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About 150 people attended the Vista Community College Teach In on Friday that provided alternative perspectives of the events of Sept. 11 as well as better understanding of potential impacts of any future U.S. military actions. 

“As an education community we need to respond to the events of Sept. 11 by providing information that will allow people to think critically and to start dialogue where people with different perspectives can be heard,” said Joan Berezin, a Vista history instructor who was an organizer of the event. “Most importantly we need to take a stand against racism and intolerance and do what we can to build a hate-free community.” 

Vista, which is one of four community colleges in the Peralta Community College District, began organizing the event, entitled Teach In, Speak Out, three days after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania. The Teach In was open to the public but was primarily attended by Vista students. 

An impressive list of 21 speakers – including Vista instructors, civil rights attorneys, journalists and authors – were scheduled to speak at the Teach In which began at 2 p.m. and was scheduled to end at 10 p.m. Food Not Bombs provided participants with a free dinner. 

Speakers covered a wide range of issues related to the attacks, including how civil liberties might be affected, the threat to immigrants’ rights and a historical perspective of Afghanistan and its ruling government, the Taliban. 

History and political science teacher Michael Mills said it’s important for people to attempt to understand the mindset of Middle Eastern countries and their relationship with the United States. He said Americans should try to understand why some Arab nations are reluctant to support the United States as it prepares to take military action against Osama bin Laden and possibly the Taliban. 

“We often think that as Americans our needs or interests are paramount,” Mills said. “We tend to discount that these countries have needs as well.” 

Mills added that the relationship between Arab states and the United States has often been characterized by tension because of different perspectives of history. 

Philosophy and Religion Instructor Kyle Dupen explained to a standing-room-only crowd the origins, tenets and practices of the Islam faith. Much of his talk was geared toward dispelling myths and misunderstandings about the widely practiced religion. 

“Many people believe that Muslim is synonymous with Arab,” he said. “The origins of Islam come from the Arabic culture but in fact, it is practiced by millions of people, many who are not Arabic.” 

Dennis Bernstein, journalist and host of the KPFA program Flashpoints, was scheduled to discuss how the media is demonizing South East Asians and the poor media coverage of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Tajikistan. 

“I will also be talking about the question that mainstream media refuses to ask, which is ‘why did this happen?’” he said Friday morning before his talk at the Teach In. “People should pursue alternative sources of information so they have the broadest perspective possible.” 

Bernstein said some good alternative publications are The Progressive, The Nation and In These Times. He added that if readers prefer mainstream news sources such as the New York Times, they should also read the London Independent to add a European perspective. 

Among handouts given to participants was a list of standards to non-credible information sources on the Web. The handout advised Web surfers to pay attention to the background of Web authors, to make sure the site contained contact information such as an e-mail or regular mail addresses or phone numbers. In addition any organizations connected to Web stories should be credible. 

Vista student Erin Palmquist, said the most important thing that people could take away from the Teach In will be tolerance. 

“The main thing that should be accomplished today is a hate-free environment at Vista College,” she said.