The SMU Coalition for Peace will hold a forum Thursday to discuss the case for war with Iraq.

Bonnie Wheeler, associate professor and director of Medieval studies, co-founded the coalition with other faculty in response to a growing concern that an impending war with Iraq was moving too swiftly and without much thought to the consequences.

“[The coalition] seemed to evolve naturally,” she said.

The coalition, composed of more than 50 faculty members, hopes the forum will inspire students to start petitions opposing the war.

“Most of us have not felt since Vietnam that the American future was as on the line as it is now,” Wheeler said. “This feels like an act of invasion, not self-defense.”

Moumita Rahman, junior history major and president of the SMU chapter of Amnesty International, agrees with Wheeler.

“War will most definitely cause even more human rights violations and abuses to occur,” she said.

Rahman said she is happy to see the faculty taking an interest in issues on campus.

“[The forum] definitely gives the peace movement on campus a sense of legitimacy,” Rahman said. “It’s good to know our concerns aren’t unfounded.”

Members of the coalition come from all areas of the university and include Clements Department of History Chair Jim Hopkins, Associate Provost of Academic Affairs Ellen Jackofsky and Professor of Vocal Performance Barbara Hill Moore, among others.

The forum will start at 12:30 Thursday in the Hughes-Trigg Commons with a brief presentation followed by an open-floor for debate.