Page 3 - TheGoldBug1971-72

SEPTE1..fBER 20, 1971 PAGE THREE "staunclu non-violent" "people were getting hurt" Mclaughlin defends Catholic left by N;lIie Arrington "In November, J. Edgar Hoover jumped the trac~ and announced that Daniel and Philip Baltimore Archbishop, a lawyer, and the Berrigan were leaders in an incipient plot to president of the priest senate came, and in SIX overthrow the government; all this while they days McLaughlin and his companions were freed were quietly in jail. But the accusation was very on $7500 bail raised by Baltimore priests. serious because it said that these men were "We first of all did not plot to kidnap anybody planning violent. acts. It missed the whole point or anything or to bomb anything. That is of these men's lives. To kidnap someone denies Hoover's lie and the FBI swears to it. But it him his rights: to blow up something does the doesn't end there. In April there qere more than same, besides the possibility of severe injury to thirty people called to testify before the people. But this is part of the misconception the Harrisburg grand jury in order that they could government has about this Catholic Left. Not develop a case. Most of them refused to testify only is it staunchly non-violent, but it is hardly a because of faulty immunity legislation and threat to national security. It is hardly only illegal wiretapping. Nevertheless, by the end of Catholic. It is more a moral outrage on the part that month, there was a new indictment adding of generally unassociated persons recognizing two more defendants and dropping three of the ~hey are tn some way responsible for the killing alleged co-conspirators, notably Daniel Berrigan in Vietnam." who was first named the leader, now no longer a So spoke Father Neil McLaughlin to a group of part of whole case," stated Father McLaughlin. approximately eighty people in Memorial 106 on The new indictment added charges of draft September 13. Only about half the audience board raids to the original kidnap-bombing consisted of freshmen attending the lecture as charge, downgraded the possible sedtence, and the last part of a colloquium on "The State and made it conceivable for the government to win the Individual Conscience;" the remainder was the case without ever referring to the or-iginal upperclassmen, faculty, and visitors. became more involved, and, with Father charges. In July of this year, the first indictment Father McLaughlin is a charged member of wenderoth. started working with the ,Ar- was dropped, and the trial date has been moveo the. alle.ged Harrisburg 8 conspiracy. The group, chdiocese of Baltimore, at which time they were from October to January, a year after the which included the Berrigan brothers, Father arrested. original indictment was handed out. Father McLaughlin described his indictment Father McLaughlin later aptly fielded ~~~ek~b~le1~~~~' ;~~t~~r~~:~~~:p~ft~l~~f:~t and arrest. "We were arrested on January 12 at questions from the audience. Anthony Scoblick and his wife, former nun Mary 6:15 P.M. There were eight FBI men who came McLaughlin's manner and philosophy bear Kane Scoblick, supposedly plotted to kidnap into our house, all of them announcing that we great resemblance to those of former priest Nixon aide Henry Kissinger and to bomb heating were under arrest. We were frisked and we were Anthony Scoblick, when the latter spoke April 16 tunnels beneath government buildings in handcuffed: we were taken to the FBI offices in at Morgan State College in a panel discussion on Washington, . D. C. As Father McLaughlin the Post Office building where we were the limits of civil disobedience. The soft, slow mentioned, both Berrigan brothers were in photographed .... We had also our fingerprints voices. the frustration at the conditions of the federal prison at the time of Hoover's charge. taken and we were then taken to the Central poor and at their own barriers of understanding The Father explained his frustrations at the Police lockup and that was about all. It was not especially the black poor, the philosophy of conditions of the poor parishioners at his racially the way I had thought it was going to be if I was moral responsibility, the disbelief at the mixed West Baltimore church. "Where was the ever arrested. All the rights that I had thought government action, the very carefully chosen, C~urch that I was representing, and where was (of) were non-existent. There wasn't any psychologically impressive words; all are the this most powerful country in regard to these warrant. The charges weren't explained to us. same. Identical too, are the feelings of both primary human needs?" He said two events There was no phone call allowed. There was no priests who have seen public attitudes in the answered this question for him. First, the April, hearing in any court. There was no bail set and most conservative areas of Baltimore City 1968, Baltimore riots. "The most impressive nobody to appeal to. For all we knew, there was change favorably for the peace movement once moment was in the middle of a street where nobody in the whole world who knew we were in their priests began to be arrested and charged by white parishioners were bombarding black those cages." At 10 P.M., Cardinal Shehan, the the government. parishioners with rocks and bottles and people were getting hurt." Second, the Catonsville 9 trial occurred in late 1968; " ... it was a whole new understanding for me about the rights of life and that was not only a matter of life and death but it was also a severe cause of the domestic strife Graduatesoffered scholarships- that we experienced and a symptom that told me more clearly what this country is doing to the poor and underdeveloped countries of the world." DANFORTH GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS. awards is unusually keen. Winners appear to He investigated and found he agreed with a Open to persons with a "serious interest in have significant honors such as Summa cum statement of the Vatican Council. "The Vatican college teaching as a career, and who plan to laude, and notable activities such as offices in Council says more clearly that any act of war study for a Ph.D ... " Among the criteria con- major campus organizations. The competition is that aims indiscriminately at the destruction of sidered in selection is "evidence of a concern for open only to males, and among other criteria ent!re cities or of extensive areas along with the relation of ethical or religious values to specified for consideration in the selection their population is a crime against God and man disciplines, the educational process, and to process is included "physical vigor, as shown by himself, and merits unequivocable and academic and social responsibility". Interested fondness for the success in sports". For further unhesitating condemnation. All of that led me to students should get further information from Dr. information consult Dr. Ridington by October 1. stop what I was doing and address my life to that Ridington not later than the end of September at most serious problem of today." the latest. WOODROW WILSON FELLOWSHIPS. For In 1969, Father McLaughlin helped destroy th.e first time in more than twenty years, there New York City draft records and thus shouldered FULBRIGHT AWARDS for graduate study Will be no competition this fall, since funds are responsibility for the Vietnam killings. Although abroad. The number of awards currently not available. The Foundation is trying to obtain not arrested, the Church suspended him from his available is smaller than the number available a funds for a new fellowship program in future parish assignment (he was later reinstated into few years ago. In general, an applicant must be years. the same parish), and he went into the peace able to undertake graduate study in the language movement full time. His parishioners un- of his host country. For details see Dr. Ridington The specific deadlines for receipt of ap- derstood, however. "It was interesting that before October 1. plications for the above awards varies. However, today when the news about the people at the in each case it will take time for a student to fill Attica Prison came forth a woman on the street MARSHALL SCHOLARSHIPS are available out and prepare the application forms and said to me, a black woman, she said, 'Father, for graduate study in Britain. The number is arrange for necessary transcripts and one day they're going to understand that people limited (24) and competition for them appears to references, or to take the Graduate Record don't mind dying anymore in order that they be severe. For further information consult Dr. Examination by the October administration might live to fight dying, to fight the humiliation Ridington not later than October 1. date. Requirements vary from one program to that they have to live in.' " He does realize that RHODES SCHOLARSHIPS, available for another. Please cosult Dr. Ridington for more some people will never unders~d this drive. He • graduate study in Britain. C~fIl:petition for the~e . detailed information.