In an effort to help people understand and deal with last week's terrorist attacks, UNM is sponsoring two forums and an Islamic awareness event on campus today.
The Muslim Student Association, which is sponsoring Islamic Awareness Day, will answer questions about Islam in the hopes of clearing up any misconceptions about how it relates to the attacks. The group will have information available south of Zimmerman Library from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
"We basically just want to provide information about Islam and let people know the difference between everyday Muslims and Osama bin Laden and the Taliban," said Salim Zamir, president of the Muslim Student Association. "The other reason for the event is to show that we do support the rescue operation going on and that our thoughts and prayers are with family members of the victims. We also will have a little donation box set up to collect money for the account set up for victims and their families."
Zamir said that the response from the UNM community has been positive and that the Muslim Student Association members have not felt any backlash toward the Arab-American community.
"Outside of one e-mail I got in response to something I said in The Albuquerque Tribune, everything has been very supportive," he said. "We are very thankful for everyone's support, and we expect our event to be very positive and just a good chance to dispel any misconceptions about Islam and answer any questions people might have."
The UNM Law School also is sponsoring a discussion from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Law School's forum in response to the terrorist attacks. Dean Robert Desiderio will offer an introduction, then five panelists will give presentations with UNM law professor Jennifer Moore serving as the event's moderator. Moore, an associate law professor, teaches human rights, refugee and asylum law. She previously worked for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
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"We will definitely make sure that we give the audience the opportunity to participate in a moderated discussion and offer their own perspective," said Tim Canova, a UNM associate law professor who is participating in the event.
The discussion will center on last week's terrorist attacks, with the following panelists speaking about their areas of expertise.
Gregory Gleason, an associate professor in the Political Science Department, teaches foreign relations whose specialty is Central Asia, including Afghanistan.
Mark Peceny, an associate professor in the Political Science Department, teaches foreign relations and foreign policy. He's published a book titled "Democracy at the Point of Bayonets."
Mo Jamshidi, a professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department, directs the Center of Autonomous Control Engineering and has been a consultant for NASA and a National Science Foundation visitor to Yugoslavia.
Canova teaches international trade and business law. He was a legislative assistant to former U.S. Sen. Paul Tsongas and practiced law in New York City.
Canova suggested that those who would like to attend the forum coming from main campus should consider taking the shuttle or carpooling because organizers expect a large crowd.
"This certainly isn't the last one we will have, either," he said. "We expect to do one soon on civil liberties and the balance between the individual and the state in an era when security issues are becoming more of a problem."
The Philosophy Department also is sponsoring a forum from 3-5 p.m. titled, "Attack on America," in Anthropology Room 163. The forum will focus on ethical, political, historical, religious, psychological, legal, medical and economic issues associated with the attacks and the country's response.
"During our department meeting, one of the faculty members reported talking about the incident in her class, as several of us had done, and we agreed that we all had more to say about it," said Russell Goodman, chairman of the Philosophy Department.
Goodman said that the forum should serve as an important outlet for both faculty and students.
"It's performing the same function as what we used to call teach-ins in the '60s," he said. "It's really when people on a college campus consider the complexity of the issue and try to get as many points of view as possible."
The following speakers will participate in the Philosophy Department's forum:
David Farber and Timothy Moy, both of the History Department; Iain Thomson from the Philosophy Deparment; Robert Anderson from American Studies; James Holden-Rhodes from Media Technology Services; Elizabeth Rapaport from the Law School; Peceny, who also is participating in the Law School forum; and Iman Mahmoud Sulemon, an Islam scholar and local cleric affiliated with the Islamic Community.
Goodman said the speakers will have a chance to answer audience questions and encourages people to attend the event because he said it will give them a better understanding of how the attacks have and will continue to change our lives.
