THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 11, 1995 TAG: 9510100082
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY GARY EDWARDS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
Marshall Feldman is a doctor of chiropractic by profession, a staunch believer in participatory democracy by principle.
The latter inclination led him to join 42 other Beach residents in discussing just what American choices will mean in the near future and in the next century. Feldman and his fellows met last week in the Central Library auditorium. The public debate, the first of four 21st Century Choices lectures, addressed the topic, ``What is America and What do we Want it to be?''
Feldman was the spokesman for one of the four groups looking at the nation's role in the world. Feldman and nine other group members were asked by Michael Thro, a Tidewater Community College professor and the facilitator of the discussion, to develop an advocacy position of standing up for democracy and stressing human rights around the world.
The lively discussion that ensued showed that grass-roots politics might be more alive and well than many expect.
Fred Adams expressed reservations about the desirability of spreading American democracy as he thinks it's practiced here. ``Do we think we can inject other cultures with democracy? Will they find it soothing?'' It's easy to ignore that American policies sometimes have a ``dark shadow side,'' he added.
Definitions and priorities differed.
Regent University student Melody McDonald said that human rights should reign supreme in any global effort at democracy. ``Certain rights are inalienable and should be extended toward everyone,'' she said.
``One inalienable right - the right to life'' should be a foremost consideration, McDonald said, adding that if America tries to export democracy, it should do so in the name of ``alleviating tyranny.''
Judy Schooley and Mary Urabaczewski voiced concern about economic inequities.
They stressed that one person's freedom ends where it violates another's rights.
Should the United States support countries that use sweat shop labor to produce cheap products and import them to America, they wanted to know.
City Councilman Robert K. Dean stressed economic necessities, saying that having people eating and living well is the best pitch for democracy.
Though the debate was spirited, the discussion remained civil and well thought out.
That was a primary goal of the 21st Century Choices lectures, said John Stewart and Thro.
Stewart, assistant director of city libraries, hosted the event and expressed optimism after the two-hour discussion. He said it was noteworthy that people could talk about sensitive or controversial issues without rancor.
The next meeting will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday in Meeting Room A at the Central Library. The topic will be ``The Search for Peace in an Age of Conflict.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by GARY EDWARDS
Forty-two Beach residents, working in discussion groups with a
facilitator, addressed the topic, ``What is America and What do we
Want it to be?,'' in the Central Library auditorium.
KEYWORDS: COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS PUBLIC JOURNALISM by CNB