Fear and Civil Liberties

On October 20, 2008, the Maine Humanities Council hosted a symposium entitled Fear, Civil Liberties, and the Rule of Law. The program began with an overview of the topic by Joel Rosenthal, President of the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, and member of the Maine Humanities Council board. Rosenthal is a frequent lecturer and writer on ethics, U.S. foreign policy, and international relations.

The next speaker in the program was Jeff McCausland, U.S. Army Colonel (Retired) and Carnegie Council Senior Fellow. During his military career, McCausland served in a variety of command and staff positions both in the United States and Europe, including as Director for Defense Policy and Arms Control on the National Security Council Staff during the Kosovo crisis. He has published and lectured broadly on military affairs, European security issues, the Gulf War, and leadership throughout the United States and abroad.

The program concluded with a panel discussion moderated by Joel Rosenthal. Panelists Shenna Bellows (Executive Director of the Maine Civil Liberties Union), Paula Silsby (U.S. Attorney for Maine), and Steve Podgajny (Executive Director, Portland Public Library) explored what the pressure on civil liberties means for Americans.

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