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Tom McClure does not deserve slander
To the Editor:
I never expected to be sending a letter to the editor, but after all the unflattering news concerning the Economic Development Commission of Jackson County, the Jackson County Airport Authority and the Jackson Development Corp., I felt I had to.
These groups are made up of professional men and women representing different parts of the county. It just so happens that Tom McClure serves with each of these groups. Our Jackson County officials had some concerns about the way some transactions were being handled within the EDC. Instead of contacting the EDC and requesting a meeting to discuss their concerns, they proceeded to act in a nonprofessional manner by removing Tom from all county appointments. They even had deputies go to his office requesting (or demanding) records, which in part they already had in their possession.
Why do I care about these actions? Tom McClure is my brother for whom I have great respect. He is a man of integrity. He is a devoted family man, a faithful steward in the church and a dedicated employee of Western Carolina University, where he is director of regional affairs. His contacts in Raleigh and Washington, D.C., through frequent trips on behalf of WCU, should make his participation in county affairs very beneficial.
My husband Livingston and I, along with my family, are concerned with the slander and humiliation that Tom has endured for the past few weeks. There has been much stress that he should not have had to deal with. We appreciate all the people that have called to express concern and support for Tom. We hope these issues will soon be resolved.
Linda Kelley
Sylva
Gender, wealth, health care equality needed
To the Editor:
I would like to attempt to respond to comments and questions made by Mr. Matthew Newsome regarding my previous letter. I am inclined to assume from his letter that Mr. Newsome is of the Catholic faith, and would like to assure him that I have no particular disdain for the Catholic religion. I can understand how my reference to "The DaVinci Code" book might offend him if he is a Catholic.
I have always had an interest in religion, and lived among people of a great many faiths. I have found great wisdom and kindness within these very different religions. I have also been saddened by apparent injustice and hypocrisy. I would have Mr. Newsome know that the most Christ-like person I have ever known happens to have been a Catholic priest I met in the 1980s in war-torn Nicaragua. I am humbled by that priest's example.
However, I fear Mr. Newsome has not given my words a fair hearing. Any serious study of early Christian literature will show that even the earliest Christian beliefs were nearly as controversial, and contradictory, as they are today among the various groups. And to attempt to justify the assertion that Christianity has always equally valued women, by quoting the documents of an ancient male-dominated culture, with these same documents written exclusively by men, seems, well, to almost make my point for me. I do suspect women played a major role in spreading Christianity in the early days when meetings were held secretly, within homes, which was the place where women had something approaching an equal standing. But the church has worked hard for centuries to obliterate anything it considers heresy, and church documents can hardly be expected to include a complete history we can quote from.
Mr. Newsome asks, "In what non-Christian culture would women want to live?" and then lists as examples only some of the worst possible situations. I would answer this as I have in a previous letter. It appears to me that the more secular societies of the European Union are more likely to treat women, and women's concerns and issues, more fairly. They are more often turning away from war, and investing resources in health care, education and social justice issues. I would not encourage women to change religions. It is not just the Christian religion that was male-dominated and has tended to marginalize the role of women. I would encourage them, and all of us, not to move anywhere, but to change our society in ways that support equality, gender equality, wealth distribution equality, health care access equality, etc.
It is especially curious to me that someone would assert that the Church has rescued us from barbarity. It seems to me that barbarity has far too often found its source and justification within religion. Am I to believe that the Crusades, the Inquisition and the wholesale slaughter of New World native peoples in the name of God was a part of that rescue? And today it appears our self-proclaimed Christian president is currently determined to "rescue" Iraq from barbarity, and is unimpressed that the pope and most of the rest of the world find his war to be immoral.
I fear that so long as we guide our society by the words of ancient male-dominated cultures, words which can be interpreted to justify even preemptive war against a very weak enemy, we are doomed to repeat our barbaric history. The wisdom of religion that might save us can, it's true, be found in such ancient scriptures, but is not exclusive to any one. Such wisdom can also be imagined and uncovered by secular peoples who care deeply about social justice.
Although I am not a member of any church, I attended a Christmas service this year led by a female Methodist pastor. I found her words no less meaningful or powerful due to her gender. And whatever the theological reasoning that leads the Catholic church to allow only celibate males as priests, well, I dare not comment on the apparent problems with that policy, for fear of severely offending Catholics.
I think we all yet have work to do pulling ourselves, and our religions, out of barbarity. I do not believe that women risk their femininity by preaching, or legislating, or otherwise participating in our society as equals.
Robert Franz
Whittier
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