HEROES: U. S. GRANT'S PECULIAR GEN. ORDER No. 11 ...

... expelling Jews from particular areas of central and southern states. According to reports, our great Civil War hero and 18th President of the United States issued two General Orders No. 11 ...

General Order No. 11 is the title of General Ulysses S. Grant's infamous order of December 17, 1862, during the American Civil War, that all Jews in his district (areas of Tennessee, Mississippi, and Kentucky) be expelled.

General Order No. 11 is also the title of the August 25, 1863 order that all persons living in Jackson, Cass, and Bates counties in Missouri, and in that part of Vernon included in this district, except those living within one mile of the limits of Independence, Hickman's Mills, Pleasant Hill, and Harrisonville, and except those in that part of Kaw Township, Jackson County, north of Brush Creek and west of Big Blue, were to be expelled and their lands burned. [Source: Wikipedia]

How many foibles of the flesh have plagued our historical heroes?

We've had Jefferson's slave affair, Franklin's penchant for pruriency in France, Patton's excessive discipline, JFK's peccadillos, Nancy Reagan's reported astrological links, the zipper scandals of Gingrich and Clinton, Gen. MacArthur's conceit, MLK Jr's weakness of the flesh, Aimee Semple McPherson's supposed kidnapping, Duke Cunningham's greed, the Baker's PTL avarice, Jimmy Swaggart's porn problem, etc. ad nauseam.

Could Grant be another broken hero revealed by historical research? What do we learn from these sad heroes?

First, we learn, we too often set the bar too high for our heroes; after all, they put their pants on one leg at a time, just like you do.
Second, we learn (to reemphasize), heroes are humans, not gods.
Third, we learn, sometimes our heroes are poorly chosen.
Fourth, we learn, by comparison, we're running out of real heroes.
Fifth, we learn, those called a hero today (Tom Cruise, Barry Bond, Al Franken, Jessie Jackson, Margaret Sanger, Lance Armstrong, John Lennon, the soft sides of Oprah and Dr. Phil, and the pathetic elitist values of Martha Stewart, John Kerry, and so many more) are not heroes at all ... they're even fairly poor examples of human beings.

My heroes? Quin Holland, my dear friend I buried yesterday, my neighbor who struggles with the vagaries of life and is not afraid to admit it, and my best friend, Lonnie Johnson, who has stuck by me in spite of me; the men and women who wear all types and colors of uniforms in this country to serve you and me, giving their lives and strength to do so; Billy Graham, Ronald Reagan who made me proud to be an American, George W. Bush who deserves much criticism but keeps trying anyway, and every missionary who has entered the field to serve Jesus Christ, His cause, and His Kingdom.

DOGPILE (Grant's Genl. Ord. No. 11) SEARCH: >>>>>

Anti Semitism; Bigotry; Civil War; Heroes; Judaism; Prejudice; U. S. Grant