The Charlotte News

Wednesday, July 22, 1942

FOUR EDITORIALS

Site Ed. Note: ...Actually, it was December 20, 1939, not December 21, but the error is alright of itself and so we leave it.

Incidentally, we meant no offense to masonry. If you are into masonry, especially stone masonry--which is hard work, as we know from our limited experience with it--you might like to go here and here.

We forgot yesterday to fill you in on the cut-off quote of the day, which we lost in the Kilimanjaros: "Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes." --Thoreau

Hey, you who made and participated in "Brother's War", take heed.

Today's quote, also cut off, is: "That questionable superfluity, small beer." --Thomas Jerrold

Hey, you who made and participated in "Brother's War", take heed.

If you want to see a good recent one, also available currently in the supermarket box, try "Defiance". Well done. The Little Man ought be up out of his chair and applauding on that one.

Ah, brothers and sisters, it's too hot today (which is why we are dragging this week). Let's go surfin' instead.

The front page is here. It's also the same, more war and killing and hatred.

The only thing we think fit to point out to you, as a companion to the child found chained in the West Virginia attic the other day, is the photo of the children bound in chains in the Georgia home for stealing 20 to 25 cents from their mama's pocketbook. The loving, tender papa who did the deed, we are happy to report, was, himself, bound in chains this night for the offense. This was not an example of sparing the rod to spoil the child but rather chaining the child to prevent looting of the spoils of chains.

The editorial page likewise offers little about which we think we need comment anew.

We do note that the little piece from Coronet tells perhaps of whence came the most notable characteristic invariably infusing the writing of John Steinbeck, at least among the trio of his works with which we are most familar, Grapes of Wrath, Tortilla Flat, and Of Mice and Men--compassion for the underdog. It was where most such empathy derives, first-hand experience. Ask Tom Joad.

Speaking of whom, we applaud our new President for his courage in leadership by calling the episode "stupid" involving Harvard Professor Gates, an African-American, arrested when he dared to object to being questioned for breaking into his own rented house in Cambridge, Mass. That, when the door was merely stuck and he had properly identified himself as the lawful resident.

Many is the time when we, forgetting our keys, have had to break into our house, including at night. We would not expect to be stopped in that endeavor by a police officer once we had properly identified ourselves as the resident.

Neither, we suggest, would most of the members of the Brotherhood of Police Officers. They would certainly not expect to be arrested for momentarily losing their cool and then merely making some remark. Doing something is a very different and dangerous matter. But saying something, especially on one's own property, other than uttering a true threat, e.g., "I'm going to hit you if you don't bug off," does not an offense make.

We live under a Constitution which insures equal protection of the rights of all, due process for all, freedom of speech to all, even Harvard professors, even the President. Heck, even lawyers and police officers, at least in most places. Those are not hollow promises or privileges but rights invested in each of us, not by police or courts, but assured by birthright as a citizen of the United States, assured by the document without which there is no law and certainly no order, and certainly no respect then for law or law enforcement.

Leadership, not salesmanship. We thank the President for the former thus far.

We trust also that it is recognized that Tom Joad has the same rights as Professor Gates, the President's friend. Standing up for his friend should set the example for the rest of us such that when Tom or just a next door neighbor has befall a similar quirk of circumstance and reacts with merely speech, we shall voice, after the fact, our disapproval appropriately as did the President. The ordinary citizen does not have the advantage usually of a Bully Pulpit, but need not ever fear writing a cordial letter of disapproval of police conduct of which they have heard to their local police chief. It may prevent the next episode from resulting in someone being hurt or killed from over-reaction to completely innocent behavior.