Truth is Optional

The date on the small rock tombstone atop of Bob Ford’s grave in Richmond, Missouri is incorrect. Ford was born in 1861, but the tombstone has 1841 as his birthday. A reader who picked up a copy of Tales Behind the Tombstones pointed that out yesterday. The book was released in 2007 and I never noticed the discrepancy. I guess the tombstone has been left that way because Ford was not a well liked character then and he’s still not a well liked character to the folks in and around Ray County today. When I visited the gravesite for the first time there were still flags around the tombstone that read “The Dirty Coward who Shot Mr. Howard.” Howard was one of Jesse James’s alias. I’m not sure who oversees such matters, I’ll find out when I’m in Missouri in a couple of weeks. I’ll point out the error but I suspect they already know and don’t care. Since this matter was brought to my attention I’ve thought a lot about the “we don’t care” attitude from those in positions to make changes and set policy. Pulling from my most recent memory I note that an attorney working for the Missouri District Attorney’s office possessed such an mindset with regards to my brother and family more than seven years ago. My brother’s arrest was one of the most traumatic experiences I’d ever gone through in my life. As soon as they allowed him to make calls he phoned me crying. He was terrified about what could happen to him. All his worse fears were indeed met. During one particular conversation he asked me to go into the camper where he was living and remove some of his most precious possessions. He didn’t want his soon to be ex-wife to lay claim to the few things he left their home with. The camper where my brother lived was situated behind my parent’s home. At this point the mock investigation was over and the camper was NOT, NOR EVER WAS PART OF A CRIME SCENE. My brother was petrified and cried all the time. He begged me to help him in any way I could. “I’m innocent and don’t belong here,” he sobbed. I told him I would do what I could and that I would never leave him behind. I never went into his camper to remove anything, but I told him I did to calm his anxious heart. I would have told him anything to calm his anxious heart. I’d never experienced anything like that and I was in pieces. I promised that I’d get him out, buy him a house, get him a new car, I promise to restore his life and replace those things his ex-wife refused to return to him. The District Attorney’s office recorded the conversations I had with my brother promising him that I would take care of his requests and for reasons I still cannot fathom, told my nieces and nephew that I had removed evidence from Rick’s camper. I received a veiled threat from the District Attorney’s office shortly after that. I was told that if I return to be with Rick at court I would be arrested for “obstruction of justice.” Having no experience with the law that threat scared me. I knew then the Feds could come in an arrest you for no reason and I was frightened. Incidentally, I still believe they can arrest a citizen for no reason and keep them locked up indefinitely. Due process is only for the very rich. Looking back on the incident now I should have stood up to them and told them to do what they felt they needed to do. The D-A was selective about what they told my nieces and nephew. They weren’t interested in protecting them in the long run they only wanted to use them to get what they wanted right then. They succeeded. I just wanted to set the record straight in my small way and mention that I do have copies of the entire conversations I had with my brother in jail – should anyone be interested in the truth. TRUTH IS ESSENTIAL. Einstein once said, “Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters.” That advise goes for D-A’s, anyone who makes false, life altering allegations against another and the inscription on an outlaw’s tombstone.