Hope and Resistance Workshops
Saturday, August 18th, 2007
Morning Session 10:30 - 11:30 AM
Iran: The Axis of Evil vs. the Great Satan - The Truth behind the Rhetoric
by Carole Ferraro & Diane Reine
Location: Museum Auditorium
Iran, labeled by President Bush as part of the "Axis of Evil," appears to be the next military target of this administration. Questions exist over its nuclear program, and Iran has been accused of "meddling" in Iraq. Is Iran really a threat to America? Or is this propaganda from an administration that often appears incapable of diplomacy and presenting honest factual information to the American public?
In September 2005, Diane Reiner and Carole Ferraro traveled to Iran and Syria as part of an Academics for Peace delegation. The trip’s purpose was to see first hand this "Axis of Evil”, to meet the Iranian people and government officials, and to assess the current situation. Was it possible to develop mutual understanding and good will? Did Iran truly represent a threat, or were the American people being misled? And what of Syria, a country so few Americans travel to that there is little first hand knowledge?
In both countries, the delegation traveled extensively. They met with government and university officials along with students and ordinary folks. They were participants in the historic "Avoiding the Clash of Civilizations" conference held at the University of Tehran, and in a colloquium with colleagues at Damascus University in Syria. Meetings were held with the former President of Iran, Muhammed Khatemi, and with President Bashar al-Assad of Syria.
This workshop will focus on Iran and will include a slide presentation, current factual information on its nuclear file, and the Iranian influence in Iraq. It will also include an update on both local and national advocacy efforts to get the facts out to our community and to educate our government representatives concerning sensible foreign policy towards Iran.
Carole Ferraro is an instructor of English as a Second Language at SUNY Albany and a member of Upper Hudson Peace Action. In September 2005 Carole traveled to Iran and Syria as a member of the Academics for Peace delegation and spoke at the "Avoiding the Clash of Civilizations" conference at Tehran University.
Diane H. Reiner is a member of the Interhelp Council, an international network dedicated to supporting those who work for social, environmental, and political change. She has also counseled individuals and families from around the world on issues of immigration and cultural integration. Diane is a world traveler whose photos of the people and cultures of Asia, Africa and the Middle East have been exhibited throughout New York. She is currently working with Women Against War in Albany, N.Y. to incorporate her photos of Iranian people into billboards and posters for their “No War with Iran!” campaign.
Spirituality and the Environment
by Rev. Linda Van Slyke
Location: Upstairs Chapel
It is said that in the beginning God created the heavens, the earth, everything... The relationship between "God" (spirituality) and "creation" (environment) will be explored during this workshop. Differing historical, cultural, and interfaith perspectives will be discussed. Special emphasis will be paid to the ways in which these perspectives can and do influence the overall environment. Techniques for increasing environmental awareness and compassion will also be offered.
Linda Van Slyke has served as the lead minister at the First Congregational United Church of Christ, Gloversville, NY for the past 17 months. She is a graduate of The New Seminary, the oldest interfaith seminary in the world, and was ordained at St. John's Cathedral in New York City. Linda also graduated from Fulton-Montgomery Community College and SUNY New Paltz. Her various degrees and certifications include those in math, science, sociology, and education. She has an extensive background in teaching, program development, mediation, and counseling.
Standing With our Muslim Brothers and Sisters: The Aref/Hossain Case
by Kathy Manley and Dave Capone
Location: Pavilion
Were Yassin Aref and Mohammed Hossain, recently convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison, unjustly targeted in an FBI sting operation in Albany, NY? Has this happened elsewhere in our country to people of the Muslim faith? Did the government play on post -911 fears of Muslims? Was the evidence twisted to win convictions?
Standing With our Muslim Brothers and Sisters will take a clear hard look at the evidence and provide definitive answers to these questions and discuss the award winning work of the Muslim Solidarity Committee, a group of ordinary citizens concerned with fairness and justice as provided for by our Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
Kathy Manley , a long time peace and justice activist, is an attorney with Kindlon Shanks, who specializes in criminal defense, with an emphasis on constitutional issues and appeals. Currently she is working on the appeal for Yassin Aref.
Dave Capone , now retired, was former Fund Administrator for Bricklayers And Allied Craftworkers Union Local 2 Albany as well as Controller and then Business Manager for the Albany Times Union. He is a lifelong capital district resident involved in issues of peace and justice. Because of disparities cited by the U.S. Federal magistrate he decided to attend the sting trial and to discern first hand the essence and truth of these hearings. What caused the judge to vacillate? Was truth uncovered and justice served? Dave, attended all but 2 days of the month long trial and will offer his perspective and insights.
Poetry: Peace & Protest by Dan Wilcox
Location: Dining Hall
Poet & VFP member Dan Wilcox will lead a workshop on writing poetry as activism. Diffferent forms & styles of poetry will be discussed, with examples, & suggestions for writing poems both as public statements or to express private feelings. Participants can try their hand at writing a poem. Please have a notebook or paper & a pen or pencil to write with.
Dan Wilcox is the host of the open mic at the Social Justice Center in Albany, N.Y. on the third Thursday of each month and is a member of the poetry performance group "3 Guys from Albany". He is an active member of Veterans for Peace. Most recently, he has poems in "Post Traumatic Press 2007: poems by veterans," numerous small press publications, and has been published on the internet at www.poetsagainstthewar.org, http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/, as well as other sites. You can read his Blog at dwlcx.blogspot.com.
Afternoon Session 1:15 - 2:15 PM
Building a New Society within the Shell of the Old
by Dr. Richard Shirey
Location: Pavilion
With the cost of energy rising and world oil resources rapidly diminishing, Community Supported Agriculture and a "food miles" consciousness are now becoming economic imperatives. Is it possible to live on food grown within a 100 mile radius of our homes? What might we do locally to productively foster the use and reuse of local resources, creating sustainable systems of agriculture and transportation?
This workshop will bring us "back to the future", reconsidering sustainable practices of the past while incorporating present technologies and systems designs which create both responsible and practical stewardship of our resources and environment.
Dr. Richard L. Shirey currently a Professor at Sienna College has been teaching economics for the last 38 years. He has a Ph.D. in Economics from SUNY Albany and is currently teaching both in the Economics Department and in interdisciplinary programs, Peace Studies and Globalization Studies.
In the 1970s, he co-founded a community credit union in Batavia, New York when he taught economics at Genesee Community College. While at Siena in the 1980s, he co-founded the Employee Ownership Project, a not-for-profit corporation that assisted low-income people in creating employee-owned businesses. He also served on the Advisory Board of the Campaign for Human Development for the US Catholic Conference of Bishops.
Dr. Shirey has traveled to Spain, Puerto Rico and Eastern Europe to study cooperative businesses. His current involvement and research is with Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), a new economic structure that connects the consumer community with farmers in a way that members and farmers jointly share the risk and the benefits of the current harvest.
Dr. Shirey brings his experience as a former Peace Corps Volunteer, founder of a Community Credit Union and technical support program, farm worker-volunteer and international traveler.
The Iraqi Refugee Crisis
by Cathy Breen
Location: Museum Auditorium
The U.S. invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq has created an extraordinary humanitarian crisis. There are over two million internally displaced Iraqis and another two million plus in Jordan, Syria and neighboring countries.The impact of the war has shattered their lives. Waiting in despair, these Iraqi's desperately need help from the International Community. The Bush administration refuses to acknowledge this problem in any serious manner and turns a deaf ear to their cries. Whle the situation is grave, there are measures that we can take to let Iraqi refugees know that they are not alone and to alleviate their suffering in some measure....
Please join us in this important work.
Cathy Breen is with the New York City Catholic Worker. As part of the Iraq Peace Team (project of Voices in the Wilderness), she lived in Iraq for some months prior to the US invasion, during the bombing, and later under the occupation. Since 2004, Cathy has been focusing on Iraqis fleeing violence and the Iraqi refugees in Jordan.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or Post Trauma Society Disorder?:
A Deeper look at PTSD By Larry Winters
Location: Dinning Hall
PTSD is a diagnostic term that comes out of the DSM-!V, a mental health manual. It stands for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I propose that PTSD should stand for Post Trauma Society Disorder.
This workshop will look at our returning soldiers and the obligation our society holds in healing these men and women. In fact this obligation goes well beyond parades, VA hospitals, and military metals. If we as a society don't reach down into our souls, we will never understand our returning men and women with PTSD nor the continuing disorder in their lives. PTSD is also seen as infectious adversely effecting our families, community, and nation. Until we fully accept our societal responsibility neither our returning military personnel nor our nation will have peace.
Questions we will ask in this workshop:
- What do these men and women soldiers need?
- How can we learn to listen to pain we'd rather turn off?
- What do we do with the pain they will deliver to us?
- What does honor really mean?
- How do we accept the life and death reality of what our soldiers have done and must live with?
- How do we remove politics from our souls and see our soldiers as human beings?
- What does it mean to have a warrior in our house, at our work place, and in our communities?
Larry Winters was born and raised in New Paltz, NY. Larry entered the United States Marine Corps after high school and served in Vietnam 1969-1970. Twenty-five years later, as a licensed mental health counselor at Four Winds Hospital in Katonah, NY, Larry Winters returned to Vietnam with other heath care professionals to study Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in the Vietnamese people and to make peace with his past. Larry is a widely published poet, men's group leader and group psychotherapist. He has recently published his book titled "The Making and Un-making of a Marine". If you wish to know more about Larry or his book feel free to email him or check out his blog at: makingandunmaking.blogspot.com
Email: winters.lawrence@gmail.com
The September 29th Workshop by Trudy Quaif
Location - Garage
This workshop is designed as a relaxed opportunity for peace activists from around the state to meet informally and discuss ideas for the September 29th rally in Syracuse. We don't have an official title for the event yet but plans are rapidly coming together for what could be the largest anti - war gathering in Upstate NY since the Vietnam War. We hope to develop our working relationships and discuss ways to build this effort to end the war in Iraq and bring the troops home now!
Trudy Quaif is a member of Bethlehm Neighbors For Peace and Capital District activist.
SEEDS OF PEACE: Building a Contemplative Foundation for Peacemaking by Walt Chura
Location Upstairs Chapel
Based on the writings of Thomas Merton, this session will explore the hazards of "active-ism," that is, the frenzied actions that we can throw ourselves into in the desperate desire to create a world of peace and justice. A look at the implications of Merton's experiments in contemplation for movement toward "a harvest of justice [which] is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace."
Walt Chura , sfo, is a lay Franciscan, a member of the extended community of Emmaus House: the Albany Catholic Worker and coordinator of the Thomas Merton Society of the Capital District. He will direct the 12th annual Merton in the Mountains retreat at Pyramid Life Center in Paradox NY Sept. 7-9. He can be reached at 518-456-3201 0r wwchura@yahoo.com .