President's Peace Commission

Dr. Leona Pallansch, President's Peace Commissioner, welcomes the audience and introduces Father Bernard Lee, S.M. Father Lee discusses the term "shalom" and prays the invocation for the President's Peace Commission. Dr. Charles Cotrell, President of St. Mary's University, then provides a brief history of the President's Peace Commission and its goals. Professor John Moore, Music Department, provides musical interludes between each speaker. Sister Anne O'Leary, P.V.B.M., provides a reflection on her experience on September 11, 2001, in Cork, Ireland. Dr. Larry Hufford reflects on his personal experience on September 11, 2001, as an attendee of the Nobel Peace Education Conference in Madrid, Spain. Dr. Palmer Hall, director of the Louis J. Blume Library, reads 3 poems. Luis Cortez, Louis J. Blume Library, reads Trinidad Sanchez, Jr.'s "Let Us Stop the Madness." Anh Nguyen, an international at St. Mary's University, recalls her experiences as a citizen and resident of Vietnam. Charles Ramirez, a St. Mary's student, reads a poem he composed in honor of September 11th. Rey Gustamente and Rebecca Viagran, both of University Ministry, responsively read the closing prayer. Dr. Cotrell thanks the panelists and asks if there are any further comments and reflections from the audience. A few audience members share their remembrances. (61 minutes)

Migdalia Garcia, President's Peace Commissioner, moderates this session, which features Susan Ives from the peaceCENTER. Ms. Ives responds to the question, "Do you agree with the following statement: 'Those who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety'?" She discusses the historic implications of this statement, which date back to the founding of the United States and Benjamin Franklin in Pennsylvania, the USA PATRIOT Act, and the Military Commissions Act. (65 minutes)

Dr. Richard Pressman, President's Peace Commissioner, moderates this session. He introduces Dr. Alice Kersnowski, St. Mary's English Department, who talks about terrorism in Ireland and the Irish history. Dr. Pressman then introduces Amanda Davis, a doctoral candidate at the University of Texas at Austin, who focuses more on the media's unquestioning portrayal of terrorism and especially the events of September 11, 2001, including the assumed guilt of Osama bin Laden immediately after the attacks and the use of ambiguous terms, such as "those responsible," which resulted in a "faceless enemy." A question and answer session concludes this panel presentation. (62 minutes)

Dr. Camille Langston, President's Peace Commissioner, moderates this panel discussion. She introduces Dr. Hector Garcia of the United States Department of Veteran Affairs, who discusses post-traumatic stress disorder and the effects of those returning home from the battlefield. Daniel Hayes, a graduate student at St. Mary's University and a member of the United States Air Force, then provides his personal experiences in Afghanistan. He has a slide show featuring his time in Afghanistan. A brief question and answer session concludes this panel presentation. (50 minutes)

Dr. Leona Pallansch, President's Peace Commissioner, asks for a moment of silence for all who have died in the Iraq War. She then introduces the speakers for this panel and moderates the panel. Amir Samandi is an intelligence analyst for MacAulay Brown, Inc. and is a St. Mary's alum. Mr. Samandi speaks about the "Axis of Evil," the stability and security necessary for the Iraq War to be successful. Lt. Col. Jeff Cigrang is a clinical psychologist in the United States Air Force. Col. Cigrang speaks about the mental health workers in the military, combat injuries, and the psychological cost of war, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A question and answer session concludes this presentation. (50 minutes)

Aaron Filsinger, a President's Peace Commissioner, moderates this panel discussion. He introduces Dr. Don Clark, professor of history at Trinity University, who speaks about North Korea and its politics. He also discusses the Korean War. Mr. Filsinger then introduces Dr. Mansour El-Kikhia, professor of government and geography at the University of Texas at San Antonio, who discusses the current state of affairs in Iran. The panel discussion concludes with a question and answer period. (44 minutes)

Patricia Mejia, 21st Century Leadership Center and President's Peace Commissioner, moderates this panel discussion. Ms. Mejia introduces Dr. Antonia Castañeda, professor of History at St. Mary's University, who introduces the topic of how immigration has changed since September 11, 2001, including the criminalizing of illegal immigrants. Dr. Castañeda then shows a 33-minute film, Dying to Live: A Migrant's Journey. Following the film, Jordan Forsythe and Ramon Guerra, both law students at St. Mary's University and both practitioners at the Immigration and Human Rights Clinic, speak about their experiences at the Clinic. Ms. Forsythe explains how many of the women they see at the Clinic are often victims of crime (human trafficking, smuggling, domestic violence, etc.). Mr. Guerra reported on a current case with a woman from El Salvador who was raped by smugglers and abused by her husband. Mr. Guerra and the clinic are in the process of trying to get this woman, and others in similar situations, asylum in the United States. A question and answer session follows in which, among other things, the topic of the Minutemen is discussed. (74 minutes)

Patricia Mejia welcomes the audience and the panel; she introduces Dr. Milo Colton, who serves as the moderator for this panel. Dr. Colton introduces Professor Robert L. Summers, Jr., professor of law at St. Mary's University, and Dr. Richard Gambitta, professor of political science and geography at the University of Texas San Antonio. Prof. Summers begins by discussing the international law of war and how international treaties become part of U.S. law. Dr. Gambitta discusses the various forms of dispute resolution. (75 minutes)

The moderator introduces this panel's members: Anne Ohrlich, J.D., who provides a history of the United Nations; and Ambassador Gene Scassa, who discusses his personal experiences as a UN diplomat. (55 minutes)