Franciscan Political Discourse

We live in politically troubled times. There is a great deal of division over issues.

As part of this division, some people who disagree over issues have resorted to violence, and frequently demonize their opponents. We see so many politicians, pundits, media commentators, and so on labeling opponents "Fascists," "Communists," Nazis," "libtards," "racists," "idiots," "pedophiles," "perverts," "liars," and more, and consistently assuming the opponents are evil and are acting out of the worst possible motives. 

As bad as it is to hear these leaders and other public figures stoop to this level, we hear their words echoed by some in the general population. And sadly, among some religious individuals.

Such tactics undermine civil discourse.

And such words and assumptions are not in keeping with Franciscan spirituality and attitudes.

Yes, one can disagree over actions and policies, and one should speak out about the issues when we view some actions as unwise or morally wrong. We should warn about possible negative consequences of acting in certain ways and by pursuing certain policies.

But some of the issues over which we disagree are prudential in nature. In other words, people might disagree, but both sides may have good intentions. And it is clearly not Franciscan in nature to assume one's opponents are always acting with evil intentions. 

We can criticize the policies, but we should not attack the person.

St. Francis lived in a time of division and violence that parallels - or exceeds - ours. They had political factions, vendettas, wars, all sorts of injustice, and more. But St. Francis focused on what was good in all individuals, including those he could have viewed as enemies. We see that clearly when he went to the Sultan. While many political leaders and Crusaders viewed Muslims as evil and heretics, St. Francis viewed the Sultan as a fellow human being and child of God, and treated him with respect.

That should be the model for us in how we act and speak. 

St. Francis did write once to political leaders.  

 TO THE RULERS OF THE PEOPLE.

To all podestàs, and consuls, judges and governors, in whatever part of the world, and to all others to whom this letter may come, Brother Francis, your little and contemptible servant, wishes health and peace to you.

Consider and see that the day of death draws nigh. I ask you, therefore, with such reverence as I can, not to forget the Lord on account of the cares and solicitudes of this world and not to turn aside from His commandments, for all those who forget Him and decline from His commandments are cursed and they shall be forgotten by Him. And when the day of death comes, all that which they think they have shall be taken away from them. And the wiser and more powerful they may have been in this world, so much the greater torments shall they endure in hell. 

Wherefore, I strongly advise you, my lords, to put aside all care and solicitude and to receive readily the most holy Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in holy commemoration of Him. And cause so great honor to be rendered the Lord by the people committed to you, that every evening it may be announced by a crier or by another sign to the end that praises and thanks shall resound to the Lord God Almighty from all the people. And if you do not do this, know that you are beholden to render an account before your Lord God Jesus Christ on the day of Judgment. Let those who keep this writing with them and observe it know that they are blessed by the Lord God.

Pax et bonum

Getting Back on the Folk Stage!

March 31 I will be performing at the local Folksinging Society’s Members’ Showcase Concert. The concert will consist of three acts or performers, each getting 25-30 minutes.

I have regularly played at church and for my Fraternity, but I have not performed for an audience in a folk-type setting in more than 25 years!

The coordinator of the concert asked for a picture and a bio. Here’s what I sent him:

I discovered folk music through Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Arlo Guthrie, and Simon and Garfunkel. I was especially inspired by Seeger’s joyful performing, social concern, and sense of humor.

I performed sporadically in coffee houses and at festivals in the 1970’s and 1980’s. In addition, two friends requested that I provide the music for their garden wedding: They wanted all Dylan tunes. And I was even part of the community choir for a Peter, Paul & Mary Holiday Concert at the Eastman Theatre in the late 1980’s. But by the 1990’s I had shifted my focus to being a children’s performer and acting with local community theater groups. I blended the two to become a professional Santa, something I continue to do. My only regular singing and playing since the 1990’s has been church-related.

But being involved with (this group), and seeing friends perform, has inspired me to return to the stage to play folk music again.


I’ve selected the following songs for my set:

I’m Gonna Live ‘til the Day I Die (original)
Bottle of Wine (Tom Paxton)
Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport (Rolf Harris)
I Am Going Home (original)
Oh Sinner Man (traditional)
There’s a Great Big Monster Under My Bed (original)
Walking Down the Line (Bob Dylan)
Get Up and Go (Pete Seeger)

Of the original songs, “Gonna Live” was an upbeat tune I wrote 40 or more years ago. The message is that no matter what happens we should live fully up until the end. Of the named “people” in the Song, Hank Scudder, the farmer, was based on a garage in my home town; Seamus Ferlie, the bad singer, was my pet cat (the fiddle reference was a joke, as fiddles were supposedly strung with catgut); Mollie, the victim of a stroke, was my wife’s dog.

“I Am Going Home” was written two years ago in response after hearing a song about a guy deserting his woman, leaving her the house, and not caring if she’s grieving. I didn’t like that message, so I wrote a song about a man who looks forward to going home.

The “Monster” song was one I wrote during my days as a children’s performer back in the 1990’s. The monster turns out to be friendly, enjoying catch, tic-tac-toe, and telling jokes. It went with a story about overcoming childhood fear of monsters.

The Paxton song is one I always liked. “Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport” was a novelty hit when I was 8; it was the first song on the radio that caught my attention. I had grown up in a family where my mother was hearing impaired and my father was tone deaf, so there was little music in our home. I date my interest in music to hearing that song.

“Oh Sinner Man” is my own arrangement of a traditional song I first heard Peter, Paul, and Mary perform. “Walking Down the Line” is an odd little Bob Dylan tune I discovered through Arlo Guthrie’s cover of it. And “Get Up and Go” is a Pete Seeger tune I always liked, and, given my gray hair and aching joints, is appropriate for me!

I used to play out back in the 1970’s and 1980’s. But I was always self conscious about my voice and my playing, and I didn’t like the idea of trying to tour. Then a woman I was with in those days told me I was not good enough. Her remark fed into my own doubts, and so I stopped playing out.

In the 1990’s I did become a children’s performer - stories and songs - in part because I felt more comfortable about children, who I felt were less demanding. I could be silly with them, and I didn’t have to be perfect. But as I became more involved with theater and playing/singing in church, and when I returned to teaching and so my schedule was less flexible, I stopped doing that.

Then I attended a members’ concert in December that featured three friends. One of them suggested I give it a try. I decided it was time to get back on stage.

I plan to suggest friends bring ear plugs, though!

Pax et bonum

About Alex Pretti

Almost every Saturday I join fellow pro-lifers outside the local headquarters of Planned Parenthood. We pray, sing, and hold signs saying thing like "LOVE WILL END ABORTION" and "WE WILL HELP YOU". 

Most often we will have with us a person with packets of information about resources to help pregnant women. That person will call out to any woman heading for Planned Parenthood, asking if the woman is willing to talk, and offering a packet. If the woman says no, or just keeps walking, the pro-lifer will offer them a blessing, then stop.

There are always police there. Most interactions with them are friendly. We say hello. We say we hope they will stay safe.

Sometimes, the officers are less friendly. They tell us there is a court order keeping us a certain distance from Planned Parenthood. We politely cite the case that modified that injunction, saying it only applies to certain named individuals, and that most of us are not those people  Those who are named do indeed obey it. Usually, that is enough. But sometimes they say they need to check, and tell to move further away. We obey their orders without yelling, spitting, insulting, etc.

Every Saturday, we face some kind of opposition. Most often, it is people driving by or walking by and yelling at us, insulting us, calling us names, swearing at us, giving us the finger, and so on. Although it has not happened to me, sometimes those opposing us throw objects at pro-lifers - everything from eggs to full cans of soda. Sometimes the opponents even approach us, get in our faces and try to provoke a reaction. We remain polite, and do not respond violently.

But the potential for more serious violence is also there. Indeed, one of our local pro-life centers was firebombed. 

I go there knowing that there is always a chance I might face violence. It is a risk I am willing to take because I believe in the cause. 

That acceptance is basic to being involved in non-violent protesting. Being willing to be the object of violence, and not to respond in kind. To possibly face arrest. Certainly some pro-lifers in other cities are arrested. Locally, one of my friends, a priest, did spend time in jail. This willingness to accept the consequences of our protests is something we saw in the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's. It's a tactic promoted by Mahatma Gandhi. 

I'm a veteran of not only pro-life protests. I've protested war, nuclear weapons, the death penalty, etc. Always non-violently. Always with the awareness that I might face violence, perhaps leading to physical harm. 

Which brings me to Alex Pretti.

No, unlike certain politicians, pundits, and talking heads, I am not about to call anyone names or place blame. I was not there. I did not talk to witnesses. I have not seen all the available videos. I wait for the investigation to be complete. To offer an opinion without all the evidence - as those politicians, pundits, talking heads are doing - would be premature and irresponsible. 

Nor am I defending Mr. Pretti's actions at this and previous protests. I do say his death was a tragedy, as I say of all such violent deaths.

But, I understand his willingness to stand up for a cause, despite the risks. 

Sadly, the consequences of his willingness was his death.   

 

Pax et bonum

Tom Bombadil

Tom Bombadil was one of my favorite characters in The Lord of the Rings. I was sorry when he got left out of the movies, though I understand why they chose to given the length of the movies.

So I was happy when I stumbled across The Adventures of Tom Bombadil by J. R. R. Tolkien. The book was originally published in 1962. The edition I have, however, is the one edited later by Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond.

 The book is a collection of poems by Tolkien, only two of which are directly about Tom, and one of which seems to be about him. Tolkien had written the two poems before he wrote The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Many of the other poems date before those works as well. Some were even included in those works.

As is typical of Tolkien, for the book he revised the poems. Part of his tinkering was to make them fit in better with the world of the Middle Earth.

The way the edition I have is laid out is the first part of the book is the original 1962 book. In the second part of the book, Scull and Hammond provide the original/earlier versions of the poems, some of the variations of them over the years, definitions of some of the more obscure words Tolkien used, and commentary. The poem that seems to be about Tom but does not give his full name, is in an appendix. It was not included in the 1962 edition.

"The Adventures of Tom Bombadil" and "Bombadil Goes Boating" are the first two poems in the book. They are delightful. There are other amusing poems in the collection, including ones from LOTR - "The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late" (sung by Frodo and the inn at Bree) and "Olipahunt" (recited by Sam).

A happy read - and one of the books on my list of books to read this year.  

Pax et bonum

Okay In Small Doses

Years ago, I came across a selected collection of poetry by Stevie Smith. I enjoyed her quirky style, literary allusions, and dark humor. I felt as if I’d found a kindred spirit.

I later read a couple of her poetry collections, not just the selected ones in that volume I read long ago.

The dark humor, religious confusion, and obsession with death began to wear on me. I read a brief biography of her and found that she was indeed a troubled soul who dealt with illness and depression, and who even suffered a nervous breakdown. The shadows apparently continued to haunt her until the end of her life in 1971.

It’s not surprising that Sylvia Plath, who tragically committed suicide, apparently appreciated Smith’s poetry.

The darkness of some of her poetry began to cast a pall on my spirit. I too have struggled in the past with depression. I too have had struggles with faith. I learned that there are certain things and people I have to avoid, or with which I have to limit my contact. So I avoided reading more of her until recently.

I just finished another collection of hers, The Frog Prince and Other Poems. More of the same. Poems I enjoyed. Other poems that had me sadly shaking my head. One of the last poems was “Why do I …

Why do I think of Death as a friend?
It is because he is a scatterer
He scatters the human frame
The nerviness and the great pain
Throws it on the fresh fresh air
And now it is nowhere
Only sweet Death does this
Sweet Death, kind Death,
Of all the gods you are best.

Yes, I do have a dark and quirky sense of humor. I also think about death. But I also now have a much stronger faith that helps me to see and appreciate all the beauty in the world, and that views death as simply a step on the path to eternal life, not as an escape.

After finishing Smith’s book, I scribbled a clerihew - admittedly not a great one, but one that expresses my reactions.

Stevie Smith
left us with,
even long after her final breath,
poem after poem filled with dark humor and death.

I think I need to pray for her soul. I hope she is at peace.

I also think I need to read a writer who nourishes my soul. A little J.R. R. Tolkien perhaps!

Pax et bonum

The Man Who Saved the Union: Ulysses Grant In War And Peace by H. W. Brands

I just finished The Man Who Saved the Union: Ulysses Grant In War And Peace by H. W. Brands. It is the first book of the year, and it is also fulfills one of my reading goals - a secular biography.

It was a great read.

As a Civil War buff, I had known some of the information about Grant as a general. I knew less about him as a person and as a President. This book filled in the gaps. I now appreciate Grant the man more than I did before.

Brands did a good and fair job of showing Grant's strengths and flaws. I was particularly intrigued by the accounts of his presidency. Grant was right about rights of former slaves, fair treatment of Native Americans, and the need for Civil Service reform. Where he failed was not due to his intentions, but due to his lack of political experience and lack of judgement at times about the people he appointed to various offices. There was plenty of corruption during his administration, but none of it involved him.

I also appreciated how Brands described the political climate and violence, and the individuals with whom Grant had to work political. Many of those individuals were far less fair, ethical, and honest than Grant. All the lying, the corruption, character assassination, and violence perpetrated by his opposition reminds me of the political climate today.

I highly recommend this book.

Pax et bonum

Good Dog!

I recently read an article about a study that found walking helps to slow cognitive decline.

According to a paper published in Nature Medicine, researchers found that greater physical activity is linked to a slower rate of cognitive decline. And one of the activities they measured was steps.

They found that those who average between 3,000 and 5,000 steps per day delayed cognitive decline by an average of three years, and those who walk 5,000-7,000 steps per day delay it by an average of seven years.

Now since retiring I am a relatively sedentary type - I spend a lot of time sitting while I read and write - I do walk daily.

In large part because of my dog.

Gubbio (yes, inspired by the story of St. Francis and the Wolf of Gubbio) and I go walking three times a day. I walk him first thing in the morning, around noon, and then just before dinner.

I once counted the number of steps I walk with him. In the winter, when it’s cold, snowy, and slippery, the total per day is about 3,000. When the weather gets warmer we go on longer walks, getting in between 5,000 and 6,000 steps. And those totals don’t include the steps I take with my other activities.

But the bulk of my stepping is with Gubbio. He is saving my brain!

Good dog.

Pax et bonum