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June 14 is celebrated as US Flag Day.
In the U.S. as in other countries, the nation’s Flag and the great respect for her, always represents and should always represent a living country, born of the contributions and selfless sacrifices of active duty troops, the veterans and their families and citizens, dedicated and devoted to their country, human rights and freedoms whether in peacetime or in wartime.
THE FLAG & OUR VALUES:
Generally, the Flag always unites a nation under the constitutional values and principles of Life, Liberty, Justice and Equality for all. It also represents the right to nurture one’s faith in communion with one’s community’s brothers and sisters, and the work to always create a peaceful environment where people of all faiths can freely practice their faith, or where people with moral and spiritual leanings but no religion, can live freely.
These are the freedoms that the U.S. Flag represents. And as Pastor Frank Orzio, severely wounded Vietnam combat veteran and along with his wife, co-founder of Wounded Warriors Ministry he says, “these freedoms have been ‘bought’ for us by those who gave their ‘today’s’ so that we can have our tomorrow’s, and so that we can always freely say –‘May God Bless America!’”
And this high cost was also paid in Mexico by the sacrifices of the Cristeros (Cristada – or followers of Christ) from 1926 to 1929 that pitted the government primarily against the Catholic faithful and to a small extent the Catholic church.
I only remembered this because of the great movie “For Greater Glory” headlined by Andy Garcia (General Enrique Gorostieta) and other major Hispanic actors.
MY CRISTERO “ABUELITO”:
I grew up with my grandfather because my mother separated from my dad when I was 5 years old, and my dad died when I was 10, the same year we immigrated to the U.S.
My grandfather as well as my whole family was born in Michoacán. My grandfather Eleuterio was born in 1892 and died in 1984 (RIP). My grandfather was an illiterate, humble, hardworking man, with a small parcel of land who dressed in white linen trousers and sandals (“calzón blanco de manta y huaraches”). He had an undying devotion and great love of Christ which I did not fully comprehend.
I would spend hours with my grandfather, and he would recount stories about his involvement in the Mexican Revolution and when he fought as a Cristero. But like with every child, these were just stories to me.
I served in the U.S. Marines, and then the CA Army National Guard. A great reason for serving is because I believe, like other citizens do, that it is always necessary to be prepared to defend our county, our rights and our families. And I think that I was influenced greatly, although very subtlety, by my grandfather and his convictions. (My youngest brother likes to say that I joined the military because I saw the movie Platoon.) So I have always been very proud to belong to the U.S. Armed Forces, which are very professional forces.
And it gave me greater pride recollecting and understanding that my grandfather like thousands others, although they were simple and humble men, women and children and poorly armed and poorly trained, they still took up arms to defend their families and to maintain their freedom to practice their faith freely as “Cristeros” (believers in Christ).
What they lacked in military might, they overcompensated by the righteousness of their cause. For they knew well, that they were fighting and dying for their loves of God, their country, their homes and their families’ freedoms.
CALLES LAW:
On June 14, 1926, ironically US Flag Day, anti-clerical and anti-Catholic Mexican President Plutarco Elias Calles signed the law that bears his name and which added Article 130 to the Constitution, limiting the power of the Church.
- The Calles Act came into force across the country on July 31, 1926.
- It was what the government needed to close churches, Catholic schools and convents, in addition to expelling foreign priests and reducing the number of priests.
- As a reaction to this, the faithful created the National League for the Defense of Religious Liberty (“La Liga Nacional de Defensa de las Libertades Religiosas” -LNDLR).
When in September Congress rejected the request to amend the constitution presented by the bishops and supported by two million signatures, the leaders of the League (LNDLR) decided to resort to arms, but independent of the Vatican.
Catholic groups took up the fight against the government with the battle cry of “Viva Cristo Rey and the Virgin of Guadalupe! – Long Live Christ King and the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe!”. This was the standard and the motto of the Cristeros.
THE CRISTIADA:
The federal army retaliated viciously by executing prisoners, raping women and children, torturing and killing civilians without due-process, destroying villages and ruining crops in a “scorched earth” strategy and implementing a real religious persecution by desecrating churches and sacred relics: also any priest found in the open was shot, and every public or private religious act was punishable by death.
And unfortunately for the Mexican Catholic faithful who were fighting for their lives and freedom to practice their Christian faith, the US government was providing significant military and material assistance to the anti-clerical government.
“The personal friendship that existed between the remarkable Ambassador Morrow and President Calles was accompanied by close political collaboration. Morrow, in his diplomatic capacity, played an essential role in the settlement of the religious conflict, and, as a financier, he assisted his Mexican colleague. Thanks to his good offices, the Government was able to purchase directly from United States arsenals ten thousand Enfield rifles, ten million rounds of ammunition, and aircraft which took part in the battle of Jimenez with American pilots.
This was a deadly ironic twist which allowed the Mexican government to continue its religious persecution while allowing the US to benefit from its petroleum concessions.
THE CRISTERO BOY:
Also entering the struggle for religious freedom was a young 13 year-old boy, Jose Sanchez del Rio, who was born in Sahuayo, Michoacán.
After his brothers joined the struggle with the Cristeros, he first tried joining at 12 but his mom would not allow him. He was also turned away by General Prudencio Mendoza. The boy insisted in wanting to serve and give his life for Christ. Apparently the words that convinced his mom were “It has never been so easy to attain heaven as it is now” (“Nunca ha sido tan fácil ganarse el cielo como ahora”.)
In a major battle, the Cristero General’s horse was shot from under him. Young “Joselito” as the boy was affectionately known, came to the general and gave his horse to the general saying,
“Take my horse. You are more important to the cause than I am.”
The boy was captured and taken prisoner near Cotija. The government troops tried, through intimation and torture, to force Joselito to deny Christ and the Cristero cause and to join them against the Cristeros, or to face execution. Joselito always indignant rejected all these proposals.
For Joselito’s refusal, they continued torturing him and cut open the soles of his feet, then forced him to walk barefoot and with bleeding feet through the cobblestone streets of town to the cemetery. As the government troops led him on this torturous march, the boy would not stop acclaiming and worshiping Christ, to the astonishment and anger of the soldiers, and the admiration of the people who witnessed his martyrdom. Joselito was eventually stabbed, and then shot to death at the cemetery.
For his martyrdom and for his faith in Christ, Joselito was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI, in 2005.
CONSEQUENCES & LESSONS:
The result of the Cristero War was 250,000 deaths among civilians and military, to which must be added the costs of military and economic consequences of the crisis.
“Peace” (which some considered betrayal of the people) was negotiated during June 12th through the 21st, in 1929, although the government again tried to deny religious freedom in 1937 but without much success.
For me the lessons learned are:
- Governments which are constituted by men, with all their human frailties and greed, may oftentimes act against the physical and moral needs of the people.
- But also that no wrong will win, no matter how mighty or powerful, when the people finally rise up and the cause is right, as exemplified by the Cristeros who were fighting for their God, their country, their homes and their families.
Their sentiment as was confirmed by my “abuelito” (grandfather),
“it is better to die fighting for Christ, the Virgin Mary and our families, even if the Devil is angered.”
Thus, I think that it is always important to honor our US Flag, and remember and give thanks for the rights and freedoms we enjoy.
And although there may have been instances where our government has strayed from our values, it is worth remembering that, it has always been ordinary people who sacrifice for our nation, in devotion and faithfulness to our values, like that of the Cristeros, who achieve something extraordinary.
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Paco Barragán
Semper Fi!
Paco, how do you apportion your loyalty between the Flag and the Constitution? I am always disturbed when people claim to be fighting for the nation’s cloth pattern rather than for its ideas and principles. Fighting for cloth makes sense in sports, but international relations go beyond team spirit. A flag cannot be good or bad, only the nation behind it.
@ Greg D:
I don’t think that there is a need to “apportion” loyalty.
What is and should always be supreme is our Constitution because this is where all of our rights reside.
Our Flag is a SYMBOLIC representation of who we are or seek to be, as we strive to be a more perfect union. It is furthermore a symbolic representations of our intangible and yet very powerful ideals and values.
As a veteran, I understand why someone would want to “burn the flag” or as you say “a cloth pattern” to state their displeasure or as an exercise of their freedom of speech, and I will back them up in that right; although, and I hope and believe it’s not just for veterans and our families, but we hope that they choose another means to state their displeasure or to express their view because the US Flag is a SACRED representation because it represents and reminds us of the willingness of someone else to give their life up for us, and that others have in fact sacrificed their lives.
In my opinion someone who desecrates the Flag is really disrespecting themselves because they do not fully comprehend the real meaning behind it.
The beauty of our Flag, to me, is that because we are such a pluralistic society, with our rich diversity of race, culture, ethnicity, religion or no religion and differences in ideals that even with all of those differences we are able to unite as one, as Americans, and the Flag thus unites and represents all of us, and it stands symbolically for the rights that are enshrined in our US Constitution.
peace,
Paco
When I was in like 7th – 12th grade, and my favorite books were like 1984 and Animal Farm, I used to not pledge allegiance, because I’d think, what if my country became some kinda dictatorship, with the same flag, and I’ve pledged allegiance to it?
Now that I’m older, and I know the history of the pledge, I say it, but I leave out “under God,” not because I’m an atheist but because I’m a traditionalist. But just leaving it out when everyone else is saying it isn’t enough, because nobody notices. So I raise my voice around that part and say “one natioNNNNNNNNNNNN indivisible…” And everybody understands and nods their heads.
You can vouch that I do that, Diamond, right?
Leave it to Vern to call attention to himself, when quiet would suffice.
Quiet don’t get the job done. Unless it’s a moment of silence for something sad.
I can confirm that I heard that drone with my own ears last Saturday, Vern.
And yet, Paco, loyalty is constantly apportioned. We pledge allegiance to the flag in our schools and at our gatherings — but not to the Constitution. I don’t think that this is because the flag represents the Constitution; I think it’s because it supplants the Constitution. Talk about how “our flag does this” and “our flag does that” and you relieve people of the responsibility to understand what makes the country great. It makes sense for children, I guess, but not for adults.
For you the flag means pluralism; for others, it does not. (Talk to Ed Royce about that!) The beauty of the flag, if you want to call it that, is that we can all pretend that we are pledging to the same thing. It becomes a way to paper over our differences.
I wish that we would take the minute we spend saluting the flag and instead spin a wheel with numbers corresponding to the hundred or more rights and principles enshrined in our Constitution and then spend a minute presenting whichever principle the arrow falls upon. That would actually convey our values as expressed in the document that contains them.
Rudy Acuna, father of Chicano Studies, takes down the ‘For Greater Glorification’ of the Cristeros featured in the ahistorical film. Read on!
http://latinola.com/story.php?story=10754
@ Gabriel San Roman:
Our US Constitution calls for separation of church and state, meaning Freedom OF Religion, and Freedom FROM imposition of Religion.
And although some would support what Mexican President Plutarco Elias Calles was doing that he supposedly was enforcing the Mexican Constitution which called for separation of church and state, including it seems Profesor Acuña (I have to read more).
There is a key distinction between how it was MIS-applied in Mexico.
The separation of church and state doctrine requires that individuals be free to express or practice their religion in PUBLIC (as long as governmental resources or facilities are not being used) or in PRIVATE; and that no religious group try to impose their PRIVATE religious ideology on others through governmental means.
However, President Calles went BEYOND this, and was also institutionalizing the prohibition of the PRIVATE exercise of religion, with the punishment of death for doing so. This is what gave rise to the Cristero movement.
The Cristeros were being discredited by portraying them as “fanatics”.
Well, I sure hope they were “fanatical” in defending their families, and their rights, because they needed this “fanaticism” in the face of overwhelming military force and state oppression.
Paco
Calles was heavy handed and the Mexican government committed horrible acts in putting the rebellion down, no doubt. This is of historical record.
However, did the film, or your understanding of history, include the Cristeros bombing of a train that killed over a hundred civilians or any of their other sordid excesses in the rebellion?
“Fanatics” (religious ones at that) is quite the appropriate historical term.
@ Gabriel SR:
Were the Cristeros justified in defending themselves and engaging in armed conflict? Yes or No?
Si.
One could flip the equation and ask if the Calles government was justified in its actions against an anti-government rebellion.
The Cristeros were not justified in committing acts of wanton violence that resulted in the deaths of scores of innocent civilians (i.e. terrorism)
Nor am I fan of armed fanatics torturing and murdering secular teachers.
There’s no reason for to romanticize either of the belligerents
@ Gabriel SR:
You can flip the equation if you want to.
However, this would involve denying the fact that the government used the Oppressive power of the state against the people, and so the armed rebellion was a NECESSARY reaction, after attempting to influence the government with 2 MILLION signatures to amend the and remove the oppressive Article 130.
I am also not a fan of violence, murder or torture, but there are extreme times when the people are justified in defending themselves and taking up arms.
There is a distinction between MURDER vs KILLING.
Killing in self-defense is allowed. Murder is not allowed. Even in warfare, killing without valid and legitimate justification would be considered murder and therefore a crime.
Paco Barragan
Yes Gabriel, that incident happened. But try critically studying the war instead of taking the word of Rudy Acuna, who has accomplished much but is a very indignant man at organized religion in general. THere were two groups of Cristeros, one was the old guard who wanted to turn back the clock to the Porfiriato and the others were simple peasants who simply wanted to practice their Catholic faith. Unfortunately Calles, much like Acuna, failed to differentiate between fanatics and followers. Gorostieta was trying to leverage himself to be a contender for President. He did become a believer towards the end, but the USA also did not want a man of his beliefs taking the Presidency. He was a full on Socialist Nationalist and would have been their worst nightmare. They got it anyway with Lazaro Cardenas.
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
The flag represents the ideals and principals of the people of the United States of America.
It does not represent a piece of cloth.
No, it doesn’t “represent” a piece of cloth; it is a piece of cloth. It represents the country — but how well? Every country — every state, many cities, etc. — have their own pieces of cloth that represent them. Our ideals are no more inherent in our flag than other countries’ ideals are in theirs. What the United States has that other countries don’t, by contrast, is something that has been the envy of much of the world for 222 years and counting — the Constitution and the ideals that it, especially as amended, present.
Pledging fealty to the flag is like choose a team to root for. Pledging fealty to the Constitution is like choosing a vocation or a calling. Constitution Day is September 17. I celebrated Flag Day; I hope others will celebrate this.
GD: “Pledging fealty to the flag is like choose a team to root for.”
No one pledges fealty to the flag – “allegiance to the flag” is just a quaint symbolic manner of speaking – we actually pledge allegiance to “the republic for which it stands.”
Greg – You may now further proceed with your schtick of minimizing The Pledge of Allegiance.
You should have heard the Flag Day speeches. The flag was treated as a totem.
The Pledge of Allegiance loses its meaning when it becomes rote. Perhaps we can agree on that. Would that everyone who said it said it with the solemnity, determination, and thought that pledging allegiance to a republic actually demands.
I’m not the one minimizing it, skally. Empty repetition minimizes it. (Those who tear up every time they say it, as someone will no doubt claim to do, are excepted from the observation.)
skally — what if the Pledge said “I pledge allegiance to the republic of the United States of America….” Would it be different without what you apparently construe as quaint and unnecessary verbiage, belied by the word “and”? Different how?
You lost me at “what if.”
I believe you.
Life Issues Forum: Fortnight 4 Freedom: Prayers, Witness And Action
Fortnight 4 Freedom: Prayers, Witness and Action
In “Our First, Most Cherished Liberty,” the bishops called for a “Fortnight for Freedom,” a 14-day period of prayer, penance, education and action in defense of religious freedom from June 21st through the Fourth of July.
The Fortnight is packed with liturgical and civic significance. It starts on the vigil of the feast of St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More, martyrs who remained faithful to their conscience despite persecution by political power. Archbishop William Lori, chair of the bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee on Religious Liberty, will open the Fortnight with Mass in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, the first diocese established in the United States.
The Fortnight culminates on Independence Day. At noon on July 4, churches across the country – both Catholic and non-Catholic — will ring their bells in a witness of solidarity. Cardinal Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, will preside at a nationally-televised Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. Archbishop Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop of Philadelphia, home of the Liberty Bell, will preach the homily. These key locations in our early American experience emphasize both our Christian and American heritage of liberty.
Over the last several years Catholics in America and Europe have experienced what they believe are the stripping of religious rights, and many are concerned the situation could easily turn into a public confrontation with various governments. One example of this is in England, where the federal government has moved to declare wearing crosses in public is not a right.
The Archbishop of Chicago in 2010 said the following: “I expect to die in bed, my successor will die in prison and his successor will die a martyr in the public square.”
Such things were on my mind as I watched “For Greater Glory,” a movie about the Cristeros, or “soldiers for Christ,” who fought against religious persecution by the Mexican government from 1926 to 1929. The movie starts with laws which encroach upon religious freedom relatively benignly, such as not allowing the public wear of religious symbols. The Mexican government then moves to decry foreigners who allegedly control the nation’s citizens, particularly the Vatican, and rounds up all foreign-born bishops and priests to force them to leave the country. Peaceful rallies and protests are responded to with military force, which leads to an economic boycott.
Skallywag,
Are you actually comparing Obama to Calles? Seriously? Unfortunately in this country the Republican party has worked to seize control of the Catholic Church. And these fanatics, like you, seek to make laws to force Catholics and non Catholics alike to follow YOUR laws, much like your Al Queda counterparts in the Middle East.
The Cristeros fought for religious freedom that was truly being infringed upon by Plutarco Calles. Here, you crazies are angry because Obama refuses to hand over control of the country to fundamentalist Christians and Catholics. The Muslim Brotherhood and the Republican Party are the same thing, except one is Muslim and one is Christian.
That dude is just f**ked in the head.
“Are you actually comparing Obama to Calles?”
Absa-f**kin’-lutely!
Then you are a f_cken idiot. Maybe Art was right about you after all. Calles went after innocent people. OUr justice department is holding PEDOPHILE priests accountable for actual crimes. Calles tortured simple believers, OUr President is simply making sure fanatics in your church, like you, cannot stomp on the rights of women, like your Muslim Brotherhood counterparts do in the Middle East.
sounds like kenlay is back ……..
Not Ken Lay. Art Pedroza and his minions suck balls. Just someone who thinks your religious ideas are f_cken stupid.
Almost forgot to put out the flag.
Yer slippin, Gramps.
Are you putting out the one with that Indian on it?
I believe that those types of altered flags are disrespectful – whether it is an Indian or a Harley – of course you wouldn’t think so Vern.
Yell at Cook, not me. I’m a little surprised the grizzled Vietnam vet does it. You wanna have it out with him, big guy?
Vern my friend, Skallyway can have his/her own opinion.
If I were him, I’d defer to an actual vet. But thanks for fighting for Skallywag’s freedom to object to your Indian flag.
Yo, send in a photo, I’m not sure if we ever put it up here before.
El Catorce – Posted June 14, 2012 at 12:20 PM
“Not Ken Lay. Art Pedroza and his minions suck balls. Just someone who thinks your religious ideas are f_cken stupid.”
whatever … I will just ignore you – same as Pedroza and Chris L…….
I know exactly who KenLay
iswas. It ain’t Chris Leos. And if you think it’s this guy, then Ken Lay must have spent the last three months very productively learning Mexican history in depth, and how to spell.I was guessing the other Art, the one who fills teeth. but what do I know?
*As we all know ….today was Flag Day ….the 14th of June. Hope everyone displayed their American Flag with the star field in the upper left hand corner.
All the best…
Ron & Anna
Thanks Cook!
Cook’s flag, with Cook’s wife, and …. who’s that, Cook, a granddaughter?
Yep, she is the oldest of the 3 girls, the other 9 are boys, and the oldest boy just graduated from HBT high school Thursday.
Well, happy Fathers Day to cook, skallywag, Paco, the Cristero, me, Diamond, and … Gabo, I don’t believe you qualify yet, mijo!
No Happy Father’s Day for me; motions to argue on Monday. Still, my girls made me a father’s day campaign sign for the office, which is nice!
Your girls are to be proud of, at least the two I’ve met…
Happy Father’s Day to All ! ! !