Speakers Past and Future are Part of FIA Program

Our congregational statement of conscience against unilateral preventive warin Iraq was part of a global battle to avert war in that troubled region andto derail the Bush doctrine of American imperialism. Nevertheless, preventivewar was launched without the full support of the United Nations Security Council.

We now find ourselves in a new battle — the battle for peace in theMiddle East. Nobody knows just how long this will take and how much it willcost. Personally, I believe our country is morally bound to help repair whatwe have destroyed. That means a full commitment to the process of nation buildingin the region. But what does nation building require? Can our country do itby ourselves? Who should be our partners? Should our country punish those whoopposed the war?
As a dedicated peace site, our church has a responsibility to its members andto the community to explore the meaning of these events. The FIA speaker seriesis one way of educating ourselves about such matters.

We have had three Faith in Action speakers since war was declared in March2003. On April 25 G. Wayne Glass, Ph.D., spoke about the Bushdoctrine. During his talk he offered to return to our church to conduct a workshopon how to be an effective advocate for a cause. We plan to offer his workshopon “Lobbying 101” in the near future. OnMay 30 Olivier Plancon, the deputy consul general in the FrenchConsulate of Los Angeles, discussed the role of the United Nations in timesof crisis. He concluded that France and the United States will and must remainpartners in foreign affairs, especially in Iraq and the Middle East. On June13 Ambassador A. Engin Ansay of the Turkish Consulate of LosAngeles discussed the question, “Can the United States impose democracyon the Middle East?” His conclusion was simple: democracy cannot be imposed,but the Republic of Turkey proves that democracy is feasible in a largely Muslimcountry as long as the government is secular and there is a clear separationof church and state.

FIA is planning monthly speakers starting in the Fall. Feedback about priorspeakers and suggestions for the future are welcome.

-- Charles M. Haskell
Chair, Faith in Action