|
Discussion
at Forum focuses on balance of liberty, security Staff Writer
Balancing
the right to civil liberty with the need for homeland security was the
topic of discussion for the values forum Nov. 7. Dr.
Edwin Strong, president of Culver-Stockton College, was the guest
speaker. He is a graduate of Missouri Southern Junior College. He
received his Ph.D. in political science from the University of Kansas.
He has also co-authored two books on U.S. foreign policy. The
forum started with College President Julio Le n introducing Strong.
Afterward, Strong presented his view of the current political situation
involving terrorism. Terrorism
aims at destroying free societies of political and economic balance,
he said. His
speech dealt with how a country will restrict certain freedoms to
protect its freedoms in a time of turmoil. He said a closed,
dictator-lead country is less likely to experience terrorism than a free
country because of the tight restrictions in closed countries. Strong
said terrorism is a way to create totalitarian states. We
will always face the forces of Sept. 11, he said. He
also gave some advice to today s society. [We]
ensure our civil liberties through free speech, free press...and by
behaving in a civil society, Strong said. He
summarized his speech as, How a just society under mortal stress
deals with its moral, legal and ethical inhibitions. After
Strong s speech, the discussion was turned over to the audience for
questions. The questions lead the discussion to the topic of
international students. I
fear that the days that an international student wondering the streets
of the U.S. are almost at an end, Strong said. Going
to these speakers opens students to current ideas and events, said
Mac Kenny, freshman undecided major. He
said the forums make him reflect on ideas and see how other people
understand events. I
want people to think more about what our country is doing because they
are doing it in our name, he said. The
forum was partially sponsored by the Campus Activities Board and
Academic Affairs. Dr.
Barry Brown, professor of philosophy, said getting students to come to a
forum at 3 p.m. on a Thursday is a difficult task. Brown, chairman of
the values forum board, said each semester has one forum. Sometimes
faculty are invited to lead the discussions, but most of the time an
outside speaker is brought in. Approximately 15 faculty members and four students participated in this semester s value forum. |