Mary Culpepper
flies flag upside down:
Nation is in distress!

From Arkansas Online
The electronic edition of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Excerpt from 23 Feb 1999 editorial by John R. Starr

Longtime friends Gene and Mary Culpepper spent most of their adult lives in Texas, then retired a few years ago to Arkadelphia, where Mary has relatives.

Mary has strong political views, and when the Senate failed to convict Clinton, she started flying her American flag upside down. Asked why, she said,

"Flying the flag upside down is a signal of distress, and I think this country is in distress."

All went well until an Arkadelphia lawyer put a note on the Culpepper's door chastising them for showing disrespect for the flag. He put his phone number on the note.

Mary called and gave him an earful for his slur on her patriotism. Somewhere in the conversation, she said she might talk to me about the incident.

The lawyer, hearing the word Starr, seems to have thought she was talking about Kenneth Starr.

"I don't care if he does investigate me," he said.

Mary was puzzled by the fellow's conduct.

"After all, I didn't burn the flag," she said.

Note from Chip Culpepper, who provided the article: Gene Culpepper is a son of the late Johnny Harrison (Harry) Culpepper of Grant County, himself a son of Capos Conley Culpepper (my grandfather). Gene is a first cousin of mine.