For some, the words “teach-in” might evoke memories of the “Summer of Love” — the sight of peace marchers, the sound of activist chants and the smell of incense. For others, it may only evoke puzzlement.
Those wondering what exactly a teach-in is should drop by the EMU Ballroom tonight between 7 and 9:30 p.m., where Concerned Faculty for Peace and Justice will be sponsoring a forum entitled “After September 11: A Teach-In” — the aim of which is to bring members of the community together to discuss possible reactions to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
CFPJ formed during the 1990-91 Persian Gulf War and staged a series of teach-ins, but has since been relatively inactive.
Tonight’s teach-in will be broken into two main parts: a panel session featuring five speakers and a discussion session, during which audience members will be encouraged to talk in groups led by various faculty members.
According to Sandra Morgen, director of the Center for the Study of Women in Society and the CFPJ member who will be moderating the event, the teach-in will give community members background on the crisis and will encourage discussion of alternatives to military action.
“I don’t think a military war is likely to produce peace or justice,” Morgen said. “We need to be looking at the causes of the discontent and the attitudes toward the U.S. that are the real roots of this problem.”
Morgen, who is also a sociology professor, added that in order to see the incidents in a larger context, it’s important to look at sources of information outside the standard news media. This sentiment is echoed by Bo Adan, a project coordinator at the Center for Electronic Studying and co-founder of CFPJ.
“We are witnessing a particular kind of perspective in mass-media — unification on military action,” he said. “The teach-in will discuss alternatives.”
The opportunity to discuss alternatives is something that the members of CFPJ have been waiting for. With the recent attacks and the rise of what CFPJ member and Women’s Studies Program Professor Emeritus Barbara Pope calls the “buy and fly” response of the Bush administration, CFPJ has a renewed sense of responsibility toward the campus and the community in general.
“We have to do something for all the 18-year-old students coming to campus from all over the U.S. who might not be too certain about what’s happening,” she said. “Not everyone agrees on what to do right now, but I think it’s important to open a dialogue. People can learn a great deal from this.”
Leon Tovey is a higher education reporter for the Oregon Daily Emerald. He can be reached at [email protected]