The greatest misconception

Please allow me to set the record straight. Your fine publication was kind enough to review my recent book, Children of the Greatest Generation: An Emotional History ("Strait off the presses," Nov. 23). But your reviewer's characterization of me as a "ranting" "archetypal conservative" missed the mark by 180 degrees.

Directly after the review of my book, your reviewer launched into a review of my dear friend Dr. John Telford's great book (A Life on the Run), immediately claiming that Dr. Telford's voice is "from the other end of the political spectrum" (from me). That juxtaposition characterization and the characterization of me as an "archetypal conservative" are both patently false. Dr. Telford and I are both from the same social justice side of the spectrum. As Dr. Telford has said of us: We are "kindred spirits," and my book, Children of the Greatest Generation, bears out that "kindred" connection. See my glowing comments about social justice priests and activists heroes, Capuchin priest Father Solanus Casey, "The Porter of St. Bonaventure" and Fathers Clement Kern and Russ Kohler of Corktown's historic Holy Trinity Church — a parish with 150 years of staunch support of unions and workers' rights. See my lambasting of the Ruling Class of America who are attempting to take away the right of labor and unions to collectively bargain their working conditions and wages. See my "rant" (as your reviewer calls it) against Wall Street and the conservative element of the Michigan Supreme Court taking away the rights of Michigan citizens. See my "rant" against former Detroit Mayor Kilpatrick's "pay to play" junta. See my "rant" against Fox News celebrities, Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh. See my "rant" against former President George W. Bush and his cabinet. See my praise for the Jesuit education I received at the University of Detroit Law School, which taught me "tolerance" and to champion the cause of the "common man" and the "forgotten woman," etc.

How your reviewer could completely miss the lifelong social justice theme of a longtime socially active trial lawyer is beyond my ability to understand. As Dr. John Telford says, Children of the Greatest Generation "captivates," is "spellbinding" and from an author who is a "kindred spirit" — yet your reviewer pushes me to "the other end of the political spectrum," a place I have never visited ... even in my dreams.

I spent a lifetime establishing and fighting for my beliefs of social justice, and I spent four years setting forth those beliefs of social justice in Children of the Greatest Generation — only to see your (otherwise) fine publication undo my life's work in a moment. Publishing my response would go a long way to setting the record straight. I suggest it is a must.  —Frederick Lauck, Milford

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