Tyler Butler
A reporter online (apologies, did not get his name or affiliation) asked Bruce Pearl if he would be willing to match Tara VanDerveer’s relief efforts for Ukraine. His reply was nothing short of amazing.
“I sort of feel like this is a calling from up above (Laughter). This week the Jewish people are celebrating the festival of Purim. Purim is a celebration of what Queen Ester did. Queen Ester was with the King of Persia in the palace, and she was Jewish. Haman was a very close adviser to that King, and he was a very close adviser to that King, and he was advising the King that maybe it was time to get rid of all the Jews.
Queen Esther’s uncle was Mordecai. My Hebrew name is Mordecai, and I think my family gave me that name for this reason. Mordecai talked to Esther the Queen and said, look, Esther, you might survive this for a little while, but you won’t survive this. He’s really going to kill all the Jewish people and your family.
And he gave Esther the courage to try to see if she could turn the King’s heart, and she did. And saved the nation. So some of you may be uncomfortable.. you guys asked the question right? You asked the question about Ukraine. We say never again. I was born in 1960, 15 years after they opened up the gates, and they saw 6 million Jews murdered and 3 million more people. So if Tara VanDerveer wants money for three-pointers, I’ll up whatever they’re offering. I’m in. I’m all in! Help Ukrainian people survive that.
I’m very concerned about what’s going on in Iran with the King of Persia now, and if we embody that government, give them all that money, sign a bad treaty, it’s going to put the world in jeopardy.”
Justin Shealy
