WASHINGTON (FinalCall.com) -- The first of a series of town hall meetings around the United States sponsored by the Nation of Islam took place on July 24 at the historic Lincoln Theater in northwest Washington.

Centered around the call for congressional hearings on the question of war or peace, the �Citizen Town Hall Meeting,� chose peace.

�We are those who are concerned about the future of our nation and the future of the world. We know that we have to take charge of our own affairs. It is up to us,� Nation of Islam national spokesman Abdul Alim Muhammad told the audience in his welcoming remarks.

�We are trying to stand up as a community and lift up our voices for that which is right,� he said, calling the session, �the first of active mobilizations that will culminate this October in a massive peace rally and demonstration led by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan.�

The meeting, moderated by National Spokesman Min. Jamil Muhammad, was divided into two major discussions: �War and Peace: We must Choose,� and �Homeland Security: The Loss of Civil Liberties and Constitutional Rights.� Panel participants included Prof. Eli Tubman of Sojourner Truth College (Baltimore, Md.); Lynne Speed of Executive Intelligence Review (EIR) and the Schiller Institute; Damu Smith of Black Voices for Peace; Nation of Islam General Counsel Abdul Arif Muhammad and attorney/activist E. Faye Williams.

�The events of the past few days, weeks and months revealed in no uncertain terms how serious and how grave the issues of war and peace are, and how paramount it is to take decisive action to push the warmongers away and lift up voices for decency and peace,� said Mr. Smith. �The tragic events of Sept. 11 have roots in the barbaric nature of U.S. policy.  It is the policy of this country that has driven a number of people in the world to desperate acts.�

Mr. Smith told the audience that his opposition to war is not to justify the killing of innocents associated with the terrorist attack on the World trade Center, Pentagon and the downing of commercial airliners, but it is �to make the point that we must contextualize and what would drive a group of people to do this.�

The foreign policies of the U.S. government in the Middle East, Africa and Asia are primarily self-serving and lack respect for national rights of sovereignty and self-determination, panelists concurred.

�Historically, for the last 2,000 years, our people have been used as cannon-fodder for European wars,� said Prof. Tubman. �Just because a Black man is appointed foreign minister, secretary of state, head of the U.S. Army, head of the British Army, that does not mean that that person is advancing Black folks.�

Prof. Eli urged the audience, predominantly Black, to respect their own voice and empower themselves. �You are a minority in America, but remember so are Whites in South Africa and they rule wickedly.� Just imagine what can be done in righteousness, he proposed.

�This nation belongs to us, let us take it back now,� said Ms. Speed. �You can create a situation where people are capable of grasping great and impassioned ideas, respecting man�s nature at an unprecedented rate.  I believe we are in such a revolutionary moment right now. The question now is, are the people here ready to take the leadership to read, to study, to understand what is going on and organize around that principle?�

Questions in the audience ranged from how can people stop children from going to war and who homeland security is really designed for?

�The government is now openly talking about making postal worker spies, sending agents into the mosques and into community meetings.  You need to be very clear on Homeland Security as well as counter-intelligence programs where citizens� rights, especially ours, are in jeopardy in the event that things escalate,� Min. Arif said.

Regional Minister Abdul Khadir Muhammad told The Final Call that he was pleased to host the first of such meetings and each major city within his region can expect one in their area very soon.

�Eric T.  Muhammad

Photo( L-R) Professor Eli Tubman,Soujourner Douglass College, Lynne Speed of  EIR/Schiller Institute and Nation of Islam National Spokesman Jamil Muhammad. (Credit: Eric Ture Muhammad)