Speak up against Bush's threat to attack Iran

Dick Bennett
jbennet@uark.edu

RESPONDING TO US THREATS OF WAR
OMNI is opposing President Bush's threats toward Iran backed up by
3 battle fleets in the Gulf of Hormuz, which violate the UN Charter (i.e.
violating a treaty, the law of our land, an impeachable offense). (Do read
your map to see how provocatively narrow is the Gulf. Imagine a another
country with similar aggression off the coast of NYC or San Francisco.) *We
have published five online newsletters alerting readers to this new US
aggression and providing materials for individual resistance.
*In a Forum on Religious Peace Traditions we asked why the congregations are
silent about these threats. We hope to convene a second this fall. Will you
help? Contact Dick Bennett *We are arranging programs on Persian-Iranian
history and culture as one other foundation for opposing the Bush
administration's imperial ambitions. (The U.S. invasion of Iraq destroyed
its invaluable Middle Eastern museum collections, its national theater, and
other cultural sites throughout the country.)

PROGRAMS ON IRANIAN CULTURE FALL 2007.

History: Prof. Joel Gordon, will lecture on history of Persia/Iran, Sept.
21 (UN International Day of Peace) 12:00 noon in Old Main. "Shahs and
Ayatollahs: Iran in World History." The lecture will be preceded by
reception and meal.
Joel Gordon, Professor of History, University of Arkansas-Fayetteville has
been teaching Islamic and modern Middle East history at the University of
Arkansas since 1999. A specialist on Middle East popular culture, cinema,
politics and Islamic movements, he is the author of 3 books on modern Egypt
and numerous articles. His lecture will trace the history of Iran from
antiquity, with particular emphasis on Iran's contributions to classical
Islamic civilization, the emergence of a modern nation-state, Iran's place
in the Cold War, and the unique path Iran has followed since the 1979
"Islamic" revolution. The lecture will conclude with some thoughts about
the present state or Iranian-American relations and prospects for armed
conflict.

Literature: Prof. Mohja Kahf will lecture on a classic of Persian literature
sometime in late October or early Nov.

Art: Ms Golsa Yaghoobi will give an illustrated lecture on the history of
Persian/Iranian art on December 10, Human Rights Day.

Music:TBA

I know we all believe (and all acted on that belief in opposing the
invasion of Iraq) that we must try to prevent unjust wars. So please
participate, assist, publicize however you are inclined and able in creating
programs that tell about the people and culture of Iran, and expand US moral
imagination regarding another manufactured enemy. We are seeking to contact
all Iranians in NWA. Please help. Michael Freeman of UA's International
Students office has notified the Iranian students about our cultural
programs. Please help. Recently at Farmer's Market I met one UA student who
expressed interest in spreading the word that citizens in the US do care
about the people of Iran. Iranians in the US and Iranian Americans must
feel at least uneasy and even very frightened and horrified by Bush's
threats, especially if they have relatives and friends living there. Help
OMNI create an effective voice to stop this president's and complicit
mainstream media's drumbeat for another war.


Dick Bennett