A Peace Conversation with Senator Dayton Monday, March 18th, 2002

Background: Following the tragic events of September 11th a series of meetings known as Conversations on Peace have been held every other Monday night at St. Joan of Arc, undertaken to create better understandings of non-violent rationale and alternatives to war. On the evening of November 12th a four-part presentation was made to the community of SJA and the staff members invited from the offices of Senator Dayton, Senator Wellstone and Congressman Sabo. One of our objectives in making that presentation to the invited guests was to establish a dialogue with those in a position to influence our nation’s policies on violence and warfare. A meeting with Senator Mark Dayton had been anticipated since mid-January of this year.

This past Monday morning (Mar.18th) eight persons from the SJA community met in the local office of Senator Mark Dayton located at Fort Snelling. They were Peter Eichten, Julie Madden, Mike Madden, Steven Walsh, Margaret Lulic, Louise Jankowski, Sue Hill and myself. Barb Johnson, an SJA parishioner and staff member for Senator Dayton, was the person responsible for arranging this meeting and was also there.

A brief prepared ahead of time for the Senator outlined key concerns covered in the November presentation: that violence to solve issues of violence only invites continued violence; the need to address root causes of terrorism; resolution of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict; the influence our dependence upon oil and other essential resources has on our foreign policy; and the planned extension of the present warfare into Iraq.

I was impressed with the warmth with which we were received by the Senator. He displayed outstanding listening skills, giving us all the time we required to express major concerns. As Peter Eichten wrote in his report on the meeting: “Everyone was able to share some of their insights and concerns. Other issues raised were: the creation of a Peace Academy; studying peace in elementary schools; creation and recognition of a Palestinian state that is supported by the U. S. in the same way we support Israel; creation of some kind of plan to rebuild Afghanistan; finding out why people around the world hate us so much; and a hope to raise peoples’ consciousness…since complex issues cannot be addressed properly with simplistic answers.”

Senator Mark Dayton

The Senator then shared some of his thoughts with us. To our added concerns for addressing the elements of third world hunger, health and education as primary causes for terrorism, he related his own recent visit to Afghanistan where he saw the abject poverty in which the people have been forced to live for decades. He said that he was in concert with 99% of all the concerns raised, but that in foreign affairs the Congress has all too little to say. He believes that the U.S. should really do considerably more in rebuilding Afghanistan and other areas, but that the present Administration is willing to do only a small part of what he would like to see done.

In short, I believe our meeting was much more successful than had been thought possible. He invited us back for regular dialogues and briefings on two-month intervals (!), volunteered his interest in speaking to the entire church of St. Joan of Arc on a Sunday morning, provided the e-mail address for his secretary in Washington who schedules his appointments and forwards current concerns, and even offered to assist in making contacts for arranging a similar meeting with Senator Wellstone. The significance of receiving his secretary’s email address is this: Since the recent scares from Anthrax in letters to some elected officials, all regular mail to members of the U.S. Congress has been impounded for careful screening. They are only now opening mail received last December…much of which is now clearly out of date!

Ray Tanis is a farmer, masquerading as an engineer, with a passion for writing... Kids are grown, so concentrates on sunflowers and pumpkins. Ray loves writing poetry and music.

An American shift from Military-Industrial paranoia to a worldwide humanitarianism is seen as at least a 20-year effort; and more likely a 50-year grunt-function. Effective change here will continue to be influenced by caring members in the world family, of which we are only a part. This recent success is due in no small way to the prayers and efforts of many of you. We ask for your continuing personal and collective support.