There's an interesting dialogue going on in letters section of the New Ulm Journal.
In Peace and Justice, letter writer sees a hidden agenda in the sign "If you want peace, work for justice," distributed by the town's Human Rights Commission:
Peace and Justice
JUL 15, 2020
To the editor:
“If you want peace, work for justice.”
At first glance, that message on the yard sign sounds good. It almost sounds like the Pledge of Allegiance. But if you examine that message in the light of the current political debate, it is not the wholesome message it appears to be. Beneath the surface are political overtones that militate against peace. In today’s political climate, it conveys a sinister message that does not unite but divides us.
The traditional American concept of justice is that the laws of the land will be applied equally and without partiality to all. That ideal was most fully realized when slavery was abolished in 1863 and segregation was outlawed in 1964. This traditional concept of justice unites us and encourages peace among us.
In today’s society, however, there are socialists and Marxists who are twisting and perverting the word “justice” to push a political agenda that seeks to overthrow our Constitution and take away our God-given rights. They do this by attaching the word “justice” to any and every cause that they have decided to foist upon the country. So they talk about “social justice,” “environmental justice,” etc. And the implication is that if you don’t support the actions they propose, then you are opposed to justice. In this way, “justice” becomes a propaganda tool of the radicals, and they use it even as they attempt to undermine true equality and impartiality of Americans in the eyes of the law.
To make matters worse, there is a militant aspect to all of this. Contained within their message is an implied threat, namely, that if you do not help them to achieve their political agenda, they will not allow you to live in peace. We have seen this part of their operation acted out in the so-called “mostly peaceful protests” (looting and riots) in our major cities. In other words, if you don’t work for their “justice,” they will not allow you to have peace.
“If you want peace, work for justice.” I’d rather just stick with the Pledge of Allegiance: “One nation under God, with liberty and justice for all.”
Michael Thom
New Ulm
Two letters appeared in the July 17th issue of the paper. One, Peace and Justice Revisited, is from an individual citizen:
I am responding to the Letter titled “Peace and Justice” in the July 15 edition of The Journal. It is unfortunate that the writer has chosen to apply some hidden agenda to what I hope can and should be taken at face value: “If you want peace, work for justice.” He suggests that there is a “political agenda to overthrow our Constitution.” He also states that justice was most fully realized when slavery was abolished in 1863 and segregation was outlawed in 1964. I struggle to understand how anyone who pays attention to the news and to history, can believe that justice for all has been achieved in this country. Minority persons continue to be discriminated against and treated poorly under the law disproportionate to whites, and by many of our citizens. Yes, our Constitution provides for equal rights, but slavery lasted long after the Constitution was adopted. Our country has struggled with understanding what it truly means to have equal rights, and has failed to deliver on this promise.
So, there is not Justice now for many of our citizens, and therefore it is not surprising that we see protests and unrest — this is the American, democratic manner in which change is achieved. And no, I and most who support this effort, do not condone, promote or participate in militant, violent, and destructive behavior. So I hope that the writer will not judge those who have chosen to exercise their right of Freedom of Speech, by posting a sign with a simple message, in the hopes that we continue to move our country, and all citizens, to full acceptance of equality and just treatment. As the writer appears to support the notion of equal rights for all, this should be an effort that can unite us, rather than divide us!
Steve Schneider
New Ulm
The members of the Human Rights Commission responded with their own letter, No sinister message in ‘Peace/Justice’ signs:
To the editor:
The New Ulm Human Rights Commission would like to respond to Michael Thom’s recent letter regarding our yard signs. Mr. Thom has incorrectly interpreted the message. To be clear, “If You Want Peace, Work For Justice” (originally quoted by Pope Paul VI), is not a sinister message and has no hidden call to violence or coercion to a subversive cause as Mr. Thom would have you believe. Clearly, systemic racism continues to be an issue within our country. Numerous examples of individuals being treated differently based solely on the color of their skin are prevalent. How can anyone feel peace when others are treated unfairly?
Our message is simply a method to bring awareness and challenge others to improve the social situation in our community and by extension, our country. This is our hope for the future. Mr. Thom wrote that justice was achieved when the slaves were freed and when the Civil Rights Movement took place. Justice has never fully been achieved. There is still work to be done and that is what the signs ask of you. Work can be questioning your own views, including why one might feel the need to write a public letter condemning our signs but not feeling so compelled to write a similar letter regarding the recent hate speech spray painted in New Ulm. Work can be having conversations and listening to others and making sure all rights are honored, not just your own. Work can be promoting positive change within your community and working together with other community members to achieve this goal. Work comes in many forms. Work is not sitting still and doing nothing. Mr. Thom would rather recite the Pledge of Allegiance. But reciting a pledge without action to make “Liberty and Justice for All” truly for all does nothing. We encourage ALL to do something.
If anyone would like a yard sign promoting peace and action in our community, please contact a member of the New Ulm Human Rights Commission or email City Hall at [email protected]
New Ulm HumanRights Commission
Larry Czer, Chair
Dan Kalk, Vice Chair
Wendi Ringhofer, Secretary
Jackie Krehbiel
Tim Frenning
Deanna Fenske
Sue Hunstad
Chad Gentz
Diane Hatman
While the construction "originally quoted by Pope Paul VI" is awkward, it's definitely from Pope Paul VI's message on the 1972 World Day of Peace. Here's the header from the page at the Vatican:
MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS
POPE PAUL VI
FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE
DAY OF PEACE
1 JANUARY 1972
IF YOU WANT PEACE, WORK FOR JUSTICE
In the message, Pope Paul VI took the slogan from the Old Testament:
But it is precisely from this place that the invitation we give to celebrate Peace resounds as an invitation to practise Justice: "Justice will bring about Peace" (Cf: Is 32:17). We repeat this today in a more incisive and dynamic formula: "If you want Peace, work for Justice".
The Bible Gateway includes a page of Isaiah 32:17 in all English translations. Is this the Communist Manifesto? Probably not. We rather like the Bible, but your mileage may vary as it does for Mr. Thom.
What does the Vatican say about this dirty hippie Marxist? In a short biographical profile:
The second child of Giorgio and Giuditta Alghisi, Giovanni Battista Montini was born in Concesio, Brescia, on 26 September 1897. He was ordained to the priesthood on 19 May 1920. He studied philosophy, civil law and canon law. In 1923 he was appointed attaché at the Apostolic Nunciature in Warsaw and a year later returned and began serving in the Secretariat of State in the Vatican. During his service to the Holy See — under the Pontificates of Pius xi and Pius XII — he also taught the history of papal diplomacy at the Lateran University, until 13 December 1937 when Pius xi appointed him Substitute of the Secretariat of State. During World War II, he engaged in aiding refugees and Jews, also overseeing the Vatican Information Office. In November 1952 he was appointed Pro-Secretary of State for General Affairs and two years later he was appointed Archbishop of Milan. There, he employed new methods of evangelization in order to address the issues of immigration, materialism and Marxist ideology. On 21 June 1963 he was elected pope and took the name of Paul VI. Amid numerous challenges, he brought three periods of the Second Vatican Council to a successful conclusion, always encouraging the Church to be open in the modern world while respecting her tradition, always seeking communion among the Council Fathers. Paul VI began the practice of Apostolic Journeys beginning with the Holy Land, where his historic meeting with Athenagoras took place. His first encyclical, Ecclesiam Suam (1964), gave rise to the method of “the dialogue of salvation”. His other writings, include Populorum Progressio on the development of peoples. He also provided masterful teaching on the question of peace, also instituting the World Day of Peace. From the very beginning of his ministry, he had particular concern for the young, sharing with them the joy of faith. After a brief illness, he died on 6 August 1978 in Castel Gandolfo.
Pope Francis beatified him on 19 October 2014.
He was canonised on 14 October 2018 by Pope Francis.
But Michael Thom may be a hard case in moving his heart. He's written plenty of letters to the editor deploring Democrats as divisive (the federal government under Obama was clearly parallel to Nazi Germany in the 1930s, for example) and he hasn't been terribly happy about Catholic leaders speaking outside their churches, either. In Welcome doesn't have to mean citizenship, Thom writes:
To the editor:
The Roman Catholic bishop of New Ulm normally addresses his words of spiritual guidance and instruction to the members of his own church. This past Sunday, however, he ventured beyond that sphere and offered spiritual guidance to the general public through The Journal’s editorial page (“Plight of Immigrants Demands Response”).
In his article the bishop refers to comprehensive immigration reform as a “moral imperative.” This implies that anyone who objects to comprehensive immigration reform is acting in an immoral manner, is violating God’s will. He bases this opinion on “the biblical moral principle found throughout the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, namely, to welcome the stranger in our midst.”
It is certainly true that a number of passages in the Bible urge God’s people to treat the stranger and foreigner well. Strangers and foreigners have always faced special challenges, and will always be in need of our kindness and generosity.
To imply, however, as the bishop does, that treating the stranger well means that we must grant him citizenship, is to go beyond what the Bible itself says. The Bible offers no advice to the governments of this world as to what rules and norms should govern their citizenship policies. Our country is under no “moral imperative” to grant citizenship to anyone.
It is interesting to note, though, that while the Bible says very little about citizenship laws in the countries of this world, it says much about how one becomes a citizen in the kingdom of God. The focus of the Bible is on bringing those who were strangers and foreigners, having no hope and without God in the world, and making them fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God through faith in Christ.
That citizenship, in the end, is the only one that matters.
Michael Thom
New Ulm
Thom finds sinister implications in readings of the Bible other than his own. Especially that peace, justice, and the moral imperative stuff.
Photo: From Salt and Light, Pope Paul VI, saint and dirty hippie. His liturgical feast was moved to May 29 in 2019.
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