First, I feel compelled to preface my response to Kirtley Brown – per his letter to The Selma Times Journal (STJ) editor on Feb. 9 – and repeated sans “typo” on Feb. 11, by thanking Mr. Brown for taking the time to offer his comments on my Feb. 4 column, “Embracing Defeat.”

I must confess that I do feel somewhat overmatched in any political or social issues debate with the good lawyer, given his superior education vs. my very modest undergraduate degree, plus the vast knowledge he has undoubtedly gleaned from practicing law and being a daily subscriber to the most elite newspaper of them all – the venerable New York Times.

As for me, I’m just a worn-out old man who grew up being called a “lint-head” for being raised in a cotton mill town in North Carolina.

I have had the good fortune of living in Selma for the past four decades and was able to hack out a living, being a dirt-road candy salesman for 23 years. As for my reading, I am proud to say that I am a daily subscriber to the STJ!

In his letter to the editor, Mr. Brown opened his commentary by questioning the STJ’s judgement for allowing me to be a regular columnist on their Opinion Page.

I don’t know why, but they must have their reasons, since I have been writing for over two years now.

Perhaps it has something to do with my providing some local political balance, as well as the freedom of speech/freedom of the press thing. It’s in the Constitution, Mr. Brown, as you know!

My reference to the president’s “disloyal opponents” in the Feb. 4 column has to do with those super-liberal members of Congress, supported by their far-left media advocates, who speak and write in ways that most assuredly offers aid, comfort to and emboldens our enemies.

I characterize such activities as being near-treasonous. During the Civil War, President Lincoln threw those types in jail – by suspending the writ of Habeas Corpus – in 1862.

By the way, Mr. Brown, I proudly admit to being a far-right conservative, and I honor your freedom to be a far-left liberal. Also, I agree that it would be impossible for the two of us to enter into any rational, verbal, political discourse. Would you happen to be a “Peace Democrat” in the mold of Ted Kennedy?

The sentence in you letter whereby you claimed ignorance regarding the meaning of “the communist manifesto rag,” had to do, of course, with the Communist Manifesto, authored by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in 1848. Interestingly, The New York Times was founded just three years later (1851).

Admittedly, comparing the Manifesto to the Times is a slight exaggeration, but if anyone knows about a more liberal “rag” being in the newspaper business than The New York Times, please tell me about it.

For example, a recent Times editorial disparaged the institution of marriage. Why? I can only guess that marriage is a component of a social order that the extreme left opposes. As we know, the Times does favors gay marriage. Do you, Mr. Brown?

Of course, the suggestion that I am a “loser” for not reading the Times is an opinion for which lawyer Brown is entitled.

As the old saying goes, “You can’t win them all.”

Also, I found your use of the Nigerian (Yoruban) proverb – “Not to know is bad, Not to wish to know is worse” – very intriguing.

I wish to hell that I knew what your inference is here.

Are we still talking about the New York Times?

Are you suggesting that I am ignorant without a thirst for knowledge? Perhaps – with your great intellect – you could enlighten me on these points.

I am a passionate patriot who grew up remembering Pearl Harbor.

Obviously, most far-left liberals have forgotten 9/11 and advocate a “cut and run” surrender policy.

Are you in that camp, Mr. Brown? What’s wrong with this war is that we did not win it a long time ago! Killing wars cannot be won by being politically correct appeasers!!

God Bless America and let Freedom Ring!!!

Byrd Looper is a regular columnist for The Times-Journal.