Raising Her Sons for War

There's a hidden treasure in a smallish Croatian church in Millvale -- a series of murals painted by Maximilain Vanka.

While many of the murals reflect familiar Christian themes, several are also meant to reflect the Croatian experience in America.  Two in particular stand out:

The Croatian Mother Raises Her Sons for War:

and The Immigrant Mother Raises Her Sons for Industry:

I thought of these murals after reading this story -- another local mother grieving yet another local son, sacrified to a war manufactured only to benefit industry.

Sgt. Kurtz's mother finds solace in that her son felt he had placed his life in God's hands.  Bless her for that, and I hope that her faith, and her knowledge of her son's faith, provides comfort to her in what I'm sure will be a lifetime of grieving.

If the shoe were on my foot, I can't say that I'd be so forgiving.  Rather than look to God's guiding hand, I'd be looking directly at the hand that put my son in harm's way for no goddamn good reason other than to enrich himself and his friends.  "Outrage" isn't a strong enough word. 

"Fury" is the only thing I can think of that comes close.

Comments

[Bob]

For anyone interested, there's a brief slide show of Vanko's murals here.

[Josh]

Man, that's a pretty awesome pair of murals. "Back in the old country, so many Croatian sons were killed fighting the Turks/Serbs/Austrians/whoever, so we came to America ... only to see our sons die in mine collapses/murdered by Pinkertons for trying to organize a union!"

Actually, now that I think of it, this may be a forefather to They'll Do It Every Time. "Lugbuttnik lives in a strife-torn Balkan hellhole and dreams his whole life of coming to the Land of the Free ... but check this out! Immigrants in America end up doing dangerous work for lousy pay and still get abused by the native born! Wha-a-a? OH YEAH!"

[Julie]

I know Adam is young, but I've already started learning the Canadian and English national anthems just in case.

[Bob]

Josh -- that's excellent. We need to submit that to Scaduto ASAP.

And Julie, I can help out with the Canadian Anthem, unless you want it in French. Think your parents remember the Brit anthem?

[deadlytoque]

My girlfriend is fluently bilingual. I can get her to record a French version of "O Canada" for you.

[Jonathan Barnes]

The only thing "hidden" about this artistic treasure of Vanka's is people's eyes. I've written a few stories about the murals over the years. There are many murals there and you really have to go to the church and see them to truly appreciate them. Many other writers in Pittsburgh have written about the murals, but most people don't seem to care enough to even go to the church to see them. They'll go the the Children's Museum, though.