Pacifists, civil rights activists, progressives, liberation theologists, and radical ecologists gathered Sunday, 5 Jan 2014, at New Yorkâs Judson Memorial Church for a final farewell to a trans-generational inspiration for social justice -- REVEREND FATHER PAUL MAYER, who passed away on 22 Nov 2013.
Born a Jewish child of refugees from Nazi Germany, Paul unlikely became a Benedictine monk for nearly two decades, before his novel vestment as a Roman Catholic priest â until a conservative Vatican stripped him of that honorific following his marriage to a Catholic nun and his persistent protests, along with the equally-radical Berrigan Brothers, against the USâ nuclear war machine, and for Japanese radiation victims, as well as challenging racial injustice in America, and US-backed clandestine warfare throughout the hemisphere. He was an early friend and supporter of, and co-marcher with, the SCLCâs REV. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
Just as Martin expanded the civil rights movement into anti-Vietnam war territory, so did Paul revision the US-dominated military-corporate-capitalist system as the smoldering fuse for a global environmental crisis, as cofounder of the Climate Crisis Coalition.
Paul was a constant prophetic and friendly presence at such protest venues as the United Nations during the US-backed overthrow of Haitiâs democratically elected President Aristede, for Native-American rights, and against the US blockade of Cuba, invasion of Iraq, the overthrow of Libya, multi-trillion-dollar military spending, and so many other salient issues that separate todayâs âliberalsâ from true progressives in this epoch of reactionary âbipartisanâ media monopoly.
Paul Mayer was also a personal friend of mine, to my eternal gratitude for his persistently pioneering the path to radical evolution, interpersonal compassion, and political clarity.
In his memory, we herewith present The Rev. Father Paul Mayer â in his own words â during some of our on-air encounters about certain issues of substance, including the MLK legacy, war, peace, and the environment.
[With processional music from The Byrds, Pete Seeger, Spanky & Our Gang, Stevie Wonder, Odetta, and David Bowie]
Anchor: Robert Knight Origin: WBAI/Pacifica Contact; rknight@wbai.org
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