The Gadfly “To persuade and reproach� - Socrates, The Apology
Vol. XI, Iss. II September 22, 2009
Free Your Mind Whether we admit it or not, most of us have been manipulated by propaganda, coercion and fear to adopt certain attitudes deemed appropriate by the "liberal intelligentsia". If we submit to these ideas and attitudes we are considered politically correct. If we refuse, we are politically incorrect. Chances are that if you are not willfully resisting the strong current of political correctness, you are living according to its mandates. Its influences are strong like the rapids of a river; only those who resist it will not be
swept up. This is not to say that many do not willfully adopt the attitudes of political correctness, but it is to say that it is the "spirit of the times", or the "default position." Political correctness is an offense against truth. It pressures us through fear to say what is clearly untrue, or to avoid saying what clearly is true. This intimidation is perhaps nowhere so full grown as in the classrooms of most universities. In Dinesh D'Souzas book, Letters to a Young Conservative, he gives
three major issues that are dominated by the fear and pressure of political correctness, namely issues of race, feminism, and homosexuality. For example, many college students are taught by there professors that America must still be a racist nation because a disproportionate number of young black males are in trouble with the law than young white males. If a student was to suggest that perhaps this is so because young black males commit more violent crimes than young white males, (Continued on page 4)
A Higher Calling I know that men studying for the priesthood are already pretty hard core, but I would like to ask them to consider adding a greater sacrifice to their vocation. I ask them to consider becoming a military chaplain. Before you ask if I moonlight as a recruiter, let me just say that the American Armed Forces are experiencing a dearth of priests at this moment, especially the Air Force. Right now, there are only 40 priests in the entire U.S Air Force. This is in a community of 327,452! In fact, there are few to no priests in stateside bases. Almost all of them are
deployed in overseas assignments, many of them downrange. At my home base of Ramstein in Germany, we have two priests, one of whom is usually deployed to Iraq, serving four parishes. Our soldiers in combat zones are especially suffering from this lack of priests. Many airmen have gone three months without hearing Mass or receiving the Eucharist, let alone confession. Can you imagine being in a life or death situation without having heard Mass in three months? When my father served in Sarajevo, he went to Mass at a Croatian monastery. Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan do not have this option.
Many of us here at Franciscan claim to be anti-war, and maybe joining the military would be contrary to your values. But frankly everyone is anti-war, especially soldiers, and they need the Sacraments just like you. When you become a priest, your bishop has to okay your joining the military, so this is not entirely your decision. But please consider the military and ask your bishop about it when you become ordained. Just remember to join the Air Force. You want to be with the smart people, don’t you? ~G.L.