THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 1, 1995 TAG: 9509290195
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY GARY EDWARDS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Short : 50 lines
Michael Thro has traveled the world as a military man, a teacher and visitor. Starting Thursday, he will use those experiences to lead a four-part discussion on foreign policy at the Central Library.
``Choices for the 21st Century'' is the subject of the series, which is free and open to the public.
The first installment will be ``What Is America And What Do We Want It To Be?'' Participants will debate the pros and cons and offer different views of our nation's future.
Subsequent lectures will be held Oct. 12 and 26 and Nov. 9. All discussions will start at 7 p.m.
Thro, an associate professor at Tidewater Community College, learned of the series through an announcement sent to the school.
Thro indicated an interest in participating and went through orientation at the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities.
``They wanted someone who is not an expert, and that applies to me,'' Thro said. ``That's one of the advantages of being a generalist, a liberal arts graduate.''
Thro has been brushing up on foreign policy and has been struck by the difficulties in choices facing those who must make foreign policy decisions - ``the notion that every issue has a win/loss, upside/downside nature.''
The ramifications of each decision must be considered, he said.
The lecture series was organized by Virginia Beach Public Libraries.
``We took an opportunity offered to us by the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities,'' explained Library Assistant Director John Stewart. ``The concept of discussing foreign policy on the local level was developed by Brown University. It has been under way for two years, but this is the first time it will be offered in Virginia.''
The model was tested in five or six states during its first year, Stewart added. Its success showed the possibility of local residents talking about foreign policy, and other matters, in a civil manner.
A reader written by two Brown professors can be obtained by those who register in advance. MEMO: For more information, call John Stewart at 427-4321.
by CNB