Stephen V. Kobasa

Stephen Vincent Kobasa is a Connecticut teacher, writer, and Christian political activist. He focuses his work "in Colombia solidarity, towards abolition of the death penalty and in opposition to nuclear weapons." ^{[http://www.counterpunch.org/jacobs10182005.html]} Since 2006 he has been a columnist for the New Haven Advocate. In that capacity he was awarded first prize in Arts and Entertainment writing in a regional, non-daily newspaper by the Society of Professional Journalists. ^{[http://www.theday.com/re_ap.aspx?re=/C/CT_SPJ_AWARDS_CTOL-]}

A Yale University graduate, Kobasa taught English at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in New Britain, Connecticut, during the 1980s and 1990s. In 1999 he began teaching English at Kolbe Cathedral High School in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He gained national attention when, in October 2005, he was fired from Kolbe for refusing to display the American flag, the presentation of which he viewed as a "contradiction" to the symbol of the Christian crucifix. ^{[http://www.commondreams.org/views05/1018-29.htm]} When his dismissal was reported in the Boston Globe and other major newspapers, his cause was taken up by a number of political and religious publications. To theologian William T. Cavanaugh, Kobasa's action was a protest against "idolatry." Cavanaugh went on to write that

One final irony of Stephen Kobasa’s firing is that it took place at a Catholic school named after St. Maximilian Kolbe. Kolbe was a Franciscan priest who gave himself up to be starved to death at Auschwitz in place of a man who begged to be spared for the sake of his children. Saints like Kolbe keep us alert to the imperative to put loyalty to God over loyalty to the state. ^{[http://www.catholicpeacefellowship.org/nextpage.asp?m=2461]}

He filed an appeal with Church authorities, but has ruled out filing a civil lawsuit. On February 14, 2006, he testified before the Connecticut State Senate's Labor and Public Employees Committee in favor of a law which would require employers to notify their employees that they are not eligible for unemployment benefits. ^{[http://www.cga.ct.gov/2006/JFR/S/2006SB-00019-R00LAB-JFR.htm]} The bill was signed into law on April 21 by Governor Jodi Rell.

Kobasa's philosophy is consistent with postmodern Catholic peace traditions, especially liberation theology and peaceful resistance to state violence; he became a conscientious objector in 1967. ^{[http://www.counterpunch.org/jacobs10182005.html]} Kobasa has also been active in numerous other nonviolent human-rights protests, and has been arrested several times. In his hometown of New Haven, Connecticut, he is regarded a "regular at anti-war actions around town," ^{[http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2007/05/a_lonely_vigil.php]} appearing regularly at rallies there.

Some of Kobasa's Essays

[http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/pwork/0411/041124.htm "A Lesson for Martha Stewart -- And for Us All"] "Peacework" (2004)

[http://artgallery.yale.edu/pages/whatisart/what_world.html "Can art change the world?"] Yale University Art Gallery (2007)

[http://www.serve.com/nukeresister/134reflections.html "More Lies from a Machine: Revisiting the Enola Gay"] The "Nuclear Resister" (2004)

External links

The " [http://www.newhavenadvocate.com/ New Haven Advocate] "

The New Haven Independent's [http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2005/12/the_top_ten_of.php "Hometown Heroes of 2005"]
* [http://www.catholicpeacefellowship.org/nextpage.asp?m=2461 Kobasa and conscience] : contains Kobasa's statement about his termination from Kolbe Cathedral High School, as well as related media reports and letters.
* [http://www.kolbecaths.com/ Kolbe Cathedral High School]

References

1. [http://www.theday.com/re_ap.aspx?re=/C/CT_SPJ_AWARDS_CTOL- "Courant series, Journal Inquirer editor top SPJ awards."] "The Day", 05/24/07. Retrieved on 2007-05-31.

2, 6. Jacobs, Ron. [http://www.counterpunch.org/jacobs10182005.html "Dual Devotions? The Catholic Church and the US Flag."] " CounterPunch", 10/18/05. Retrieved on 2007-05-31.

3. Rothschild, Matthew. [http://www.commondreams.org/views05/1018-29.htm "Catholic High School Teacher Forced Out over Flag."] "Progressive,', 10/18/05. Retrieved on 2007-05-31.

4. Cavanaugh, William T. [http://www.catholicpeacefellowship.org/nextpage.asp?m=2461 "Pledging Allegiance: A Theological Reflection on the Kobasa Case."] "Catholic Peace Fellowship", vol. 5.1 (Spring 2006). Retrieved on 2007-05-31.

5. Labor and Public Employees Committee of the Connecticut State Senate [http://www.cga.ct.gov/2006/JFR/S/2006SB-00019-R00LAB-JFR.htm report on SB-19] , 03/14/06. Retrieved on 2007-05-31.

7. Tuhus, Melinda. [http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2007/05/a_lonely_vigil.php "A Lonely Vigil."] "New Haven Independent", 5/29/07. Retrieved on 2007-05-31.