The Need and Importance of Civilian "Diplomacy"

Thomas Jefferson contended that an "enlightened citizenry" is required to maintain democracy. Such civic knowledge seems woefully lacking presently in many such segments of American society. Numerous factors are responsible.

(1) Educational institutions now seem to focus more on job preparation than on humanities, history, and ethics as vital for creating humane citizens.

(2) Major sources of "news" for most Americans are the commercial radio and TV stations. Much program time is given to "infotainment," little for foreign affairs in depth. Government "handouts" are presented with little critical questioning. Investigative journalism and foreign correspondents have been reduced. Panelists rarely are persons who "think outside the conventional box," ask fundamental questions or challenge official assumptions.

(3) The U.S. government's penchant for secrecy has increased since WWII, even more so since 9/11. {Ed. note: The Freedom of Information Act was under attack by the previous Administration.}

(4) American news media have consolidated into four or five huge corporations that control hundreds of TV and radio stations and other information sources. Congressional legislation and FCC regulations have permitted expanded concentration of communications power in recent years. CBS is owned by Viacom, and has had 200 affiliated TV stations and 180 radio stations. Viacom has published 2000 titles annually, and has owned Paramount Films and Blockbuster Video.

While there are numerous alternative sources of information, many Americans are not aware of them. Some lack financial capacity to subscribe, and local libraries often do not include them.

Vital sources of information are those non official citizens who go abroad on fact-finding endeavors, alone or with non-governmental organizations (NGO's). Some travel to forbidden destinations in defiance of our government's regulations that can penalize such citizens with imprisonment and heavy fines.

In the earlier days of our Republic, citizens could travel freely to any country that would admit them, and return home again without penalties. Article 13, sentence 2, of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: "Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his (sic) own, and to return to his country."

At the World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna, June 1993, Secretary of State Warren Christopher asserted: "The United States will never join those who would undermine the Universal Declaration...."

However, in recent years, our government has denied such "freedom to travel" to citizens repeatedly, with regard to North Vietnam, North Korea, Libya, Cuba, and Iraq, among others. Many persons and NGO's, not wishing to legitimate these violations of international law by seeking permission from the Treasury Department to go and return, have challenged such prohibitions directly. Without "unofficial civilian diplomacy," Americans would be limited to the government's "facts" and "interpretations," as information about such designated foreign nations.

Former Attorney General Ramsey Clark has visited Iraq and Cuba. Kathy Kelly's Voices in the Wilderness group has led hundreds of citizens to Iraq, verifying the million civilian deaths caused by the UN-US embargo. A Minnesota chapter of Veterans for Peace has conducted a water project, repairing two treatment facilities that served more than 20,000 persons. Pastors for Peace has delivered computers, tools and other goods to Central America, especially Nicaragua, and Clark and the Voices group have also delivered medical supplies to Iraq and Cuba.

John Swomley, a former Fellowship of Reconciliation leader and human rights leader, visited North Korea twice, writing and speaking widely about knowledge gained. Jesse Jackson visited some Islamic Middle East nations and secured the release of several political prisoners. He visited Cuba in 1989, bringing about some relaxations for "religious believers" of mainline churches, well before the Pope's visit to Cuba.

Thousands of American citizens traveled with fact-finding groups to areas of conflict or world concern for which travel was not officially restricted. The Fellowship of Reconciliation's Task Force on Latin America and the Caribbean (FOR-- TFLAC) sent six international delegations of inquiry to Panama in the 1990s. They investigated and monitored the U.S. compliance with the 1977 Carter-Torrijos Canal Treaty, extracting formerly "secret" weapon testing information via the Freedom of Information Act. Troops were to be removed, bases closed, and toxic debris eliminated. (The toxics requirement was not satisfied.) The FOR-TFLAC sent four international fact-finding groups to Puerto Rico and Vieques. They secured data and provided support to the Puerto Rican colony's opposition to the U.S. military's continued bombing since 1946 near the 10,000-civilian community. The Navy was forced to close the Vieques base.

Medea Benjamin's Global Exchange has arranged for many U.S. citizens to visit countries in the "twothirds" world, observing the consequences of First World's commercial and governmental policies and practices. Witness for Peace nationally, and Augsburg's Center for Global Education have conducted thousands of Americans to Haiti, the war-torn Central American countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua, plus countries in Africa and elsewhere. An increasing number of American students are studying briefly abroad, now increasingly in "Third World" countries.

These citizens have returned home to share their acquired information with their families, neighbors, churches, schools and civic groups helping alter public opinion and pressuring Congress to alter U.S. policies.

Amy Goodman, of Democracy Now radio, has courageously been twice to East Timor (once being seriously injured for her presence). She brings eye witnesses directly to national community radio audiences. The Christian Peacemakers in Israel and Palestine have upset the Israeli military by their audacious challenges to the tanks, bypassing them to provide nonviolent support to those on the receiving end of the firepower.

Former President Jimmy Carter has used his grant of free access and free speech in Cuba to address the Cubans and convey his impressions and recommendations to Americans. (Regrettably, President Bush stated in advance that, no matter what Carter might report, there would be no change in U.S. policy toward Cuba.) The Carter Center in Atlanta also has monitored elections in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, reporting on those political processes. Jimmy Carter, before and since being President, has gleaned knowledge of the Middle East and published widely a "balanced" view.

Although the Peace Corps officially is to "advance US foreign policies," those volunteers return home with "new, better informed selves."

These unofficial civilian diplomats have served important civic functions in helping American citizens understand other nations in a conflict-ridden world. They have returned home with useful and alternative perspectives about the roles of Numero Uno internationally.

It is important also for our children to understand that we were not content "not to know" and "not to act" now and for their future. These deputations, "legal" or not, enable all of us to view other sides, to discover the humanity of those our nation has defined as the "Other."

This article was originally published The Human Quest, Nov/Dec 2002. This 2009 version has been edited/updated from the original publication.