URBANA Sept. 11 – Over 100 people packed the back room of the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center tonight to discuss how there can be non-violent responses to the acts of terror that struck the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Northern Virginia that same morning. Residents, citizens and neighbors shared their personal reflections and feelings about these attacks, while also proposing ideas and strategies for creating and communicating responses that are not based on violent revenge and retribution. Attendees expressed strong sentiments that they do not want to see the US government engage in more violence, which many believe will only escalate the situation, in turn encouraging more violence to be inflicted on the people of the US and the world.
The evening began with organizer Peter Miller providing information about the day’s events, reading quotes about them from government officials and our locally elected representatives. Miller pointed out their language of war and revenge. He also noted the immediate assumptions and speculations in the mainstream media that Arab terrorist organizations or the infamous Osana Bin Ladin are responsible for the attacks, while little or no evidence or information is available to make these determinations. He expressed concern that local persons of Arab descent may become victims of misplaced anger and violence over today’s attacks, citing similar incidents that happened during the 1979 Iranian takeover of the American consulate, and during the Gulf War.
Many people spoke up for providing support to Arab community members during this sensitive time, and to provide shelter and protection in the event of threats of violence. A representative from an Urbana mosque announced a prayer vigil for the victims of the day’s violence being held later in the evening, and he thanked the people assembled for their support. He announced that the University of Illinois had stepped forward to establish a safehouse for people who are threatened or fear violence. That safehouse can be arranged by contacting the Muslim Students Association.
Most of the evening was dedicated to an open forum, where many people offered proposals for public statements and action. While a few full proposals were aired, the focus of the evening’s proceedings instead became the sharing of concrete tactics. Several attendees said that they had already had conversations with co-workers about the disasters in New York and the Pentagon, and in many cases been able to successfully broach ideas about non-violent responses even when their co-workers seemed to be hawkish. They suggested asking people “why would anyone want to do this to the US?” and suggesting that the terrorists responsible for these actions were themselves acting out of retribution for violent US policies.
One attendee, a man of Native American descent from San Francisco, expressed his feeling that these events would trigger an economic recession that would only further hurt the poor and people of color. He said that these same people will also suffer from anti-immigrant sentiments and policies and other right-wing attacks that are likely to happen in the wake of today’s events. He reminded the group that much of what is happening is still about racism.
Many repeated the sentiment that those gathered at the forum are not alone in their beliefs, that there are many others out there who are looking for a non-violent response, and who do not wish these acts of terror to spark further conflict or war. Several attendees spoke about the need to reach these people and to let them know there are others who share their view, with the hope that a larger group can then work towards furthering the message of non-violence.
Towards the close of the meeting five different areas for further discussion and action were identified: communicating the message of non-violence in the media; meeting and working with government officials and representatives; creating public displays; working directly in educations with students; support and protection of people threatened with violence. Already, by the end of the meeting a group formed that plans to meet with US House Rep. Tim Johnson to discuss alternatives to violent responses. This group and groups working in the other four areas are open to everyone. To sign up go to the Independent Media Center at 218 W. Main St. in Downtown Urbana.
The U-C IMC also offers other opportunities to participate in communicating alternative ideas to meeting today’s violence with more violence. Anyone with access to the web can post ideas, thoughts, articles and essays to the U-C IMC website (http://www.ucimc.org). Those without Internet access can use free public access computers at the IMC. The IMC also publishes a monthly newspaper called the public i, which is currently accepting articles for the October issue. Go to the public i story submission site at http://print.ucimc.org to submit a story or find out more.
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