Teach-Ins co-sponsored by PFN and PROGRESS
"Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." --Martin Luther King Jr.
This page gives information and links to speaker transcripts from teach-ins co-sponsored by PFN and/or PROGRESS.  The following events are now available:
  • Monday, Sept 17, 2001: Understanding the Attack on America: An Alternative View *^
  • Monday, Oct 1, 2001: Understanding Terror: What is War? What is Peace? *
  • Wednesday, Oct 10, 2001: Interfaith Responses to September 11 ^
  • Thursday/Friday, Nov 1/2, 2001: Women Fight Fundamentalisms: Before and After Sept. 11
  • Thursday, Nov 29, 2001: Enduring Freedoms: Civil and Immigrants' Rights After Sept. 11
    • * written transcript available, ^ audio transcript available

    Understanding the Attack on America
    --an Alternative View--
    17 September 2001

    Around 800 people crowded into the Great Hall of the Student Union, UNC-Chapel Hill campus, to participate in a teach-in organized in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11.   The goals of this forum were to share as a community in our grief for all victims of terrorism, to illuminate some of the political, cultural, economic, and historical forces that could help in understanding this tragedy, and to dedicate that understanding to the prevention of further human suffering and loss of life.  Panel members gave remarks and participated with audience members in a discussion that lasted more than three hours.

    This teach-in was sponsored by: UNC Student Affairs, Progressive Faculty Network, University Center for International Studies, and the Carolina Seminar on Bridging the Divide: Academics, Activists and the Struggle for Social Justice
     
     

    PANEL MEMBERS
    (click on name for text of remarks)
    (click here for the audio transcript)

    ---Opening remarks and speaker introductions by elin slavick, Professor, UNC Art Department---

    William Blum: former State Department member, founded the Washington Free Press, investigative journalist in Washington DC and author of Killing Hope: U.S. and CIA Military Intervention since World War II and Rogue State: A Guide to the World’s Only Superpower

    Rania Masri, Ph.D.: National Board Member of Peace Action, active Arab-American, author of Iraq Under Siege

    Stan Goff: retired Special Forces Master Sergeant, author of Hideous Dream: A Soldier's Memoir of the U.S. Invasion of Haiti

    Ariel Dorfman: Distinguished Professor of Literature and Latin American Studies at Duke University, author of Death and the Maiden and Blake’s Therapy

    Catherine Lutz: Professor, UNC Anthropology Department, author of Homefront:
    A Military City and the American Twentieth Century

    Rashmi Varma: Professor, UNC English Department, author of essays on postcolonial literatures, cross-cultural feminisms and cultural studies

    Charles Kurzman: Professor, UNC Sociology Department, editor of the collection Liberal Islam

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    Understanding Terror:
    What is War? What is Peace?
    1 October 2001

    This forum provided a discussion of issues related to fear, security, and emotional and practical responses to the events of Sept 11, 2001.  Speaker comments were followed by small workshops, with speakers and discussion leaders who represented a broad range of expertise.

    This teach-in was sponsored by: the UNC Political Science Dept., the UNC Geography Dept., Progressive Faculty Network, and the Carolina Seminar on Bridging the Divide: Academics, Activists and the Struggle for Social Justice.
     

    PANEL MEMBERS
    (click on name for text of remarks)

    Scott Kirsch, Prof. of Geography, UNC; "The 'World Risk Society' and an Internationalist Policing of Terrorism"

    David Gilmartin, Prof. of South Asian History, North Carolina State University; "South Asia in the Current Crisis"

    Rev. Curtis Gatewood, President Durham NAACP; "My Perspective of the Attacks on America"

    Wahneema Lubiano, Prof. of Literature and African American Studies, Duke U.; "Thinking about Peace"

    Elin O'Hara Slavick: Prof. of Art, UNC; "Images of War" (go here for images)
     
     

    WORKSHOP TOPICS AND LEADERS

    "U.S. Foreign Policy" (David Pizzo and David Carlson, UNC History Dept.)
    "Civil Rights in Time of War" (Al McSurely, Civil Rights Attorney)
    "Action through Non-Violence" (Steve Woolford, Catholic Worker and Quaker House)
    "How to Organize Actions against War" (Dave Lippman and Jim Warren, peace activists)
    "The Role of Armed Resistance" (Elyse Crystall, UNC English Dept. and Scott Kirsch)
    "Community, Networking, and Outreach" (Mab Segrest, author and activist)
    "Visual Strategies for Peace during War" (Beth Grabowski, UNC Art Dept)
    "Arguments for Peace" (Rania Masri, author and Peace Action national board member)

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    Inter-Faith Responses to Sept 11
    Wednesday Oct. 10 @ 7:30 pm
    Hanes Art Center Auditorium, UNC-CH

    Religious leaders and activists from diverse communities of faith discussed the tragic events of September 11 and their aftermath.  This teach-in was sponsored by PROGRESS and the University Program in Cultural Studies.

    SPEAKERS
    (click here for the audio transcript)

    Rev. Curtis Gatewood, President of the Durham NAACP
    Lenore Yarger, Catholic Worker
    Rabbi John Friedman, Judea Reform Temple
    Rev. Robert Seymour, Binkley Baptist Church
    Rev. Mark Davidson, Church of Reconciliation
    Sister Evelyn Mattern, NC Council of Churches
    Rawdan Abu-Issa, active Muslim, Sunday School teacher
    Idola Scimeca, Baha'i faith

    Moderated by:

    Mab Segrest, author and activist, formerly with the World Council of Churches and North Carolinians Against Racist and Religious Violence.

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    UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke University present
    Women Fight Fundamentalisms:
    Before and After September 11th
    --a two-day teach-in--

    Day 1: Thursday Nov 1
    Hanes Art Center Auditorium, UNC-CH campus
    7:30-9:30 pm

    Featured Speakers:

    Opening Remarks by Ranjana Khanna, Professor of English, Duke University

    Gita Sahgal, "Secular Spaces in Women's Organizing"
    (Gita Sahgal is an independent documentary film-maker, writer, member of the UK-based Women Against Fundamentalism, and co-editor of Refusing Holy Orders:Women and Fundamentalism in Britain).

    Mab Segrest, "Women, the Rise of the Religious Right and the New Global Order"
    (Mab Segrest is an activist, Visiting Professor in Women's Studies at Duke University, and author of several books, including the forthcoming Born to Belonging, essays on travel and globalization)

    Closing Remarks by Cathy Lutz, Professor of Anthropology, UNC-Chapel Hill.
     
     

    Day 2: Friday, Nov 2
    107 Richard White Auditorium
    East Campus, Duke University
    3-5:45 pm

    Featured Speaker:

    Nawal el Saadawi, "Religious Fundamentalism, Globalization and Women"
    (Nawal el Saadawi is an Egyptian novelist, doctor and militant writer on Arab women's problems and their struggle for liberation)

    Plenary session featuring Nawal el Saadawi, Gita Sahgal and Mab Segrest

    Sponsors: the North Carolina Center for South Asian Studies; the Dean of Arts and Sciences, UNC; Women's Studies, Duke; Curriculum in Women's Studies, UNC; Muslim Networks, Duke; Vice-Provost of Interdisciplinary Studies, Duke; University Center for International Studies, UNC; Dept. of Sociology, UNC; Dept. of Political Science, UNC; Carolina Seminars for Comparative Islamic Studies, UNC; Carolina Seminars on Bridging the Divide: Academics, Activists and Social Justice, UNC; Center for International Studies, Duke; Vice Provost for International Affairs, Duke; Dept. of Religion, Duke; Dept. of Asian & African Languages & Literature, Duke; Hiwar (Duke Students for Middle East Understanding), Feminist Students United, UNC; the University Program in Cultural Studies, UNC; the Carolina Women's Center, and PROGRESS: the Progressive Students, Staff and Faculty of UNC-Chapel Hill.

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    "Enduring Freedoms"
    Civil and Immigrants' Rights After Sept. 11

    Thursday Nov. 29 @ 7 pm
    Hanes Art Center Auditorium, UNC-CH
    (click here for a printable poster
    and here for printable mini-posters!)

    Speakers from a variety of perspectives will discuss the implications of recent anti-terrorism legislation for civil and immigrants' rights.
    Speakers will include:

    Deborah Ross, executive director of the NC chapter of the ACLU, to address the USA-PATRIOT Bill.

    Al McSurely, civil rights lawyer active in North Carolina.

    Alex Galloway, visual artist and cultural critic working on technologies of surveillance.

    Deborah Weissman, UNC Law School Professor and National Lawyers Guild, who works on legal advocacy and civil rights.

    Derek Jennings, columnist for the Independent Weekly.

    Lewis Pitts, attorney and program director with Legal Services of NC.

    Moderated by Elizabeth McLaughlin, Attorney





    Parking: The Hanes Parking Lot (next to Memorial Hall on Cameron Av.) will be reserved exclusively for this event starting at 5 pm.

    Sponsored by: Progress (UNC Progressive Students, Faculty, and Staff); Women's International League for Peace and Freedom; University Program in Cultural Studies; National Lawyers Guild; The Program in Public Law, Duke University School of Law; Progressive Faculty Network; UNC Law School.

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