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Week on nonviolence begins
NOVA organizes event on alternatives to violence
Beginning today, SCSU students will have the opportunity of learning about violence, its implications and consequences and alternatives to violence.
Nonviolent Alternatives, or NOVA, a student group that serves as an educational tool for members and the university community, is holding its 20th annual Week on Nonviolence. The week-long event will feature a spectrum of programs that will examine causes, effects and solutions to violence in society.
The schedule is designed to “address the violence perpetuated by governments, institutions and individuals, and to offer the opportunity to begin dialogue about change.”
Several on-campus groups are participating in the event. This includes the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, GLBT Services and the Women’s Center.
Marge Proell, SCSU director of communications, encouraged students to take part in the event.
“The university expects this will be a very thought-provoking series of events,” she said, “and encourages everyone to take advantage of the opportunity to learn about nonviolent alternatives.”
One reason why the Week on Nonviolence has become a regular feature at SCSU for the past 20 years is because of the university’s stand.
“As an educational institution, St. Cloud State feels it’s important to foster programs such as the many events in this awareness week,” Proell said.
The programs begin today, with a video screening entitled “Emperor of Hemp,” which is touted as something that will “open your eyes to the history and planet-saving potential of a simple, beneficial plant and the dark secrets of prohibition.” The video, which will be screened in Atwood Theater at 1 p.m., details the history of cannabis sativa.
Three more videos — “Guns and Greed,” “School of Assassins” and “Five Days to Change the World” — will follow at 2 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 3 p.m., respectively. The day’s events will end with a panel discussion on the war on drugs at 7 p.m. at Atwood Theater.
Tuesday’s program begins with a presentation by Maren Greathouse entitled “Homophobia: Beginning to End” at the St. Croix room in Atwood Memorial Center. Greathouse, an SCSU senior who is the chair of Outloud!, an organization dedicated to ending homophobia and heterosexism, will speak on behalf of GLBT Services Hate Crime Program. She will discuss the history of GLBT hate crimes, current legislation, a psychological profile of people who commit such crimes and what steps can be taken within the social justice movement to remedy these crimes.
At 7 p.m. in the same venue, Rosita Balch of the Colombia Support Network, will speak on “Peace Efforts in Colombia.”
On Wednesday, the Women’s Center’s Women on Wednesday series will focus on “The Quest for Peace: Women and the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict” at noon in the Atwood Theater. The talk will be by Soraya Amra, a Palestinian American and president of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, and Lisa Albrecht, an associate professor at the University of Minnesota and co-founder of Minnesota Jews for a Just Peace.
This will be followed by a presentation entitled “Reclaiming Their Country: Women in Afghanistan” at the same venue at 2 p.m.
A facilitated discussion is planned for 5:30 p.m. at the University Lutheran - Church of the Epiphany on 4th Avenue South. The discussion will focus on alternatives to the war on terrorism. The discussion will include a brief overview of current events by local activists for peace and will then move on to a discussion on alternatives to an exclusively military response to terrorism.
At 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, there will be a talk on “Nonviolence and Veganism/Violence and Carnivorism: Making the Connections” at the St. Croix room. The presentation will explore the connections between nonviolence and veganism and violence and carnivorism using “professional research, ethics and feminist theory.” This will be followed, at the same venue, at 11 a.m. with a presentation and discussion which will draw on the wisdom of Albert Schweitzer, a German/French doctor and theologian who used his skills to serve the poor in Africa. The talk is entitled “Reverence for Life: The Teachings of Albert Schweitzer.”
The week’s program will end with a dialogue, “Depolarizing the Conversation,” at the same room at 2 p.m Thursday.
Leslie Andres can be reached at: [email protected]
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