Community Explores Responses to Terrorism

The First Presidency and Peace and Justice Ministries sponsored a community forum on October 17 at the Temple in Independence, Missouri, exploring, “How should we respond to terrorism?”. Approximately 500 people came to listen and participate as an interfaith panel asked searching questions of a series of expert witnesses. The floor was also opened for attendees to share thoughts and ask questions, as all people are seeking clarification in light of world events. Peace and Justice Ministries coordinator Andrew Bolton organized the event.

Ken Robinson, First Presidency, welcomed the gathering and Lewis Diuguid, vice-president of Community Resources for the Kansas City Star newspaper, moderated the event. Licensed therapist Christine Carr made introductory statements about the importance of being able to “identify your feelings and share them with each other” with the awareness that all people are in different places because of their ages and past experiences. “We can all create an environment where true shalom can be,” she said.

The interfaith panel included: Rabbi Dana Kaplan, Ph.D., director of the Dancijer Program in Jewish Studies at the University of Missouri-Kansas City; Sister Jeanne Christensen, who works in peace and justice at the Catholic Diocese; Freddye Smith from the St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church of Independence; Bilal Muhammed, imam (prayer leader) at Al In-Shirah Mosque in Kansas City; and David Brock, Community of Christ apostle and former administrator in Africa and Latin America.

The expert witnesses were: Dr. Stephen A. Glazer, a history professor at Graceland University who teaches courses in Middle Eastern history and politics; Dr. Mike Casey, a history professor at Graceland and retired naval commander who was involved in Gulf War strategic planning; Father Robert Mahoney, Ph.D., a sociology professor at Rockhurst University who teaches courses on terrorism and criminology; Ahmed El Sherif, a scientist and humanitarian and founder/president of Shifa International, who has taken humanitarian aid into Bosnia and Iraq; and Roena Haynie, the chair of social sciences at Avila College, who serves on the American Friends Service Committee.

Each witness made an introductory statement, then answered two questions from the interfaith panel and one from the audience. Common threads appeared as witnesses acknowledged several needs: for citizens to be informed, nonconventional methods of responding to terrorism, determination of the root causes of terrorism, and reevaluation of U.S. policies in the Middle East.

Brock quoted an article by John Paul Lederach that referred to terrorism as a virus that will not be eradicated by shooting at it. Glazer stated that many approaches are required to deal with terrorism. “We need to come up with new visions of what the United States’ place in the world should be. We should dedicate our strength to alleviating world hunger [and] diseases of children…change the opinion of the U.S. in the world,” he explained. “We need to reevaluate our policies,” said Glazer, “but it’s ultimately our actions on which we’ll be judged.”

Casey indicated that he feels the military response to terrorism is necessary, but it is only a partial response. “Eliminating the root cause of terrorism is imperative. It will take the expertise of diplomacy, intelligence, finances, law enforcement, humanitarian action, and public relations,” he said.

Christenson asked, “We are taught to forgive our enemies…. How do we deal with that in the face of such travesties?” Mahoney answered by saying, “If we give in to vengeance we’re paying our enemies the highest compliment, because we’re imitating them. I believe we can pursue justice without vengeance.”

“Violence does not solve the problem,” echoed El Sherif. He indicated that terrorism may be a choice for some because, “When people have nothing to live for, [they] want to die for something…. There’s a lot of injustice and poverty, because of our policies.”

Brock asked El Sherif what the role of faith communities and religious leaders is in dealing with extremists within their own organizations. “We need to reach out together as an interfaith community,” said Sherif, “because our future depends on it.”

Haynie presented an idea to the gathering based on a line from the United States Pledge of Allegiance-the concept of liberty and justice for all. “I hope anyone who loves this country will hold it to its highest ideals,” she said. “We will not be truly secure in this country unless we live up to ‘liberty and justice for all’ here and abroad.”

-Kendra Friend reporting