In his essay, Mr. Rapert made several claims that deserve comment because they are inaccurate, false, and glaring evidence of his bigotry.
Rapert's appeal to sectarianism is both disingenuous and pernicious. Like any demagogue, he knows how to appeal to base fears, superstition, and falsehoods about homosexuality. He enlisted the company of like-minded black Christian clergy to create a visual image intended to make his major premise acceptable across racial lines. Of course, a false premise is false no matter who accepts it, but that's of no concern to Rapert or the editorial staff of the Democrat-Gazette.
Racial segregation in public education was lawful by popular vote in Arkansas, across the South, and practiced elsewhere with the force of law. The U.S. Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional 60 years ago last month in Brown v. Board of Education. Racial gerrymandering of electoral districts was lawful by popular vote. The U.S. Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional almost a half century ago in Gomillion v. Lightfoot and Baker v. Carr. Judge Piazza's recent rulings are correctly understood in the light of these and similar decisions.
Comments (39)
Showing 1-25 of 39