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Article: 'Boys Town' message neither liberal, conservative. (Originated from Knight-Ridder Newspapers)
- Article from:
- Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service
- Article date:
- December 8, 1994
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1994 Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Father Flanagan's epiphany came in a visit to the state prison.
He was there to comfort a man about to be executed for his crimes. The warden was in the cell and so were some ghoulish reporters. The warden asked the man to come clean, admit his crimes and then pay his debt to the state.
The mention of ``the state'' sent the convicted man into flames. ``Where was the state,'' he yelled, ``when a lonely, starving kid cried himself to sleep in a flop house?
``One friend,'' the prisoner wailed, ``One friend when I'm 12 years old and I don't stand here like this.''
One friend, Father Flanagan thinks on the way home. One friend, and maybe a boy doesn't have to grow ...