Greed preys on creed

Recently, talking with a new pastor friend about counties in Arkansas that vote dry but assure the sheriff will look the other way when moonshine is in evidence, I came up with a possible hashtag that might need to be shared: #greedandcreed or #creedandgreed. Greed preys on creed (pun intended) in so many additional ways today.

This explains so much about today’s Republican “leadership,” playing to a religious and often poorly educated, largely rural population with a cherry-picked religious narrative while assuring that the “leaders” and their backers rake in the dough.

My pastor friend had remarked that other pastors and the bootleggers in his home county, Ouachita, had joined forces decades ago to keep the county “dry” despite numerous votes to make it “wet.” What a coalition! I had heard firsthand of other counties, for instance Stone County, that did the same but didn’t know of the widerspread underlying coalition.

In 2023, Republican “leaders” blatantly continue to use the creeds of their loyal Christian supporters to grift ever more efficiently, creating hyperbolic fear and grievance messages that ignite the desire to step up and save the world they are told is so evil. And the “widows’ mites,” provided sincerely and graciously in hopes this will save souls including the donor’s, line the pockets of political and pastoral charlatans and heretics who kiss the cross as they stomp on Christ’s most sacred message of love and grace and inclusion and who wrap their arms around the flag while trampling the Constitution.

I pity the gaslit hordes. My contempt is reserved for those gaslighting them and thereby harming huge numbers of Arkansans. Sadly, many of the latter are elected in all branches of my state’s government. We need to vote them out.

MARY REMMEL WOHLLEB Little Rock