The Church of Spite, Act II

Well, if the Uniting Church isn’t going to do the right thing, it seems the parishioners are going to do it for them:
Minister faces sack

A UNITING Church minister who refused a World War II veteran's dying wish to have his coffin draped in the Australian flag faces the sack or censure this week. Angry parishioners from St John's Uniting Church, Essendon, will meet on Wednesday to discuss Reverend Dr Wes Campbell's treatment of the family of the late Dick Vipond.
I’ll depart from my usual reserve by saying: COULDN'T HAPPEN TO A NASTIER LITTLE PIECE OF WORK!
Dorothy Willis, 86, a war widow, said she was outraged by Dr Campbell's decision to deny Mr Vipond an RSL funeral.
And she's not alone.
"I know the family and I knew Dick Vipond. He was outstanding and I feel really angry."

George "Dick" Vipond left Australia at 19, serving in Papua New Guinea from 1942 to 1946.

Before dying of lung cancer at age 81 last week, he expressed a wish to have an RSL funeral at his church of 40 years, St John's. "I have a lot on my side, my phone has not stopped ringing and people are up in arms," Mrs Willis said.

Mrs Willis said it was a sad irony that Dick Vipond had been with St John's for 40 years and Dr Campbell only five.
No irony, I’d suggest, Dorothy. Just the act of a jumped up, pathetic, selfish little twerp who wanted to score a cheap personal political point. And not for the first time, either. A serial activist, it seems Dr Campbell's pulled this bullying little stunt before. So what, effectively, has been the focus of his impotent agitation? His puny little, fist-in-the-air-style protest? Read on:
"Dick Vipond did not want war, he was only 19 and he wanted peace -- he only went to war so other people could have peace," Mrs Willis said. "They gave up the best years of their lives so others might live in peace. An RSL funeral and our flag do not glorify war, it is a way to pay tribute to those who made the supreme sacrifice."
And that about sums it up, really.

So where is Dr Campbell, amidst all the furore he's created? Defending his decisions? Standing by his principles (assuming he had any to start with)? Arguing the rectitude of his actions? Answering his critics with the bevy of powerful moral arguments he no doubt holds in support of his actions?

Nope.

He’s done a runner:

Yesterday Dr Campbell had fled to Western Australia amid the fuss over his decision.
No more to be said.

No comments:

Post a Comment

All comments containing Chinese characters will not be published as I do not understand them