Posted on 12/24/2004 8:22:32 AM PST by Chi-townChief
Let's say you're a big peacenik. Card-carrying. World class. You marched in anti-war protests and sat in sit-ins when you were a college student during the Vietnam War. Maybe you even got tear-gassed while holding hands with Mary from Peter, Paul and Mary during a particularly nasty protest in front of the Conrad Hilton back in '68.
You've been arrested dozens of times for civil disobedience, continue to march, or sit, or picket, or shout on behalf of peace, and are one of the loudest voices in Chicago against President Bush and what you consider to be his immoral war in Iraq.
Now, let's say you have a son.
And he decides to join the Army.
What do you do?
That's what the Rev. Michael Pfleger, the activist pastor of Chicago's St. Sabina Roman Catholic Church and die-hard peacenik in question, asked himself when his eldest son, 30-year-old Lamar Michael Pfleger, called home in late August to say he'd enlisted.
"When he first told me that this was something he had made a decision to do, I was shocked, I have to admit that," Mike Pfleger told me this month as the three of us -- Mike in his black-on-black priestly garb and worried expression, Lamar in his new Army fatigues with the word PFLEGER printed in black, capital letters over his right chest -- chatted at the St. Sabina's parsonage, where Lamar grew up after Pfleger adopted him 21 years ago.
"He basically told me after he'd enlisted," the elder Pfleger said. "He knew where I stood, but he'd made up his mind."
Son's decision
In truth, Mike Pfleger was heartsick.
As an activist priest who insists we're fighting an unjust, preemptive war based on lies, yes. But more so, as, simply, a dad.
"I told him, I cannot feel good about it because he's my son, and I love him and I care about him," the normally bombastic priest said quietly. "My prayer for him and for Beronti, my other son, every day is for their safety and that they can achieve their goals. And that's my prayer for him, that he will achieve whatever dreams and goals God has for him. And I support him 100 percent in his decision. It's not my decision. And it shouldn't be. It should be his."
Lamar Pfleger is strapping, soft-spoken and African American, the opposite in many ways of his father, the blond, blue-eyed firebrand. But they share a stubborn streak, as well as a sense of spiritual mission.
A few years ago, Lamar was working for an airline in a job he loved. But then 9/11 happened and everything changed. The airlines suffered and jobs were cut. He survived the first round of layoffs, but not the second. A few years later, he found himself working as the assistant manager of a video store, depressed and unfulfilled. In prayer he felt God leading him to join the military, he told me.
"I knew I could be doing a lot more besides what I was doing. That's pretty much why I decided to go in," he said. "I'd rather go over there and stop them before they come over here and start doing it. And that's my point. . . . If I can prevent that from happening, I'll sleep better at night, too."
Childhood restrictions
This from a kid who wasn't allowed to play with toy guns as a child. "Not even squirt guns," his father said, proudly. "I got a cowboy gun once for my birthday, and he told me I had to take it back," Lamar recalled. "From then on, I should have known what kind of protest I was in for."
A few days earlier, I had called the elder Pfleger to wish him a Merry Christmas. "And how are your boys?" I asked. (In addition to Lamar, Pfleger has a younger son, 25-year-old Beronti, whom he adopted 13 years ago.)
All I heard on the other end of the line was a heavy sigh. I prodded and Mike told me how he'd just returned from Lamar's graduation from basic training in Georgia and how he'd cried through the whole thing. Happily, Mike said, Lamar -- "thank you, Jesus" -- had been assigned to a base in Seattle for at least a year.
When the three of us got together, I asked Lamar about his assignment in a combat striker unit of the 2nd Infantry at Fort Lewis in Seattle.
I kind of wish I hadn't.
The son took a deep breath, eyes darting to the ceiling, nostrils flaring nervously, and looked at his father.
"I've been assigned to Fort Lewis where I'll be taking classes and just staying in physical shape and probably be on standby until I'm possibly deployed. There's a good chance . . ." Lamar said, pausing uncomfortably, and turning toward his father. "I didn't want to tell my dad that, but there's a good chance I might be [deployed to Iraq]."
The father blanched visibly, but remained silent and tried to smile.
This must be killing him, I thought.
"Coming home, you know, missing a limb, that scares me more than anything," Lamar continued. "I would like to go by the phrase, 'Take all of me or take none of me.' . . . I'll be praying for myself, 'God, please forgive me for whatever I have to do.' But in the long run, it's something I have to do," he said.
'Death . . . anywhere'
Mike Pfleger is praying that his son won't be sent to Iraq.
"If he does, I'll continue to pray for his safety, no matter where he is," the priest said. "You don't have to be in Iraq to get maimed or killed. It can happen on a street. My youngest son, Jarvis, died here, three blocks away from here. So I know that harm or danger or death can come anywhere."
(Pfleger's foster son Jarvis was killed in gang crossfire seven years ago at the age of 17.)
"I just don't want my dad to worry," Lamar said.
"Not much hope of that, but he's gonna be all right because prayer is powerful," Mike Pfleger said, reaching out and touching his son's shoulder. "You're gonna be all right."
U.S. Army Pvt. Lamar Pfleger reports for duty Jan. 16.
And our prayers go with him.
Depends on what kind of pacifist. These left wing anti-war zealots are not true pacifists, they are traitors who only selectivly oppose violence when american interests are at stake but are war mongerers when american interests are not.
However true pacifists, like the amish, are generally consistant, and live out there ideals, in both theory and practise. I had a college teacher back in the day who called herself a pacifist, and was more or less a war mongerer.
By the way, Gandi, who is like the godfather of modernday pacifism, often was quick to point out the difference of cowardness and pacifism, and condemned cowards who used pacifism or non violence as a cloak to hide there cowardness.
Ping list for the discussion of the politics and social aspects that directly effects Generation Reagan / Generation-X (Those born from 1965-1981) including all the spending previous generations (i.e. The Baby Boomers) are doing that Gen-X and Y will end up paying for.
Freep mail me to be added or dropped. See my home page for details and previous articles.
Another story where a peacenik, antiwar activist whacko had a son become an Army Ranger
Anti-war woman's trip to see son serving in Iraq has surprises for both
Yawn.
It takes more balls/ovaries to willingly die in the forum, eaten by lions, than you've got brains to understand what 'self-righteous' means.
Nah, of course not. The credit goes to him. I was just the catalyst. :-)
All that's left now is for the kid to get decorated for machine-gunning an allahful of islamikazis.
I'd PAY to see the look on Daddy-o's face when he heard *that*...
Maybe this idiot will be slightly less supportive of the terrorists now.
Even "true" pacifists like the Amish are parasites, because they can only survive in a robust and free society which will protect them from external dangers, at times with violence. This doesn't mean I despise the Amish. God bless them. But let's be clear: any persons or groups who depends exclusively on others to defend them are parasites.
Then go ahead and die in the forum, parasite. Go and get eaten by lions. AMF parasite.
Thats part of the hitch. They really don't ask for or want protection.
The one amish person I met was absolutley (and bizarely) okay with the idea that they could be wiped out. Some of them would do absolutley nothing but die if they were attacked. Yet I give them repect on one thing, some of them have served in the armed forces, usually in a non-combat role.
I don't know how that doesn't conflict with there religious beliefs, but I know they have done it in the past. I'll grant them this, they don't ask for, nor want, protections of the government in regards to there safety, they do not protest war, and they pay more in taxes they they could ever remotely hope to recieve back in services from the government.
Unlike the fake pacifists of today, who are not anti-war but anti-america, I have yet to see any evidence that the amish do anything but give respect to this country.
I, in no way wish to belittle anyone's attendance of a graduation ceremony, nor suggest the majority political opinions of those who attend such ceremonies. But I've known a large number of soldiers whose parents, and parents of soldiers, who attended these graduations. In every case they were,as far as I could determine, of a political bias, that most FReepers would call radical leftwingers. All were quite proud of their sons service.
Currently one of them, is a self employed woman in her 50s, who currently works out of the same office I do, and looks like a skinny burned out hippie. Though she talks way to much politics to be a hippie. She is, what FReepers would call a staunch died in the wool active radical leftwing peacenik. She supported Kerry of President, but viewed him as a warmonger.
But change the subject to her son's military service or her attendance at his basic training graduation (which she took time off for, that she could barely afford to travel to or attend), and you find it impossible to believe the word coming out of her mouth.
People really are complex beings.
As long as he's a peacenik, he will always think war is unjust and based on lies. He's been a peacenik since college. As a matter of fact, this article describes him as a big peacenik-card-carrying-world class, marching in anti-war protests during Vietnam.
God works in mysterious ways, doesn't He?
I'm totally pro-Amish. I'm glad they've found a place under the sun where they can flourish. But make no mistake, they survive in their little bubble of pacifism because others outside of their bubble protect them. Even if they don't technically ask for it. Technically.
OTOH, you don't notice Amish moving to Colombia or Russia or Iraq. There's a reason why, no matter what they say about not "asking" for protection.
>"ROFLMHO! Since Pfleger's not supposed to have kids anyway, I >find this deliciously ironic. :-)"
>
>Yeah, no kidding! I, too, wonder how a catholic priest has >kids!?!
Did you guys even read the article? BOTH his sons were adopted. I don't think it says you can't adopt, only procreate, or do the act to procreate.
I read the article...maybe not as thoroughly as I should have! On the other hand, I figured if Lamar had been adopted, the article would have read "...whom he ALSO adopted..." (see quote below). There doesn't seem to be a mention that Lamar IS adopted...maybe I missed it. OTH (again) the priest is apparently white and Lamar is black. (which ALSO means nothing these days). At any rate, thanks for your comment.
"(In addition to Lamar, Pfleger has a younger son, 25-year-old Beronti, whom he adopted 13 years ago.)"
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