Revolutionary change is sweeping the Middle East and North Africa; in some countries triggering massive outbreaks of violence; in others a more peaceful transition.
Can the fairly peaceful changes achieved in Egypt and Tunisia be achieved across the region or will Libya and Bahrain be the model? And why are there such decided differences in how leadership reacted to their peoples’ protests?
Panelists Include:
- Jim Falk: President/CEO of the World Affairs Council-Dallas Ft. Worth,
- Radwan Masmoudi, PhD: President of The Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy and
- Tod Robberson: Pulitzer Prize Winner, Dallas Morning News Editorial writer
Join us as panelists talk about what makes each country different; the possibility of real democracies emerging and what led to the continuing wave of uprisings.
Tod Robberson and Jim Falk, remind us that the various countries in the Middle East and North Africa are not monolithic. Each has their own distinct cultural differences , languages and society. Egypt and Tunisia, largely homogenous countries, with clear national identities and substantially well developed civil societies, would of course react differently than the more heterogenous societies found in Yemen, Libya, Sudan , Iraq, where the varied social, cultural, tribal ethnic and religious structures of each country, their degree of economic, development, leadership and other factors greatly influence how changes of this magnitude are viewed and acted upon. Tod says, “leaders are two-faced and that is part of the problem.”
One of the questions asked is one that many Americans take issue with, Islam and democracy. The issue raised, “will present conflicts lead to more democratic societies?”
I first met Dr. Masmoudi three years ago, when I was working on a new documentary; Divergent Voices, Seeking Democracy in the Middle East. He hosted a conference on Islam and Democracy, and I had the opportunity to interview several of his speakers from, Egypt and the Muslim Brotherhood to American Muslims and invited him to take part. Dr. Masmoudi voices a very strong “yes”. In fact he challenges the myth that Islamic societies cannot be democracies and reminds us of Turkey, Senegal, Malaysia and Indonesia and others who in fact have made that transition.
Jim Falk reminds us that some of the conflicts have perhaps been “influenced ” by technology. In Tunisia, former US Ambassador to Tunisia, Robert Godek’s messages were “exposed” on Wiki Leaks. Al Arabiya and is showing the reality of the situation as never before. In Egypt- the Internet was actually shut down for 48 hours, causing numerous challenges to business and banking. He believes that technology, from satellite TV to Al Jazeera, is a pivotal driving force to change. The masses are seeing what actually happens in oppressive governments and reacting accordingly.
The outcome: people are excited about the possibilities they see. They are fed up with 30 some odd years of oppression and want a voice.
Stay tuned for Part Two- as we discuss that voice and its importance…
Written by Niki Nicastro McCuistion Executive Producer/ Producer
Libya has deteriorated into civil war; European and American forces have intervened and remarkable events are shaping the Middle East. And while many hoped that the situations in Tunisia and Egypt would be a model throughout the region, Bahrain, Yemen, Syria, Libya and others have a different foundation for the way events are taking shape.
Joining us for Part Two of Why Should We Care About the Middle East are our guests from Part One:
- Jim Falk: President/CEO of the World Affairs Council/ Dallas Ft Worth;
- Dr. Radwan Masmoudi: President/ CEO of The Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy and
- Tod Robberson: Editorial columnist and Pulitzer prize winning journalist with the Dallas Morning News.
Mr. Robberson, who has extensive background in the region, comments on the historical parallels to the Spanish Civil War; a dominant entity in power, ruthless forces, and opposition from many different groups trying to find a uniformity of command make it very difficult for a smooth transition to take place in Libya.
The situation is of course, chaotic, difficult and unpredictable as a result. Jim Falk, who has lived in Tunisia, comments on the homogeneous populations of countries like Tunisia and Egypt, which made the transition flow more effectively than Libya’s; that a very tribal society.
Dr. Masmoudi predicted the future when he stated that the International community has a moral obligation to interfere in Libya for many reasons. First that the country is run by a madman, intent on killing his people, that Gadhafi is a dictator who has built the government around him as the central figure so there is no real government, no real army, institutions are weak and “if the international community does not interfere we may have a humanitarian tragedy.”
As Jim Falk comments, in Tunisia and Egypt it was the army that told the leaders to step down, such is not a possibility in Libya and other countries in the region.Tod Robberson is also concerned regarding America, European and UN intervention, which could cheapen the effect of the citizen revolutions. He cautions that we proceed slowly and not dampen the euphoria of the people who have worked hard for democratic outcomes, “have sacrificed their lives and who are not going to trade one restrictive power for another.”
Jim Falk counsels: “We can’t engineer these elections. We’ve done that in the past and it never works.”
The concern throughout the world is the possibility of more violent extremism as a result of the abusive, oppressive regimes in question. Will the countries in the region be able to transition to democracy, which is wanted by so many of its citizens? Or will slogans and violence prevail?
Join us as we keep talking about things that matter with people who care…
Niki Nicastro McCuistion
Executive Producer/ Producer
In Part One of this program the guests discussed the costs and causes of addiction. One point stood out: that addiction is a chronic brain disease. As such, one time treatment is not going to stop addiction. Dr. Kevin Gilliland makes a key statement, that 80% of those who leave treatment relapse in 2-3 months. Initial treatment is only the start – then it gets tough.
Panelists include:
- Christopher Kennedy Lawford – Actor, Author and Public Advocacy Consultant for Caron Treatment Centers; New York Times bestselling author of Symptoms of Withdrawal: A Memoir of Snapshots and Redemption and Moments of Clarity: Voices from the Front Lines of Addiction and Recovery
- Kevin Gilliland, Psy.D- Clinical Psychologist and CEO of Innovation 360
- Bill Teuteburg – Interventionist associated with The Caron Foundation and a long term residential program known as Renaissance.
Christopher Kennedy Lawford talks about his history: family issues, the brutal assassinations of his famous uncles, John F. Kennedy (JFK) and Robert Kennedy, his parent’s divorce, and how as a 13 year old kid he looked for a way out. He was angry, he was terrified and drugs and alcohol were a way out. He mentions, “drugs allow us to deal with the world, then it takes you down this horrible path.” Chris, successfully in recovery, believes we have a responsibility to look at the disease and treat it. He claims it is often misunderstood and in fact still a stigma we don’t want to deal with. He predicts that someday people will routinely say, “I’m a drug addict or I’m an alcoholic.”
Bill Teuteberg talks about intervention and its many forms. He tells us that intervention used to have a negative connotation and is now developing a positive one. “When you love someone, (intervention) is stepping up to the plate and telling someone, we’re afraid of losing you.” Intervention is many things and more than just about the person needing treatment. It’s also about what to do when there’s nothing left to do, when the pain for everyone is overwhelming, when so many things have been tried and do not work…
Dr. Kevin Gilliland counsels that treatment includes Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), support groups, therapists and physicians. It is not just being sober in between relapses. He believes the way we think concerning addiction is a challenge. Often times people will assume that you can simply stop addiction by making one decision. However, it’s not simply an “episode” that once someone receives treatment, it’s over. In truth, once one gets treatment the chapter is just beginning.
Christopher Lawford Kennedy says, “until they diagnose themselves (an addict), is not going to get sober.” It’s about the addict saying, “I’m an addict. I’m an alcoholic.”
Bill tells us that no one ever does anything about addiction until there is a challenge, a consequence, “there has to be some kind of crisis.”
Chris says, “It’s like an elevator going down. I hit bottom for 9 years before I got sober.”
The guests talk about the psychic change that must occur before one can get sober, that there is a spiritual solution to the disease as well and anything else will fail, without this component. We learn that the family of the addict is sometimes just as sick, if not sicker.
Bill tells us, “I refuse to do an intervention until someone in the family agrees to get treatment.” In fact, he tells us some families enter treatment in the same way the addict does.
Chris emphasizes that, “AA is the biggest social invention since Christ. It has helped more people than any other program combined.”
Bill says,
“It’s the hardest disease to raise money for. No one wants to be the poster child for alcoholism. We learn that 2.2 million people a year seek treatment for their disease- a small fraction of those afflicted. And while there are over 13,000 specialty clinics in the US, 54% have no physician on staff.
Yet, Dr. Gilliland raises some hope,
“In the past 15 years 3 medications for treatment have been approved by the FDA… more than in the last 50 years.” He says that pills are not going to solve everything, “but they help address the symptoms. It adds up to more sober and clean days and the more sober and clean days, the better the prognosis.”
Christopher Lawford counsels that society needs to have compassion. And the panelists tell us that until one is ready to stop addiction, to make a change, and accept responsibility to make that change… nothing will happen.
Bill asserts, “I was in 4 treatment centers in my life. The rooms of AA are where I got sober. You can’t do it alone.”
Tune in for some sound information on what to do about addiction and how to look for help as panelists discuss how to stop addiction and offer hope.
Niki Nicastro McCuistion
Executive Producer/Producer
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