John Gilman There is a memorial service for my friend John Gilman who died last April. His son asked me to say a few words at his service. Here are some thoughts.
John Gilman was one of my elders. Elders are person older than oneself that teach by their words and actions a lesson of life to the rest of us. The lesson John taught me was “to do the right thing” despite what it may cost you in rejection, insults and harassment.
My memories of John start after 14 of us were locked in jail for the Milwaukee 14 action, destruction of 1A selective service files in 1968. We did the right thing at that time, but for me it was just natural and had to be done. We were given an extraordinary high bail by Judge Christ T. Seraphim, Jerry Gardner and I, an higher amount due to the fact we appeared before Judge Seraphim twice before in that year. Although we knew eventually we would go to prison we wanted to get out of jail on bond to enjoy our 15 minutes of fame. Enter John and others who worked relentlessly at personal sacrifice to the right thing and get us out on bond.
During that time out on bond I remember having many political discussions with John. One at Casa Maria we argued but in a friendly way which you do not see much of these days. John could really talk, argue and act for what he thought was the right thing. Dorothy Day, the co-founder of the Catholic Worker movement said that we must follow our conscience, even an erroneous conscience. She also said “When it is said that we disturb people too much by the words pacifism and anarchism, I can only think that people need to be disturbed, that their consciences need to be aroused, that they do indeed need to look into their work, and study new techniques of love and poverty and suffering for each other.” John was a mentor in following your conscience and disturbing the conscience of others.
When I got out of prison with a wife and young son I remember going to the Allied Linoleum Store that John ran for many years on 27th street. He was there to help with flooring or advice.
I remember at the Milwaukee 14 25th reunion when John showed up at a panel discussion Milwaukee 14 present and, of course, had to speak. His words, as usual were strong and to the point, although he could talk long.
I probably knew all those years that John had been in the military but it did not hit home to me until one day I saw John in full uniform at a peace rally on the lakefront. I had my camera and snapped this picture which is similar to, if not the one, on the back cover of his book. Soldiers of war who become soldiers for peace have special and personal understanding of the hell of war and the need to resist it.
There are so many issues and causes today that we can just talk about them and do nothing. This summer some of us feel the right thing to do is to resist the killer drones as the Federal and State Government plan to spend our money to build a drone training center in Wisconsin. It is the right thing to do.
Oscar Romero the great leader in El Salvador said if I die I will live on in the people. John Gilman’s spirit lives on in us. “Do the Right Thing.”
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