Thomas Klocek three years later: The Man Who Did Not Turn Back

Although we try to plan and make some order of our lives, sometimes people just "fall into events." Such a thing happened to former DePaul Professor Thomas Klocek on September 15, 2004. Frodo Baggins and Sam Gamgee fell into an event in The Lord of The Rings. In this passage, the two hobbits find themselves inside Mordor for the first time, in front of Cirith Ungol, the lair of Sauron's chief servant, The Witch King of Angmar.

"Yes, that's so," said Sam. "And we shouldn't be here at all, if we'd known more about it before we started. But I suppose it's often that way. The brave things in the old tales and songs, Mr. Frodo: adventures, as I used to call them. I used to think that they were things the wonderful folk of the stories went out and looked for, because they wanted them, because they were exciting and life was a bit dull, a kind of a sport, as you might say. But that's not the way of it with the tales that really mattered, or the ones that stay in the mind. Folk seem to have been just landed in them, usually - their paths were laid that way, as you put it. But I expect they had lots of chances, like us, of turning back, only they didn't. And if they had, we shouldn't know, because they'd have been forgotten. We hear about those as just went on - and not all to a good end, mind you; at least not to what folk inside a story and not outside it call a good end. You know, coming home, and finding things all right, though not quite the same - like old Mr. Bilbo. But those aren't always the best tales to hear, though they may be the best tales to get landed in! I wonder what sort of a tale we've fallen into?"

Like Bilbo Baggins picking up The One Ring under the Misty Mountains in The Hobbit, and Frodo's inheritance of it, Klocek innocently found himself picking up an inflammatory brochure at a student activities fair on the display table of a DePaul Muslim group. Klocek tried to engage the Muslim students in a rational discussion about Middle Eastern politics. But Klocek didn't bow down to the political-correctness of Israel bashing, and a chain of events, or more accurately an event he fell into, led to the loss of his job after 15 years of exemplary service there.

But Klocek didn't turn back. He fought back, and began his seemingly futile quest for justice as he challenged America's largest Catholic University.

Now by bringing up The Lord of the Rings--a great book--I'm by no means attempting to trivialize Klocek's struggle, but enlighten it. Klocek is a devout Roman Catholic, as was the author of the book, J.R.R. Tolkien.

In a 1953 letter, here's what Tolkien, an academic-lifer like Klocek, said about his monumental book:

The Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsiously so at first, but consciously in the revision. That is why I have not put in, or have cut out, practically all references to anything like 'religion', to cults and practices, in the imaginary world. For the religous element is absorbed in into the story and the symbolism.

I believe there is a religious element behind Klocek's decision not to turn back: A belief in right and wrong, a faith that one has reached a wise decision, and the accompanying courage in sticking with that choice, despite almost impossible odds of success.

Klocek could've accepted his de facto dismissal from DePaul and faded away.

But Klocek, the man who did not turn back, is the Catholic one here. DePaul, the school that bills itself as America's largest Catholic university, is Catholic-in-name-only.

This is my third "anniversary post" regarding the Thomas Klocek affair. Below you will find last year's second-annivesary entry, as well as some of my more important Klocek postings.

As for next year, I have faith that Klocek's struggle with DePaul will be resolved, in Klocek's favor, and I won't have to do a fourth anniversary posting.

Related posts:

UPDATED: Reinstate Thomas Klocek at DePaul petition just 37 signatures short of goal

Sept 15: Second anniversary of the beginning of the Thomas Klocek affair

DePaul President Fr. Holtschneider: "Academic freedom is alive and well at DePaul"

CAIR-Chicago recommended that DePaul fire Klocek

Judge upholds 6 of 8 counts in Klocek case

Eyewitness backs Klocek's charges against DePaul

Technorati tags: Chicago illinois college education news DePaul Thomas Klocek Catholic Israel ישראל Lord of the Rings lotr tolkien faith christianity