As part of nationwide series of town hall meetings designed to raise global awareness and to consider the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Americans for Informed Democracy (AID) sponsored a town hall meeting on relations between the United States and the Muslim world Tuesday. Over 100 people attended the event in the Hassenfeld Conference Center. AID, a non-partisan organization dedicated to educating others about America's role in the world, included six speakers on the basis of their fields of expertise and experience with American policy in the Muslim world, according to Sayeda Haq, a second-year Ph.D. Heller School student.

"The panelists discussed the root cause of terrorism from a historic point of view and at a highly academic level," said Haq, who organized the event along with Elnaz Zarrini '06 and Katie Jumper '05.

Ali Banuazizi, a professor of cultural psychology at Boston College expressed skepticism about the United States' war on terror.

"The war on terrorism has become an excuse and a license to proclaim moral superiority over many segments of the world and to promote objectives that go well beyond the fighting of terrorists," he said.

Instead of advocating war, Banuazizi said, other methods are needed to reach a level of understanding within the Islamic world.

"I think what is needed is reason, discernment and attention to history and background in analysis of this situation," he said.

Prof. Olga Davidson (WMNS) discussed the importance of democracy in restoring peaceful relations with hostile nations.

"In times like this it's easy to lose hope," Davidson said. "In times like this I think the only hope is democracy."

Julian Hollick, an award-winning producer and writer of radio documentaries about Islam and Asia, said the real difference between Americans and most of the Muslim world stems from cultural differences.

Elinor Stout, a director of the support group Families of Sept. 11, discussed how the United States needs to develop its communication skills to bring about a greater cultural understanding between the East and the West.

"I was absolutely so stunned to see others use airplanes as bombs," Stout said. "And for what purpose?"

Stout-whose son died at the World Trade Center, leaving behind a wife and two daughters-called the United States' recovery from the attacks as "a journey of hope, not hate."

Prof. David Gil of the Heller School said that terrorism, which he calls "counter-violence," is a reaction to suppression,

"Terrorism is a reaction to being violent," Gil said. "The violation is violence on all levels. Violence breeds more violence. What is the contribution of the U.S. to counter this?"

After the panelists spoke there was a question-and-answer session that focused on the prospects of the future of Islam, the value of democracy in reforming regimes and the importance of promoting meaningful discussion.

Several people in attendance asked how well American-style democracy would fare in the Muslim world.

"It's not enough to understand one side or the other," Gil said. "What is necessary is to begin to identify as citizens of the world-to respect the differences.