Building a World Beyond War.. A New Way of Thinking

2011-11-21T10:03:00.001-08:00

Introduction to Beyond War

What are examples of where you've seen, or used any of these implications

Personal Implications of the Core Principles

I will resolve conflict. I will not use violence -- not even psychological violence.
I will not preoccupy myself with an enemy. I will maintain an attitude of goodwill.
I will work together with others to build a world beyond war.

Session 8 Fall 2009 - Participating in this Social Change

2009-11-13T21:34:00.000-08:00

Exploring how I can participate in the important social change of moving the world beyond war in a way that enhances the quality of life.

Some of this first couple of sections are some gems from a previous Study Series.

1 In the context of social change how can one person make a difference?

-discover , or uncover an idea, support an initiative, be a witness

2 What personal strategies are important to maintain involvement and avoid burnout?

- by not getting discouraged and feeling overwhelmed

- teamwork

- diversity: Focus your energy on more that one project. Whe you see progress on a smaller projects, it reinforces our resolve. ( Choose multiple subsets on a theme)
-have fun

What habits and attitudes are essential to make a useful contribution to social change?

-humility, perseverance, sense of humour, listening,

-consistency, outgoing ( aggressive listening)

3 Martin Luther King said that, “ .. we must come to see that the whole Jericho Road must be transformed..” What do you think King would have thought about the four categories of

1. nonviolent conflict resolution processes,

2. appropriate foreign aid

3. international law, and

4. cooperation and collaboration between peoples and nations.

The problems will keep occurring so the solution is to send some peace-makers to keep it safe.

The 4 categories would keep ‘Jericho Road” safe

King wanted a transformation.

Asian cultures think in much longer term.

‘If I don’t prosper then my sons… and in not , my grandsons”

4 Which readings in this session stood out and why?

Overall:

BW’s message: Peace is not something that you hope for, but proactively work towards in a realistic way. It’s a necessity. It’s just part of your life.

You live in a manner that is congruent with the fundamental ideas.

Decision making:

In the BW Orientation there was a poignant question:

What is a decision you made that you didn’t know all the consequences of when you made it?

People want to have all their choices laid out clearly before them.

It’s incongruously mind-boggling to implement a program that everyone is going to buy into.

"The difference between pessimists and optimists, the saying goes, is that pessimists have better information. I'm not so sure; besides, it may be missing the point. To me, anyone who precludes miracles isn't playing with a full deck. And no new paradigm ever sprung from the cynicism of arrested imagination. It's true, you won't find a five year old cynic anywhere.

When I am tempted to despair, and occasionally fall, I remember that pessimism is a form of arrogance. As a fuel for creative action, it's hopeless. And irrational. Just because we can't see what solutions lie around the bend doesn't mean they won't appear. Neither do horrific acts of human desparation cancel out the beauty in the world or the love in our hearts.

Spring's blossoms come out without concern for their chances of success. They bloom as is their nature.

In many ways now, we're called to sing as is our nature." --Raffi

Session 8 Decision and action -

What can we do with this information?

Look for collaboration

Significance of one of the quotes by:

MLK

To not say something is betrayal.. – Harsh criticism for ‘keeping to oneself’
Ghandi said you have to speak truth to power.

I am not betraying my country by speaking my truth.
It encapsulates the Study Series.

William Ury
How about having a peace army. All the virility, and comraderie would be there.

Appropriate to send to the press.. a letter the editor in light of the lost resources of our youth being killed in Afghanistan.

Reminds me what a UN soldier said. Doing nothing is choosing a side

[Most people don't understand what peace is =

------------------------

Gayle Landt

Establishing the goal firmly in thought, and then keeping it firmly in view… then working toward achieving it.
Must educate ourselves as to what is possible.

Answers the question, What are you going to do with BW?

Margaret Mead

Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed,that is the only thing that ever has.

-- Where does change take place? Who is in that group? What qualities are important.

The person is one who started the Stone Soup.

-----------------------

Edward Hale .. American Statesman and Unitarian Minister

I am only one.
But still I am one.
I cannot do everything
But still I can do something
And because I cannot do everything
I will not refuse to do the someting that I can do.
-- the emphasis is Doing Something..
But what that is , counts.

You often feel you're small in the universe and not capable.

This ties in so well to Stone Soup.

---------------

Marianne Williamson

Not shrinking, but showing forth our light , will empower others around us.

Your playing small does not serve the world.

( our fear is that we are powerful beyond measure –Why?)

Not to be afraid of the possibilities. Others too, have that potential. We are all leaders. We must come from our best place. It takes a different kind of leader now. You don't need to look as a great leader.

The new leader:

You can tell by the ones who say, " I don't know, but you do/"
Empowering. They don't take away your power.
They direct your questions back to you.

In the Virtues project. Instead of giving advice, you listen and let them find the wisdom within them.

Mr Happy Workshop:

Plays with the kids. Listen to them, they will teach you.

At a career fair:
Radio Shack.. it's not the same anymore how you hire. Once they are, draw out the infom the genius.

I won the door prize at Mr Happy, a bag of toys.

I made the toys available to the kids and said, " Take what you are attracted to."
That upset my coworkers so much they fired me.

----------------------

Rebeca Solnit

The power of hope.
It is what distinguishes BW from my other movements.

Hope for the future, improves our present.

The Basis of Hope:
'possibilities' is key idea in these quotes.
We must decide to act on this new knowledge.
We are a success story...

Action is impossible without hope.
7 Habits:
To not be governed by history, but by potential.

Organizations and groups have to open to change.

Discussion Questions:

Chinese saying:

You can have a huge success when you run into a crisis.

Chinese character for Crisis... same as opportunity

A Making Stone Soup: underlying message

The seeds of success are returning to the BW with what you can do.
In the Stone Soup approach will we get new knowledge but also a new mode of thinking.

So this new way is the norm.. A cultural acceptance.

What do you have to contribute?
Education is the action if we want to have agreement.
The creativity of it.
Not to burnout when doing this.

B How does the message of “ Evolutionary Politics” - fit or not fit in the point of view of ‘ new ways of thinking”

Realizing we are one. To talk with others about the world they envision.
Power of intention.

Means are ends in the making.
It's not locked in lockstep . It can evolve in sudden bursts.
-- Through knowledge and love we create the world anew every day.

[I learned that the American Rev was an evolutionary leap, that didn't take a long time. In the process they learned and created a lot.]

It lines up with the personal intentions with its emphasis, its heart-base.

'our country's' role has always been to be a light to the world ?

Founding Fathers of US has a pacifist bent. Citizen Soldier.
This has faded out since the WWI

We need to start a whole new conversation.

Our defense is our interconnection, our values, our compassion
>> The problem is the system.
Howard Zinn's History of the American Empire
-- > shows our responsibility of community

-Should the Department of Peace be isolated or integrated into all of departments.
In the ministry of the environment, staff are told that they are there to minimize the harm.

C Primary thrusts in Wheatley’s “Toward Sanity in a time of Chaos?”

Real change comes from the ageless process of people thinking together in conversation.

If we have these four skills to create conditions for relationship:

authentic, inclusive, present, responsible

There is no doubt that we would be in very high relationship. We would be creating the conditions by which all of life advances and organizes.

America thinks they can 'go it alone' -- without relationship. " Nothing living lives alone, except Americans."

In Senegal, which has high levels of education, but low employment, there is no suicide, hunger or homelessness. They have each other.

>>>Because they are so poor they need to build to community.. If you were in community, you would feel needed. Would suicide be less of an option? They would be leaders ( see below)

We are all what we need., that we are the solution. We don’t realize in our culture that we are all that we need.

A leader is someone who is willing to help. It's what happens when you see something that needs to be changed. Willing to step forward, take a stand and get engaged.

Heart based leadership.

Being curious.
LLL leaders facilitate others...

D What did MLK mean when he said, “ One day we must come to see that the whole Jericho road must be transformed.

The human journey must be improved, radically changed.

The system needs to be changed. We need to look ahead, see where the problem is going to be.
Move past indecision into action.

Rather than merely good Samaratinism.. we need to rethink our relationships. It's not just our effort to help a few, but to support a shift in thinking.

>> True revolution...
>> A problem is that we go to help others, it is for our benefit.
>> Confessions of an Economic Hitman: http://www.economichitman.com/

------------------
Process of Indecision

It's not about someone else picking up the ball, it's our own decisions..
Once we make a decision, we stick with it.
Canada's role in Afgh. was not a decision about peace or supporting humanity.

When have you made decisions and didn't know the implications.

Why something is a success, is at attitude, a wisdom, how you think about yourself. You have to be a happy individual so if something happens out there, it can't affect you. It is not age-based.

Naive: pure hearted, you don't know all the implications. Not hip to all the limitations people place on something.

Coming to Victoria from Taiwan. I want some change.

E What do you see as the central issue in comparing ‘drift’ with ‘decision’

Refusing to decide, not knowing -- that’s drift. Not make the ‘cut,’ the step forward.

Once we decide it's the way to go....

Decide is to 'cut away'

F Personal experiences with the 9 effective advocacy stumbling blocks.

Being a parent, LLL leader, a student, teacher
The 'enemies'can serve as a focus in your fight. If you can maintain a spirit of good will, you can leverage your ability to change.

Fear - when it becomes a passion, the fear disappears.
- of learning something, taking on a new postion, meeting people
Loneliness and despair if a lone ranger
- collaboration, synergy needed

Frustration - working in the school system
- tenacity and persistence needed

Anger obnoxious neighbours, or officials.

-turn it into fuel for the journey

Fatigue and seriousness
-

Information overload

Casting too broad a net

Naysayers " The trolls under the bridge"

Losing balance.

Fear
Loneliness and despair
Frustration
Anger
Fatigue and seriousness
Information overload
Casting too broad a net
Naysayer: The trolls under the bridge
Losing balance

G Where is the entry point in Frank Rogers “Circle of Involvement “ model?

Can be at any point. But usually in the ‘look/ learn’ segment.

-- depends upon your personality

Reflections on the study session..

What does it all add up to?
To look at the elements and see what initiatives, idea pieces can be developed and shared that will stir thought. In the time of Series, I developed my movement that can help connect and engage to stir thought, strengthen community to break barriers and have fun in the process. It's reminded me of some thought leaders, their gifts.

===
A good opportunity to think about the topics and get clearer about what I think. I don't agree with the premises.. that sometimes we have to be violent. That the means are not always ends in the making. What is non violent? Buying a banana, driving a car,   Not doing something about those things is being violent.

Everyone has different versions about violence.

I liked about 'framing.' It made me think and clarify.   So what do you with slave owners, CEO's

On the whole, brought awareness. Not very aware of what's going on. Don't read paper, listen to radio, or watch TV.

Not having paper, tv allows you to think.    Use independent media. Democracy Now

Study Session 7: Synthesis:- So How Does all this add up

2009-10-31T04:17:00.000-07:00

Session 7

Derrek Jensen ( sp?).
Will people make the change voluntarily.

TALK WITH OTHERS:

Pearls before swine-- what does that mean?
From a parable that said don't throw your pearls before swine as they will just trample them, and maybe even turn on you and trample you..

Is it vengence or an excuse?

Talking about change: A few hundred years people took a bath a year.

Throughout the readings, etc seem to be about how people think. No mention of the corporate agenda, from which we've been brainwashed.
Do we not need to change the idea of wealth, consumer mentality, to make it impossible for corporations to continue to do this.

What products are no longer bought?

This is a session that emphasized the carrot over the stick.

Consider 'waging peace' as actively as war is waged.
-the discussions, explorations, collaborations, team building

Unite in building spider webs to halt the lion of war.

This is still a new way of thinking to many.

Personal Implications: reflections and concerns about these

I will not proccupy myself with an enemy:
-- self interest. Not be paralyzed

I will resolve conflict.
--Conflict is always going to be there
_Resolving sounds like
- Leaf falling...
-Example of leaving ... Spiritual Differences -- it's a situation that can be worked through.

I will not use violence
- State wants this so they don't have to change.
'The diversity of of tactics can't rule out violence' Might we find a situation where violence could be effective.

How do you change the system?

Ideas without personal applications are not not worth much.

Choose a thorny situation, and consider how you'd deal with it using the principles.

Maintain an attitude of good will... Hard to do when someone is annoying you.
Not preoccupy with an enemy.
= Maybe I don't know the story.
= How often do we show gratitude. This may lead to a better world. As you see the enemy, we love our creativity.
I will work together with others to build a world beyond war.

-----------------
7-20..
Wonderful summary .. roadmap for international relations

When is a time when you have made a difference.

‘ The change has to be us” -- paraphrase of Ghandi

Tailgate Grill... affiliated with Mustard Seed
Responsible for rejuvenation of the Liberal Party in BC..
Vancouver City Hall was going to take librarian's out of branch libraries..

The first banker for the founder of Ballard Fuel cells, Jiffy Markers

I kept two young people out of jail.
At elementary day, hot dog day was transformed ‘You are on your own, no one is going to help you” Eventually people took it farther.

Important steps: get an idea, frame it in a way that others can buy into, and then give them the idea to run with.

A Is war inevitable? What does thinking have to do with it?

7-15/16: One have to change our thinking about others, and then work to change their perceptions of us.

Norman Vincent Peal: Change your thoughts and you change your world.

B What is the basis of a “ new way of thinking” that BW promotes? How might these essential concepts play out in the real world?

War is Obsolete
We all live on one planet.
The Means are the Ends in the Making.

How can anyone tell you that war is the way, when it is getting worse?

The basis is a recognition that the old ways have not worked.

Creating new relationships, reconciling differences. Learning what others’ needs are. Provides a new framework for international aid. Aid that is more than ‘feel good’ The basis of the new way of thinking is ‘we are one’ Therefore war is obsolete. Learning to find and form the third side.

Confront the wrong doer. It’s not in my interest for you to learn by experience ( drilling holes in the end of the row boat) So what is the question of ‘John’ who is drilling a hole in his end of the boat?

How are your swimming skills?

The solution of the Turbit War between Spain and Canada

C Does Troy Chapman’s “Through My Enemies Eyes” describe a new way of thinking? Is it congruent with “was is obsolete, we all live on one planet, and the means..?” Why or why not?

Notes and ideas:

Through my Enemy's Eyes:

'How applicable is this for the outside world? He's in jail? ( Yet..what impact did Mandela have in when HE was in prison.)

I was tired of waking up to the same old battle. I was pulled by the future, and pushed by the past

Troy's journey mirrors the US's predicament., although he's waking up and many in the States are not.

Those wars will end in me..

-the transformative role that hope plays in our journey.
-inmates life changed when he decided to be truly alive. It was the beginning of a journey to the Third Side.
-intense spiritual development drove his quest. ( it demanded corresponding outer growth)

-his dualism gave way to a hunger for simple goodness.
I don't need an enemy.
The inner work is what needs to be done. That's the first level.

He saw 'they' were the same as me..

Do we need to distract ourselves so we don't engage in the hard work of love. ( same as sending people to war, rather than work for peace)

Trying to feel comfortable with the good will during a confrontation.
-- have a good sense of humour, engage as friend,
-- people knew they were

In 2003 , what could we have done.
Build upon the world's good will.

Developing relationship is key, and it's not time-dependent.

Illustrates a new ‘third’ side. ( I am not your enemy)

Third choice: humility. Understanding our faults.. I understand that ‘they’ were ‘me’
This ruined me as a warrior.

Congruent yes..

It shows that peace can be a growth industry

“ .. with each reconciliation we create a new option “

Brought out ‘the means are the end in the making’

War is Obsolete -- the sidewalk incident with the young prisoner. Do the unexpected.

D How did you respond to John Paul Lederache’s article “The Challenge of Terror”?

Notes:

A challenge of Terror

Their feelings of terror is a myth. We have to break the myth. When you learn the truth you won't be fooled again.

Def'n of myth: a traditional story accepted as history; serves to explain the world view of a people

We have to change, to prove, the new way to approach.
It's hard to be humble.

To change how a parent treated a chiid:
Asked him: He is just like you. How would you feel being treated that way.

Virus: medical or tech -based

NOTES...
Similar to Dancing with System

1. Always seek to understand the root of the anger.

Imagine if foreign affairs did this before venturing out

Think, therefore, act differently

2. Always seek to understand the nature of the organization.

Choose accurate metaphors. They deeply affect our actions.
What a challenge to change the metaphor of a nation. If the population don't understand it, is a political liability. You'd need to get a number of players to change the culture.. Great opportunity. What a movie it would make!.. like the shift of thinking The Matrix suggested..

3. Always remember that realities are constructed.

What realities are we buying into? ( being sold) -- so far from the Golden Rule.
How do our actions create an image? Are we aware of that image? What do we do to counteract it.
Image changing is the most significant activity we could undertake.

Enter their culture and take away the greatest element or factor of generational conflict.

To break a cycle of justified violence, step outside it

Invest financially in development, education in the countries surrounding Afghanistan
- What can we do to meet the fundamental needs of your people. Do the unexpected that has never been done before. It's a combination of good business and social development.

4. Always understand the capacity for recruitment.

Take away the soils for recruitment

5. Reorganize complexity. But always understand the power of simplicity.

Find simple and creative ways to respond. -- or approach

Reflect and explore upon the anger and violence in our own 'yard' and see how international partners can do the same.

Follow these three

Energetically pursue a sustainable peace process.

Invest

Pursue a quieter diplomatic hunt

This current situation gives us an unprecedented opportunity.

The impact of using the metaphor of a virus.

What other metaphor could we use? -- fire,

How can we change it?
-- look at the documentaries that are coming out.

How long until people had 1000 radios?
-- mp3, ipod, etc

Terrorism as a virus.. you strengthen the ability of the system to deal with virus.

Change within our self is the slow thing

Part of the work is convincing the government that their actions will only create more anger. “ I am not going to thank you for repairing my country if you were part of the destruction of it.”

Society often looks at symptoms rather than causes. These causes of anger are rarely acknowledged.

Realities are constructed. Whose reality are we adopting or using?

Best way to break a cycle is to step outside it.

A parallel is the earlier medical practice of 'blood letting'

Citizens are not being given the truth.

Dialogue is a key
Reframing allows us to look from a different point of view
TV and traditional media tells information
Dialogue prompts people to engage and jump in
People often know more than they think.
Their fear of now knowing everything can be inhibiting

One person's effort in helping a bullying victim.
It took so long to deal with it , it felt like I was wrong.

The Oslo Peace Accord (1993) began with two Norweigan's who wanted to help.

What do you think of his metaphor of terrorism as a virus?

Holding to ‘old metaphors’ ( smoke them out) leads to dangerous mistakes..

It shows the sophisticated understanding of the ‘terrorists”

If terrorism can be seen through the metaphor of a virus, do you think that the ‘Four categories of straggles and responses” can be seen, all together, as an effective, systemic response?

Peace is sometimes just called the absence of war. This article brings out active, not passive processes.

E As you remember the list “ 18 Reasons why” do you think having this list is valuable?

How do you think this list fits in to “ a new way of thinking?”

This list would provide clear evidence that the US is not involved as it appears.

F Can you sort the ten roles of the third side into the categories of strategies and responses? What might be the value in this exercise?

Provides a remedy for a problem in a systematic way.

Non Violent conflict resolution processes.
The teacher
Mediator
The artbiter
The healer
Witness
Appropriate humanitarian foreign aid.
The provider.
The teacher
The healer
Support for and adherence to International Law
The equalizer
The Witness
The referee
Cooperation and collaboration between people’s and nations
Bridge Builder
The Peacekeeper
Mediator
The witness
The referee

G What did Bill Ury have to say about the idea of building a world BW in “Toward a Comprehensive System “

Build up preventative measures.

Think ahead.

We can build up our belief in the inevitability in war.

Plenty of obstacles but none are insurmountable.

Before Canada took up arms at the side of the US, Canada took the Third Side.

US efforts at ‘mediation’ are always biased by self interest.. Who are the international mediators now? Only US but they have vested interest in specific parties.

It's hard to do a third side when your role is not that clear.
There are so many options.. they may be no clear winner
When you're feeling frustrated, it's good. It shows you're on the 3rd side

Doesn’t come with a guarantee, but a ‘yes if. “ we

Learn lesson
We seize the opportunity
Do the work

Single most important action is ‘paying attention’ to danger signals.

How do you respond to " The Challenge of Terror"

A parallel is the earlier medical practice of 'blood letting'

Citizens are not being given the truth.

Bill Ury's Third Side: -- how do these roles fit with the 4 categories?

Roles for the Third Side:

Non Violent conflict resolution processes.
Bridge Builder
Arbiter
Mediator
Healer
Referee
Appropriate humanitarian foreign aid.

The provider
The teacher
Support for and adherence to International Law
The referee
Peacekeeper
Arbiter
Cooperation and collaboration between people’s and nations
Mediator
Bridge Builder
Witness
Equalizer

Thinking about this , makes you realize the many strategies that are possible.
Gives you hope.

It's hard to do a third side as your role is not that clear.
There are so many options.. there may be no clear winner
When you're feeling frustrated, it's good. It shows ou're on the 3rd side

Another aspect of the Third Side is being a witness:
-Israeli women monitoring checkpoints
-Amish men and the police chief
-Rape on Georgia Viaduct and the acions of one woman who stopped in her sports car

Toward a Comprehensive System.
Comparison of Fire and War.. and how the former was brought under control.

Need a comprehensive war-prevention system.

Evolutionary politics - your thoughts as you read this and thought about the Dept of Peace?
- organizations often focus beyond themselves, governments don't

- countries need to face evils and troubles. Then solutions can be found
-important for victims to come forward

--------------------

There's a perception in the States that the UN is trying to lessen the influence of the States.
BW concepts are a unifying tool

People are concerned but they don't know the options

They need to be woken up spiritually.
The story of Horton Hears a Who

Need to elect more women
We need to take things more seriously
Life taken too lightly
- Mothers would take it more seriously

New communication package:
gracious example+ reframing+engagement+dialogue+tenacity

Session 6: The Means are the Ends in the Making

2009-10-23T12:26:00.000-07:00

The current economic crisis may help to open thought to the US having to submit to international agreements and policies.

Check in/ local news:

Shake Hands with the Devil -- A movie and book with a spectacular illustration of the lack of international support for Rwanda.

Wise Democracy Victoria

- A grass roots group started in Saanich.

A wisdom council

Focus:

The Means are the Ends in the Making
International Law (IL)

International cooperation and collaboration. (IC)

- provide alternative ways of responding , instead of using violence and war.

Important to understand the four categories of action:

- nonviolent conflict resolution processes, etc that

A global view -- working for humanity

It's not about outsmarting one another.

The new mode has practical applications.

Has anything changed in your understanding of 'The means are the ends in the making" this week.

One of the insights from this week's conference on building resilient cities.

'Living like we're meant to stay here..'

Not posing an enemy
-hard to wallow in this
-forgiving rather than labeling, or ruminating
-I knew it wasn't doing me any good to have this ferment inside of me

When I do bring out the ideas don't discouraged by failures.

As you look at world events and relationship through the lens of this idea, what happens?

It is easier for organizations to act on them. Nations have a wider focus. They do have greater resources.
It's easier to identify what things are worth supporting., or offer suggestions on what could be done.

Gayle Landt's intro:

IL and IC provide alternative ways of responding

Gayle raises important questions:

Who we are to one another?

- mine the rich resources of our education and prosperity
- to invest in civilization: use due diligence before acting?

What do we want for the species and the planet?

What do we want instead of war?

Sessions 5 and 6 are looking at categories of action

Further looks at ‘the means are the ends in the making..”

If we want to get somewhere we need to look at the means, or actions we will follow. Our actions ‘now’ will show the results we will lead to.. This takes justification out of the story.

Looking at Gandhi’s statement.. 'We’ is the key.

Right now is the ‘end’ of the actions that have taken place up to now. We continue to have a series of ‘now.’

A Do you think that the quote by Gorbachev is another way to express "We

all live on one planet?"

Why or why not?

Unselfishness is key attribute

Personal responsibility.

It’s deeper , more detailed. Perhaps it’s an application, or implied action of ?We all live..

What are the rules necessary to survival? - Golden Rule?

His 'renouncing selfishness.' – a dig at capitalism.

How does it fit with this session's theme of "the means..."

It provides an impetus for using these tools, for doing the work. “preserving our inheritance and developing it for the succeeding generations.”

Linus Pauling

Pauling received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1962 for his campaign against above-ground nuclear testing, and is the only person to win two Nobel prizes that were not shared with another recipient.

B What do you find the most striking or interesting in " 18 Possible Reasons Why?"

Which, if any of these treaties to you think the US should sign, ratify and to which
should the US adhere?

Why would US write but not ratify 14 and 16

If you are the tough guy on the planet, why would you want to be subject to other's views.

Why is the US so low?

They don't want to be held accountable to anyone.

Most Americans would think that the US is a signer of these.

A number of the treaties are built or modeled on the US Constitution yet the US won't support them.

What is our role as citizens or a country outside of the States, to protest what they do?

Let's remember that BW materials are put out by Americans. Let's support them.

Make sure we live up to our prayers.

There are different ways to support the UN.

Working with the UN materials: it doesn't make the headlines. The media wants national soverienty. They don't want to be influenced by foreign powers.

Many people live by the credo ‘Don’t interfere with domestic matters’ of others. Police seemed to have more training and greater sensibilities , are now more likely to get involved as needed. Prosecutors are more likely to press charges independent of the woman.
If you did to the US what the US did to Cuba, you would bring them to their knees. ( make them more accountable in their actions towards others)

Being a witness:

-make their opinion heard

- believe the process will make a difference.
A witness helps our legal system by giving important information to a court.

Education and medical supplies are a key

The population needs to be aware of what the country is doing .The leadership is not in line with many citizens' values.

We all make mistakes. Acknowledging this is a big step in the healing.

Who should make the apology?

At one international tourist resort, training includes viewing, "The Difficult Guest"
-People act badly when they feel invalid or have a loss of dignity. They feel powerless or embarrassed.

How do countries do that?

C Admiral Carroll is quoted as saying "In truth , as the worlds only superpower nuclear weapons are the sole military source of our nations insecurity." What do you think about this statement?

" America's security is threatened by an over-reliance on military might."

America's stance on international cooperation has left it increasingly isolated.

The US still thinks it can call the shots.

North Americans talk about people from other cultures with a sense of superiority

We don't have to fully understand 'we are one' to treat others equitably.

he·gem·o·ny :
The predominant influence, as of a state, region, or group, over another or others.
Evolution needed: to exercise constructive leadership as a cooperative member in peaceful world governed under the rule of law.

An absurd state of affairs, that the general public in the US probably has little support of , or influence around what their leaders are doing.

Historian Arnold Toynbee observed:

It foreshadows the US joining the list of other nations and empires who failed and crumbled
[Carroll :understood that America's security is]

We need to evolve in our consciousness to being ‘beyond war’

Evolution doesn’t move slowly, it goes in bursts ( wings suddenly appeared)

Berlin Wall -- A tipping point was reached and it fell.

***the challenge is that the military threat is overlooked because of other threats and distractions.
- How to get your point across..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_wall

Naomi Klein said the economic crisis is to capitalism what the Berlin Wall was to the cold war.

Centre for Policy Alternatives suggests the war in Afghanistan is about the natural gas pipeline that goes through the country.

Eugene Caroll’s : Two reasons why a country or empire falls.

People of the hegemon will finally refuse to make the sacrifice.
The subjugated will finally rise in opposition to the sovereign.

US Political weakness: making military power the primary instrument of US foreign policy.

Foolish , shortsighted policies. What were they thinking?

What UN treaties has the US ratified.

If we wanted to insist that Canada support the UN...

The UN is in the process of correcting.

D What is the difference between the ICC and the IC Tribunals? What is the purpose of each? What value might these institutions have?

ICC is the institution set up by the Rome Statute. in 1998 ( when Clinton was president) . a global commitment to hold dictators, etc accountable for their crimes. ( US was a signatory, but didn't ratify)

ICT is set up for particular countries.

A US conservative judge ruled that Blackwater ( defence contractor) can be charged for war crimes.
Details

Signing vs. Ratification

While almost every country in the world has signed the Kyoto Protocol, the signature alone is symbolic; a token gesture of support. Ratification carries legal obligations and effectively becomes a contractual arrangement.

ICT is the court proceedings for particular cases.

May hold some leaders accountable. Give people hope. Provide a means of healing other than resorting to continued violence.

The Tribunals were set to round up the people responsible for the atrocities.

IN DRCongo..Many of the soldiers who was attacking citizens in Congo are coming from Rwanda. It shows that the roots of the conflict have not been addressed in Rwanda.

Spectacular lack of international cooperation resulted in the Rwanda massacre. The countries who did nothing should have been prosecuted.

Bullying case in school. Admin wanted the witness to just leave it with them. Asking for accountability got more action. The bully was removed from the situation.Restorative justice would have helped here.

The same thing has happened in Somalia and Darfur. We haven't learned anything.

E The UN has been the subject of controversy during recent history.
What do you think the value of the UN is?

What problems do you discern, and what do you think should happen in response to those problems?

Lack of support from the US in more than one way. Appearing hamstrung by an inability to bring key players on side. Easy for member nations to ‘go it alone’

Countries in security council with a veto. When there are wars in the world, these vetoes hobble their efforts.
No teeth against members who disobeyed the rules of the UN

They put together a treaty over 24 years that met every demand of the US and in the end the US wouldn’t go along with it.

Need more of a budget.

[ The US 'Dream' is more of and Illusion.

What should happen:

A middle ground... amalgamation and individual community's identies.

People to change their own sense of nationalism How is the EU doing?

The EU was motivated by economic necessity. It is moving for the betterment of mankind.

The US hasn’t seen that necessity yet. They still think they are independent players.

What can

Canada

do?

Toynbee. 56 Civilizations that have come and gone. They faltered when they ran into a problem they would not respond to it in a new way. ( From the book " Experiment in Depth")

The buffalo used to circle their young when faced with a threat. This worked for eons until hunters with guns came along.

We have the vision, but do we have the energy, motivation to do something with it.

At the end of the church service, one person’s response to the ‘Scientific Statement of Being’ : YES and YO.. gave new relevance or meaning to a ‘ritual’

Thomas Hobbes:

Thomas Hobbes was an English philosopher who wrote the 1651 book, Leviathan, a political treatise that described the natural life of mankind as "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.

Canada's Foreign Aid, an article from Centretown News Online

F What is the value of international cooperation (IC)? What are some problems that IC and Collaboration has largely solved?

United Nations Millennium Goals

P 32

Kofi Annan .. must strengthen democracy. Actions that set up the UN, or disregard, or use it , weaken it. Perception is everything.

42== promoting and depending on the role/ benefits of homeland security

43 - US must build trust.

Difficult for the US to control the UN... and the policies. So they have run roughtshod over them...
The American population dont' have faith in the UN.. because of a lack of knowledge about what they do, and are trying to do.

8 Goals

We must deny the license to do as we please

What do you think the next priorities for coop between nations should be?

Need a focal point. And a body to work through, in spite of the US.
Terrorism is a symptom of the larger problems.
Education of the next generation.
Schools
Having schools in Africa with different tribes in it.
Getting to know people on a level ground.

What processes do you think nations and large groups of people should use?

We need stability ( conservative) , the middle ( vacillating) and the change agents

The ‘warming thing’ is the identification thing.

We don’t dump stuff in the harbour, burn coals, conserve energy,

The root causes of the ozone problem has been addressed.

We all live downstream.

Ending with video clip:

From Chaos to Cosmos, an interview with Elisabet Sahtouris' Author of Gaia:

"My hope for the world is to invest in its young people and their vision for the future."

Elisabet Sahtouris, Ph.D. is an American/Greek evolution biologist, futurist, business consultant, event organizer and UN consultant on indigenous peoples. She is a popular lecturer, television and radio personality, author of EarthDance, Biology Revisioned co-authored with Willis Harman and A Walk Through Time: From Stardust To Us (with prologue by Brian Swimme and epilog by Sidney Liebes).

Dr. Sahtouris has taught at the Univ. of Massachusetts, M.I.T. and was a science writer for the NOVA/ HORIZON TV series. She has lived extensively in

Greece

and the Peruvian Andes. Her vision is the sustainable health and well-being of humanity within
Questions:

--
How can I be the change?
The desire is there.
What themes do you hold in thought that you want to engage people in?

Links:
Review of 3 cups of tea
He said that everywhere that we have bombed, the Taliban has come back in and thrived. Everywhere Mortenson built schools, the people kicked the Taliban out and they began to prosper.
Pentagon orders 1000 copies . Looking closely at Mortenson's 'soft' approach to fighting terrorism

Another war another round of land mines?
Eugene Carroll

by Eugene Carroll in the Christian Science Monitor

ICT Rwanda.. Achievements
The first trial at the ICTR started in January 1997, following the arrival of the first accused to Arusha in May 1996. As of June 2006, the ICTR has handed down 22 judgments involving 28 accused. Twenty-five of them were convicted and three acquitted.
The judgments delivered so far involve one Prime Minister, four Ministers, one Prefect, six Bourgmestres and several others holding leadership positions during the genocide of 1994.

=============

Session 5: The means are the ends in the making

2009-10-09T23:22:00.000-07:00

Sunday, October 11 2009

Session 5: The means are the ends in the making

Conversations in community:
Reframing around dish use:

Our society is filled with fear of disease.. so they imposed regulations called ' food safe' which makes it's difficult to re-use.

Mortenson tape:

500 typed letters drew no response... he had no credibility . After his first school, he got cocky and didn't followed elder's advice. He eventually was kidnapped.

Remarkable that he has enough teachers to suport the schools.

Who has the 'real' picture? Even if you are 'over 'there you are sometimes shielded from this.

It's a manufactured conflict... it's not that we hate those people, it's that we want access to the oil.

Here is the test or measure:
If you are clearly conscious of 'the means are the ends in the making.'

Two themes:

Non Violent conflict processes

Case Studies

Hope within the Fire
-Traubmans
compassionate listening

As they hear each other's stories their identification expands
Must bypass the political system
Expanded identification makes for fertile ground for gov't to change policy
--- examples?
Proclamation of Principles of Reconciliation - compare this to the Coalition of the Willing and accompanying coersion
One Voices going directly to the people.
Why Dialogue: Gaia
opening up of thought, changing the way we see others, and ourselves.
Important to see them as people... not just stats.

The people who want to live together have to come to a consciousness first. ( that Palestinians do have a right to share the land).. That is the change that has to happen, first.
Non violent Resistance: Pashtunn Fighters
They have been using this for centuries. It doesn't get much airplay.
Surprised that Ghandi's approach was not novel, or new
What does a non violent army accomplish?

Should we hold this example of being slaughtered?

How do these deaths compare to war deaths? If they had been fighting for years, would the results be much different.

This an example of change being possible.
Neve Shalom
Treaties and negotiations have done little
Time for the people's ideas that are making connections work.
To truly have peace, both sides have to learn to relate to each other

They operate:
School, Hotel

Traubmans... it's slow, but quick solutions like hitting your child may look like it stops , yet it's not.

OH Cards..

Desmond Tutu
Struck by Mandela inviting his white jailer to his inaugaration
Truth and Reconciliation
Help to differentiate the present and past gov't
Important to people to know who to forgive and what to forgive them for
The UN plays a role in transitional justice while respecting the need for local and national ownership.
Locals should decide the needs

Reminded me of what they are doing with aboriginals.
A diplomat speaks out
John Brady Keilslin his current web page...
His book, Diplomacy Lessons is also a great reminder for your favorite foreign-policy pundit that fixing the planet is more complicated than he/she suspects.
Diplomatic Innovation: Prevents War
Hammerjold.. took decisive, practical action and surprised many in the situation.

-----------

NOTES:

Pearls before Swine comic strip

Bill Ury.. two column view of life:
Those things one cannot affect, and those things one can.

The means are the ends in the making

"If you don't live it , it don't come out your horn" - Charlie Parker

Non Violent conflict processes

Appropriate foreign aid.

NOTES:
Citizen Diplomacy...
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0215/p03s02-usgn.htm

Carter's Methods Bring Results
http://www.csmonitor.com/1995/0111/11192.html

Gail Landt's Intro:
We do need to tell the stories of working together, of systemic change

A What do the Traubmans mean when then quote Thoreau in "Hope Within the Fire" as saying "Things do not change: we change?"

Understanding and compassion are like dry firewood... it's possible to start a fire without them ( with wet wood) but it takes a lot longer.

Hope within the Fire Article:

The dialogue , the sharing of stories resulted in people's expanded identification. Seeing their oneness they began to want to the best for each other.

Gov'ts, geographies, histories remain the same: we change as our understanding , perspective, identification changes

What is the difference between an Israeli and Jew?
understanding and compassion -- ingredients for any lasting relationship?
hearing others' stories allows their identification to expand.
As more people expand in this way, it makes the environment right for gov't peace processes to move to completion.
We must bypass the political process that is deadlocked., that leaves people feeling hopeless.

Governments alone can't do all that is required.

One Voice
http://www.onevoicemovement.org/

It aims to amplify the voice of the overwhelming but heretofore silent majority of moderates who wish for peace and prosperity, empowering them to demand accountability from elected representatives and work toward a two-state solution guaranteeing an end to occupation and violence, and a viable, independent Palestinian state at peace with Israel.

What things don't change?
Processes. Things that lead to war.
Cultures
Our interdependence, interrelatedness,
The absolute
Foundational ideas. ( while our services may)

B What was the process of change like for Gaia in "Why Dialogue?"

She had been brought up with a mindset.

Listening to a panel with Palestinians on it. Recognizing that they were his favourites on the panel , appreciating that they were didn't attack him. He learned that people who really care , listen and try not to fight.

C. Gaia writes " I feel like so much change can occur if we just have people who are wililng to experience things together." What implications, if any, do you feel this statement has for your participation in this study series?

We are sharing the time, meals, readings together. In turn we bring personal, group concerns to the 'floor' and see how we might use BW ideas to reframe them.

Like Charlie Parker ....our meetings strike us on many levels.. we want to this to come out of our horn.

It takes exposure and sharing of life to really change perspective.

D How are nonviolent conflict resolution processes like Neve Shalom , or the truth and reconciliation commissions related to the idea " the means are the ends in the making?'
Their actions are congruent, or are guided by, the ends they have in mind. There is no disconnect.

If you want to have a conversation , at least one person has to open their minds. ( Taiwanese and Chinese)

If someone has done wrong, they must tell the truth about their actions. It's not just others' forgiveness.

In selling your home privately ( entering new territory), you have to be totally committed

E What are your experiences in reading about the Central Asia Institute? Regarding the scope of his work, what do you think is at the heart of Greg Mortenson's thinking? - see links below

Education
131 schools fully or partially supported
1200+ fully or partially supported teachers
School library projects
824 graduates from Porter Training Program
Teacher Training Workshops
58,000 students educated, including 40,000 girls

Summary of Costs

$20……….One student’s school supplies for one year
$50……….One treadle sewing machine and supplies
$100……..Maternal health care supplies for 1 year
$600 …….One teacher’s annual salary
$800……..One advanced student’s annual scholarship
$5,000…..Support for existing school for 1 year
$50,000…One school building and support for up to 5 years

" We all need to work together to sew the seeds of peace"

He persevered. He listened.

The reason was 'his whole reason for being' For his own children.

He was so compassionate and passionate.

He wants to improve the world to be a more peaceful place. His actions illustrate and motivate means to improve the connections, the relations between Islam and Americans.

'A thorough statement of the problem is 3/4 of the solution.' - who said that?

Mortenson .had glowing respect for Musharoff, and the Pakistani people. Similar to Romeo Dallaire's requests in Rwanda which went unheeded.

F In the Heifer International article entitled " A different kind of exchange Program" readers learn that a house-to-house search for illegal weapons didn't work. What worked better?

Here's their site
Over 800 projects in 50 countries

Citizens could trade 3 weapons in for a pregnant heifer.'

A new 'currency'

Willing to trade in if they feel there is a credible guarantee of security and chance to improve their livelihoods.

We need to find what creative ideas Canada is involved in.
Microfinancing.

G In "Terror ,Love, and the State of the World" John Robbins suggests "..the US remember that we have a deep and paramount interdependence with the well-being of all the world's peoples. What do you think he means? Do you think this statement relates to both "We all live on one planet..." and " the means are the ends in the making?' If so , how?

If the Americans can see the self interest in others being more secure.

Author of Diet for a New America .

In October 2008, parliamentary budget officer Kevin Page released a comprehensive report on the cost of the war up to 2011, Canada ’s projected withdrawal date. The total cost is estimated at $18.1 billion dollars. This figure includes running military operations, aid and reconstruction, and long-term veteran costs. The cost amounts to $1500 per Canadian household. However, as with any war, the final costs won’t be known for years, due to potential health issues (including psychological problems) that veterans may face.

Here's a link the Wombat Video Clip
that was produced by Foundation for Global Community

He draws a connection between the billions dollars a day spent on the military and the unmet needs of people around the world.. the grinding poverty

It's a case of limited identification that we don't know that 35 000 children die of starvation per day.

A recent book: Stuffed and Starved. Governments are not supposed to have the control, or voice.

Naomi Klein. The Shock Doctrine... This financial crisis has done for Friedmanism [/ current freemarket, corporations are protected from loss more than people theory.]... as the Berlin Wall did for communism.

We can't be secure while others' needs are not being met.
He has a new definition of the 'greatness' of a nation: our ability to bring out the best in ourselves and others, and by the quality of life we leave our children.

"We'll know we've begun to create true national security when we define the greatness of our civilizations not by military capabilities , but my our ability to bring out the best in ourselves and others...'

Can create friendships, and coalitions by meeting their needs.

When faced with fear, some people step forward and see the opportunity. We must take a stand for the creation for a sustaining way of life for all.

What are we planting , nurturing and harvesting?

What could/ would you do if you found the imbalance intolerable?

As you read the articles, watch the news, all you see are the young men. But where are the women? Why are they not having an influence.
In Ireland, it was the women who had a big influence. They are better educated.

H Can you find a hopeful vision in the information presented in "Afghanistan: Eight thousand children under arms look for a future? If so, where?

The efforts at disarmanent, demobilization, and reintegration.
2006 analysis

They are passing legislation to ban children in the armies.

If Rich Countries Would Boost Aid

If 22 of the rich countries came up with .7% of their GDP , 500 million people would escape poverty and 10s of millions would escape certain death. US gives only 15% of development aid.

Where US income tax money really goes..
Here are the current figures
The current military costs have increased to 31% ( from 26) and General and Gen'l gov't dropped by 4%, Physical resources by 1%

As we look at federal military spending... what about the medical costs..

Central Asia Institute
On 18 August 2008, Pervez Musharraf resigned from the post of President of Pakistan under impeachment pressure from the coalition government. ...

Links:

Article about Greg Mortenson in NY Times 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/13/opinion/13kristof.html

Gift for an Entire Village
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0912/p17s01-bogn.html

Resignation of an American Diplomat
http://www.bradykiesling.com/

Interview with the Traubmans
http://beyondwar.blip.tv/file/750902/

Muslim youth..

Session 4: We are one Fall 2009

2009-10-03T21:59:00.000-07:00

Check in:
From our conversations:

Sorting out birthday angst of co-worker.
Listening to a girl friend on the phone for an hour. So the listening from the course has helped develop that skill.

Media watch  Article Us and Them:

The Kielburger Brothers: Free the Children

http://www.thestar.com/Unassigned/article/119762.

The gym facility in a gov't building were criticized as a money waster.
Afghan village had asked Cdn army for protection and there was a bomb blast.
Homeless congregate around our church.. smell and needles. One authority says the solution is solved by more housing.
Fairfield... neighbour building.
Gorilla gardening.. at UVic. Interested in using some of the green space at UVic.

----------------
Us and Them
A group of Arabs were buying a plane and crashed into a building.
Gov't blocking story from getting out.
We will solve them by giving them a one way bus ticket.
Just in reporting a story about the government

A Earliest realization that 'we all live on one planet"

Driving across Canada and seeing the peril of the animals near the highway.
Taking an ecology course at university.
Grandfather ... before I was born. When I got his papers I saw that he understood these concepts far before the ideas became topical.

My father was an expert on nuclear impact.. He went to Nevada and saw the above ground testing.
Once you understand that concept.
"We're just a bunch of monkeys" -- a video that sparked this is my life.

Def'n of One:
a single unit, an entire being

Lawrence Doyle: Uni - Verse.... one song.

Einstein Quote:
Near death experience:
Woman looked back and saw that we are all connected.

Toynbee.. many civilizations hit an impass and collapse. In others the creatives raise to the occasion.

B What do the 100 Laureates consider as the greatest threat to world peace? What do they suggest to prevent it?

The legitimate demands of the unpossessed.

from the irrational acts of the poor and dispossessed.

letting the weaponry of the world spread

===
Learn to think in a new way to get away from our capitalistic system.

Turn our backs on the unilateral search for security

Need vital components of stability - cooperative international action to meet the needs of the unpossessed.

A couple of weeks ago we passed the ability to sustain ourselves. We now are borrowing on the future.

The book The Future of Life.. said that if N Americans then 10 m more could be fed.

ABM

Signed in 1972, it was in force for the next thirty years until the US unilaterally withdrew from it in 2002.

Strategic Arms Reduction USSR pulled out after the US pulled out of ABM treaty

As the years passed, the treaty became less relevant and both sides started to lose interest in it. For the Americans, the main issue became the modification of the ABM Treaty to allow the U.S. to deploy a national missile defense system, a move which Russia fiercely opposed

Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaking at the Conference to promote the entry into force of the CTBT earlier today. This is the first time the United States has participated in such a conference since 1999.

C Survival and change: What new threats to our survival do we face today? What changes in our thinking and actions are required to respond to these threats?

Must come to understand the change demanded by the nuclear environment.

We must be convinced of our peril.

The principles of survival have entered the mental realm

D Golden Rule: in what way are people from different faiths similar?
The other person's experience is linked to our own.

Our good is tied to our brothers and sisters.

E The essay We are One discusses the unity principle as it exists in physics, ecology, biology, and psychology. What did you find most interesting in each section?

Physics -- love the interconnection.. moving your little finger affects the stars.. an interconnection that we are not educated to see.

Ecology - one life support system. Life on earth is like large elephant.. Strength from diversity. Minimal diversity leads to instability and death. Contributions to the whole are rewarded quietly but inevitably.

Biology.. the most fit are those that contribute to the well -being of the whole.
- listening more carefully for the signals, watching out step, and having an eye for partners.
The future belongs to those who have the ability to change. We have to figure out how to make that change.

Psychology
- to better understand the projection of our shadow side upon an enemy. Our inability or unwillingness to accept our own shadow.

Pogo was a possumm... "We have seen the enemy and then enemy is us"

Own our shadow side...

F Carl Jung and the difference between how two people interact and how two nations interact.

G What is truth? Is it absolute? How can you find it?

Become aware of the falsehoods we often mistake, or accepted. -- seek new possibilities, open our thoughts.

The truth is the whole picture...

Neat to think ... there are so many things we don't know we don't know

When my mother was in school, people had less chromosones that they do now. ( discovered more)

We meed everyone’s ideas to know what is truth.

TED talks
TED: Ideas worth spreading

We should go forth with humility looking for partners.

Truth
- none can see the truth without adopting the new mode of thinking.

Mode: manner: how something is done or how it happens;

H What is your experience when you contemplate the 'identification' pages?
How small, but connected we are to the whole picture.

The path or means to survival is the having the largest frame of reference.

I How could the personal implications be valuable in your life?

You'll never get rid of conflict. Maybe it doesnt have to be resolved.

Dealing or using violence:

I can't see myself using violence. MLK would not have got where he wanted if one of his people had not used violence.

What do you define as violence? Blocking a forest operation.

BW is about looking ahead to put keep yourself from getting into danger.

Rusty... most wars are not about territory. It's manufactured.. over resources . People are brainwashed to go along with that justification.

Article about Greg Mortenson in NY Times 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/13/opinion/13kristof.html

Anthem for the World
http://www.anthemfortheworld.com/house-divided.html

Info on the near death experience is below and you can see the video online here or just read it, because it's a video of a talk, and it isn't the best quality, but the story is amazing. http://www.near-death.com/forum/nde/000/64.html

The U.S. arrears issue ( wikipedia)

The UN has always had problems with members refusing to pay the assessment levied upon them under the United Nations Charter. But the most significant refusal in recent times has been that of the U.S. For a number of years, the U.S. Congress refused to authorize payment of the U.S. dues, in order to force UN compliance with U.S. wishes, as well as a reduction in the U.S. assessment.^{[citation needed]}
After prolonged negotiations, the U.S. and the UN negotiated an agreement whereby the United States would pay a large part of the money it owes, and in exchange the UN would reduce the assessment rate ceiling from 25% to 22%. The reduction in the assessment rate ceiling was among the reforms contained in the 1999 Helms-Biden legislation, which links payment of $926 million in U.S. arrears to the UN and other international organizations to a series of reform benchmarks.^{[citation needed]}
U.S. arrears to the UN currently total over $1.3 billion. Of this, $612 million is payable under Helms-Biden. The remaining $700 million result from various legislative and policy withholdings; at present, there are no plans to pay these amounts.^{[citation needed]}
Under Helms-Biden, the U.S. paid $100 million in arrears to the UN in December 1999; release of the next $582 million awaits a legislative revision to Helms-Biden, necessary because the benchmark requiring a 25 percent peacekeeping assessment rate ceiling was not quite achieved. The U.S. also seeks elimination of the legislated 25 percent cap on U.S. peacekeeping payments in effect since 1995, which continues to generate additional UN arrears. Of the final $244 million under Helms-Biden, $30 million is payable to the UN and $214 million to other international organizations.^[citati

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 29, 1996--ALOHA Networks, Inc. (ANI) today announced Russell L. (Rusty) Schweickart, former Apollo 9 astronaut, has joined the company as President and CEO.
Schweickart served as lunar module pilot for Apollo 9, the third manned flight in the Apollo series and the first manned flight of the lunar module. He is founder and past president of the Association of Space Explorers, the international association of astronauts and cosmonauts. He is currently serving on the NSF U.S. Antarctic Program Outside Review Panel, established ...

Fall 2009 Study Series Session 3

2009-09-26T13:35:00.000-07:00

Response to readings:

Shocked by how obvious the dysfunctions of war are. How these are not acknowledged by popular media, or political parties, no matter how ‘progressive’

From a doctor’s point of view: there is no way to respond to a nuclear war. So Helen Chaldecott felt she had to do the only thing she could do was wake up thinking about war.

Feel a bit sick.
Iraq taking out the orchard as punishment.
It’s so ridiculous.. Why would anyone set off a bomb. Anyone can think it thorugh and decide to.
Get underneath the people’s grievances.
Some leaders feel that war is inevitable. I would like to dialogue with people where feel that war was built in to its creation.
If you handed out 3-13-23 to anyone how could they say it’s okay.

53 civilizations studies: The society would go along until they ran into a challenge. Those that did the same thing, would be destroyed. Those that did do sometihing different.. the creative minority.... would survive.

Homework:

Questions from the street:

Have to wait a long time to hear something in common.
Re: Texan
- There is huge propoganda machine.

So often the response can so oftten be ' whatever'

With all the money spent on war...

War is earning a lot of people their income.    If you stop the war, what benefit will come to society?

The thing to reach most people is through music, ( War against the machine) but many people are concerned about their work lives.

Most people are working at jobs that are feeding into the system. Liveable Income.com ( Cindy)
To break away from the circus.

A great question would be : How do you see war as an mean of resolving conflict?

How can we support the leaders who want to further change?
   -- It doesn't have to be elected leaders.
       Obama said, If you want me to do something, make me do it' ( Roosevelt)

. Education, Letters, Sit ins, protests

How can we get people on board?

If you're a Palestinian, we are moving too slow.
In the long run, it's non violence that needs to be developed.
Look ahead for the potential hot spots.

Have to talk to the uninitiated.. engage our neighbours.

Discussion questions

A What does it mean to say war is obsolete? How is obsolete different than extinct?
( As a method of solving conflict)
- no longer accomplishes what it was designed to do.
- is war serving a purpose for those who want it.

The potential is there for nuclear use.

In World War II, the vast proportion of people   didnt' believe in going to war.
If we don't frame it in the proper way...

B The short quotes by Pope John Paul II and Jonathan Schell talk about ‘conscious choice.’ Whose choice? How does this relate to the Personal Implications of BW?

The continuation of human life is a conscious choice. The personal implications are highlight aspects, actions of the choice or responsibility will look like. They provide a guideline or framework to live beyond war.

They are not the terrorists, our leaders are the larger terrorists.

We are planting the seeds of more of them.

9 11... room mates felt they didn't enough information to understand.

Shocked Doctrine, Naiomi Klein.
Where there is a disaster, the US is quick to jump in and make the most of the situation.

The infrustructure that is feeding the info to the leaders.

C In the article, War will not end terrorism Tamin Ansary asserts that the war model in the wrong one to defeat terrorism? Why? What is a better approach?

D In his essay, “ Destiny and War” Mac :Lawrence explains the recipe or formula that seems to be common to the genesis of most wars. Describe it.

The Just War theory

Modern Version by Alasdair Macintyre

1. The only justification for war is either self-defense (to preserve our liberty) or to preserve a people’s liberty that we have pledged to uphold.

2. We must not use greater force than is necessary to preserve liberty.

3. We must not fail to threaten or wage war whenever we’re confronted with the loss of liberty for ourselves or for those we’ve pledged to support.

4. We ought not to pledge military assistance to those whom we ought not or cannot defend.

Going to war has some wront assumptions.

Wars and the language of war can start over smal, local issues. Grudge breads war.

President of Iran's comment about Israel were misinterpreted .. to fuel a call for war.

Moxy Fruvous...

E In that same essay, Mac says that if we change the way we think about the realities of war, we would come up with better ways to resolve conflicts. What kinds of conventional thinking that ignores the human face of war – does he outline that perpetuate war.

We are trained not to think for ourselves.

- stirring up fear and hatred. Anonymity and distance numb the moral imagination.

F Dr Bruce Blair contends that the pressing problem today is not the continued confrontation of Russian and the US or India and Pakistan – but is something else. What? And what can be done about it?

- allaying the mistrust, standing down from having each other in their 'cross hairs'
- loss of control of the nuclear arsenals.

Dismantlling systmes by trusting one another .

US , Israel and Pakistan have refused to sign the treaty on the books since 1948 to use nuclear weapons first.

By farming work to offshore sites, resistance is prevented.

Ever since 1917 every Russian president has proposed we put down our arms.

G The costs of war are so many and so far-reaching that it is hard to keep them in mind.. What new information did you learn from the list complied by the Institute for Policy Studies?

Costs of War and Nation Building ( George W in Jan 2001)  

Learned: average deploymetn 480 days.. the costs to now only the military, but small cusinesses adn communitiies

Mental health costs... over 100 000 vets will need mental health treatment.

It would have been more feasible and affordable to bribe the Iraquis

Costs to local democrary -- as countries joined the "Coalition of the Willing' despite national protest.

Putting number to what you already knew.

Disabling international law.

H When most people everywhere turn away from war to settle conflicts, what will the benefits be?

The advocates would move on to the next problem.
Would they in fact turn?

Conflict is a relatively new feature.. Rian The Chalice and the Blade

Homework:
Find examples of "We are all on one planet", and Notice your thinking and the news.

Practice reframing the reading in the big picture that you could talk with.

Links:
Gayle Landt on Living Hope through building a world beyond war
View an interview with Gayle

Jim Diers talking about community engagement

The Chalice and the Blade By Riane Eisler
-- tells a fascinating new story of our past, present, and the possibilities for our future.

Fall 2009 Study Series Session 1

2009-09-16T12:29:00.000-07:00

When did you realize war was not the route to take.
When Cuba got nuclear arms.. The panic.
My dad was ready to move to the Diefenbunker .
How ridiculous.. that Einstein's WW4 fought with sticks and stones.
Always ridiculous that you'd use war to resolve conflict, as it is conflict.

Here are the ideas that came up in discussion during this session.

What do you think of the three quotes

Einstein ( 46).. talk about work locally.. in your own thought

... what kind of thinking are you using. Being more mindful is a key.

It's all about thinking.

A. What messages in the "The Hopi Letter" have meaning for me? What does "We are the ones we have been waiting for' mean to me?

It highlights important questions for personal and community development.
This is like a mission statement or framework for the whole course.
Could be any age.. my generation.

How to deal with those who are SO different?
B. What are the core concepts and culture of Beyond War?

Give up the habit of war.
We are all together in this.

Tools to help address questions of local and international concerns.

---------
Further responses:

Participating as Change Agents
When the rich wage war.. it's war.. when the poor, it's terrorism.
All the things that have to happen to end war... more that staying at home and thinking good thoughts.
On the eve of Iraq war.. millions protested.. it seemed to have no effect.
It takes more a more direct action.
In Central America.. BW people went there.... and then came back to engage with politicians in Washington, who invited them for futher talks as they were not ready to engage with the level of questions the BW folks brought to the table...

C. Beyond War's 4 page " White Paper' describes BW as a new mode of thinking. What does that mean to me?

A new way of thinking about ourselves and others. A new viewing point-- expanded we.
A paradox.. in light of ever shrinking world, there are some with a restrictive sense of identity and connection.
An overriding identification with the whole earth.
Peace is the means by which we arrive at our goal.

Seeing myself as the agent of change.. without individual change, societal change can't occur.
Not taking domination that occurs. in society..is not taking place in our movements.

D. 'Personal Implications' essay. What would be the benefits to me of maintaining an attitude of goodwill and not preoccupying myself with an enemy in my thought and daily actions?

War is obsolete:
War is working for the purposes that the countries have in mind. The capitalist agenda.. It's an illusion that they are being successful.
It's important who's right and who's wrong. Humans are like any other animal.

Less baggage, or resistance. You can't be effective in the greater circle if you have ill will yourself.

A new definition of security... making sure that others needs are met.
The idea of enlightened self interest.

E What happens in my life when I do not maintain an attitude of goodwill and when I preoccupy myself with an enemy?
Drains our energy. Makes us less effective.
Get more angry.

Taking tactics from downtown east side to UVic... It didn't fit

People think we have to do this..

In the 80's it was important to say 'no' to war.
What is the roadmap.. the actual things we should be doing.

F In Zinn's article. " The optimism of Uncertainty.' he says that although people and institutions seem invincible at first glance, they are all very vulnerable and there are lots of examples of how seemingly invincible power has been overcome. What do I think about his analysis? Can I think of other examples?

Eliminate the intimidation factor.

Democracy Now.. postering vs CBC.
Cultural revolution: ... brought change to China
Warming up a neighbourhood.
Children in coal mines
Writers students union:... presidency was always just handed down. This year it was contested and now different sides are going out of their way to be friendly and reach out to others.

Struggling in my mind.. doing something splashy vs something simple things that make a difference.
Important to have participation in many different levels...

The List on the Wall..
An overriding sense of the wrongs that need to be addressed. Don't want to jump into something that we don't know. It feels good to have this list of folks who we could call upon.

---------------------------------------
Social change

G. In my own life, what significant events have occurred, that I couldn't have foreseen, that have made me a different person?

H Zinn says that change agents must be patient and persistent because change comes not as large events, but as an endless succession of small acts participated in by millions of people. Do I think this is so? How or how not?

Class of super investor... psychosis.. the benefit of the superstructure.. They have no choice but to make the investments. They know what they are doing. What do you do with the 1% who don't turn away.

Prohibition didn't work because people were not ready for it.
Getting people ready for it.
- contextual to the situation
- assertive... action with homeless getting into vacant buildings.

Slavery abolished... was it because it was cheaper to employ them at minimize wage?

Dancing with Systems:

Session 2: Fall 2009

2009-09-12T22:38:00.000-07:00

Strategies to get reading done..finding moments.. bathroom reading,

Discussion questions

A Why are the readings divided between ‘Relationship” and “=Content”

First you have to have relationship... then you can share content.

Japanese business model puts relationship first.. then business

-listening builds relationship
-building a relationship helps open the door to sharing ideas.. of being listened to
-building a relationship is the surest way to present a message

B List 10 benefits of listening to another person.
1. learn their views
2. creates and expands us
3. shows respect
4. not to dominate people in their relationship

** can't we build a parliament where people talk and listen.

Question: Is this appropriate for situations that have decades and generalizations of misunderstanding

C Most practical listening and communication techniques
The skills on 2-13:

Practice these skills in a bank line up.
The power of restating.. defuses logger heads.

The frame is a conceptualization of an idea

How to determine the ‘frame’ of the point of view of the person you’re talking to.

D What’s the difference between dialogue or debate?

What do I prefer?

reach consensus vs trying to win
Read the Tyranny of Consensus

E Describe interior state when I talked with people who thought was was a good idea or inevitable

Curious rather than judgement
Appreciation
Take a breath and distance yourself
Come from love and shut off the anger... and just listen. where you think that the other person appreciates life as much as we do
Within th eworking class.. we need to develop these skills.

========
Listening reaches its limit in different contexts.

Try to not exclude anyone from the process.

We all have triggers... ( what will set us off) and cultivate a resourceful interior state

G Koranic Duel Eases Terror.. How did he demonstrate his knowledge of the importance of ‘relationship; and ‘content’

This is not addressing the root causes that feeds the militancy

Article reeks of Euro centrism...

Whole system is set up to exploit. Changing the attitudes of a single CEO, or progressive practices of a judge does little.

This is a long term approach.. is there time, is there another solution?
Is the government adopting some of these techniques to further their own aims...
Number one employer of anthropologists is the military.

Is there an answer to the puzzle? There are too many people in the world to continue the way we currently are. We have a huge mindset to change.

H If the info doesn’t fit the frame it will be rejected. What does that mean?

I What is the best way for me to frame my point of view if I’m trying to persuade someone.

What can Israel do to be more secure?
Whar are some other things beside a strong military that would give them security"

How will preemtive force stop terror?
You say while affirming preemptive force that Palestinians could agree to that would address violence.

Where will staying staying the course lead us?

How can we be of lasting benefit to the Iraqy people.

J Compassionate Listening.. new / surprising?

Listen for the facts, feelings and to what was missing, or ways they are being thwarted.

1. be open to another's point of view
2.

3. listening as 'fair witness -- don't have to do anything
Healing is feeling whole.. in relationshp to someone else.

Keep a state of mind ... need others' support.
Reach out to another..

The opposite of war is not ani-war.

To help people be freed of shame and judgemetn

When people are truely heard, there'a physiological change.
Healing the polarities..within us

I can't be heard until I have heard someone else.

Bereaved parents are reaching out to former enemies...

Why do we need to hear it?
- we're much the same.
We often 'solve' situations without talking about it with their adversaries.

Familiar

Big Ideas: ( Leacock)
The more you argue, the longer this is going to take.

Process is simple:
not new.. a matter of simply centering .. What's really important?
- connection... now do I connect.. reflection.. what is present when I connect
When I'm not, what do I do to block theme?

Whati s the root of the conflict?

postion or facts

values they share with us

what is the essence, beautiful substance that is bein thwarted

Underneath any act of violnece is an unhealed hurt.

Homework:
Take the

Fall 2008 Session 1: Social Change, How it Happens

2008-12-08T20:36:00.000-08:00

Reasons drawing people here

Came from Taiwan.. still facing the threat of war.
There has to be better way
An approach beyond politics
Drawn to ideas.. to help me
Thought.. is where the change is to be
By faith.. Islam means peace... false impressions are engrained To bring the truth out..

Here are the ideas that came up in discussion during this session.

What do you think of the three quotes

Like Einstein's quote about problem solving.
When students are faced with a test they don't understand, as they pray they get answers, and methods that are new

To survive in the world we have transformed...Need to learn to think in a new way...
Who feels they have transformed their world?
New ways to think about OUR future... interconnected goodness.

Our modes of thinking...
Need to engage people around the fact that there are new ways ( how new ?) to resolve conflict.

Being aware and using the PUSH and PULL in our engaging/ discussions with others. Which will be most effective. It seems the PULL is downplayed.

WE is always a 'connector' - a community builder.

A. What messages in the "The Hopi Letter" have meaning for me? What does "We are the ones we have been waiting for' mean to me?

Are you in right relation? I have the opportunity to rethink how I'm responding to this person or situation.
It's so easy to react defensiveness.. it's the first act of war. Be more aware. Taken years to admit the error.
Important question: How can I take things less personally?
- be in right relation, be on the same page, feel loving

How to deal with those who are SO different?

-- when it pushes enough of my buttons, I don't go there.
Unity comes really hard if you focus on differences. Focus on waht you have in common.
What we have to do is change our buttons.

We are the ones we are waiting for?

Message: necessity of our survival to overcome the war. We are coming at this from a personal wish to survive.
Are we sincerely against war because of its immorality, or that we are threatened?

Why will it work this time? What will stop it.

The idea is to change out views of ourselves. to work within 'We are One.'

The way to stop war is to hold war mongers accountable. There needs to be some practical steps we can take.

---------------
When I was in the States and saw the mistreatment of blacks, I was struck by ML King’s requirement to not flicker in our attitude and behaviour.

You cannot have peace without justice.

Why are we against war?

B. What are the core concepts and culture of Beyond War?

Culture.. education, not holding enemies in thought
. The community is connected but independent.

With violence you can't get where you want to go.

---------
Further responses:

To resolve conflict: I will hand it over to God to help me.
Grace and ease takes over, a different behaviour results..

When faced wtih conflict: avoid.

Some of us cope in conflict, some placate,

Avoid them: shut up, after some seconds, talk to them.

Takes courage to stay calm, state boundaries, see ourselves just as important.

C. Beyond War's 4 page " White Paper' describes BW as a new mode of thinking. What does that mean to me?

Shift, a totally new model, a new viewpoint. One that leaves the old behind.

How can I feel secure?
How can I feel loved.?

Article from the Christian Science Monitor about reconciliation in Rwanda
--How can we resolve conflict without violence?

D. 'Personal Implications' essay. What would be the benefits to me of maintaining an attitude of goodwill and not preoccupying myself with an enemy in my thought and daily actions?

We are freer, lighter. Not seeing others as enemies allows us to respond clearly.

CS tend to not see enemies. We know that's what we should do. We sometimes get trapped into preoccupying.

Truth and Reconciliation: the intent to reconcile with whoever it is. We've made a enemy. It's jaring. It takes so much work.

Not taking it personally:
In Africa a woman had been mass rapes. She said, It wasn't her. It was just her body, The criminals didn't know who they were.

Case in Rwanda: The landowner whose family had been killed, who forgave them and eventually hired them.

E What happens in my life when I do not maintain an attitude of goodwill and when I preoccupy myself with an enemy?

Waste time, live in darker times. Held back from getting the ideas and resources we need.

If you allow a thought into your head, and it bothers you. It takes on a life of it's own.
I have to take a step: If I allow this to bother me" -- I'm a loser.

Yes , this thing has not Principle, or reality behind it.
The situation doesn't care.

The problem can't exist without my agreement.

It diminishes the atmosphere.

F In Zinn's article. " The optimism of Uncertainty.' he says that although people and institutions seem invincible at first glance, they are all very vulnerable and there are lots of examples of how seemingly invincible power has been overcome. What do I think about his analysis? Can I think of other examples?

You don't have to worry about changing the leaders opinion, they are usually too scared.

Noam Chomsky says a rebellion has to happen in the States.

G. In my own life, what significant events have occurred, that I couldn't have foreseen, that have made me a different person?

Someone at a party recommended I apply for a grant from the government.

From Radio Sentinel program

I felt the love of God. Hadn’t been looking for it. – of being enveloped by Love.
People at school had been thinking about me, and parents supported me. – they didn’t know exactly what I was into.
The next weekend I realized I didn’t want to continue this
I had a practical way to share what I needed to say.
I made changed immediately
I tried to apologize to people who I had been not nice to.All desire for drugs left me

H Zinn says that change agents must be patient and persistent because change comes not as large events, but as an endless succession of small acts participated in by millions of people. Do I think this is so? How or how not?

Recycling now common place.
Facebook..

If you don't have individuals, you will never have multitudes. ( GC)

I In reading about the movements to end slavery, women's suffrage and the civil rights movement, what do they have in common? How are they unique?

We need to shake up ourself to a new way of thinking:
- to step back from the situation and take another look at things

We need to take another look at the UN which seems to be the only organization with a context to help bring parties together in dialogue.

Where have we made a difference?

Dancing with Systems:

When working wtih computer systems, it is not completely reliable. It is us, the humans that are the most important..

We need a constant source of information on different cultures.

Understanding "Dancing with Systems" is essential if we enter into discussion about helping change a culture, society or organization.

Helps us move beyond simplistic linear thinking. More respectful.

Systems thinking is flexible

Required skills/ attitudes:
Stay wide awake
pay close attention
participate flat out
respond to feedback

Get the Beat:
- watch how a system behaves... ( share observations)

Listen to the Wisdom of the system
-pay attention to what's already there

Session 2: Sept 30 Communication Skills

2008-12-07T20:41:00.000-08:00

Discussion questions

A Why are the readings divided between ‘Relationship” and “Content”

Setting the intent to communicate sets the context for connecting
Gratitude for the opportunity to talk with them helps set the tone.
Have to set a relationship first.
I’m a visual learner.. new info may be overwhelming... So if they communicate in ways that I can understand...nakes all the difference. There are different types of listeners..
The more I bring it up I hope to educated...

Quaran.. Not everything that a man knows can be disclosed.. capacity of a

The challenge to sense
How to establish direct connection: I speak to their heart. Then you don’t need to go through all the ‘styles’ ( Without judgement)

B List 10 benefits of listening to another person.

'Not everything that a man knoweth can be disclosed, nor can everything that he can disclose be regarded as timely, nor can every timely utterance be considered as suited to the capacity of those who hear it.'
(Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 268)

You will learn about them and yourself.

Gain another way of thinking
Get part of the answer that they have ,and you don’t have yet.
Can hear my unconcious thoughts..

Synergy.. knocking up against someone gives opportunikty for creativity.

Open channels
Builds relationship
Can ask appropriate question.
If you're listening, you are not talking
Earn respect
People learn when they are talking
Earn the right/ privilege to speak.
Less confusion.
Learn what their needs are
Sets them up to listen to you
Understand their viewpoint - makes it easer to put your viewpoint across

Question: Is this appropriate for situations that have decades and generalizations of misunderstanding

C Most practical listening and communication techniques

Already use?

When faced with someone who is dogmatic and don’t know how to break itn:
--Reframe... Rephrase what they’ve said.

I can’t listen to alot of other info: Instead I talk about my story.

You seem upset. -- great way to stop, to pause.
Reflecting the feelings, establishes the relationship.

Would like to see this done:
Including feelings may be presumptuous
Be careful. Don’t want to say someting at a more intense level.

New ones I want to develop?

Resist not!

The frame is a conceptualization of an idea

How to determine the ‘frame’ of the point of view of the person you’re talking to.

D What’s the difference between dialogue or debate?

Debate is about winning, not looking for the truth. A benefit from the process is that you learn their weaknesses.

Interesting time. These people going into politics should take this course.
How often are these people influenced enough to change?
Our whole system is based on debate, adversarial...

In Ninevut.. there are no political parties.

Debate: is win –lose.; no change takes place

Dialogue : more interested in both sides. I look for ways to improve my self, or understanding through the process.

What do I prefer?

E Describe interior state when I talked with people who thought was was a good idea or inevitable

To respond to touchy questions we need to do with love and confidence.
What is more important to have love or confidence? Start with love, and build with the confidence.
.

Student in a classroom with swagger said, “ What are you going to do, talk wtih the Taliban” I thought it was a privilege to learn where he was coming from.

Feel hopeless.. tongue tied..

Students said:
What are you going to do? ( with the wars going on, etc)
I just loved them..

Knowing that everyone has the answer...

I had a Buddhist friend:
Oh, no
Oh, Yes
We just left it.
We laughed. We agreed to still respect and love each other.

The elephant..and the blind man..
They are all saying something different things.... and are all right.

What are you going to do if the tanks are coming over hill to invade your country.
.. If we had international law in effect... other countries to have this occur

F Elected officials to be concerned about Questions that begin constructive dialogye?What’s needed is for Canada to go in before the war.

Finishing the job: in WW !!. Americans used Marshall Plan, doing their all to support and build them up.

It shoudl be the UN , not the US who addresses these.

Why is the UN not effective.
Countries would need to agree to go along with it.
The Security Council seats were given the veto, because they wouldn’t sign on otherwise.

2-27: Judge deals with Al Queda.

Generalizations... be careful in how we say, “Americans’ do this..

G Koranic Duel Eases Terror.. How did he demonstrate his knowledge of the importance of ‘relationship; and ‘content’

H If the info doesn’t fit the frame it will be rejected. What does that mean?

I What is the best way for me to frame my point of view if I’m trying to persuade someone.

J Compassionate Listening.. new / surprising?

There are bad people in the world and all they understand is force.

It's a terrible thing but we're always going to have war with us. It's human nature.
Americans feel it's worth it to spend $540 billion a year to buy security.
Homework:
Engage in a conversation about
What do you think about pre-emptive war.
You can use any questions you wish to enga

Reframing: communicating between the soul.

The importance is choosing the right words.
Listen to them and find the

2-21 deeply held views guide them.... Axis of Evil: gets us into a lot of trouble
rather than seeing evil

Links:

Seven years on, Taliban stronger than ever
Article in Times Colonist
Now, a new buzzword is coming to dominate Afghanistan endgame discussion: negotiation.That was the underlying message behind British Brig. Mark Carleton-Smith's downbeat comments to a London newspaper

We will fight with strategic weapons.....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morton_Halperin

Session 3: War is Obsolete

2008-12-06T06:47:00.000-08:00

Response to readings:

Shocked by how obvious the dysfunctions of war are. How these are not acknowledged by popular media, or political parties, no matter how ‘progressive’

From a doctor’s point of view: there is no way to respond to a nuclear war. So Helen Chaldecott felt she had to do the only thing she could do was wake up thinking about war.

Feel a bit sick.
Iraq taking out the orchard as punishment.
It’s so ridiculous.. Why would anyone set off a bomb. Anyone can think it thorugh and decide to.
Get underneath the people’s grievances.
Some leaders feel that war is inevitable. I would like to dialogue with people where feel that war was built in to its creation.
If you handed out 3-13-23 to anyone how could they say it’s okay.

53 civilizations studies: The society would go along until they ran into a challenge. Those that did the same thing, would be destroyed. Those that did do sometihing different.. the creative minority.... would survive.

Homework:
Engage in a conversation about
What do you think about pre-emptive war.
You can use any questions you wish to engage others in converstaion.

Questions from the street:

Should our men stay in Afghanistan?

They came back with..

The Muslims over here have not done their part , so Bush had to do something.

The last epidemic.. it re-reinforces the idea that we should not stand aghast.

Our only response is to prevent

How to take those steps?

Where do we start?

A spiritual perspective may give you some assurance?

Come to grip with ‘we are one’

The wars in the headlines these days, leave nuclear threat in the background.

"Lest we forget."

When we change the leadership in the States we can turn things around.

Nearly all empires:

Greece. Stated out a democracy, ended a tyranny

Rome…. The same.

Overextension in all cases weakened them’

We are dealing with the moral fibre of a nation that will go for security at any cost.

Discussion questions

A What does it mean to say war is obsolete? How is obsolete different than extinct?

Something may be current... but it’s not working. We need to recognzie that it’s not ‘working’

War as a survival mechanism is an old mode of thinking.
- has deep roots but is obsolete in our new environment.

.. as obsolte as the once invincible calvary
Our current use of them blinds us from seeking other possibilities.

How can we get passed the feat -based living:
-B’hai writings: let your soul....

Foster dialogue between people.

Link to Traubman

May continue to be used, but it’s not longer current,.

Obsolete.. means something can be takes its place.

Right now it’s obsolete , with a shift of thought it will be extinct.

B The short quotes by Pope John Paul II and Jonathan Schell talk about ‘conscious choice.’ Whose choice? How does this relate to the Personal Implications of BW?

When you think the war is ‘over there’ we don’t need to take it seriously.

We need a new awareness.
Popular media and traditional politics doesn’t acknowledge this reality.

It all comes down to ourselves.

To not use war to resolve conflict.

. The public and the politicians. If we followed the golden rule the choice would be made.

Conscioius choice: Not to lock the door, address my fear instead.

Stephen Covey: when you become a parent. You have a recording of how your parents raised you. You are unaware. You need to stop, think, and decide and what you want to pass on to your kids.

Think back to the ice berg model:
Have to take care of ourelf so we don’t have our filters distorted.

With global warming, you can’t open a paper now without the issue being mentioned.

There is no one enemy. People are realizing that we are all in this together, in a way that doesn’t happen with war.

It’s the same rich countries and groups who are involved with the enviro and security issues.

When you know what a person thinks about one of these issues, you will know what their stance on the others.

How do these conscous

Personal Implications of the Core Principles

* I will resolve conflict. I will not use violence -- not even psychological violence.
* ( I will not preoccupy myself with an enemy. I will maintain an attitude of goodwill.
* I will work together with others to build a world beyond

Conscious choice.... or unconscious choice..
-- a lot of our actions come from unconscious choice.

Relate
In the article “War will not end terrorism,” Tarmin Asary asserts that the war model is the wrong one to defeat terrorism. Do you agree? Why/ What do you think is a better approach?

Terrorism is born of grudge and grievance...

Watching Tall Hall ( Mansbridge)
Primary concern of pro-war . Can’t build school if war is going on.
Frist you work on security , then you build infrastructure.

Reframe:

If we had doen Afghanistan correctly , what woudl we have done.
How did Greg Mortenson do this?
If one person could do this, what could a country do?

You can’t use war to destroy an idea.
Need to use a new language, engage in new conversation.
Deal with the subtle aspects of crime.
Take a look at what nourishes terror.

Get rid of the grievances..

Address the issues of dislocation, chaos, impotence and secrecy

D In his essay, “ Destiny and War” Mac :Lawrence explains the recipe or formula that seems to be common to the genesis of most wars. Describe it.

The Just War theory

Modern Version by Alasdair Macintyre

1. The only justification for war is either self-defense (to preserve our liberty) or to preserve a people’s liberty that we have pledged to uphold.

2. We must not use greater force than is necessary to preserve liberty.

3. We must not fail to threaten or wage war whenever we’re confronted with the loss of liberty for ourselves or for those we’ve pledged to support.

4. We ought not to pledge military assistance to those whom we ought not or cannot defend.

-the desire of those in power to go to war

- stir up the emotions of fear and hatred to create and demonize enemies

- \no mention made of the death and destruction of war.

-dehumanize the victims

-descriptions use sanitized text

***Death and Destruction are worth it: Madelie Albright when commenting on US sanctions against Iraq causing 1/2 million children to die. Yet people in the States will spend countless hours and resources over one dhild who was killed, or down a well.

A very thoughtful series about the effects of the Iraq war on a family.

Like the majority of Iraqis, this poor Baghdad family leads a tough life. They say it's made even more difficult by anxiety about any new US war. In fact, statements about the future often begin: "If I am still alive..."

http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/1226/p01s03-wome.htm

http://www.csmonitor.com/search?q=methboub&btnG=Google+Search&sort=date%3AD%3AL%3Ad1&oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF-8&output=xml_no_dtd&client=default_frontend&site=csmonitor&proxystylesheet=monitor_style

Are there other ingredients you would add?

-- we need people to become skilled in (international) communications.. to put more intellect and imagination behind peace as has the deception about war.

E In that same essay, Mac says that if we change the way we think about the realities of war, we would come up with better ways to resolve conflicts. What kinds of conventional thinking that ignores the human face of war – does he outline that perpetuate war.

Control the images:. If ‘we’ don’t show the tragedies, people won’t opppose it. The perception and the delivery of the perception.

Talk in large numbers, not about the individual suffering . We don’t consdier war is murder.

Describe the others’ countrymen as lesser humans. In the radio play enemies were called low life’

Disregard the social costs.

Not a lot of consciojs living. Perhaps a parallel to eating meat.
In what other ways are we ‘unconcious?’

Loved compassionate listening:
If you’re in that state os love, compassion, gratitutde for the opportunity to talk with them, when you’re talking to someone, you will have all that ‘heart’ energy.

F Dr Bruce Blair contends that the pressing problem today is not the continued confrontation of Russian and the US or India and Pakistan – but is something else. What? And what can be done about it?

The loss of physical control over the missiles on hair-trigger alert.

False warning.. accidental or hacked.

Communication and trust between officials.

They should each stand down and work together to protect their own aresentals but also to keep other nations off of high alert.

-- They have made it a bit more difficult to set things in motion because of the threat of terrorists.

What can we do here.
Communicate these ideas.
Is there a voice that could welcome the war resistance.
Guy Dauncey’s : 101 Solutions... Use that model to understand what the citizen can do.
Enough Bloodshed: ...another 101 Solutions

G The costs of war are so many and so far-reaching that it is hard to keep them in mind.. What new information did you learn from the list complied by the Institute for Policy Studies?

Costs of War and Nation Building ( George W in Jan 2001)  

"If we don't stop extending our troops all around the world in nation-building missions, then we're going to have a serious problem." — George W. Bush, Jan. 2001.
 
The neocons, Rumsfeld, Cheney, Wolfowitz, etc. were just totally unrealistic. "We are dealing with a country that can really finance its own reconstruction, and relatively soon." – Wolfowitz, March 28, 2003.

Audience: Sector that think that war is good for the economy.
All those people’s jobs work against peace.

What would get this into the national dialogue?

Double national the projected national deficit over the next 10 years.

High impact of service on officer’s marriages. – 3.5 times that of 2000.

Over 4 times the number of soldiers are needing medical care.

What are some costs of war you hadn’t considered before?

High civilian deaths

Rise in crime

Unemployment

Loss of income for Iraqi’s

Costs to the world

Effect on UN, international law

Global security..

H When most people everywhere turn away from war to settle conflicts, what will the benefits be?

Every problem in the world could be addressed.

More international support and cooperation.

Collaboration

Less stress on local and international budgets.

The question you can use:

In light of this, what can each individual do to help?

----

For most citizens war is not seen as a real threat but more of a moral issue.

We're not realizing we're playing Russian Roulette.

---
When the threat is not motivating, we'll underline the benefits:

When we run out of sticks, we'll sharpen carrots.

Links:
Gayle Landt on Living Hope through building a world beyond war
View an interview with Gayle

Session 4: We are one

2008-12-05T20:02:00.000-08:00

Check in:
From our conversations:

A minister said “ you have to show your dominion”
We have a long term practice that we are not personally responsible if the government tells you to do something.

“ The UN is looking after it”
Is it get better?

People figure out things when they are talking

US and Them  Tent city...
Good for you to have the tents vs Young parents’ ‘no place fo rour kids’ u
Has to be a national strategy
Homeless : 200 agencies in Victoria

Shift of thinking: Feeling that life is FOR me, rather than Against me. - makes a big difference in my life.

Politicians have ego and positions... rather than searching for the truth.

French President Nicolas SARKOZY..called for a universal financial conference when he glimpsed the economic challenge.

---------
What if we did it differently?
4 men and 1 woman having discussion. Man storms off.
One said, I’m really sorry. and apologized.
He said , “ I’m sensitive.”
The whole division was healed.
Imagine if the world would maintain that spirit of good will.

The Woodwards metaphor.. top quality, satisfaction guaranteed, no questions
UVic orientation program.. blockage overcome.

We had that expectation that all things would work okay.
They want the best for you.

That outlook allows you to be agressive ( assertive)
If you believe people want what’s best for you...

-------------

Media watch  Article spotted by Joy:

Envoy offers Canada’s help in Afghanistan

World wide economic repurcussions. ‘We all lie on one planet’ thinking:

Notes:
Mode: - a unit of measure.
broadness and inclusiveness of our thinking:
includes:
our values, attitudes, beliefs and motvation forms our identity determines our behavior

Some see we are interrelated, Others pursue their own aims.

Cannot afford to preoccupy ourselves wtih enemies.

When we change our mode of thinking , diverse points of view will become a source of creative solutions.

Us and Them:
election results, and the campaign

A Earliest realization that 'we all live on one planet"

Info on the near death experience is below and you can see the video online here or just read it, because it's a video of a talk, and it isn't the best quality, but the story is amazing. http://www.near-death.com/forum/nde/000/64.html

Right from Sunday School.. We are all God’s children

In grade 4.. asked teacher. What happens for Buddhists who don’t get baptised?

In school we started each day singing the anthem... thinking about the nation.

Anthem for the world.-- Sheila’s link  http://www.anthemfortheworld.com/  

TV was a window in the world for me.

Sagan’s book: Because everything is connected we are breathing in atoms from dinosaurs of 65 million years ago.

This awareness starts in the head.. and then goes to the heart.
When you are brought up with these truths, they are part of you. If you have a sense of separateness, it does’t feel very good.

I was raised Catholic and was told , “ We are all sinners” Where do we go from there. There was so much shame to be alive. It has such an impact on me.

The Chernobyl disaster of '82 affected our rhubarb leaves.

the vegetables of father's dinner. I wondered how that same person could fit.' I saw tears in her eyes.

Def'n of One:
a single unit, an entire being

Lawrence Doyle: Uni - Verse.... one song.

Einstein Quote:
Near death experience:
Woman looked back and saw that we are all connected.
Source from Sheila

B What do the 100 Laureates consider as the greatest threat to world peace? What do they suggest to prevent it?

First paragraph:
Legitmate demands of the dispossessed.... healed by cooperative

The legitimate demands fo the world's dispossessed. Those who lacks funds and the right to elect leaders.

Must shift from unilateral quest for security to international approaches for dealing with global warming, and a weaponized world.

A new way of thinking... on a broader scale

C Survival and change: What new threats to our survival do we face today? What changes in our thinking and actions are required to respond to these threats?

We lack the understanding necessary for survival.
-- we need the wisdom to make sense of the info already received

Wisdom: life experience. Let’s realize it’s already there.
Important to realize we have it within us, rather than have to search externally.

Three principles of survival and change:
1. Survival is the goal of all life.
2. The future belongs to those with a fitness for change.
The environment determines the nature of the change necessary.

The environment we’re living in now/ What is it forcing us to do:
1. with MMD, if we keep the old way of thinking, will not survive.

We can only end way when we change our view of the earth.

We can no longer think that war will lead to survival.

Needed courage, strength , wisdom

With the development of atomic weapons, all humans are vulnerable. The survival of our entrie species is threatened.

Seeing divine Mind as the Environment, it is forcing us to evolve. - Look at the changes it requires. Gdd makes changes in human character.

Change can only take place in the moment. ( free of a past or future)

New views of evolution see bursts of evolution ( like wings)

D Golden Rule: in what way are people from different faiths similar?
The other person's experience is linked to our own.

Peggy's New one from Africa.

How are peoples similar:
Rosenburg: need respect, love
If they don't get these needs met there is potential for trouble.

E The essay We are One discusses the unity principle as it exists in physics, ecology, biology, and psychology. What did you find most interesting in each section?

the unity principle
- everything is interrelated in one unified system

Physics.. brings out the difference between a wave and a particle.
The illusion is that an individual or a nation acts separately.

Ecology - study of the relations and interactions in the life support system
The graphic example of the DDT on the mosquitoes in Borneo..

Diversity permits more flexibility

Biology - The fittest -those who contribute to the survival of the whole system.

Psychology - - to better understand the projection of our shadow side
When our projection is brought to our conscious self, - it allows us to see our unity. That it is part of ourselves that we mistakenly hate in others.

F Carl Jung and the difference between how two people interact and how two nations interact.

What happens when we project our shadow side onto another person?
We don't like them. We enter into conflict. We don't realize that it is our own short comings that we are fighting against.

What happens when a nation does that?
The stakes are higher.

How can we prevent that?
Taking a closer , more realistic view of our own shortcomings. If we correct them in our selves then we won't project them to others and enter into conflict with them.

When we are faced with an irritating person, we have error to correct in ourselves.
Mortal mind has to be handled. What discord in our own thinking needs to be corrected?
( Drunk in a sports

G What is truth? Is it absolute? How can you find it?
We meed everyone’s ideas to know what is truth.

The truth is the 'whole picture. ( Back up and see more)

Truth is immaterial that is

Love is Reality. Uncondtional ... what we need. It may come in ways that we may not see immediately as ‘good’

Many ‘scientists’ and physicians put forth falsehoods... and they are rarely called on it.

We must open our mind to new possibilities -- must learn from our past mistakes.

What would happen if we were more conscious of our filters?
This process of ‘opening’ is precioius and crucial.

How many people have we met who have adopted this new mode ?
What do they do with it?
Does anyone adopt it and then not change their life?

Absolute: Law. Complete and unconditional; final.
Find it? By dropping narrow frame of reference.'

When we think about civilization ( British) thought about slavery, we can see that we have in fact advanced. We are doing alot of things right.

Degree of materiality is the difference between various belief system.

H What is your experience when you contemplate the 'identification' pages?
How small, but connected we are to the whole picture.

What dangers are there if we identify too broadly?

When I was 5, my world was mostly my neighbourhood... except for going to church across town.

If I identify strongly with one level I can then branch out to he next one.

As times goes on if you put your identification is most strongly on the previous layer it disrupts your connection withthe larger level.

The diversity carried through all the ideologies. People are blind to the truth. Just like the men with the elephant, we have to bring it all together. The search is the most fun.

Everyone looks at this model differently.

We are sometimes surprised by our response to a situatinon as we thought in new ways about our identification.

How does have an expanded identification affect you?

Our widening identification is mostly caused by new ways of transportation in our world.

Example of broadening identification: Western World . not just Canadians.

We were once tribal. The basic human organization is getting wider.

When we get expanded mode, we are less critical. Situations are calmed.

I How could the personal implications be valuable in your life?

It's the way that many of us live our lives.
Maintain an attitude of good will... Hard to do when someone is annoying you.
Not preoccupy with an enemy.
= Maybe I don't know the story.
=How often do we show gratitude. This may lead to a better world. As you see the enemy, we love our creativity.

from previous discussion:

In a resort catering to an international visitor, one fellow had a shirt with the golden rule up and down the arms. A staff members approving comment drew a crowd of visitors and people cheered on the idea of the golden rule.

This illustrates this important ideas: When we lead by gracioius example you change people's opinions.

'We are one' is the most connecting foundational ideas. People can relate to it quickly. It is a sticky idea.

I will resolve conflict.
Something that is hard for 'me'

Human conflict resolved by
1. they leave
2. you change or leave
3. situation doesn't change but ceases to disturb you.

A woman faced with slugs threatening her vegetable patch choice to pray about it, rather than use slug bait. Part of her approach was there was plenty of of food for the slugs and her. Her plants were not touched. Similarly another person saw her trees no longer bothered by caterpillars.

Us and Them thinking is one of the hardest to get on top of.

Engineers/ Non- engineers on campus. When groups of engineers get together their comments generate us/them responses.

US/ Canada --
People are quick to make generalizations.

Canadians sometimes more easily identify with the 'enemies' of the US

Good will:
In traffic, one driver said he refused to let some idiot ruin his day. Despite inconsiderate driving around him, he refused to lose his cool.

A sense of humour helps keep people engaged as we share ideas. It is evidence of good will.

We never complete this process of identification. We may start a friendship but it keeps on devloping. We don't stop, we just get to know them better.

Reframing
Given a statement that dont' agree wtih, how can we backup , rephrase and come up with a statement that has agreement.

How to get your idea across without confrontation.

Preoccupying ourselves with an enemy, or your own perfection, puts blinders on you.

Posted by Christopher at 8:12 AM
4 comments:

Elaine's story

WE ARE ONE . . . . .
The plane, ready to take off for Heathrow, waited on the runway as the passengers boarded. I found my seat and sat down, feeling tense, after a long wait at the Security Gate and having my tweezers confiscated! It was just one month after 9/11 and I was on the first stage of a long-planned holiday with friends in London.
I looked through the window as the passengers boarded, then turned to watch them walk down the aisle and noted a young man of Middle Eastern descent. He took the centre seat next to me and immediately turned around, looking towards the back of the plane. He did that repeatedly. I caught my breath. ‘He’s a terrorist,” I thought, trying to make contact with his accomplice at the back of the plane!’ Then I calmed myself, realizing I was allowing the fear, being universally expressed, to control me. He wouldn’t have got through Security, I thought. If they are confiscating tweezers from old ladies, they surely would have stopped this young man if he were a terrorist!
But then he called to the stewardess asking, if there was a seat available at the back of the plane, could he change? Once again I felt fear’s grip. He is a terrorist, I thought, they operate from the back of planes.” Then I calmed myself, knowing I must control my thoughts. I was judging this young man by his race and this is something I, born and raised in South Africa and living through most of the Apartheid years, could not tolerate. I had witnessed the effects of racism. I cleared my thinking, claiming ‘we are one. All mankind is one family.’ I smiled at him and we began talking. He spoke about his country, Iran and I told him about living in South Africa under Apartheid; that one of it’s greatest evils was the way it broke down the family life of black people. We talked about Nelson Mandela and Bishop Tutu’s policy of ‘Truth and Reconciliation”, how it had prevented civil war in South Africa We talked for the rest of the journey about Politics and Religion and found we held similar views although he, a Muslim and I, a Christian.
Upon arriving at Heathrow we exchanged e-mail addresses. A few days later I received an e-mail from this young man, saying how he had enjoyed our conversation, that he felt as if he had been talking to his Mother! We are indeed, all members of a universal family. WE ARE ONE.
1:01 AM
Anonymous said...

Elaine's story

The system of Apartheid in South Africa not only separated the black and white races, but in attempting to preserve the Afrikaans language and culture, it also segregated English and Afrikaans children in the schools. Parents were forced to send their children to schools that taught in their home language. As children often begin lifelong friendships during their school days and parents meet the parents of their children’s friends, this law put a barrier between English and Afrikaans speaking families, who very seldom mixed socially.
I recall an experience my son had during his school days. He attended a well-known Boys’ Secondary School and played in the School’s First Rugby Team. During the annual match against the Afrikaans Boys’ Secondary School, tensions were high, becoming almost a state of war between players and supporters, who never had the opportunity to get to know one another.
Although there were separate universities for English and Afrikaans students, at that stage of their education, the Government did not legislate that students attend a university in their home language. However, after spending their school years studying in their own language, it was not easy to change at university level. Many Afrikaans-speaking parents, realizing the advantages of education in English, made every effort to ensure their children did learn English to enable them to enroll in an English university.
After graduating from Secondary School, my son attended the English University in Johannesburg. He began playing rugby for the university and found himself to be a team-mate of an Afrikaans-speaking student who had played for the opposition Afrikaans school, during their school days. From seeing each other as enemies, they became friends with many common interests and realised they were not different but were ‘members of the world’s people’ – they were one.
8:55 PM
Christopher said...

I recall another incident with which I was involved when Ros was a ballet student and had been selected, with other dancers, to represent S.Africa at an Interntional Ballet Competition, dancing in Israel, London and Edinburgh. S.Africa was not permitted to participate in the competition, by those organising it, unless they had black students taking part as well. A group of black young people from Soweto were selected.

The teacher had to get a permit to enter Soweto, an official 'black' area to train the children there, because classes of mixed race were not permitted. Because the black students' parents could not afford to pay for their children to go on this trip, we formed a committee to raise funds and the teacher put on some ballet shows. We had to get special permission for the mixed cast to dance on the stages and special permission for their parents to be in the audiences because everything was segregated. When I applied to the municipal office for this permission I was turned down in no uncertain terms. I remember the words of the govt. official who said, 'never in my lifetime will there be mixed audiences in this country. " That was in 1976. We left S.A. in 1978, long before Mandela was released.

Often wished I could have re-visited that Gov. official in Pretoria after the release of Mandela !! I also had to get special permission for passports for the black students. It was not their 'right' according to the apartheid govt. I eventually made an appointment to personally see the Govt Minister to make the request of him He, at first, refused until I pointed out it would not be good for S.Africa's image internationally. He then gave permission. They had a wonderfully successful trip. All the students, black and white, shared accommodation and became friends, getting on well together, finding out they were not different from each other - they were one!
The sad thing was that when they returned home to S.A. they were not permitted to continue the friendships.
Thought you might be interested to hear this, another example of getting to know each other.

Links:
Article about Greg Mortenson in NY Times 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/13/opinion/13kristof.html

Anthem for the World
http://www.anthemfortheworld.com/house-divided.html

Info on the near death experience is below and you can see the video online here or just read it, because it's a video of a talk, and it isn't the best quality, but the story is amazing. http://www.near-death.com/forum/nde/000/64.html

Traubman's Jewish

Session 5: The means are the ends in the making

2008-12-04T13:34:00.000-08:00

Two themes:

Non Violent conflict processes

Appropriate foreign aid.

-----------

NOTES:
Bill Ury.. two column view of life:
Those things one cannot affect, and those things one can.

The means are the ends in the making

"If you don't live it , it don't come out your horn" - Charlie Parker

As one high school student said at a recent introduction -- it's about walking the talk.
----

Non Violent conflict processes

Appropriate foreign aid.

NOTES:
Citizen Diplomacy...
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0215/p03s02-usgn.htm

Carter's Methods Bring Results
http://www.csmonitor.com/1995/0111/11192.html

A What do the Traubmans mean when then quote Thoreau in "Hope Within the Fire" as saying "Things do not change: we change?"

Understanding and compassion are like dry firewood... it's possible to start a fire without them ( with wet wood) but it takes a lot longer.

Hope within the Fire Article:

The dialogue , the sharing of stories resulted in people's expanded identification. Seeing their oneness they began to want to the best for each other.

Gov'ts, geographies, histories remain the same: we change as our understanding , perspective, identification changes

What is the difference between an Israeli and Jew?
understanding and compassion -- ingredients for any lasting relationship?
hearing others' stories allows their identification to expand.
As more people expand in this way, it makes the environment right for gov't peace processes to move to completion.
We must bypass the political process that is deadlocked., that leaves people feeling hopeless.

Governments alone can't do all that is required.

One Voice
http://www.onevoicemovement.org/

What things don't change?
Processes. Things that lead to war.
Cultures
Our interdependence, interrelatedness,
The absolute
Foundational ideas. ( while our services may)

B What was the process of change like for Gaia in "Why Dialogue?"

She had been brought up with a mindset.

Listening to a panel with Palestinians on it. Recognizing that they were his favourites on the panel , appreciating that they were didn't attack him. He learned that people who really care , listen and try not to fight.

In S Africa there was apartheid between English and Apartheid as well. School children never mixed. ( read the complete story under 'comments')

C. Gaia writes " I feel like so much change can occur if we just have people who are wililng to experience things together." What implications, if any, do you feel this statement has for your participation in this study series?

We are sharing the time, meals, readings together. In turn we bring personal, group concerns to the 'floor' and see how we might use BW ideas to reframe them.

Like Charlie Parker ....our meetings strike us on many levels.. we want to this to come out of our horn.

It takes exposure and sharing of life to really change perspective.

Met a Jew on the train going west who had been in a concentration camp. The marvelous humanity of two particular Jews she had known, seemed to transcend their plight with this utter compassion - get details from Marj

D How are nonviolent conflict resolution processes like Neve Shalom , or the truth and reconciliation commissions related to the idea " the means are the ends in the making?'
Their actions are congruent, or are guided by, the ends they have in mind. There is no disconnect.

If you want to have a conversation , at least one person has to open their minds. ( Taiwanese and Chinese)

If someone has done wrong, they must tell the truth about their actions. It's not just others' forgiveness.

E What are your experiences in reading about the Central Asia Institute? Regarding the scope of his work, what do you think is at the heart of Greg Mortenson's thinking? - see links below

He persevered. He listened.

The reason was 'his whole reason for being' For his own children.

He was so compassionate and passionate.

He wants to improve the world to be a more peaceful place. His actions illustrate and motivate means to improve the connections, the relations between Islam and Americans.

'A thorough statement of the problem is 3/4 of the solution.' - who said that?

Mortenson .had glowing respect for Musharoff, and the Pakistani people. Similar to Romeo Dallaire's requests in Rwanda which went unheeded.

F In the Heifer International article entitled " A different kind of exchange Program" readers learn that a house-to-house search for illegal weapons didn't work. What worked better?

Here's their site
Over 800 projects in 50 countries

Citizens could trade 3 weapons in for a pregnant heifer.'

A new 'currency'

Willing to trade in if they feel there is a credible guarantee of security and chance to improve their livelihoods.

We need to find what creative ideas Canada is involved in.
Microfinancing.

G In "Terror ,Love, and the State of the World" John Robbins suggests "..the US remember that we have a deep and paramount interdependence with the well-being of all the world's peoples. What do you think he means? Do you think this statement relates to both "We all live on one planet..." and " the means are the ends in the making?' If so , how?

Author of Diet for a New America .

Here's a link the Wombat Video Clip
that was produced by Foundation for Global Community

He draws a connection between the billions dollars a day spent on the military and the unmet needs of people around the world.. the grinding poverty

It's a case of limited identification that we don't know that 35 000 children die of starvation per day.

A recent book: Stuffed and Starved. Governments are not supposed to have the control, or voice.

Naomi Klein. The Schock Doctrine... This financial crisis has done for Friedmanism [/ current freemarket, corporations are protected from loss more than people theory.]... as the Berlin Wall did for communism.

We can't be secure while others' needs are not being met.
He has a new definition of the 'greatness' of a nation: our ability to bring out the best in ourselves and others, and by the quality of life we leave our children.

"We'll know we've begun to create true national security when we define the greatness of our civilizations not by military capabilities , but my our ability to bring out the best in ourselves and others...'

When faced with fear, some people step forward and see the opportunity. We must take a stand for the creation for a sustaining way of life for all.

What are we planting , nurturing and harvesting?

What could/ would you do if you found the imbalance intolerable?

As you read the articles, watch the news, all you see are the young men. But where are the women? Why are they not having an influence.
In Ireland, it was the women who had a big influence. They are better educated.

H Can you find a hopeful vision in the information presented in "Afghanistan: Eight thousand children under arms look for a future? If so , where?

The efforts at disarmanent, demobilization, and reintegration.
2006 analysis

They are passing legislation to ban children in the armies.

If Rich Countries Would Boost Aid

If 22 of the rich countries came up with .7% of their GDP , 500 million people would escape poverty and 10s of millions would escape certain death. US gives only 15% of development aid.

Where US income tax money really goes..
Here are the current figures
The current military costs have increased to 31% ( from 26) and General and Gen'l gov't dropped by 4%, Physical resources by 1%

Central Asia Institute
On 18 August 2008, Pervez Musharraf resigned from the post of President of Pakistan under impeachment pressure from the coalition government. ...

Links:

Article about Greg Mortenson in NY Times 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/13/opinion/13kristof.html

Gift for an Entire Village
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0912/p17s01-bogn.html

Resignation of an American Diplomat
http://www.bradykiesling.com/

Interview with the Traubmans
http://beyondwar.blip.tv/file/750902/

Session 8: Participating in this Social Change

2008-12-01T08:10:00.000-08:00

Exploring how I can participate in the important social change of moving the world beyond war in a way that enhances the quality of life.

Some of this first couple of sections are some gems from a previous Study Series.

1 .In the context of social change how can one person make a difference?

When have you made a difference.
smoking policy at family place
change at hot dog day
going to that Mr Happy Workshop.. started people thinking. It had an impact even if we don't see it
early adopters .. it's not immediately apparent where it's going.
in Native community in NCanada. 95% alcoholic. One woman went to AA. Eventually the rate down to 27%
Gordon Wilson and the birth of the Liberals
taking an innovation to an organization on the basis of ' let's try it for 6 months'

- network: connect with others

- be a witness

- be the change you want to see: have your beliefs in mind, and express these in your own way

2 What personal strategies are important to maintain involvement and avoid burnout?

- by not getting discouraged and feeling overwhelmed

- teamwork

- diversity: Focus your energy on more that one project. Whe you see progress on a smaller projects, it reinforces our resolve. ( Choose multiple subsets on a theme)

What habits and attitudes are essential to make a useful contribution to social change?

-humility, perseverance, sense of humour, listening,

-consistency, outgoing ( aggressive listening)

3 Martin Luther King said that, “ .. we must come to see that the whole Jericho Road must be transformed..” What do you think King would have thought about the four categories of

1. nonviolent conflict resolution processes,

2. appropriate foreign aid

3. international law, and

4. cooperation and collaboration between peoples and nations.

The problems will keep occurring so the solution is to send some peace-makers to keep it safe.

The 4 categories would keep ‘Jericho Road” safe

King wanted a transformation.

Asian cultures think in much longer term.

‘If I don’t prosper then my sons… and in not , my grandsons”

4 Which readings in this session stood out and why?

Overall:

BW’s message: Peace is not something that you hope for, but proactively work towards in a realistic way. It’s a necessity. It’s just part of your life.

You live in a manner that is congruent with the fundamental ideas.

Decision making:

In the BW Orientation there was a poignant question:

What is a decision you made that you didn’t know all the consequences of when you made it?

People want to have all their choices laid out clearly before them.

It’s incongruously mind-boggling to implement a program that everyone is going to buy into.

Spring's blossoms come out without concern for their chances of success. They bloom as is their nature.

In many ways now, we're called to sing as is our nature." --Raffi

Session 8 Decision and action -

What can we do with this information?

Look for collaboration

Significance of one of the quotes by:

MLK

To not say something is betrayal.. – Harsh criticism for ‘keeping to oneself’
Ghandi said you have to speak truth to power.

I am not betraying my country by speaking my truth.
It encapsulates the Study Series.

William Ury

Appropriate to send to the press.. a letter the editor in light of the lost resources of our youth being killed in Afghanistan.

Reminds me what a UN soldier said. Doing nothing is choosing a side

[Most people don't understand what peace is =

------------------------

Gayle Landt

Establishing the goal firmly in thought, and then keeping it firmly in view… then working toward achieving it.

Answers the question, What are you going to do with BW?

Margaret Mead

Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed,that is the only thing that ever has.

-- Where does change take place? Who is in that group? What qualities are important.

The person is one who started the Stone Soup.

-----------------------

Edward Hale
I am only one.
But still I am one.
I cannot do everything
But still I can do something
And because I cannot do everything
I will not refuse to do the someting that I can do.
-- the emphasis is Doing Something..
But what that is , counts.

You often feel you're small in the universe and not capable.

This ties in so well to Stone Soup.

---------------

Marianne Williamson

Not shrinking, but showing forth our light , will empower others around us.

Your playing small does not serve the world.

( our fear is that we are powerful beyond measure –Why?)

The new leader:

You can tell by the ones who say, " I don't know, but you do/"
Empowering. They don't take away your power.
They direct your questions back to you.

In the Virtues project. Instead of giving advice, you listen and let them find the wisdom within them.

Mr Happy Workshop:

Plays with the kids. Listen to them, they will teach you.

At a career fair:
Radio Shack.. it's not the same anymore how you hire. Once they are, draw out the infom the genius.

I won the door prize at Mr Happy, a bag of toys.

I made the toys available to the kids and said, " Take what you are attracted to."
That upset my coworkers so much they fired me.

----------------------

Rebeca Solnit

The power of hope.
It is what distinguishes BW from my other movements.

Hope for the future, improves our present.

The Basis of Hope:
'possibilities' is key idea in these quotes.
We must decide to act on this new knowledge.

Action is impossible without hope.
7 Habits:
To not be governed by history, but by potential.

Organizations and groups have to open to change.

Discussion Questions:

Chinese saying:

You can have a huge success when you run into a crisis.

Chinese character for Crisis... same as opportunity

A Making Stone Soup: underlying message

The seeds of success are returning to the BW with what you can do.
In the Stone Soup approach will we get new knowledge but also a new mode of thinking.

So this new way is the norm.. A cultural acceptance.

What do you have to contribute?
Education is the action if we want to have agreement.
The creativity of it.
Not to burnout when doing this.

B How does the message of “ Evolutionary Politics” - fit or not fit in the point of view of ‘ new ways of thinking”

Realizing we are one. To talk with others about the world they envision.
Power of intention.

Means are ends in the making.
-- Through knowledge and love we create the world anew every day.

[I learned that the American Rev was an evolutionary leap, that didn't take a long time. In the process they learned and created a lot.]

It lines up with the personal intentions with its emphasis, its heart-base.

'our country's' role has always been to be a light to the world ?

Founding Fathers of US has a pacifist bent. Citizen Soldier.
This has faded out since the WWI

We need to start a whole new conversation.

Our defense is our interconnection, our values, our compassion

C Primary thrusts in Wheatley’s “Toward Sanity in a time of Chaos?”

Real change comes from the ageless process of people thinking together in conversation.

If we have these four skills to create conditions for relationship:

authentic, inclusive, present, responsible

There is no doubt that we would be in very high relationship. We would be creating the conditions by which all of life advances and organizes.

America thinks they can 'go it alone' -- without relationship. " Nothing living lives alone, except Americans."

In Senegal, which has high levels of education, but low employment, there is no suicide, hunger or homelessness. They have each other.

We are all what we need., that we are the solution. We don’t realize in our culture that we are all that we need.

A leader is someone who is willing to help. It's what happens when you see something that needs to be changed. Willing to step forward, take a stand and get engaged.

Heart based leadership.

D What did MLK mean when he said, “ One day we must come to see that the whole Jericho road must be transformed.

The human journey must be improved, radically changed.

The system needs to be changed. We need to look ahead, see where the problem is going to be.
Move past indecision into action.

------------------
When have you made decisions and didn't know the implications.

Why something is a success, is at attitude, a wisdom, how you think about yourself. You have to be a happy individual so if something happens out there, it can't affect you. It is not age-based.

Naive: pure hearted, you don't know all the implications. Not hip to all the limitations people place on something.

Coming to Victoria from Taiwan. I want some change.

E What do you see as the central issue in comparing ‘drift’ with ‘decision’

Refusing to decide, not knowing -- that’s drift. Not make the ‘cut,’ the step forward.

Once we decide it's the way to go....

Decide is to 'cut away'

F Personal experiences with the 9 effective advocacy stumbling blocks.

Fear
Loneliness and despair
Frustration
Anger
Fatigue and seriousness
Information overload
Casting too broad a net
Naysayer: The trolls under the bridge
Losing balance

G Where is the entry point in Frank Rogers “Circle of Involvement “ model?

Can be at any point. But usually in the ‘look/ learn’ segment.

-- depends upon your personality

Last page:

Be the message

Newsletter

Links:

Department of Peace

Session 7 - Synthesis

2008-11-01T16:58:00.000-07:00

Session 7
TALK WITH OTHERS:

Pearls before swine-- what does that mean?
From a parable that said don't throw your pearls before swine as they will just trample them, and maybe even turn on you and trample you..

Is it vengence or an excuse?

Throughout the readings, etc seem to be about how people think. No mention of the corporate agenda, from which we've been brainwashed.
Do we not need to change the idea of wealth, consumer mentality, to make it impossible for corporations to continue to do this.

The Coke boycott. Coke has questionable human rights issues.

What products are no longer bought...

A session that emphasized the carrot over the stick.

Consider 'waging peace' as actively as war is waged.
-the discussions, explorations, collaborations, team building

Unite in building spider webs to halt the lion of war.

This is still a new way of thinking to many.

Personal Implications:

I will not proccupy myself with an enemy:
-- self interest. Not be paralyzed

I will resolve conflict.
--Conflict is always going to be there
_Resolving sounds like
- Leaf falling...
-Example of leaving ... Spiritual Differences -- it's a situation that can be worked through.

I will not use violence
- State wants this so they don't have to change.
'The diversity of of tactics can't rule out violence'   Might we find a situation where violence could be effective.


How do you change the system?

Ideas without personal applications are not not worth much.

Choose a thorny situation, and consider how you'd

Maintain an attitude of good will... Hard to do when someone is annoying you.
Not preoccupy with an enemy.
= Maybe I don't know the story.
= How often do we show gratitude. This may lead to a better world. As you see the enemy, we love our creativity.
I will work together with others to build a world beyond war.

Through my Enemy's Eyes:

'How applicable is this for the outside world? He's in jail? ( what impact did Mandela have in when HE was in prison.)

I was tired of waking up to the same old battle. I was pulled by the future, and pushed by the past

Troy's journey mirrors the US's predicament., although he's waking up and many in the States are not.

Those wars will end in me..

-his dualism gave way to a hunger for simple goodness.
I don't need an enemy.
The inner work is what needs to be done. That's the first level.

He saw 'they' were the same as me..

Do we need to distract ourselves so we don't engage in the hard work of love. ( same as sending people to war, rather than work for peace)

Trying to feel comfortable with the good will during a confrontation.
-- have a good sense of humour, engage as friend,
-- people knew they were

In 2003 , what could we have done.
Build upon the world's good will.

Developing relationship is key, and it's not time-dependent.

A challenge of Terror

Their feelings of terror is a myth. We have to break the myth. When you learn the truth you won't be fooled again.

Def'n of myth: a traditional story accepted as history; serves to explain the world view of a people

We have to change, to prove, the new way to approach.
It's hard to be humble.

To change how a parent treated a chiid:
Asked him: He is just like you. How would you feel being treated that way.

Virus: medical or tech -based

NOTES...
Similar to Dancing with System

Take away the soils for recruitment

Follow these three

Energetically pursue a sustainable peace process.

Invest

Pursue a quieter diplomatic hunt

This current situation gives us an unprecedented opportunity.

-----------------
7-20..
Wonderful summary .. roadmap for international relations

Film recommendation: Amazing Grace – The story of William Wilberforce. example of one man making a difference towards ending slavery in the British Empire.

From the book, Living Christian Science:

The story of the American ambassador who went to Berlin at the end of Second World War to see if it could be saved economically. This was the beginning of the Marshall Plan.. ‘The design of peace takes more effort than the design of war.’

When is a time when you have made a difference.

The first banker for the founder of Ballard Fuel cells, Jiffy Markers

I kept two young people out of jail.
At elementary day, hot dog day was transformed ‘You are on your own, no one is going to help you” Eventually people took it farther.

Bringing two people with ideas together to form a theater company

Started a badminton club.

Shutting down the burying of nuclear waste in Ontario

Starting W.H.E.A.T ( Women’s Hope Education and Training ) in Victoria.

The solution of the Cod Wars between Spain and Canada
-- a key element was a phone discussion between top military officials of both countries ( and former classmates at a military college)

Reminded of the old man and the star fish…

Important steps: get an idea, frame it in a way that others can buy into, and then give them the idea to run with.

A Is war inevitable? What does thinking have to do with it?

7-15/16: One have to change our thinking about others, and then work to change their perceptions of us.

Norman Vincent Peal: Change your thoughts and you change your world.

B What is the basis of a “ new way of thinking” that BW promotes? How might these essential concepts play out in the real world?

War is Obsolete
We all live on one planet.
The Means are the Ends in the Making.

How can anyone tell you that war is the way, when it is getting worse?

The basis is a recognition that the old ways have not worked.

How are your swimming skills?

The solution of the Turbit War between Spain and Canada

Illustrates a new ‘third’ side. ( I am not your enemy)

Third choice: humility. Understanding our faults.. I understand that ‘they’ were ‘me’
This ruined me as a warrior.

Congruent yes..

It shows that peace can be a growth industry

“ .. with each reconciliation we create a new option “

Brought out ‘the means are the end in the making’

War is Obsolete -- the sidewalk incident with the young prisoner. Do the unexpected.

D How did you respond to John Paul Lederache’s article “The Challenge of Terror”?

Change within our self is the slow thing