Recently a mother was fined over $3000 for barging into a home where her 15 year old daughter was and taking her home. This occurred after the police had failed to step in and take the girl out of what the mother believed was a dangerous situation staying her 17 year old boyfriend and his mother.
How can the law penalize a mother for protecting her child? It made me think how far would I go to protect my child? How far would you go? Would you protect your family regardless of the cost to yourself? Would you take up arms to protect your family?
This week while battling the flu, I watched my favorite movie of all time ‘Friendly Persuasion.’ It is a long standing favorite, not just for the beautiful title song, by Pat Boone. If you haven’t seen this film made in 1956 with Gary Cooper and Dorothy Mc Guire I suggest you try and get hold of it.
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve watched this film. Yet it never fails to move me to laughter and tears. Because I know what’s coming, I usually start laughing in the first couple of frames when Samantha the goose or as little Jess calls her, a ‘sneak on stilts’ appears. The situation is similar with other scenes. This movie intersperses humor with drama effectively, so you can be laughing one minute and crying the next. I do my share of both.
The film set in Southern Indiana in 1862 featured the Birdwell family. The family belongs to Quaker congregation who do not believe in taking up arms. When the Civil War comes each one of the Quaker community is faced with a choice of going against the teaching of their religion or putting themselves and their families’ lives at risk. Even in his home and family were attacked the Quaker Purdy claims ‘nothing would ever induce me to bear arms.’ He turns to Jess Birdwell and says he ‘doubts the strength of thy convictions.’
‘I have my own doubts’ Jess Birdwell replies.
When the test does come, each character must make his or her choice of conscience. That choice comes as choices often do with a heavy price. What price do we pay for our convictions?
Thankfully I’ve never been involved in a war. But I wonder how far are you and I prepared to go to protect those we love?
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