Vox populi | founders (pc version)

P

olitical correctness, as it is, even finds its way into Salvation Army history.  I’ll offer my take on this with the non-pc translation in (brackets).  My life-partner (formerly: my wife) would find this most egregious (trans: kick me in the rear…hahahah…not really, she wouldn’t pay it any attention (trans: give a rip), but it gives me a funny line).

However, here’s where I’m going on this… In our desire to apply political correctness to every aspect of our life there has risen a debate, and I do mean “risen” because it requires invoking the spirit of the co-founder (formerly founder of The Salvation Army, William Booth). There seems to be concern in calling William Booth the “Founder” of TSA because it ignores the role Catherine Booth (formerly: Mrs. Booth, or in the dark ages, ‘his wife’) as a cofounder of TSA. At CFOT [ed: College for Officer Training, Canada & Bermuda Territory] we have stained glass panels in our foyer, which say WB “Founder” and CB “The Army Mother”. So far they have not entered into the PC debate (trans: whining).

Why do we force our position of political correctness on people who probably didn’t even care about such issues. Do we have to change the propaganda? William runs into the house and confers with Catherine (formerly: his wife) and they declare “WE have found our destiny”. BUT CATHERINE WAS ALSO THE FOUNDER! Okay, any person (trans: idiot) knows Catherine was also the founder. For crying out loud (formerly: Pete’s sake with no deference to Pete) Catherine was probably the Founder because there’s no way a married man could have pulled this thing off on his own. See, nobody has a problem with that statement.

Anyway, if Catherine is to be called “the cofounder” then William must also be a “cofounder” because leaving it as ‘cofounder’ and ‘founder’ respectively maintains a power imbalance. Whatever we do we should notify some of our historians, Begbie and Green. They both refer to William as “Founder”.

One more fly…what about Railton? I think a better handling of the mess to best reflect all involved might be to call them the “Founding Triumvirate” (formerly: Founder, The Army Mother, and that Crazy Railton Guy).

I must leave. Deana Zelinsky (trans: my wife) has invited me to participate in the domestic responsibilities around the house (trans: told me to pick up my underwear and put in a load of laundry).

Peace
rZ (still rZ)

Vox populi appears every Friday on theRubicon. Find past Vox populi posts and a bio of Capt. Rick Zelinsky here.

3 Comments to Vox populi | founders (pc version)

1. Nice Rick, this made me chuckle a bit. However I always find it interesting that it is mostly white males who favour PCness as their rant topic of choice.
   For the most part I find PCness a tool for society that encourages inclusiveness and equality and feel that it is our responsibility to respond to it. Perhaps it is challenge for Christians because we have a history of exclusiveness and inequality.
   I also like to think that Catherine should be termed co-founder because she undoubtedly provided the theological framework for the SA- a fairly fundamental part of the founding!
Lucy on March 1st, 2008

2. Guilty as charged. grace,rz.
Rick on March 1st, 2008

3. Lucy,

   Since the 1980’s here in Canada, all official Salvation Army letterhead has listed William and Catherine Booth as “Founders”. Although, frankly I always thought that if we in Canada wanted to really go that route, they should also in all fairness, list George Scott Railton as well as he wrote much of our early theology.
Geoff Ryan on March 1st, 2008

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