Greetings: I'm new to the list. I feel very fortunate to have had Peggy Holman introduce me to Open Space. It's a philosophy that I have lived my life and base my transformative community building work.
Colin, I wanted to response to your comment about the Iraqi's leaving their country. More often than not, situations such as this awaken people into their purpose on this planet. Peggy and I recently attended a Spirited Work session at the Whidbey Institute in the Seattle area. A couple of years ago Spirited Work organized a gathering for peace. In attendance was a "gentle" man from Burundi named Proper. As a member of the Hutu tribe he knew the wrath of vengence and terror that ravaged his country over the past 25 years. Members of his family were killed and he lost many friends to Tutsi's. Thousands of houses were burnt to the ground. In the movie Hotel Rwanda, we see how many Hutu's joined together to retaliate against the Tutsi's which only perpetuated the slaughter and killing of innocent men, women and children. Prosper wept because he knew that this would not bring peace to his country. At the depth of dispare, Prosper awakened to his purpose. In leiu of participating in the vengence, he stepped out in faith and assembled youth from both tribes to work together to rebuild the houses in the villages. This was how he took responsibility for what he cared about. He wanted to bring healing to his country and knew that the youth held the key to save their own future. He didn't run. He was willing to die for what he believed in. The youth that joined the effort were also willing to put their life on the line for what they believed in. In the past two years, these youth have rebuilt over 2,000 houses for both Hutu's and Tutsi's in Burundi. Their courage to face death threats and cross roadblocks has been an inspiration and sparked hope in their war torn country. The youth made a commitment to band together and protect one another when faced with death by standing in front of the youth who were taken off the buses by the soldiers to be shot. "Kill us first, before you kill our brothers." This act of courage has inspired all and these youth have become national heroes. Why...because one man got sick and tired of being sick and tired. He stood up for what was right in a time when people were fleeing the country. His commitment to his country was stronger than his fear of death. Their actions have rekindled hope and built bridges of peace in villages where Tutsi's and Hutu's now live as neighbors. I suspect there are many in Iraq who are discovering their purpose in these times. Many have lost their lives, and we honor them. Their willingness to stand up for what they believe in instills courage in others. Their actions offer hope to many who choose to stay and live in peace. It took great courage to vote in this past election. Many faced their fears and followed their convictions. Their actions inspire others and rekindle a renewed sense of hope. The tension is growing across our land and in our own country are frustrated and feeling disenfranchised. I find myself feeling encouraged because I see swirls of activity happening all around me. Many are awakening to their purpose and as we connect to one another our potential for change grows and new opportunities emerge. For those who would like to learn more about Prosper's effort you can visit the Youth in Reconstruction of the World in Destruction websites: www.jrmd.org and www.hol.edu/aax Lastly, I want to introduce you to Spirited Work where I met Prosper. It is a sanctuary where the spirit is nurtured and awakened into its purpose. We find strength and support from other kindred spirits who gather every season at Spirited Work. For more information you can link to their website: www.spiritedwork.org and www.whidbeyinstitute.org It is stories like this that inspire me and reveal the essence of open space. In love and light, Cheryl Honey 206.240.2241 [email protected] -----Original Message----- From: Colin Morley <[email protected]> To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Date: Tuesday, February 08, 2005 1:00 AM Subject: Re: Open Space & Anti-Americanism >Dear all > >This discussion has been very helpful for me. > >I have been part of a group that has struggled with this question - a group >that tried to influence the US election from the UK and that had a strong >backlash from Americans who did not want foreign interference. > >Harrison I found your summary that we need to understand the 2 ends of the >spectrum between opening space and being activists and keep a 14 billion >year perspective very insightful. > >It is also interesting to apply the principles and the laws to the Iraq >situation as you did Steve. If whoever turns up is the right people then >the Americans, Saddam, the Taliban, Al Qaeda are all the right people. This >makes me feel sorry for the Iraqis who can only apply the law of 2 feet by >leaving their own country. Yet that is the reality. And whatever happens >is the only thing that could have happened. > >Ultimately my aim is to bring joy into my life and others. Thinking about >what joy is - my conclusion is that it is 'connecting and being connected' >both in myself and with others. At a deep level this conflict is connecting >up a lot of different things. Energy is moving. And there is joy in being >both an opener of space and a passionate and responsible activist. > >Colin Morley > >-----Original Message----- >From: OSLIST [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Steve >Gawron >Sent: 07 February 2005 23:22 >To: [email protected] >Subject: Re: Open Space & Anti-Americanism > >Hello David and all, > >As an American, I find it counter-productive to compare giving birth to >democracy and removing a tyrant who killed millions of his country's >citizens to anything but furthering the cause of peace. Only an ostrich >sticks his head in the sand and expects danger to go away. > >It is NOT "my country right or wrong", it is "Doing the right thing before >something horrible goes wrong." As an American, I would have rather we did >not get involved in Iraq, but on the same hand I am glad we lent a hand to >citizens in Iraq and Afghanistan to allow them to form their own destiny. > >As the open space adage goes, whoever shows up is the right persons to be >there. As an American, I am glad we responded to a call for peace in that >region. If disagreeing with this is considered anti-American, then you are >entitled to your opinion. But I still feel, Saddam and his henchmen were >and are a destabilizing influence on Peace in that region and the rest of >the world. You can't have it both ways. > >I will go back to lurking now, > >Steve Gawron > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "David William McKay" <[email protected]> >To: <[email protected]> >Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2005 6:56 AM >Subject: Open Space & Anti-Americanism > > >> Sorry I'm on digest so can't refer to a specific posting. >> >> Someone linked to an article and said something like: Anti-americanism >> is dead. Or some such. I agree there's nothing to be gained from >> anti-americanism. Speaking from the pacifist side of the open-space I'm >> glad we finally are seeing nudges towards democracy in Iraq. But I also >> find it hard to see how anyone in favour of collaborative organizational >> change -- which is what I take open-space to be -- could feel all that >> comfy with a war justified by lies and false intelligence. >> >> War is always about changing the government of another nation-state by >> killing its citizens. That's about as far from collaborative change as >> you can get. It may at times be necessary. But when it is -- surely the >> ideal in a democratic state is to have a meaningful conversation about >> what counts as necessary so the management team (aka the Executive >> Branch) can have a mandate based upon informed consent. >> >> If I was an American -- I'm a Canuck -- I would be worried about the >> situation. Perhaps I have it bass-ackwards. But in wartime survival >> dictates "my country right or wrong" but in peacetime democracy dictates >> that the citizenry place democracy itself as the priority. >> >> David McKay >> >> * >> * >> ========================================================== >> [email protected] >> ------------------------------ >> To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, >> view the archives of [email protected]: >> http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html >> >> To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: >> http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist >> >> > >* >* >========================================================== >[email protected] >------------------------------ >To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, >view the archives of [email protected]: >http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html > >To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: >http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist > >* >* >========================================================== >[email protected] >------------------------------ >To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, >view the archives of [email protected]: >http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html > >To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: >http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist * * ========================================================== [email protected] ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of [email protected]: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
