CLASS OF 1982

Muhammed, said Omie, you have to clear your own path to follow in life, while heading towards Allah always!

Remembering back at Utica High School in Utica, Michigan, I had a very close, real friend with a boy named Aloysius, said Omie talking to her teenage grandson, Muhammed, who attends Union District #115 High School in Biggsville, Illinois. Aloysius and I adored one another. We shared everything! He was like a brother to me, said Omie Fisher. We were in all the Drama classes with our on-site pro tennis instructor and favorite teacher, Ms. Dombrowski.

Anyway, Aloysius didn’t have a lot of friends, but the few he did were very special to him. In a lot of ways, he reminds me of you, Muhammed, said Omie. I haven’t thought about him in ages, actually until now. I had forgotten what a super guy he was back at Utica. I don’t even know what ever came of him. We lost touch after high school, as do most, I guess. I went off to college at Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. Later, I became a teacher and married your grandfather. God rest his soul! The last time I heard, and this was many years ago, that Aloysius was working for Collier County Government in Naples, Florida, stated Omie.

Well Muhammed, let’s get back to the story. Aloysius stood out in school like a sore thumb. He was very vocal about his beliefs and was always all-to-happy to share them with anyone who would listen. If I remember correctly, he was a strong Catholic at the time. You see, in the Catholic faith tradition, they steadfastly are opposed to abortion. Catholics as does Aloysius, believe in their hearts and minds that abortion is the murdering of precious innocent human life. I tend to agree as well, but that’s not the point of this story, it’s about how the others in high school felt towards Aloysius, said Omie.

Aloysius had told me once, when he was about 15 years old, that he was solidly convinced that abortion was murder, and highly immoral. There was no way of convincing him to the contrary. He had been at church, when he had this so-called awakening, as he called it. In the sermon, the priest, a Fr. Schroll was pointing out the facts of abortion, as well as the victims of this mortal sin and crime against God and nature. Fr. Schroll said that there were more babies killed by legalized abortion than all the victims combined in all the wars! These statements as presented by the Catholic priest and friend of Aloysius utterly flabbergasted him. Aloysius couldn’t believe that our very own government in the U.S. could possibly allow this to happen and make it legal to murder, just like war. Legal murder of any kind was foreign in Aloysius’ vocabulary. Aloysius asked, how can you legalize the killing of human life and justify that it is all right? This totally dumbfounded and baffled him immensely. Aloysius knew that the Ten Commandments stated very clearly in black and white that, “thou shalt not kill,” end of discussion. There wasn’t any fine print in that statement or exceptions to the guideline. According to all Christian churches, the Ten Commandments were passed down directly by God (in Jewish & Christian texts) to Moses and then unto the masses of Israelites. So, in the mind of Aloysius, no man-made government law could ever change or disregard God’s laws, said Omie. Aloysius knew right then, that he must join the long struggle to change people’s minds, attitudes, hearts, and even (fingers crossed) the law (Roe vs. Wade) that made abortions legal in the USA.

So, Aloysius at the ripe old age of 15 joined the National Right To Life’s local chapter in St. Clair Shores. Automatically, he found a good friend in U.S. Representative David Bonior. They wrote numerous letters to one another for several years. Aloysius wanted to help make a positive change in the future, to save millions of faceless, defenseless, innocent babies (fetus’) from being murdered by their mothers, fathers and doctors, said Omie.

Aloysius enjoyed writing! He decided to write his very own, letter to the editor, to the local newspapers in Macomb County, Michigan, especially the Macomb daily and Utica Advisor. Guess what, Muhammed, asked Omie? These newspapers published his letter at age 15! But, when other adults read his article, they assumed (ass-u-me) that it was his parents who wrote the good letter. Many people thought Aloysius’ letter was way too good to have been written by a 15 year old teenager. Most of all, some people never heard of a teenager getting involved in such an adult oriented issue before. His letter sent shock waves through all the communities. Aloysius became the talk of the town overnight.

Here you go Muhammed, I did keep a copy of Aloysius’ first letter, said Omie. I’ll read it to you. The headline read as follows, “UTICA TEEN-AGER DECRIES ABORTION”.

To The Editor:

As a 15-year-old teenager living in what most people call a free and just country, I see and hear that over 6,000,000 unborn babies have been legally killed and disposed of in garbage cans along with all the other surgical waste. It’s really a pity to see that the Supreme Court can say that the word “person” as used in the 14^th Amendment does not include the unborn. Our society is so legal that they have laws protecting wildlife and dogs, but not defenseless human beings.

I’m very concerned with the 1973 Supreme Court’s decision because half of the abortions performed now are on teenagers my age and younger. What is more horrible is that doctors who were taught to heal and preserve life are now using their skills to perform abortions, because they can only see dollar bills rather than human life.

My parents are very upset, also, with abortions because with their tax dollars they have to pay for government-funded abortions in Michigan. I was always taught to respect my elders because they are older in experience and wiser than myself. Ask me how can I respect my elders if I see them committing cold-blooded murder of an innocent and defenseless human being?

You’re also supposed to stand by your congressmen and, of course, the Supreme Court to give them support in making fair and just laws for us to live by, but when they say that an unborn baby is not a human being, they are going too far. They have to have some kind of common sense or logic to know that its life begins at conception.

I am only one teenage wolf crying out in the world for peace, love, and life. LIFE IS IMPORTANT TO SAVE!

Aloysius P. Cloudwalker

45222 Engel St.

Utica, MI 48087

Well, Muhammed, said Omie, back at school the many bullies teased Aloysius habitually about his writing’s of this delicate nature. No one could understand where Aloysius was coming from on this issue. It was weird or unnatural, many thought, for a boy his age to be writing about this issue. Plus, Aloysius constantly talked about loving one another, even the boys, which was taboo. Everyone liked to giggle and laugh at him. His classmates didn’t understand, nor wanted to try to understand. Instead, the kids constantly harrassed and belittled Aloysius for four very hard and long years. Aloysius hated to go to high school, it was one of the toughest parts of his life. Many boys called him a fag, because they interpreted Aloysius’ love talk about them was of a sexual nature. Our classmates, says Omie Fisher, couldn’t of been further from the truth! Aloysius was constantly talking about love, where you care and help others in a Christian or spiritual way.

So, there stood Aloysius, open to abuse and persecution everyday for four years. He hated being teased and harassed on a daily basis, he would cry himself to sleep every night and prayed on his knees for years that this cross be taken away from him. But, Aloysius never gave in or broke, instead of backing away from his moral convictions, beliefs, and love, he countered back with more and more letters to the editor about various subjects. Aloysius continued his preaching about loving one another, true and real lasting love from God. He continued over the years writing about important social issues of our times, said Omie. Muhammed, never did Aloysius ever lower himself to his classmates level of name calling and hatred, said Omie. Aloysius attempted to take the high road, but it wasn’t without great surrender of self, pain, suffering and sacrifice. Aloysius made his path and led like a true tribal warrior Chief or Shaman, said Omie.

As Aloysius’ friend, I was always proud of him. I, probably should of told him that more often, said Omie. He was a special person, not because of the issues he fought so diligently for in his days, but, because he took a stand and stood his ground nobly and honestly with deep sincerity and love in his big heart. Aloysius truly cared and loved all of us at Utica High School, and in all his championed causes, regardless of all the opposition of hate. He conquered hate with love of God, said Omie. Even though we lost touch over the years, Aloysius definitely left his indelible mark on my heart, soul and mind. You see Muhammed, there are regular people like Aloysius in life, that had to deal with the injustices and awful attitudes of immature and ignorant teens, just like your nasty classmates at Union High School, who are extremely prone to violence. Now, it is solely your free choice to decide what path to take in life Muhammed, either the low road full of ignorance, violence and hate, like found at Union High School, OR the high road full of non-violence, wisdom, and love? Muhammed, do you want to lovingly give to the world unselfishly or would you rather hate, destroy, and continue the vicious cycle of violence? You decide, my dearest Muhammed, said Omie. Most of all, whatever path you venture on, make sure you are not a fence-sitter with no opinion! Even Jesus of Nazareth, in the Christian text of the Bible said that was the absolutely worse kind of person, the one that neither did good or bad, but was indifferent to all the world.

Muhammed, said Omie, follow the path towards Allah, fear not anyone, stand tall, and be a beautiful voice in the world. Love life and all of God’s created universe today and always. Allah bless the world!

I love you, Omie, my favorite Polish grandmother, said Muhammed. THANK YOU!

God bless the World!