SAINT PETER’S PROFESSOR TO PARTICIPATE IN
TERRORISM DOCUMENTARY DISCUSSION PANEL
March 11, 2003— Jersey City, NJ– Saint Peter’s College Criminal Justice Program Coordinator Dr. Hank Brightman will be one of four panelists participating in a post-screening discussion of the documentary “Terror Town: Jersey City, USA”. The film, which was written, produced, and directed by Libby McDonald, will be screened on Wednesday, March 12th at 7 p.m. at Victory Hall, 186 Grand Street, in Jersey City, New Jersey. The event is free and open to the public
The purpose of the film is to highlight the tensions that existed between Muslims and non-Muslims in the days, weeks, and months following the World Trade Center attack on September 11, 2001.
Immediately following the screening, a four-person panel comprised of Islamic Imam Al Hayek of Union City, President Elnora Watson of the Urban League of Hudson County, Seton Hall University Law Professor Ed Harnett, and Dr. Brightman will discuss a wide range of issues ranging from perceptions of stigmatization within the Muslim community, adjacent urban and suburban neighborhood reactions, implications of the USA Patriot Act upon Arab Americans and controversies in intelligence gathering and analysis in the War on Terrorism.
The discussion portion of the program, which will be facilitated by professional mediator Roger Deitz, will allow members of the audience to ask questions of the panel and share their thoughts and impressions of the film with the filmmaker.
This will be the third and final screening of this film prior to its release. Brightman and several other discussion panel members also participated in earlier screenings in Paterson and Piscataway. The project was funded through a grant provided by the New Jersey Council for the Humanities.
Saint Peter’s College is the Jesuit College of New Jersey. Founded in 1872, Saint Peter’s has an enrollment of more than 3,000 students in undergraduate and graduate programs. The main campus is located in Jersey City and a branch campus, specializing in adult education, is located in Englewood Cliffs. Saint Peter’s also offers classes in downtown Jersey City near the waterfront financial district.