SMU Program to explore Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission
Dallas Morning News 4:05 PM Thu, Feb 18, 2010
http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/02/program-at-smu-to-explore-texa.html
Details below the update
UPDATE ON THE EVENT AT SMU
Mike Ghouse
The panel at the program last night included Hon. Senator Shapiro, Hon. Peter Berkowitz, Dr. Amy Fisher-Smith, Dr. Elliott Dlin and a few other good hearted people.
I want to laud the effort of Senators Rodney Ellis and Florence Shapiro for getting the legislation to pass the Texas Holocaust and Genocides commission and thank every one involved to make this happen.
The panel at the program last night included Hon. Senator Shapiro, Hon. Peter Berkowitz, Dr. Amy Fisher-Smith, Dr. Elliott Dlin and a few other leaders of the community.
Senator Florence Shapiro is a rare politician who took the question of Mary Ann Thompson-Frenk head on; when asked about the investors and corporations who have a vested interest in the continuance of the conflicts; she responded by the divestment measures taken and that can be taken on the investment of public funds.
Peter Berkowitz addressed my question of Stereotyping squarely, and I admire him for that. When I mentioned to him that preventing Genocides and Holocaust is the responsibility of whole humanity and Muslims have not only taken part in human rights issues but are seriously involved in educating Dallas Public, across the board in general and Muslims in particular for years by reflecting on Holocaust and Genocides. They are in the forefront in criticizing Holocaust deniers and including every human tragedy in their presentations. As a commissioner, Mr. Berkowitz fulfilled his responsibility when he said, the Houston Holocaust Board is all inclusive and has members from many communities, and mentioned about the area in the Museum that displays how Muslims have gone out of their way in protecting Jews during the Holocaust. He said, removal of stereotyping is the way to go. Sir, I commend you for that and all the other good things you shared tonight. To me, a Pluralist who is committed to contributing his share towards inclusive societies, that one single statement of yours was powerful and I am thankful to the people who appointed you to be the commissioner. You have done justice to the job.
A school curriculum is in the making to be more inclusive and those who are concerned must be involved in the states education curriculum development. We are all humans and at times over look a different point of view. To have sustainable peace in societies, we must have inclusive education and you must be part of it. No stone should be left unturned.
I came out of the event with three things; as a human I can be a perpetrator, Victim, a bystander or a solution finder.
Since I have written about this month, a season of peace and non-violence, and have attended all the three events;
1) the III Annual Reflections on Holocaust and Genocides, Sunday, Jan 24, 2010
2) the Gay and Lesbian Holocaust March on Wednesday, Jan 27, 2010
3) the SMU/Holocaust Museum/ Memnosyne Foundation on Tuesday, Feb 23, 2010
I would just like to point out the wisdom in the inclusion; every one’s safety. As a Muslim my role is to mitigate conflicts and nurture goodwill and I will do my 1/7th billionth (World Population) of my share towards a safer world.
As an individual or as a nation, we need to be aware that we cannot be safe unless the people around us are not safe, we cannot have peace unless people around us don’t have it.
A full day conference is planned for Wednesday, January 26, 2011 to include and discuss every human tragedy, please submit a thoroughly researched 500 word abstract about the event you'd like to discuss to - HolocaustandGenocides@gmail.com.
Mike Ghouse, Chair
IV Annual Reflections on Holocaust and Genocides
http://www.holocaustandgenocides.com/
______________________________________________
On Tuesday evening (Feb. 23) at 7 p.m. at SMU's Hughes-Trigg Theater in the Hughes-Trigg Student Center, the Dallas Holocaust Museum Center for Education and Tolerance is hosting a special program exploring the role of the newly-established Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission. The program is free and open to the public, and complimentary valet parking is provided.
Thank Goodness the awareness of Holocaust and Genocides is increasing; from one event in 2007 to three events this year;
1) the III Annual Reflections on Holocaust and Genocides, Sunday, Jan 24, 2010
2) the Gay and Lesbian Holocaust March on Wednesday, Jan 27, 2010
3) the SMU/Holocaust Museum/ Memnosyne Foundation on Tuesday, Feb 23, 2010
Please note that Yom Ha-Shoah, also known as Holocaust Remembrance Day, occurs on the 27th of Nissan of Jewish Calendar and has been commemorated by the Jewish community for nearly fifty years the world over.
However the first program on Holocaust and Genocides for the general public took place in 2007, an initiative of American Muslims, striving to build responsible civic societies. The event was prompted by the UN Declaration to commemorate the day.
We hope, more of us would attend these events and learn to reflect upon the terrible things we humans have inflicted upon each other, to bring about a positive change. No community should bear the suffering alone; we all have to stand up, and be there for each other.
A full day conference is planned for Wednesday, January 26, 2011 to include and discuss every human tragedy, please submit a thoroughly researched 500 word abstract about the event you'd like to discuss to - HolocaustandGenocides@gmail.com.
Mike Ghouse
www.HolocaustandGenocides.com
PRESS RELEASE AT DALLAS MORNING NEWS
http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/02/program-at-smu-to-explore-texa.html
Program at SMU to explore Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission
4:05 PM Thu, Feb 18, 2010 Permalink Yahoo! Buzz
Sam Hodges/Reporter Bio E-mail News tips
The release below gives details on a fast-approaching program at Southern Methodist University:
On Tuesday evening (Feb. 23) at 7 p.m. at SMU's Hughes-Trigg Theater in the Hughes-Trigg Student Center (http://smu.edu/maps/flash/) , the Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance (www.dallasholocaustmuseum.org) is hosting a special program exploring the role of the newly-established Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission.
The program is free and open to the public, and complimentary valet parking is provided.
The Commission was established during the last session of the Legislature and signed into law last summer. State Sen. Florence Shapiro (R-Plano) and State Sen. Rodney Ellis (D-Houston) co-sponsored the bill creating the commission, which was passed unanimously.
Texas is the nation's 13th state to establish a commission or council devoted to Holocaust and genocide education. By law, the commission--considered the most important development in Holocaust education in Texas in years--is to help preserve information and experiences of the Holocaust and other genocide events. The commission will also work with organizations, agencies, museums, survivors and liberators to provide information and experiences and to coordinate memorial events in the state.
The SMU program will explore the commission's purpose in a Q&A format moderated by Texas Tribune Editor Evan Smith, formerly president and editor-in-chief of Texas Monthly. The panelists include Senator Shapiro; Peter Berkowitz, a Houston business executive who chairs the commission; Amy Fisher-Smith, an associate professor of psychology at University of Dallas, and a Holocaust educator; and Elliott Dlin, Museum Director of the Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance.
Texas is home to several hundred Holocaust survivors, and a few are expected to attend the event, co-sponsored by the Memnosyne Foundation (http://memnosynefoundation.org/) and the SMU Human Rights Program (http://smu.edu/humanrights/)
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COMMENTS, COURTESY OF DALLAS NEWS
Posted by Mike Ghouse @ 2:57 PM Sun, Feb 21, 2010
I am glad to see our state passed the bill to recognize Holocaust and Genocides. I hope Dallasites will take the time to attend the program and learn and reflect upon the terrible things that we humans have inflicted upon each other.
The Jewish community has borne the suffering of the Holocaust for over sixty years; it is time for us to share it. No community should bear the suffering alone; we all have to stand up, and be there for each other.
Thank God the awareness is increasing; from one event in 2006 by the American Muslims, it has grown to three events this year; the III Annual Reflections on Holocaust and Genocides on 24th, the Gay and Lesbian commeration on 27th and now this event by the Holocaust Museusm in collobration with the Memnosyne Foundation.
Holocaust was a major human tragedy and a failure of humanity.
And perhaps the first time in our history that we acknowledged the genocides of the indigenous Americans and Native peoples of Americas in a public forum along with other tragedies.
I want to applaud the people of Dallas for attending the event. They were Atheists, Bahai, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Wicca, Zoroastrians and from sevral ethnicities and nationalities.
It was an educational program, where 7 speakers reflected on 7 topics for 7 minutes each. Then 7 commentators made comments about 7 different situations. The topics ranged from the Holocaust to Genocides, massacres and tragedies.
Among Genocides, Massacres and other tragedies we reflected upon the Indigenous American people such as the Mayans, the Toltecs and the massacres of the Native people right here in Dallas, we touched upon Darfur, Polpot, Congo, Armenia, Rwanda, Falun Dafa, Burma, Tibet, Bosnia, India, Gaza and the transatlantic slave trade. Through these representative events, our goal was to reflect upon every human tragedy. The words do not describe the sufferings of people in full, we have to work with the limited choice of words, but have a big heart to feel the pain and suffering of every human being, not just my people or my tribe, but every one. Let there be one negative energy of suffering that we are part of, together we can work on getting out of it.
There is a shameless cruelty in us, either we shy away or some times refuse to acknowledge the sufferings of others, worrying that it will devalue our own or some how it amounts to infidelity to our own cause, and shame on us for justifying massacres that the victims deserved it or they asked for it.
We learned a few simple things that we can do to prevent such tragedies. It was a purposeful event to learn, acknowledge and reflect upon the terrible things that we humans have inflicted upon each other. We also learned that our safety hinges on the safety of all others around us.
We learned to see each other with dignity, and honor the otherness of other. Gatherings such as this offer hope and opportunity for a secure and a safer world.
Of the several acknowledgements, a few notable ones are;
1. other peoples suffering is as legitimate as ours;
2. some one related to us through faith, ethnicity, land mass or race has been a butcher too,
3. it takes courage to see ourselves as perpetrators, while it is easy to ourselves as victims;
4. we can see the light at the end of the tunnel when politics is stripped;
5. we can value others suffering without lessening our own;
6. the overriding desire to highlight my own gets softened, when we value others pain;
7. the sense of responsibility for creating a better world was present in us.
It is an initiative of American Muslims striving to build responsible civic societies. The event was organized by the Foundation for Pluralism, where co-existence is our value. We appreciate the sponsorship by the Center for Spiritual Living, all the three are Dallas based Organizations.
And to every community that has endured holocaust, genocides, massacres, bombs, annihilation, land mines, hunger, rape, torture, occupation and inhuman brutality, the least we can do in the process of healing is to acknowledge every one's pain in one room, as one people. We have to teach tolerance and acceptance.
We have begun the process of coming together as one people, to stand with you, we are indeed one world and one humanity, and caring for each other brings safety and peace to all of us. I cannot be safe if the people around me are not, and I will not have peace if people around me don't. It is in my interest to seek a peaceful world for one and all.
A full day conference is planned for Wednesday, January 26, 2011 to discuss every human tragedy, please submit a thoroughly researched 500 word abstract about the event you'd like to discuss to -HolocaustandGenocides@gmail.com
Mike Ghouse, Chair
Holocaust and Genocides
www.holocaustandGenocides.com
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Posted by Matthew Cappiello @ 5:01 PM Sun, Feb 21, 2010
Good to hear about this fantastic initiative!
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Posted by Len Ellis @ 7:57 PM Sun, Feb 21, 2010
Indeed, more education and information about these tragedies is of utmost importance. Without such, the possibility that these horrific events can occur again is real. I hope that along with the history, a great deal of attention is placed on what allowed these events to occur, mainly, that people watched and did nothing. When we see people being persecuted, when we see people denied basic human rights, we must raise our voices and say "no!" The mantra associated with The Holocaust is "Never Again", yet to be true to the to the call, requires first that we even know about what happened, and second, that each of us take responsibility for our role.
I applaud these educational and participatory events, I encourage all to attend, and to speak out and speak up, for these atrocities still occur in our world today.
Len Ellis
Dallas Peace Center
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Posted by Harbans Lal @ 12:22 AM Mon, Feb 22, 2010
Yes, we will attend. Sikhs are those who suffered because of religious and ethnic hatred. They like to join all to make it sure that the hatred is transformed into understanding of the human suffering all over the world. The idea of sharing the suffering of the world is a powerful one to move the world where such atrocities are never inflicted on any human being, and if and when it ever happens again, it may be shared by all.
Harbans Lal,
DFW Sikhs for Interfaith Understanding
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Posted by Surinder Kaul @ 8:47 AM Mon, Feb 22, 2010
As a Kashmiri Hindu, I applaud the mention of our plight at the reflection program on January 24, no one cares about our issue, it was a relief to see them mention it.
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Posted by Mike Ghouse @ 9:58 AM Tue, Feb 23, 2010
It is our duty, a moral obligation to acknolwedge the pain and suffering of all people. There is a shameless cruelty in us, either we shy away or some times refuse to acknowledge the sufferings of others, worrying that it will devalue our own or some how it amounts to infidelity to our own cause.
We all have to learn to see eye to eye, face to face, some one related to us via land mass, faith or race was a butcher, it does not mean, you and I are. We have to bring about a change by simply being human - feeling the pain of other no matter who it is, that is what makes us human.
We are looking forward to All day conference in January 2011 to acknowlege every human suffering, whether they are technically genocide or not. LIfe is precious and must be valued.
Mike Ghouse, Chair
Holocaust and Genocides
Dallas, Texas
www.HolocaustandGenocides.com
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Posted by CA Pramod Gupta @ 10:21 AM Tue, Feb 23, 2010
My heartiest wishes for the successful event ,of which I m assured when the mention of Mike Ghouse I see, as the chair,, and He is most update on the issues, and a crusader , and is persuasive in deliverance as I see him as a virtual friend,an epitome of unparalleled wisdom and heave in the betterment of humanity at large spiritedly .. GOd bless the event and the Mission , I m sure Hindus the world's most oppressed , would be able to raise their head with pride as they r the keeper of trait invaluable to the humanity ... "Tolerance" and the ancient believer and propounded "UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD" ,, with no riders.. but paying for it sadly .. the Order has to be reversed if humanity have to survive and espouse goodness.
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Posted by Barbara Thyab Ali @ 11:30 AM Tue, Feb 23, 2010
Dont forget how the Muslims were treated when the first fight for freedom was conducted... by Bahadur Shah!!! and his followers.... ever after that all Muslims where shun and doomed,,, not even given basic education or any signs of equality till date.... what a horrible fate they had ... even till today,.. many are being treated very badly.... all because some Muslims are "Terrorists" in todays world... yet all are looked upon and termed !!!!!!!! Yes !!! X or Y or Z.... for no crime or reason at all..... why should all the Muslims be branded as Terrorist today!!! Is there no one to stand up and question why??? Its high time we all jointly stop such form of persecution to the Indian Muslim of today...
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Posted by CA pramod Gupra @ 12:17 PM Tue, Feb 23, 2010
Barbara , U shirked to answer the empiric ,, evaporation of hindus almost total in other than India , and muslim exponential growth in India ,, is speaking loudly and the recent incidents of imposing jijiya and butchering beheading for refusing emabracing islam has caused the havoc .. and exposed why the evaporation occurred and thanx to Tasleema Nasreen for the expose in Banglaesh, sadly was dubbed criminally, coercively ..by progressibves, muslims, and pseudo secularist ( why there is no call whe tasleema exposed the mass raping and killing going on of hindus in Bangladesh ,a nd when M F husssin painted hindu goddesss, Mother India , in nude ,, and was dubbbed as objects of art , while cartoons make U cry and kill ppl indiscriminatey, the double standards , are exhorting Hindus to notice and rise, befittingly) .. and the leadership of ,Muslim had kept them alienated , and perpetuated their heinous designs, divisiveness on that foundation , while those who joined main stream has been able to decorate the highest offices at nation and apex courts beside others, a sign that only a predominantly hindu nation cud display with pride the mark f tolerance while the Muslim states , they purported to b secular played heinous in making hindus extinct, with terrorists attacking indian s , infiltrating and given local cover , by whom , U kbnow ! including the nationals of all muslim states wud put any muslim to shame, what to talk of seeing them elevated to the higher offices,a sham and shame exposed,, by all means .. a dark writing on the wall , the hindus r seeing as the recent paki- china - uS combine is also pushing the rot with vigor , against this tolerant clan ..
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Posted by Barbara Thyab Ali @ 3:12 AM Wed, Feb 24, 2010
Hello Dear,
I proudly declare that my entire family of Indian Muslims, are true followers of Islam, will never dare harm a single living creature of our creator.Many thousands of miles away from our Mother Land and yet getting rewards/ awards and certificates... decorated by the firms and companies they work at... best employee of the year, outstanding employee of the company, as asset to the firm, valuable employee of the company, best management head who has helped to keep the company afloat in this 100% recession, making heavy profits for the company...etc.,.. etc... all this in Australia today... Yes , I am a very proud mother of these four Indian Muslim Sons of mine, yet, they could not stay in India as there was nothing for them in India, being brought up in the Middle East , educated and earned their work experience outside India, 6 grand children -Indian Muslims too, and my three daughters in law are also doing so well in Australia in different fields of work, yet they too never wanted to remain in Inda all because of the differences shown to each one of them... all are highly educated too, like my family I wonder how many Indian Muslims have left our Mother land just because they too were being brushed with the same brush!!! that is still happening in India to all most 90% of decent, God Fearing Muslims....I am also getting ready to leave my mother land, with a heavy heart and much unwillingness, only because from Australia will I be able to meet each and every one who wishes to run down a Muslim in this world today... Australia has started to offer dual passports!!!!
Praying that all the Hindus will also re-unite and form one big united family soon... united we stand, divided we fall...
Bye
Barbara.
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Posted by Mike Ghouse @ 11:47 AM Wed, Feb 24, 2010
POST EVENT UPDATE
The panel at the program last night included Hon. Senator Shapiro, Hon. Peter Berkowitz, Dr. Amy Fisher-Smith, Dr. Elliott Dlin and a few other good hearted people.
I want to laud the effort of Senators Rodney Ellis and Florence Shapiro for getting the legislation to pass the Texas Holocaust and Genocides commission and thank every one involved to make this happen.
The panel at the program last night included Hon. Senator Shapiro, Hon. Peter Berkowitz, Dr. Amy Fisher-Smith, Dr. Elliott Dlin and a few other leaders of the community.
Senator Florence Shapiro is a rare politician who took the question of Mary Ann Thompson-Frenk head on; when asked about the investors and corporations who have a vested interest in the continuance of the conflicts; she responded by the divestment measures taken and that can be taken on the investment of public funds.
Peter Berkowitz addressed my question of Stereotyping squarely, and I admire him for that. When I mentioned to him that preventing Genocides and Holocaust is the responsibility of whole humanity and Muslims have not only taken part in human rights issues but are seriously involved in educating Dallas Public, across the board in general and Muslims in particular for years by reflecting on Holocaust and Genocides. They are in the forefront in criticizing Holocaust deniers and including every human tragedy in their presentations. As a commissioner, Mr. Berkowitz fulfilled his responsibility when he said, the Houston Holocaust Board is all inclusive and has members from many communities, and mentioned about the area in the Museum that displays how Muslims have gone out of their way in protecting Jews during the Holocaust. He said, removal of stereotyping is the way to go. Sir, I commend you for that and all the other good things you shared tonight. To me, a Pluralist who is committed to contributing his share towards inclusive societies, that one single statement of yours was powerful and I am thankful to the people who appointed you to be the commissioner. You have done justice to the job.
A school curriculum is in the making to be more inclusive and those who are concerned must be involved in the states education curriculum development. We are all humans and at times over look a different point of view. To have sustainable peace in societies, we must have inclusive education and you must be part of it. No stone should be left unturned.
I came out of the event with three things; as a human I can be a perpetrator, Victim, a bystander or a solution finder.
Since I have written about this month, a season of peace and non-violence, and have attended all the three events;
1) the III Annual Reflections on Holocaust and Genocides, Sunday, Jan 24, 2010
2) the Gay and Lesbian Holocaust March on Wednesday, Jan 27, 2010
3) the SMU/Holocaust Museum/ Memnosyne Foundation on Tuesday, Feb 23, 2010
I would just like to point out the wisdom in the inclusion; every one’s safety. As a Muslim my role is to mitigate conflicts and nurture goodwill and I will do my 1/7th billionth (World Population) of my share towards a safer world.
As an individual or as a nation, we need to be aware that we cannot be safe unless the people around us are not safe, we cannot have peace unless people around us don’t have it.
A full day conference is planned for Wednesday, January 26, 2011 to include and discuss every human tragedy, please submit a thoroughly researched 500 word abstract about the event you'd like to discuss to - HolocaustandGenocides@gmail.com.
Mike Ghouse, Chair
IV Annual Reflections on Holocaust and Genocides
www.HolocaustandGenocides.com
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