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| SUPPORT UNCLE RAISIN |
Alphonse: From The Frying Pan into the Fire Imagine, you're a bright young single man with a respectable and established career, but your country has just been forcefully taken over by a dictator that is intent on owning everything you have, even your life and allegiance. In America it is unthinkable that could happen, and maybe it isn't thinkable, but it happened to a man who lives here in Rockford, IL, while living in his native Czechoslovakia, in 1959. We are telling you about him in an effort to recognize people who made, what history qualifies as, heroic choices. Alphonse is a hero. In fact, he doesn't want us to tell you about his exploits, so we are not using his full name out of respect for him. Humility is one of the hall-marks of a true hero. Alphonse is a true hero, in every sense of the word. The Russian Red Army liberated Czechoslovakia from Nazi occupation on May 9, 1945, and not too long after, on February 25, 1948 a coupe d'état of the Communist Party occurred. For the Czech's it was "from the frying pan into the fire", as the old saying goes, with little reprieve from a totalitarian dictatorship. Tough minded Communists demanded loyalty from the people and when it wasn't given there were consequences. Laws were passed that acted as the political cover and that were used to vilify good people who resisted. Such was the case with Alphonse. Even with Alexander Dubcek as the Secretary of The Communist Party attempting to create a more humane version of socialism, "socialism with a human face", the basic rights this was suppose to instill for the people were lost on Alphonse. The reduction of political persecution was an illusion, which was not lost on our hero. Any political persecution is unjust and should be opposed, no matter how much relatively less of it there may be. A little bit of abuse is still abuse and ought not to be tolerated. Being asked to join The Communist Party, and refusing, Alphonse found out the request was rhetorical, and was actually a demand. Alphonse was tried for political crimes and imprisoned for 5 years in 1959. As Alphonse put it, "they were sweeping the streets clean of dissidents." These Dubcek reforms of 1960 were too late and obviously a ruse, as Alphonse did not see the light of day until 1964, which even then he suffered under a paroled release. By 1969 Alphonse was able to leave Czechoslovakia for the USA, were he found his way to Rockford, IL. He spent his years here working in a local factory, living as an example to all who have known him for his bravery. There is much more to say about Alphonse, and we have just given the briefest sketch of a man who, even today, refuses to bow his knee to those that want to deprive him of his freedom. June of 2007 Alphonse was mugged at knife point as he was taking his trash outside to his apartment complex dumpster. Fighting back, he was able to knock the knife out of the attacker's hand, although the attacker got away with Alphonse's wallet and the $12 it contained. At 83 years old, Alphonse is still fighting to be a free man. With the same inner strength, he's also fighting for those who cannot fight for themselves - the preborn who are murdered by the local abortionist. Alphonse sees these "little-ones" as worthy of his time and strength because they are being killed for being nothing more than an inconvenience to mommy and daddy. Each Tuesday and Friday morning, Alphonse shows up to speak out for them, as they cannot speak for themselves. He could be using his golden years to travel the world, or spend his time pursuing pleasures, but he is not. He has plenty of reasons not to continue to sacrifice, but in his true heroic humility, he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he did. What an example we can all learn from. We hope we all do! |
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