Mailbag

Equality for all

I enjoyed Myrna Brown’s article and believe that it dealt accurately with the issue of race relations. But this question drew my attention: “If this law tells people what they are required to do, but someone feels a certain way, they’re not willing to change their ways. Then, how is that going to promote better change for the future?”

I would like to respond by citing two directives: (1) Executive Order 9981, signed by President Harry Truman in 1948; and (2) the Civil Rights Act of 1964, signed by President Lyndon Johnson in 1964.

I am a 92-year-old African American. I entered the Army on July 20, 1954, at Fort Moore, Ga., (formerly Fort Benning) as a 2nd lieutenant and was saluted by a white MP at the main gate. I reported to the student company and saw that my unit was composed of both white and black officers. This would not have been the case if President Truman had not signed the above executive order integrating the military. From that first day until I retired in 1981—except for a telephone call in 1961 from an unidentified enlisted man—I never encountered overt racial discrimination in the military.

But the situation was different off the Army bases in the ’50s and early ’60s. While traveling from Chicago to Fort Riley, Kan., in 1958, I was refused a room at a “white” motel. In Junction City, Kan., there were very few places off-post where African Americans could eat or rent family housing. On my first day at Fort Riley, my company commander announced the unit officers would gather at a local restaurant for dinner on the weekend. I informed him that I would not be able to participate because the restaurant did not serve “Negroes,” and he moved the gathering to the post officer’s club. The above situation was still true when I returned to Fort Moore in 1962 and while assigned to Fort Liberty, N.C. With the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, there was an immediate change in the availability of restaurants and hotels/motels for African Americans.

I submit that directives and legislation can bring about change in circumstances where adverse race relations exist.
     Lt. Col. Emanuel Williams, U.S. Army (retired) / East Point, Ga.

Myrna Brown wrote one of the most beautiful, comprehensive articles on civil rights and desegregation in America! Thank you, WORLD, for presenting a very up-to-date exposé of such an important topic! We still have a way to go!
     Sylvia Bower / Powell, Ohio

What a perspective! What characters and stories! Great job. I’m almost 70 and love the historical narrative.
     Cheryl Irish / Bastrop, Texas

I was 6 years old when the Civil Rights Act was signed. Although I studied about it and lived through the many changes the legislation has brought about, Myrna Brown’s article gave readers a wonderful, personal perspective. Hearing the experiences of each of the men and women interviewed touched my heart. I was especially inspired by George Williams’ life journey. I love ­listening to Myrna on the podcast and am a big fan of her writing!
     Debbie Shultz / Nottingham, Md.

Welcome home

I’m thoroughly enjoying the new monthly issue of WORLD! I especially like the addition of the crossword. When I turned the page and saw it, I was delighted! The only problem is that it’s July 17 and I have read the whole issue and now must wait until August for the next issue. Oh well, patience, patience.
     April Van Luven / Elkton, Md.

The new monthly magazine is a nice combination of news and journal, and I like that. The older, seasoned columnists are always so pithy and write phrases worth quoting, and the new journalists’ reporting is so refreshing.
     Marsha Gartrell / Billings, Mont.

How do I like the monthly WORLD? Well, let’s see. Instead of the joy of anticipating two issues a month, the joy comes once a month. Instead of the pleasure of reading Lynn Vincent, Janie B. Cheaney, and Andrée Seu Peterson twice a month, I now have that pleasure once a month. Instead of a nice lightweight mag, I now have one that actually hurts my arthritic thumbs to hold.
     Anne Phillips / Wildwood, Fla.

Just when we were about to conclude that WORLD might be irredeemably emblematic of historian Mark Noll’s contention that there is no evangelical mind, along comes the July 2024 issue to prove our worst fears were perhaps unfounded. Great work!
     Boone Aldridge / Cedar Hill, Texas

I have been a subscriber and contributor for over 20 years. I am very disappointed that WORLD Magazine is now published monthly rather than biweekly. It is no longer a newsmagazine but an “olds” magazine. I implore you to reverse course and go back to biweekly issues.
     Tom Barber / Ethel, La.

Augustine in the ballot box

Collin Garbarino’s essay is excellent. “After Rome converted to Christianity …” makes me ask the question: What defines a nation as Christian? Is it the leader(s)? Is it a percentage of the population that follows Christ? Is it the number of churches? Is it the law and justice system? Is it the morality? The only kingdom that I know is “Christian” is the kingdom of God that Jesus mentions in the Gospels.
     Brick Lantz / Eugene, Ore.

I have subscribed to WORLD for decades, and I have to say Collin’s essay is probably the best article I have ever read in WORLD. May we all learn to live well in the City of Man, but live for the City of God!
     John A. Johnson / Rockingham County, Va.

Though I agree that we should not confuse God’s kingdom with America, I find that Collin’s criticism of those who say that a return to Christianity is the best hope for the country is simplistic. Second Chronicles 7:14 tells us that the repentance of God’s people leads to healing of the land. True repentance motivates God to hear the prayers of a suffering nation. This would not be the first time that God uses suffering to refocus our eyes on eternal perspectives (see the book of Judges). So true Christianity is the best hope for any nation, not because the nation is an idol, but because the virtues of true Christians lead to citizens of strong character as a by-product of devotion to Christ.
     Nick Cava / Lake Grove, N.Y.

Thank you so much for including this essay. It’s a must-read for anyone with an open mind toward how to interact with our nation’s politics without compromising their faith and testimony. The article’s last paragraph contained especially meaningful phrases, such as “our ultimate concern should be the kingdom without end,” “we still have a civic responsibility to work for the good of the earthly city,” and, most importantly, that we should “faithfully engage in ­politics—without putting our faith in it.”
     Sharon Romero / Albuquerque, N.M.

Clinging to the core

I recall my most Calvinistic mentor, the author and conference speaker John Reisinger, telling me that he had no problem with singing what Chelsea Boes calls “that fluffy lyric.” He said he could gladly sing “I have decided to ­follow Jesus” because it was the easiest decision he could make after God did His sovereign, electing work of regeneration in his heart.
     Eric Newton / Washington N.J.

I say this as one who was raised a charismatic Arminian and did not discover the doctrines of grace until my 30s: There is a reason there is no cage stage to Arminianism. No one has ever woken up one day and said, “Whoa! God and His gospel are even smaller than I thought! What glorious good news!”
     Noel Adams / Cedar Park, Texas

The hemp farmer of Lancaster County

I can’t help it, so I apologize in advance: A person who is pictured laughing at nothing, but is in his wide-open cannabis field, must have sampled some of his product. No?
     Eugene Pomiak / Hemet, Calif.

Corrections

When Willie Mays retired in 1973, he was third behind Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron in career home runs (Departures, August, p. 22).

Eric Liddell’s time of 9.7 seconds in the 100-yard dash set a British record (“The race that honored God,” August, p. 96).

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WORLD Mailbag
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