Speakers Differ on Iran's Nuclear Aims, Cite US
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FORsooth Volume 19, No. 9 A publication of the Louisville Chapter of the Fellowship of Reconciliation www.louisville-for.org November 2008 Speakers differ on Iran’s nuclear aims, Unity fete, cite US coup in ’53 as conflict’s origin Elders are by George Morrison FORsooth editor re-set for Third Thursday Lunch speakers dis- agreed Oct. 16 about whether Iran is likely pursuing a nuclear bomb, but said U.S. past Nov. 22 and present aggressiveness against the Is- The date for the Kentucky Alliance lamic nation is the wrong approach to resolve Against Racist and Political Repression’s the conflict between Washington and Tehran. 11th Annual Unity Dinner has been changed The speakers were David Owen and to Saturday, Nov. 22, from the original Richard Humke — who traveled to Iran in date of Oct. 25. 2006 as part of a peace delegation — and The location and times are the same Allan Atherton of Louisville, who hasn’t and former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Joycelyn Elders is still to deliver the key- note speech. The dinner will be at the See page two for story on — photo by Cathy Ford Masterson’s Conference Center, 1830 S. From left, David Owen, Terry Taylor, Allan Atherton and Richard Third St. in Louisville, just north of the FOR Iran-USA project University of Louisville campus. Humke, share their thoughts about Iran’s nuclear intentions, human Tickets cost $40 and are available at director Leila Zand’s talk. rights record and history of conflict with the U.S. at the Third the Carl Braden Memorial Center, 3802 Thursday Lunch Oct. 16. W. Broadway in Louisville or by calling the Braden Center at (502) 778-8130. Tax- intelligence update said the same thing. program, Atherton added, Iran’s leaders deductible checks should be payable to been to Iran, but maintains an internet Atherton said after the talk that the are “maybe, not as transparent as we would Kentucky Alliance. news site about Iranian-U.S. relations. International Atomic Energy Agency like them to be, but then how transparent The dinner starts at 6 p.m. after a Terry Taylor moderated the discussion found no evidence that Iran is develop- can we expect them to be when we may just social hour. at the lunch, organized by the Louisville ing nuclear weapons. be targeting their facilities?” Elders, who served under President FOR and Interfaith Paths to Peace, of which “So we need to be careful that we Owen, however, has a different take on Clinton, is the author of From Sharecropper’s Taylor is the director. don’t go into a situation like we did in Iraq, whether Iran is out to become a nuclear nation, Daughter to Surgeon General of the United “The 2007 National Intelligence where we assume what is not so,” Atherton although he said even a nuclear-armed Iran States of America. She continues to speak out Estimate said (Iran) had stopped working told about 35 listeners at the Rudyard poses no direct threat to other nations. about health issues, including teenage preg- on a nuclear weapons program in 2003,” Kipling Restaurant. “I believe the Iranians are going for a nancy, HIV/AIDS, substance abuse and the Atherton said, adding that the 2008 Concerning their nuclear energy (continued on page 2) need for universal healthcare. New meaning for old symbol Participants in the Crossing PAID Barriers Pilgrimage for Peace U.S. Postage Louisville, KY Permit No. 962 Non-Profit Org. and Justice demonstrate unity between people by holding a rope (chosen to repudiate the rope’s former purpose of holding slaves) in and outside the community center at St. George’s Episcopal Church in West Louisville, site of many social services to the mostly African-American neighborhood. Below, two listen as St. George’s Community Center director Arthur Cox speaks. The four-day event in October took pilgrims to sites involving the Underground Railroad in Louisville and New Albany, Ind. — photos by Don Vish Call F.O.R. at 502/458-8056 Call F.O.R. Fellowship of Reconciliation Louisville Chapter 2236 Kaelin Avenue Louisville, KY 40205-2608 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED INSIDE A very old setting for new peace courses..................................... p. 2 Is a solution to homelessness at hand? ........................................ p. 3 Tackling the tough issues – black caucus meets ......................... p. 5 A Mississippian’s life went for justice ......................................... p. 6 Zand: war would set back Iran progress Austrian FORsooth staff report than in other Muslim nations. She said too many Americans think “If we attack Iran, we will stop all these hostile Iranian actions toward the U.S. were courses Military action against Iran would only movements,” Zand said. “These are really without any historical pretext, a view entrench its fundamentalist leaders and halt improvements. We are looking for more.” resulting from U.S. media ignoring the progress the nation is making toward greater She grew up in Iran and has lived in the U.S.-organized coup in 1953 against the in peace freedoms, U.S. FOR organizer Leila Zand U.S. since 2000, when she moved to New freely-elected Iranian government of said in Louisville Oct. 1. York with her husband and twin daughters. Mohammad Mossadeq. Zand, director of the U.S. FOR’s Iran Zand has taught at colleges and spoken at “The relations, actually in the point of in 2009 Project, which the FOR launched to ad- peace gatherings and before groups, with view of many Americans, became shaky in dress the conflict between the U.S. and People interested in studying conflict Iran with nonviolence and peace building, resolution and peace – and who have the time said that while president Mahmoud and money to relocate next year — can learn Ahmadinejad has unleashed persecution “It is very unfortunate that (Americans) don’t remember 1953.” from some of the world’s best teachers. and homphobia, grass-roots human rights The European University Center for progress is evident in Iran. Peace Studies (CPU) in the medieval town She told a gathering at Central the aim of improving Americans’ under- 1979 when the Islamic revolution hap- of Stadtschlaining, Austria said it will offer Presbyterian Church that Iranian women standing of Iran and preventing war. pened in Iran. But in our view, the Iranian courses taught in English by people make up 65 percent of university entrants She said understanding the history of view, it goes back much ahead of that, in experienced in conflict resolution, and that persecution of women and gays is U.S. actions against Iran would allow more the 1950s, when we had… a very demo- mediation and peace building. less widespread than 20 years ago. people to see the emptiness of Bush cratic election. In 1953 Dr. Mohammad Enrollment is limited and an Austrian Zand also sees progress toward sepa- administration rhetoric about spreading Mossadeq came to the office by a very high visa, which could take months to receive, is ration of church and state in Iran, adding freedom to the Middle East. number of votes for him. required, so people interested should contact that family planning there is more common “That was the year General Eisenhower the EPU soon for information about the next decided that that was not the right decision,” two trimesters, which are from Feb. 1 to April Zand said. “That is a very bitter time for 25 and May 31 to Aug. 22, the university said Iranians. It has a very sad scratch on the in an e-mail, adding that enrollment can be Iran’s nuclear aims Iranian mind and soul…. It is very unfortu- made any time before a trimester. nate that (Americans) don’t remember 1953.” Completing three trimesters, which may (continued from page 1) She acknowledged Ahmadinejad’s be done in any order and over several years, statements that the Hitler’s holocaust may qualifies a student for a master’s degree (after bomb,” said Owen, a retired international gays and Bahá’ís is the Iranian people’s, not have happened and the possibility that writing a thesis), the EPU said. banker and graduate of the School of not ours. he is pursuing nuclear weapons, but asked A trimester costs 2,500 Euros in tuition Foreign Service of Georgetown University. He explained that if the regime were her audience to consider how Iranians feel (which is about $3,300). Room rent is “Using it is not what they have in mind, just able to tie the struggle to the U.S., it would about similar extremist posturing by U.S. 1,400 Euros, or about $1,800, for a having it” to achieve world power status. weaken it. “It’s better for those (Bahá’í and officials. Zand recalled Republican trimester, the university said. There may Taylor said a person he heard speak at gay) people in Iran that we don’t do that,” presidential candidate John McCain last be other, smaller charges, but the EPU said a program a few days earlier on the U.S.- Owen told the lunch. year parodying a Beach Boys song, singing: partial scholarships are available. Iran conflict said an Iran with nuclear Humke, a retired rector of Saint “bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran.” “We seek to enable our students to help weapons would be a grave threat to peace Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Louisville, “But just think, America is the only build a more peaceful, equitable and just even if Iran never used them, because mere said guides told him on the 2006 trip not to country which ever used the nuclear bomb,” global society, in harmony with nature,” the possession could spark a nuclear arms race discuss gays, Bahá’ís or Israel with Iranians she said, adding that Pakistan has exploded EPU e-mail said.