Issues of Principle

[Legacy]

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Daniel Berrigan, poet, peacemaker, dies at 94

 

[dshans]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/06/n...0160506&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=23368692&_r=0

The Berrigans were an important part of my life. Their actions, writings and pamphlets gave me aid, comfort and hope when applying for Conscientious Objector status with the draft board. In general, my odds as a life-long Catholic attending the premier American Catholic university with ROTC cadets marching around campus with a good ol' boy draft board in the South my odds were were somewhere between +0 and -0.

The draft ended while I still had 2-S status. Mine was the last birth year for which a student deferment was available. My CO application wouldn't be ruled on until I was categorized as 1-A so it never happened.

I would periodically "update" my file with my draft board and much of my updates included thoughts, opinions and justifications of Daniel and Philip. Mine was probably the densest file in their office.

Go in peace.

 

[Legacy]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/06/n...0160506&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=23368692&_r=0

The Berrigans were an important part of my life. Their actions, writings and pamphlets gave me aid, comfort and hope when applying for Conscientious Objector status with the draft board. In general, my odds as a life-long Catholic attending the premier American Catholic university with ROTC cadets marching around campus with a good ol' boy draft board in the South my odds were were somewhere between +0 and -0.

The draft ended while I still had 2-S status. Mine was the last birth year for which a student deferment was available. My CO application wouldn't be ruled on until I was categorized as 1-A so it never happened.

I would periodically "update" my file with my draft board and much of my updates included thoughts, opinions and justifications of Daniel and Philip. Mine was probably the densest file in their office.

Go in peace.

Thanks for the very personal story, dshans, and for the link. I was struck by a couple of statements in the article:

Into his late 80s and early 90s, Father Berrigan continued to speak from a distinctly Catholic perspective against war, capital punishment, abortion, bigotry and indifference to the poor. He also managed to keep being arrested.

Father Berrigan drew inspiration from Dorothy Day, who helped found the Catholic Worker Movement in 1933 to bring fresh, radical life to the church’s teachings on social justice. Among other things, Catholic Worker communities across the country feed, clothe and shelter those in need.

Here's the Ernesto Cardenal - Dan Berrigan exchange. (from www3.nd.edu)

Cardenal struggled with the ineffectiveness of non-violent means against the Somoza regime in Nicaragua and a justification of violence for the peasants:

My former teacher, Thomas Merton, instigator and spiritual director of this community, had told me that the contemplative person in Latin America was not able to remain outside of political struggles. At first we preferred a resolution with non-violent methods, although without disavowing the church's traditional principle of the just war and the right of individuals and peoples to their legitimate defense. Later we realized that in Nicaragua, a non-violent struggle is not actually practical, and that Gandhi himself would be in agreement with us. In reality, every authentic revolution prefers non-violence to violence, but the liberty to choose is not always present.

What politically radicalized us most was the Gospel.

Berrigan's response:

There is first of all, no parallel in America to the violence you describe--whether of the Somozas or the Sandinistas.

What indeed are a few guns, or even a few hundred guns in the hands of guerrillas, in comparison with the doomsday cache of nuclear horrors lurking in our mountains and bunkers? What reasonable comparison can be made between the sorties of your Frente Sandinista, and the lunar devastation of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia? On your part, a few deaths, much love, exalted goals. On the part of America--but words fail me.

You discuss quite freely and approvingly the violence of a violated people, yourselves. You align yourself with that violence, regretfully but firmly, irrevocably.

I am sobered and saddened by this. I think of the consequences of your choice, within Nicaragua and far beyond. I sense how the web of violence spins another thread, draws you in, and so many others for whom your example is primary, who do not think for themselves, judging that a priest and poet will lead them in the true way.

I think how fatally easy it is, in a world demented and enchanted with the myth of short cuts and definitive solutions, when non-violence appears increasingly naive, old hat, freakish--how easy it is to cross over, to seize the gun.

It may be true, as you say, that "Gandhi would agree with us." Or it may not be true. It may be true, as you imply, that Merton would agree with you. It may be true that Christ would agree with you. I do not believe He would, but I am willing to concede your argument, for the sake of argument.

Both of them were aware of the support the U.S. gave to Somoza.

Cardenal:

"One can't compare the weapons of common people in Nicaragua, with their .22 caliber guns or machetes and sticks and stones, to the heavy arms of Somoza's National Guard, supplied to him by the United States and Israel. And one also cannot compare the blood the Sandinista Front had to spill, which was only that of National Guard soldiers, whom the Sandinistas shot and killed in combat, to the numerous daily assassinations by the National Guard."

"The National Guard never held Sandinistas prisoner. The Guards instantly killed them. Other youths - not necessarily Sandinistas - were also killed daily for the simple crime of being young. These young people turned up later in gulleys or along the side of the road or in trash heaps with their eyes torn out and their genitals castrated."

"To avoid all this, the Sandinistas and all the people of Nicaragua had to fight. And here in Nicaragua, it has been demonstrated that the common slogan that violence always seeks violence was not necessarily correct. This war was fought to end violence. The Sandinista Front has been very generous in its victory and is not killing any of those who are criminals who truly deserve death."

When U.S. support of arms and money was withdrawn by Jimmy Carter, Somoza attributed that withdrawl to his downfall.

The exchanges have much more, of course.

 

[NDPhilly]

The building where he was living prior to his death, Murray-Weigel Hall, is less than 100 feet from my dorm on Fordham's campus. Had no idea until I received an email from the school a couple days ago saying that he had passed. Crazy to know I had such an important person in history living right next door.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Wow, this hit me like a rock. I really am saddened.

I met Philip first when he came to speak to us sophomores at St Johns. We were the advanced class, and were a room full of precocious 15 year-olds. The way he handled a class of jackoffs like ups with such aplomb, dignity, and respect, I still find incredible.

After a grueling gauntlet of questions, which he took with great humor, someone asked him what his impressions of us, at this prep school in Toledo, Ohio was. Without missing a beat he stated that it was clear we were the cream of the crop.

I don't ever remember him saying anything but kind words about anyone, or to anyone. I think he saved his distain for institutions not individuals. One pro-Nixon, youth among us, challenged him at every turn. Philip outflanked him and defeated his arguments, and then asked if he could sit at his table for lunch that day!

His connection at SJHS was an assistant principle (Leo LeCamp) that helped me out quite a bit during rough times. (I didn't really get to know the Fr LeCamp until I was thrown out of a final exam and sent to his office because I believed that the dress code was suspended for the last day of finals. Standing there in my jeans, I waited for his tirade to subside. When he finished he asked if I had anything to say. I asked if he was so mad at me because everyone gave him such a hard time because he defied orders to wear clerical garb and always sported a jacket, tie, and slacks. When he stopped laughing he called home and asked my mom to bring appropriate attire for me to complete the exam.

He knew both brothers well, I believe they all started as Jesuits together, and maintained a life-long relationship. That is how I met Daniel, later.

I have been around some really high-powered, intelligent, self-actualized people, but Berrigan brothers fall really high on that list!

I remember when people were courteous to them, but whispered terrible things about them behind their backs. Never seemed to dim their view of humanity.

dshans, there are lots of reasons why we get along, now we have identified another!