Reflections on Fathers Day

In one way it was a fairly low-key Fathers Day for me, which suits me fine. A couple of funny cards, no obligatory store-bought gifts. I grilled some burgers and we enjoyed a family meal, something that I count as making me a most fortunate man. My wife and I have three sons ages 22, 18, and 13. I believe that I have a close relationship with each of them and that makes me feel like a success as a father, which is all that I really want and something that no one can give me.

In another way, it was a very emotional day for me. I was hardly able to talk without getting a catch in my throat. A lot has been going on that reminds me that life is a fragile and precious gift. Not the least of which is the knowledge that my sons are no longer boys. My oldest son is older now than I was when I got married. That certainly gives me pause for reflection and I think that may be the best thing for fathers to do on Fathers Day: take at least a few moments to reflect on how we are doing.

My father sent me a message recently with a passage written by Ruth Beebe Hill who asked: "will not each father look for the day when he sees his son walking beyond him?" As I think about each of my sons and where they are in the world at this point in their lives, I am amazed and proud at how much more mature, knowledgeable, confident, etc., each of them are than I was at the same age. I have a hard time trying to imagine what their world will be like when they reach my age, but I am confident they will each have made an impact to make it a better place. So, "thanks guys" for a good Fathers Day.

Resist the fear mongers, embrace freedom, celebrate life.

On the misuse and disowning of ideologues

An article in the NY Times this morning caught my eye, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/08/us/08wichita.html?_r=1&th&emc=th, as the anti-abortion groups based in Wichita suddenly are without a target now that Dr. George Tiller has been murdered. Troy Newman, the president of Operation Rescue, is quoted as "tearfully" saying, "This idiot [Scott Roeder] did more to damage the pro-life movement than you can imagine." That much, I hope, is true, but Newman's words seem little more to me than a lament for loss of donation income for his political agenda - was he also moved to tears for the Tiller family and the members of Tiller's church? His words also reminded me of a passage from Don DeLio's book "Libra" - a quasi-fictional speculation about Lee Harvey Oswald and systematic plots surrounding the assassination of President Kennedy.

In the book, when Oswald is in the Soviet Union looking to become a Soviet citizen, a KGB agent assigned to debrief and evaluate Oswald is reflecting on how to possibly use Oswald. He recognizes that the problem with Oswald is that Oswald is an ideologue and he knows that ideologues are unpredictable because they are not rational, guided rather by their very strong emotions. So while an ideologue may serve as a very valuable puppet, there is always the chance they will become disillusioned with the puppet master, cut the strings, and take matters into their own hands.

As I look at the picture accompanying the NY Times story, I can easily place Roeder in the photo holding one of those terrible placards and screaming at Dr. Tiller's clients. I wonder how many of these people know Roeder and/or share his ideology that killing an abortion provider is not wrong - an ideology that he openly proclaimed. Did anyone in the anti-abortion movement ever try to talk sense into Roeder, ever report him to authorities as someone who is over the edge and a danger to society? 

I have very strong doubts this was ever the case because Roeder and others like him are people that Troy Newman and his ilk welcome with open arms when they come to line up at the gates every day with their obscene posters and tirades of abuse for anyone who disagrees with their ideology. Newman uses the news coverage generated by these folks to raise financial donations for his political agenda. Consequently, Newman must also keep his puppets stirred up and coming back day after day to generate more press coverage so he can claim to have prevented x number of abortions by disrupting operations at any given clinic. But once one of the puppets cuts the strings, takes matters into their own hands, and kills a doctor or bombs a clinic, suddenly the puppet is an "idiot", no one knows him, and he is portrayed as a solitary crazy man.  In the words of the SNL Church Lady: "How conveeenient." 

Last week I wrote about a sermon from years ago when I hoped that Dr. Tiller would go out of business due to a lack of demand for his services. Today I am hoping that Troy Newman will go out of business for a lack of financial support. 

Resist the fear mongers, embrace freedom, and love life.