Starting an endless fire

F ire

Sherry Holliman

A Political View

is a visible process used in our everyday life for various purposes such as rituals, agricultural cleaning, cooking, signaling, and generating heat and light. When it is unmanaged, it can also be destructive which includes arson, this is when someone purposely starts a fire to hurt people or destroy property. Some fires in rural areas are meant to clear debris or get rid of trash. Farmers will burn fields after harvest to burn the stubble and return nutrients to the soil. Fires in some areas are often recreational. People use fire pits in backyards or grills to cook food outside. Fire makes your water heater work, cook food, and provide heat in houses and workplaces in the winter. It is used in places with gas stoves or natural gas dryers. Farmers use fire to reactivate the land by killing the weeds making it more fertile.

Fire can destroy your house and all your possessions and it can reduce an entire forest to a pile of ashes and charred wood. It’s a terrifying weapon, with unlimited destructive power. Fire kills more people every year than any other force of nature. Fire is also a tangible form used in hatred rituals or signals such as burning crosses to this very day.

The image of the burning cross is one of the most potent hate symbols in the United States, popularized as a terror image by the Ku Klux Klan since the early 1900s. Cross-burnings also called cross-lightings by Ku Klux Klan groups, to make it seem as if they are not destroying a Christian cross. The cross is used as a traditional symbol in rituals by Klan groups, in attempts to intimidate and terrorize victims associated with racial intimidation.

Arkansas has a 2010 code subchapter 3- Arson and other burning law and 5-38-310 unlawful burning to offer as protection for certain fires not in particular for cross burning. As of 09-23-2023 all counties in Arkansas do not have burn bans.

Fire is a powerful symbol that has been used by certain groups to intentionally cause fear by lighting fires in yards or public places of African Americans throughout history. Its mysterious glow when used to intimidate has captivated and traumatized human beings for centuries. But what does fire really symbolize and what is its significance in different cultures and belief systems? For some people fire means death is near and for others it can mean survival is possible. But for the purpose of using fire to burn a cross is just the beginning of starting a true fire.

Burning a cross will most definitely start a racial war that can last for many years. As a result of seeing a cross burning is an obvious visual signal about hate in their community, the most common responses are anger, anxiety and feelings of vulnerability from the targeted groups. These emotional reactions will have a significant impact on the targeted groups or individual feelings of safety. According to some states burning a cross is not against the law as long as it is not threatening anyone.

It not against the law to be offensive. Everyone has the right to exercise their rights. Is it right to intentionally intimidate anyone just because it is not a law? Burning crosses only adds fuel to the fire. These feelings can lead people to start an infinite fire that will destroy personal and professional relationships within the communities that they live in. The fire can also be seen as the exposure of the hidden hate that is hiding in the hearts of some leaders, and elected officials stopping the progress of your economic growth.

In other words, it is not the fire but the fire starter and the intent of the heat. For anyone to intentionally ignite a fire to offend people will always cause a chain reaction to support the opportunities of division among humanity. Always remember that your calmness under fire is your best defense in any argument or discussion. Fire is a natural symbol of life and passion, but also used as a signal of threats, and death.

Do not let your fire of passion and life go out to advocate for unity, understanding, mutual confidence, sharing experiences, and forgiving. Are you a fire starter? Or a firefighter?

Sherry Holliman is a concerned citizen of Crittenden County who has some views on a variety of topics that she wants to share with her community. She previously served on the Marion City Council.