HA letter: Insult a compliment - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Jun 2, 2005

HA letter: Insult a compliment

Date: Jun 2, 2005

Woo-hoo!!

Date: Jun 2, 2005

Great letter. It is amazing in these "United States of Amnesia" how quickly people forget the principles upon which this nation was founded and then condemn others for espousing those very principles.

Date: Jun 2, 2005

Angeline wrote:

Great letter. It is amazing in these "United States of Amnesia" how quickly people forget the principles upon which this nation was founded and then condemn others for espousing those very principles.

My sentiments exactly.

Date: Jun 2, 2005

Maybe the government could revive the old House Committee on Un-American Activities to investigate the Thames administration!

Way to go, Paul Laughlin ... whoever you are!

Date: Jun 2, 2005

Man, I could hear that patriotic music playing in the background when I read that letter.

(Unrelated: Glad to see my pal Arnold Ziffle posted here the other day...)

Date: Jun 2, 2005

Did Arnold post on that thread about pork?

Date: Jun 2, 2005

I know Mr. Moulder to be historically literate. My impression is that he knows basic history as well or better than any non- history faculty member at USM. He may not agree with the letter, but he will understand it. I have no doubt about that.

Date: Jun 2, 2005

Mr. Haney wrote:

Did Arnold post on that thread about pork?

I think so. Probably from Web TV.

Date: Jun 2, 2005

As for knowing history, he'd have to go some to beat my late father or my brother, neither of whom ever attended college. I can remember being about thirteen or fourteen and having my father, who had a GED, explain Yalta and its repercussions.

We all sometimes make the assumption that non-university people are also non-educated, when in fact some of the best-read and most intelligent people I know have chosen not to attend college for various reasons (but not because I didn't try to change their minds.)
This is important for us to remember -- we do have astute and literate people in our community who are quietly "on our side." We need for more of them to speak out, but lets not allow the letter-writers to define our community.

Date: Jun 2, 2005

LVN wrote:

As for knowing history, he'd have to go some to beat my late father or my brother, neither of whom ever attended college . . . We all sometimes make the assumption that non-university people are also non-educated, when in fact some of the best-read and most intelligent people I know have chosen not to attend college for various reasons.

LVN, your comments warm my heart. It's almost as if you were speaking of my own parents, neither of which attended college. Both were highly successful in their chosen careers. My mother worked for some uneducated college graduates for many years. When I engaged in non- academic endearors for awhile after many years of university teaching, she said to me, "At least you'll be around normal people for a change."

Date: Jun 2, 2005

Thanks, E.F. The funny thing is, my dad would frequently bash "those egg-head liberal professors" -- Silver at Ole Miss was high on his "hate" list, yet nobody was prouder when I got a good scholarship and later when I graduated. It's very curious. The same people who beat up on faculty are writing big tuition checks. I guess we all tend to disparage what we don't understand.

Date: Jun 2, 2005

Invictus wrote:

Maybe the government could revive the old House Committee on Un-American Activities to investigate the Thames administration! Way to go, Paul Laughlin ... whoever you are!

I think we may assume that this Paul Laughlin and the Hattiesburg banker who handled the financial affairs of the late Oseola McCarty are one and the same.

Date: Jun 2, 2005

If anyone knows Paul Laughlin, please thank him for his terrific letter. I have known him to be a fine person.

Date: Jun 2, 2005

When I read that letter I was certain that I recognized the name Paul Laughlin, so I whipped out my Mississippi College Alumni Directory. Could this be the same Laughlin who wrote the letter to the Hattiesburg American? Here is a brief summary of what I found in my Directory:

Laughlin, J. Paul; 1985 JD; MLS Univ. of Southern Mississippi; BAEd Witchita State University. VP & Trust Ofcr., Trustmark National Bank, Hattiesburg, MS.

Date: Jun 2, 2005

Isn't it a nice coincidence that just when we were lamenting the lack of community support, such a great letter from a member of the community is published? Must be karma.

Date: Jun 2, 2005

That bio is him and he is the one who handled the McCarty matter. A good man.

Date: Jun 2, 2005

Hootie Tootie wrote:

That bio is him and he is the one who handled the McCarty matter. A good man.

Bet he loved it when ST called her "Oleosa McCarthy"

Date: Jun 2, 2005

Paul is not just someone in the community who coordinated the McCarty gift; his wife is on the faculty and is a former Faculty Senate president.

Date: Jun 2, 2005

Community Member wrote:

Paul is not just someone in the community who coordinated the McCarty gift; his wife is on the faculty and is a former Faculty Senate president.

The USM information says that Cheryl H. Laughlin is Associate Professor and Head of the Information Services Department at Cook Library. Is this Paul Laughlin's spouse?