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Antiwar voice loses his job in archdiocese

04/09/03

SHELBY OPPEL

The peace and justice director of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland was fired Tuesday by Archbishop John G. Vlazny, who repeatedly warned the director that his antiwar activism went too far.

Frank Fromherz, a part-time University of Portland professor who heads the archdiocese's office of justice and peace, was terminated after 12 years as director. Vlazny wouldn't comment, and an archdiocese spokesman said Fromherz is one of more than a dozen employees the archdiocese is laying off because of budget cuts.

But Fromherz, 49, said he was told Tuesday in a personnel session with archdiocese officials that he was fired because he violated his role as an agent for the archbishop. He and Vlazny have clashed over Fromherz's fierce opposition to the Iraq war and the Bush administration.

Fromherz last week, for example, sent an e-mail to 800 local Catholics and others that encouraged protests against the war and called on "the international criminal court to indict and prosecute our own President (Bush) as a war criminal."

That contrasts with Vlazny's recent message to 350,000 Oregon Catholics:

"This is a time for prayer and solidarity," he wrote in a March 28 column in the Catholic Sentinel. "Divisiveness is not at all helpful, particularly for those who are directly affected by the war."

The rift reflects how the Iraq war has divided Catholics and others across the nation. Pope John Paul II has voiced strong opposition to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, recently warning that it could set Muslims against Christians worldwide. National polls, however, show support for Bush and the war.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which includes Vlazny, said before the war that an attack on Iraq would not meet the criteria for a "just war" and called for continued diplomacy. Since the war started, however, the bishops' group has called for a quick end and expressed hope that the "people of Iraq will soon enjoy a peace with freedom and justice."

Vlazny has said little publicly about the war. But in a series of handwritten notes he wrote to Fromherz, the archbishop said the peace and justice director was out of bounds.

" . . . Your decision to . . . promote your views about the war, which are not in sync with mine, is a violation of the basic principle of agency which should govern your activities as archdiocesan director of justice and peace," Vlazny wrote March 28.

In effect, the "principle of agency" means that an archdiocese director is an extension of the archbishop.

Under the auspices of the archdiocese, Fromherz has helped organize antiwar protests in Portland, including one planned for Saturday.

In an April 3 note, Vlazny wrote Fromherz: "I've told you I don't want the archdiocese sponsoring rallies like the one you describe for April 12. You know I won't be there."

Fromherz said in an interview he didn't ask Vlazny's permission either to write his antiwar e-mails or organize protests.

"They have a perfectly plausible basis for firing me," Fromherz said. He said he won't ask for his job back but will ask the archbishop to speak out against the war.

In a meeting Tuesday with Mary Jo Tully, chancellor of the archdiocese, and the Rev. Dennis O'Donovan, vicar general of the archdiocese, Fromherz said he was told he has not been a " 'good agent' " of Vlazny.

Some leaders oppose war Bud Bunce, a archdiocese spokesman, said personnel matters are confidential and wouldn't comment beyond saying the termination was driven by budget cuts.

In Oregon, Tully has been part of a group of religious leaders who held a series of news conferences opposing the war.

In his March 28 column in the Catholic Sentinel, Vlazny wrote that the war filled him with deep sadness and a bit of anger, but "I also want to refrain from politicizing this turn of events."

That contrasts with Fromherz's passionate and political e-mails, letters and speeches at antiwar rallies.

"Our greatest patriotic action as citizens is to remember what America can stand for: for genuine democracy, not blood for oil; for justice as participation, not justice as infinite Superpower domination," Fromherz wrote April 2.

Fromherz is not ordained. Before being appointed director of the office of justice and peace, he taught at Mount Angel Seminary. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Portland, where he has taught since 1992. He teaches a course on the nonviolent philosophies of Thomas Merton, an American writer and Trappist monk, and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

He holds a bachelor's degree from University of Denver, a master's degree from Reed College and a doctorate from the Graduate Theological Union at Berkeley.

Fromherz said the rift with Vlazny over the war is a philosophical difference, not a personal conflict. While he understands why he is being fired, Fromherz said he hoped the archdiocese would be more tolerant of outspoken antiwar opinions.

"This decision, which is quite abrupt, could send a chilling message to someone in a parish who doesn't see eye-to-eye with the archbishop," he said.


 

http://espn.go.com/mlb/news/2003/0409/1536711.html

Thursday, April 10, 2003
Hall of Fame cancels movie gala over stars' remarks

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Associated Press

NEW YORK -- The Hall of Fame president, a former official in the Reagan administration, canceled a 15th anniversary celebration of "Bull Durham" because of anti-war criticism by co-stars Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon.

		Wed., April 9 Wednesday morning, I watched a documentary about the Smothers Brothers' fights with CBS censors in the late 1960s. Wednesday afternoon, I learned that Dale Petroskey won't allow the hallowed Hall to be sullied by the presence of political dissent. And I'm saddened to learn just how far we haven't come in 35 years. This isn't censorship, by its most technical definition. But you know, there are various forms of censorship. Here, the message is that if you say anything deemed offensive by the powers that be -- Petroskey, by the way, spent many years working for Republican politicians -- you will be disciplined. And if that's not censorship, whatever it is ain't pretty. Let freedom ring.

Dale Petroskey sent a letter to Robbins and Sarandon this week, telling them the festivities April 26-27 at Cooperstown, N.Y., had been called off.

Recent comments by the actors "ultimately could put our troops in even more danger," said Petroskey, a former White House assistant press secretary under President Reagan.

Reached Wednesday night, Robbins said he was "dismayed" by the decision. He responded with a letter he planned to send to Petroskey, telling him: "You belong with the cowards and ideologues in a hall of infamy and shame."

The weekend affair, planned months ago, also was to feature "Bull Durham" actor Robert Wuhl and writer-director Ron Shelton.

Robbins plays an up-and-coming minor league pitcher in the 1988 film and Sarandon plays a fan who helps him focus his erratic talent. Kevin Costner also stars.

Instead of commemorating the movie, the Hall canceled the celebration in a letter sent Tuesday to the scheduled participants.

"In a free country such as ours, every American has the right to his or her own opinions, and to express them. Public figures, such as you, have platforms much larger than the average American's, which provides you an extraordinary opportunity to have your views heard -- and an equally large obligation to act and speak responsibly," Petroskey wrote.

"We believe your very public criticism of President Bush at this important -- and sensitive -- time in our nation's history helps undermine the U.S. position, which ultimately could put our troops in even more danger. As an institution, we stand behind our President and our troops in this conflict."

Robbins and Sarandon, his longtime partner, have been active in peace rallies to protest the war in Iraq.

In his letter, Robbins said he'd been looking forward to "a weekend away from politics and war." He said he remained "skeptical" of the war plans and told Petroskey he did not realize baseball was "a Republican sport."

"I am sorry that you have chosen to use baseball and your position at the Hall of Fame to make a political statement," Robbins wrote. "I know there are many baseball fans that disagree with you, and even more that will react with disgust to realize baseball is being politicized.

"To suggest that my criticism of the President put the troops in danger is absurd. ... I wish you had, in your letter, saved me the rhetoric and talked honestly about your ties to the Bush and Reagan administrations."

Robbins signed his letter with a reference to an old World Series champion: "Long live democracy, free speech and the '69 Mets -- all improbable, glorious miracles that I have always believed in."

 

Maine teachers warned: Watch anti-war talk in classroom PORTLAND, Maine (AP) --After complaints that the children of soldiers were upset by anti-war comments at school, Maine's top education official warned teachers to be careful of what they say in class about a possible invasion of Iraq. The Maine Army National Guard has received a dozen reports of children of guard members in elementary and middle schools who said teachers and fellow students have criticized the looming conflict. Maj. Peter Rogers quoted parents as saying their children have come home upset or depressed because of comments in class and on the playground. "They were hearing comments like, 'The pending war in Iraq is unethical' and 'Anybody who would fight that war is also unethical,"' Rogers said. "So children who are already losing family members to deployment were understandably upset." Charles Haynes of the Freedom Forum, an educational organization in Arlington, Virginia, said he has received several dozen e-mails and phone calls in recent months from parents concerned that teachers are unfair or biased in how they address the issue of Iraq in the classroom. Haynes urged schools to keep alive classroom discussions about Iraq, and present different views on the issue, even if there have been complaints about teaching methods or teacher comments. "Often it is a misunderstanding of what the teacher is trying to do," he said. "But it's also the case that some teachers have a political agenda they can't keep out of the classroom, and that they must do." In Maine, Department of Education Commissioner Duke Albanese sent a memo to superintendents and principals, writing that it had been brought to his attention some school personnel had been "less than sensitive to children of military families regarding our continued strained relations with Iraq." He said discussion should allow for questions and differences of opinion, but "be grounded in civil discourse and mutual respect." The issue has also grabbed the attention of Republican Sen. Susan Collins and Gov. John Baldacci. "Any suggestion that their parents are doing something wrong is extremely unfortunate and could have a harmful effect, particularly on young children," Collins said. Baldacci said he's "disappointed" by the actions of some educators in public school systems. Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Find this article at: http://www.cnn.com/2003/EDUCATION/02/28/teachers.iraq.ap

 

Conservatives, liberals fear broader anti-terror powers

Sides unite to protest Justice's push to widen Patriot Act's reach

04/13/2003

By MICHELLE MITTELSTADT / The Dallas Morning News

WASHINGTON – Fearful that the Bush administration is poised to ask Congress for greater anti-terrorism powers, including the right to strip Americans of their citizenship, liberals and conservatives are joining forces to block what they view as dangerous encroachments on civil liberties.

The loose-knit coalition was on display last week when conservative activists who otherwise are close administration allies joined the American Civil Liberties Union to decry the Justice Department's impending push for powers that could reach well beyond the USA Patriot Act that Congress raced to adopt in the dark, chaotic weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The possible outlines of what the Justice Department is seeking in a bill dubbed "Son of Patriot" or "Patriot 2" has had privacy and civil libertarian groups across the political spectrum in an uproar since a draft was leaked in February.

Although Justice Department officials insist the 86-page bill is a preliminary draft that bears little resemblance to what ultimately will be requested, some fear it's a clear sign of things to come.

"Based on past history of various administrations, when draft legislation such as the 'Son of Patriot' that we've been now seeing are first denied and then they surface, where there's smoke there's fire," said former Rep. Bob Barr of Georgia, a conservative Republican who is now an ACLU consultant. "We are very worried that it will surface in some way relatively quickly."

Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats have argued that the Justice Department should work with Congress to draft new anti-terrorism legislation rather than write it in secret.

The leaked draft, stamped "Confidential – Not for Distribution," would grant federal law enforcement sweeping new power to wiretap, detain and punish suspected terrorists while limiting court review and cloaking certain information from the public. Among the most criticized proposals: the right to strip the citizenship of Americans who provide "material" support to organizations designated terrorist groups.

"Everyone is concerned with protecting our people and our society and our homeland," said American Conservative Union Chairman David Keene. "But everyone should be equally concerned at the potential costs to our society and its very nature if we adopt measures that in retrospect would be viewed as unwise."

Justice Department spokesman Mark Corallo declined to discuss which parts of the leaked draft have been discarded and which remain viable.

"We're not going to discuss things that are being deliberated right now," he said. He dismissed criticism that lawmakers are being cut out of the loop, saying Congress ultimately will decide whether to accept, reject or amend the package that will be sent to Capitol Hill later this year.

The Patriot Act has been "an invaluable tool" for terrorism prevention, Mr. Corallo said, adding that he thinks critics have misunderstood the law, which expanded wiretapping and spying authority; lowered prohibitions on the sharing of intelligence with criminal investigators; and imposed restraints on the public release of information.

"The Patriot Act actually strengthened constitutional protections," he said.

That view is far from universally shared.

Librarians in some cities are hastening their routine shredding of patrons' records because of Patriot Act provisions that allow the FBI to review records at libraries, bookstores and other businesses. A California dive shop owner objected when the FBI sought lists of clients at his and other dive shops around the country, citing the possibility that a terrorist diver could launch an attack by slipping unseen into a U.S. port.

And now, groups such as the Eagle Forum and American Conservative Union are setting aside historic policy differences with liberal-leaning organizations such as the ACLU and the Electronic Frontier Foundation to tackle a range of post-Sept. 11 actions they view as threats to freedoms.

"We've given up some civil liberties since 9-11, there is no doubt about it," said Lori Waters, the Eagle Forum's executive director.

Conservative groups historically have left the defense of civil liberties to the ACLU, conservative activist Grover Norquist said. But, he added, "I'm not sure given the Republican control of the House and the Senate and the government that we can count on our left-of-center friends to look out for some of these issues."

The Patriot Act and its possible successor aren't the liberal and conservative groups' only concerns. They fret about a data-mining program known as Total Information Awareness being developed within the Pentagon; an airline passenger profiling system that could roll out later this year; and other proposals.

Ms. Waters and others are voicing particular dismay at reports that Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, with administration backing, wants to make permanent Patriot Act provisions that expire in 2005.

"I am very concerned at the idea of getting rid of the sunsets," Mr. Norquist said.

Mr. Barr, the former congressman, said he viewed the Hatch bid, which apparently has been shelved for now, as an "end-run."

"This is particularly troubling because we have not yet had nearly the full opportunity that we ought to have to see how the Patriot Act is working," Mr. Barr said. "This is a very, very complex piece of legislation."

E-mail mmittelstadt@dallasnews.com

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