been compared to holding up a mirror in front of ourselves: a measuring stick to see how far we’ve come, how far we’ve fallen, or where we might be headed.
I admit, I’ve been dwelling on the negative a bit too much lately. It’s easy to do in these confusing times.
Regarding my remark that we’re a blood-thirsty lot: sadly, as humans (and generally-speaking), we have those tendencies in one form or another. I believe it was the Apostle Paul who said, “we’re all men of like passion.” While most of us wouldn’t commit literal murder or relish the sight of someone being killed, we’re often quick enough to wound with tongue or pen.
Thankfully, I know several people who I believe are exceptions, but, to my regret, I can’t claim to be one of them - thus I include myself in the generality.
Thank you for your letter. It’s given me pause for reflection.
- Editor
