Senator Dayton Hosts Our Peace Conversations

Editor's Note: While we did not have a reporter covering this event, Peter Eichten sent the following notes. Senator Mark Dayton accepted the invitation of the group to appear at one of our ongoing Peace Conversations. The date was June 7, 2002.

Peace Conversation members present: Margaret Lulic, Julie Madden, Mike Madden, Sue Hill, Rose Brown, Steve Walsh, Ray Tanis, George Wertin, Peter Eichten

1. Afghanistan: We wanted to know what has happened to the relief efforts in Afghanistan. Senator Dayton indicated that all of a sudden the conversation about rebuilding Afghanistan has stopped. There is no interest in nation building by this administration. There is no public or political will to do much about rebuilding Afghanistan.
   
   We asked Mark if he would be willing to go on record to do something about rebuilding Afghanistan, even if it is a dead-end. We felt that after destroying the country we have some responsibility to help them get back on their feet. Senator Dayton indicated that he would do something to help Afghanistan. He said that he would work with Senator Wellstone to get something proposed.

   War on Terrorism: This is a long-term thing according to the present administration. But has anyone been saying anything about the root causes of terrorism? The Senator said that those who are saying these types of things are not being listened to, but he hoped that the presidential elections for 2004 could bring these issues to the forefront.

   Middle East: We are all concerned about the situation in the Middle East. Senator Dayton felt that as long as Sharon is in office things wouldn’t change much. We asked him about reducing aid to Israel, and he felt that that was such a hot political issue that it could never happen. He also indicated his frustration in the ineffectiveness of the U.N., because Israel, like the U.S., wants to do things on their own. We asked him if there was a will in Congress to increase aid to Palestine, he said, no.

   Expansion of the War on Terrorism: The Senator said that he does not support any expansion to the War on Terrorism at this time. He said that he would need overwhelming evidence that there is a strong and immediate threat to the U.S. before he ever could. He felt there is stronger support at the present time to stay out of Iraq than there is to go into it, however, that could change.

   The Senator then spent some time talking about how little information he gets from the administration. He said he obtains most of his information from the press, with the overseas press being very helpful. He also said that often even Republicans have no or very little information on foreign policy issues. The present administration is a very unilateralist group ... doing things their way with very little collaboration or consultation.

   Some of us expressed a sense of helplessness and hopelessness in the many crisis that we are facing in the world today. The Senator said that while he is presently frustrated he does not feel hopeless. He said that we need to state our positions, try to do what we can to get it heard, and keep pushing. For some of us we’ve been doing that for years, and we feel like we have gotten nowhere. It was good to hear encouraging words from Senator Dayton.

   Casualties of the War on Terrorism: We spent just a few minutes talking about the domestic casualties caused by the War on Terrorism, especially the racial profiling, and the way immigrants are treated. The Senator said he didn’t know of any actual reduction in civil rights or the breaking of any laws in dealing with immigrants and people of color, but that we should be watchful.

Peter Eichten is the St. Joan of Arc parish administrator and the leader of the Conversations on Peace.