Dear Editor,
I have to admit that when I wrote that last sentence about Harry Truman I was inviting a response. And, as I hoped, someone called me to let me know that if I never wear a shoe I cannot know if it squeezes or not. I told him I do not think that is exactly how the proverb sounds, but I understood what he meant and why he said it.
He told me I can’t call the man a crook. He determined that whoever was involved in the money part of the erecting of the flagpole was a man. And during our conversation he also determined that I was referring to one of Harry Truman’s quotes which states: “You can’t get rich unless you are a crook.”
I do not know why he equates that as to be referring to politicians, but Harry Truman did not say that, nor did I. Because on many occasions people who read my letters to you have told me, “You gave them hell,” and I was aware that that letter could bring the same reaction, I thought of that saying from Harry Truman that my father (who incidentally would have been 101 today if he was alive) taught me to respond when people accused me of giving them hell. Harry Truman said. “I never did give anybody hell, I just told them the truth and they thought it was hell.”
And I always ask myself. What happened to “the truth shall set you free”? Here are a few more quotes from Harry Truman:
“Men make history and not the other way around.”
“In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous skilful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better.”
“Three things can ruin a man: money, power and women. I never had money, I never wanted power and the only woman in my life is up at the house right now.”
“Always be sincere even if you don’t mean it.”
Russell A. Simmons
