Dr. Steven Miles challenged an audience of over 350 people to become inconvenienced by the culture of torture, i.e., to learn the facts about torture and to resist it.  Dr. Miles is a professor of medicine and bioethics at the University of Minnesota. He is an expert on the culture of torture, which he addresses in his book Oath Betrayed: Torture, Medical Complicity and the War on Terror.  His talk was sponsored by the SJA WAMM/Peacemakers and was given on May 6 at the Carondelet Center of the Sisters of St. Joseph. The full text of this speech can be found on the parish website, stjoan.com, under the link "Past Speakers."

  Dr. Miles began his speech by noting that torture is common and widespread, being governmental policy in over 200 countries, and that it has directly wounded most people in our society. He also noted that although torture is directed at the destruction of an individual person, its ultimate purpose is the destruction of a community.  For example, he suggested that the torture of Jesus was in fact an attempt to destroy the community that had received his message.

  Dr. Miles challenged the group to be aware of its own complicity with the culture of torture, noting that torture was common in the Reformation, has become common in the United States, and is apparently supported more strongly by Catholics than by other societal groups. He also explained how torture cannot and does not exist without the complicity of the medical community.

  Dr. Miles urged that groups, having confessed their own involvement in the culture of torture, build a culture against torture. This, he noted, means understanding the nature of torture, e.g., coming to know that torture not only does not accomplish its intended goal of intelligence gathering but makes getting that information impossible.  The last part of becoming inconvenienced is to take personal and collective steps to end torture.  He ended his talk by giving examples of how past and current efforts to resist torture have been key in moving nations to curb its use.

Ron Eldred , for the past six years, has been involved in editing and publishing a national liturgical newsletter supporting positive liturgical reform. Retired since 2000, Ron has also volunteered at Habitat for Humanity, Courage Center and the Wilder Foundation. He is married to Pat Eldred, who teaches English at St. Kates. They have two children, Sheila and David, who are both married, and one amazing grandson. Both Pat and Ron were in parish ministry in the 1960's. They are now members of St. Joan's, experiencing and helping move forward the reforms begun at Vatican II forty years ago.

Bill Cameron was a pilot at Northwest Airlines for 32 years until his retirement in June of 2001. Also an attorney, Bill now practices law about half-time. The rest of his time is spent taking pictures (... a serious photography habit), playing tennis, and working on volunteer projects. Bill's wife Connie is an educational consultant and they have three adult sons.