Cathedral Hosts Discussion on US & Iran

I gave a tour of the National Cathedral to some friends yesterday morning and discovered that tomorrow night - Monday, October 29 from 7:30 to 9:30 pm, the Cathedral will host a panel discussion entitled, "The U.S. and Iran: A Difficult History." It will be in the nave and is free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are required.

The bellicose language coming from government officials frightens. I plan to go to broaden my understanding. And I wanted to share news of this interesting event.

Here's the full text of the invite:
Join us for an evening of respectful engagement and open discussion between representatives from the U.S. and Iran where we will focus on the historical dynamics that frame the current relationship between these two countries. Congressman Wayne T. Gilchrest (R-MD) will serve as moderator.

Questions for discussion include "How did the relationship get to this point?" and "Is it possible to have honesty in this relationship?" We will also explore Iranians' lingering grievances wiht and perceptions of Americans after the 1953 CIA-backed coup and , conversely, the grievances American may hold against Iran including and beyond the 1979 hostage crisis.

Representatives from both sides will talk openly about what lies behind the antagonism between the two countries and discuss constructive ideas and solutions for moving forward. Panelists include

• Bruce Laingen, former Iran hostage and State Department official
• Stephen Kinzer, former New York Times bureau chief and author of All The Shah's Men
• Trita Parsi, president of the National Iranian American Council and author of Treacherous Alliance: the Secret Dealings of Isreal, Iran and the United States.
• Dr. Abbas Amanat, Iran scholar, professor of history at Yale University and author of In Search of Modern Iran: Authoriy, Nationhood and Culture.

Please let me know if you plan to attend, and I'll look for you.