could be more enjoyable
than being rich. This followed the Walden Pond teaching of Henry
David Thoreau, and anticipated many of the "small is beautiful" ideas associated
with the ecology movement of the 1970's.
World
War II did not cause the Catholic Worker to drop it's pacifist editorial
policy. As one might imagine, in the flag-waving atmosphere promoted
by the government at the time, this stance was unwelcome. The popularity
of the group plunged. Prominent conservative Catholics urged Day's
bishop to denounce her. However, Day's adroit diplomacy accompanied
by fervent prayer prevented a major breach.
During
the subsequent cold war, the pro-peace ideas of the group were denounced
as "communist", and members were investigated by the F.B.I. Despite
this harassment, the movement regained lost ground and gradually gained
new adherents. Peter Maurin died in 1949, but his place was ably
filled by Ammon Hennacy. He was the father-in-law of Day's daughter,
who was by that time grown.
Day
felt that Christians were called to "tell the the truth to power", even
if that meant personal suffering. In the 1950's and 60's, Day was
arrested several times for participating in "Ban the Bomb" demonstrations.
She was extremely active in the anti- Vietnam War movement and her example
inspired many people. A member of the Catholic Worker movement was
one of the first to publicly burn his draft card. Her last arrest
was in 1973, in connection with Cesar Chaves' union organizing campaign.
Her
years of prayer, service, and activism ended with her death in 1980.
Long before her end, she said: "Don't call me a saint -- I don't
want to be dismissed so easily!"
The
lesson of Dorothy Day's life is that a good Christian can legitimately
oppose the operation of the State -- that Christ's message is one of liberty
from men through obedience to the Lord. The Catholic Worker movement
is still striving and thriving.
There
are many books by and about Dorothy Day. For further reading, I suggest
Dorothy
Day, With Love for the Poor by Jim O'Grady, as the most concise telling
of her story.
Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker, by Nancy L. Roberts,
is also an excellent source.![10x5 Page Background GIF Image](../../Images/10x5_Page_Background.gif)
Dear Frontiersman,
After
reading your latest issue I had to write for two reasons. The first
is to promote an Idea. The second is to report on a petty tyranny
that we might be able to do something about.
The
idea may not be an attainable goal, but it could be a useful focal point.
The idea is an amendment to the US Constitution and applicable to state
constitutions and county and city charters. Here it is:
"CONGRESS SHALL
MAKE NO LAW GRANTING SUBSIDY, SPECIAL PRIVILEGE OR COMMERCIAL ADVANTAGE." |
If
you look at all of the problems in our government and society today you
will see a common flaw in our system. All the conflict stems from
who is paying or getting their "fair" share. Can you see how this
amendment would eliminate 90% of the mess? We might call this the
"Equal responsibility amendment."
Now
for the peeve. When I went to register my pickup at the DMV they
reported that I had a $52 parking lien from San Francisco that had to be
paid before they would register my vehicle. Severe penalties would
accrue if not paid. Well, since neither I nor my pickup had not been
in San Francisco and had never seen the citation, I figured it would be
a nuisance, but I should be able to get it cleared without paying the $52.
The SF Parking Dept. phone is permanently busy so I wrote, twice, sending
the DMV forms and an explanation. No reply. I paid.
From
there I went to the vehicle code and read the sections on parking violations.
First of all, the "infraction" that used to be a misdemeanor is now a "civil
penalty." This means you have none of the usual civil rights or protections.
Secondly, there are several new paragraphs enabling parking meter barons
to extort the "civil penalties" from their victims, but precious little
the victim can do to fight back. A new low in municipal meanness.
If
anyone has a workable strategy to counter the parking meter rip-off, we
had better get to work on it. There is a new high tech meter that
cancels out remaining time when a car pulls out of the space and even more
insidious developments are in the works. This is not as advanced
as the city of Campbell's speeding tickets-by-mail, but just as dangerous
in the long run.
Bob Mulvany, Secretary
Gold Country Libertarians
I
agree that your proposed constitutional amendment addresses an important
problem. With regard to that problem, I believe that privilege, subsidy,
etc. are just other ways of defining an aristocracy, or a class of nobility.
The narrow perception of aristocracy as hereditary is, I believe, in error.
Anybody who engages in a privileged activity (doctor, lawyer, driver, beautician,
teacher, etc.) participates in an aristocracy that is defined and protected
by the government. The protection is through licenses, issued by
government, which define the privileged activity and provide for the punishment
of intrusions into it by "commoners". These licenses are literal
entitlements of privilege, or titles of nobility. Two clauses in
the U.S. Constitution (Article 1, Section 9, Clause 8 and Article 1, Section
10, Clause 1) prohibit such titles. If my opinion is correct, and
these licenses are titles of nobility, then your amendment is a clarification
or a reinforcement of prohibitions that already exist. In either
case, the amendment seems like a good idea.
One
answer that I can suggest to the parking ticket problem is to avoid the
jurisdiction. This can be done, under present law, only by declining
to have a driver's license or a licensed vehicle. While this is enormously
inconvenient, it is possible. Therefore, the licenses are technically
voluntary. Acquiring one therefore legitimately obligates the license
holder to obey the terms and conditions associated with the license.
Another
approach is try to change the laws. Doing without the license and
the car is more likely to be possible.
editor
Smitten With
Embarrassment Department
by Sam Aurelius Milam III
On
page 4 of the November issue, I cited a quote as Article 6, Section 2 of
the J.S. Constitution. What I intended was Article 6, Section 2 of
the U.S. Constitution. Same finger, wrong key. Darn.
Buck Hunter
Shoots Off His Mouth
Dear Buck
Nothing we've tried so far has worked.
What can we do to end sexual harassment in our office?
Frustrated Manager
Dear Frustrated Manager
Don't hire women.
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