KEVIN INTERVIEWS TERRY WAITE

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In our nine years of world cruising, Susan and I have been fortunate to meet some very interesting and notable world figures. Milton Friedman, Ted Koppel, Tommy Tune, Mark Russell, Debbie Reynolds, Jon Miller and Hugh Downs, just to mention a few. On our last two world cruises we’ve heard lectures by Terry Waite that both terrify and inspire. Terry had remarkable successes as a hostage negotiator in the 1980s until he himself was taken hostage in Beirut in 1987. Terry then faced four years of solitary confinement and torture at the hands of Islamic Jihad terrorists. Since his release in 1991 he has become a prolific lecturer, writer, and commentator around the globe, and for many a source of inspiration in times of despair.
Terry is a very prominent figure on board the ship. He stands 6 foot 5 and looks like an NFL lineman. In spite of those rough years of captivity, he has an infectious laugh that resonates throughout the ship. His jokes, which are many, are a little corny but they make you laugh. He can also laugh at himself, witness the day he dressed up as King Neptune for our Crossing the Equator Party at the pool. Terry does experience some trouble walking because his captors beat the soles of his feet with cables.
I sat down with Terry on a relaxing day at sea between Bora Bora and Rarotonga in the South Pacific Ocean. This gave me an opportunity to ask him about his life and philosophy.

Kevin: “So what brings you to the Regent Voyager, Mr. Waite?”
Terry: “My love of the sea and people.”
K: “How often are you at sea?”
T: “I try to cruise twice a year. I’m coming out here by myself---my wife of 45 years, Frances, used to accompany me but she doesn’t like to fly these days.”
K: “What is it you find most interesting on the Regent Seven Seas Voyager?”
T: “Meeting and talking with people from all over the world. Every day I meet with people and discuss a number of issues, and not always about hostages or terrorism. I’ve met with people on this voyage that are facing life changing situations. One man told me that he had read my first book Taken on Trust and gained inspiration as he faced terminal cancer. He came to meet me and share my message of hope.”
K: “You mean because you were chained up and expecting to die?”
T: “Exactly.”
K: “I read on the internet that you had spoken out against the Guantanamo Bay prison back in 2002. You must have been a voice in the desert.”
T: “I spoke out based on my experience. If I was to be proved wrong, I’d admit it. But believe me, torture and imprisonment without trial will not solve anything. What I said seven years ago still stands.”
K: “What do you think is our biggest problem today?”
T: “The conflicts we face all over the world. Politicians are incapable of dealing with problems at home, let alone the world. As we become a more global economy, we only see more resistance to change. As it stands, the U.N. seems to be the only organization that third world countries can turn to, but without a cohesive policy from the superpowers, the U.N. will be ineffective. Another problem lies in our understanding of democracy. Democracy is a model to explore, but we have not been too good at exporting democracy.”
K: “What would you like to leave as your legacy.”
T: “That Terry Waite understood suffering himself, and he did his best to alleviate the suffering of others.”
K: “Thank you Terry.”

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Photos

KING NEPTUNE
Terry was a smash hit as he assumed the role of King Neptune in the Voyager's Equator Crossing Party