Taking action

Wed Sep 12 12:40:53 PDT 2001

Peggy -- Thanks.  I wash just thinking that it made sense to say what
i really felt to these folks as well as friends. -- Kenoli

>So much of our public discourse today plays out through the media and their
>broadcasting of politicians.  I have been sitting with the question of what
>happens from here?  It occurs to me that rather than watching with great
>frustration as the politicians and media foment discord and speak of
>punishing those at fault, it is time to let them know that there are voices
>who wish to see a different kind of response.  I have gathered e-mail
>addresses for people I thought important to reach.  Some are here because
>they are in positions of power and it seems important that they hear another
>perspective.  I chose others because they seem to be searching for other
>alternatives and are respected.  You may have others you think worth
>contacting.
>
>So, I ask, as we talk to each other to make some sense out of this, please
>consider also contacting people with power and influence to let them know we
>wish to see a different kind of response.  The note I am sending follows the
>addresses I've located.
>
>Peggy
>
>ABC News  http://abcnews.go.com/service/help/abccontact.html
>(I'm contacting Ted Koppel)
>
>ABC World news tonight with Peter Jennings
>http://abcnews.go.com/sections/wnt/WorldNewsTonight/WNT_newemail_form.html
>
>CBS News with Dan Rather evening at cbsnews.com
>
>NBC News with Tom Brokaw Nightly at NBC.com
>
>Lots of NBC contact addresses: http://www.msnbc.com/news/435157.asp#nbc
>
>CNN news http://www.cnn.com/CNN/askcnn/
>
>Bill Moyers programming at thirteen.org     (this one's a bit of a guess)
>
>Oprah Winfrey http://www.oprah.com/email/reach/email_reach_fromu.html
>
>
>President George W. Bush: president at whitehouse.gov
>
>Vice President Dick Cheney: vice.president at whitehouse.gov
>
>Senators  http://www.senate.gov/
>
>House of Representatives  http://www.house.gov/writerep/
>
>Working Assets Long Distance
>http://www.workingforchange.com/help/contact_topic.cfm
>
>
>
>MY MESSAGE
>
>The World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks create an enormous opportunity
>for unity.  These unspeakable acts dramatically draw most of us together in
>our shock and disbelief.  What about those who celebrate it?  Who are they?
>What is it that moves them to joy as the rest of us are moved to tears?
>
>Their stories are a vital part of what happens next.  As a person with great
>influence and power, I implore you to tell us their stories.  Why do I want
>to know?  Because it is by understanding their humanity that the greatest
>chance for healing all of us occurs.
>
>We can respond, as we always do, with swift, and just military vengeance.
>We have centuries of experience of the results of this course.  It simply
>breeds more of the same.
>
>At this time when we are all grieving for the people directly affected and
>those close to them, let us respond differently.  Help us to understand the
>anger that turns such atrocity into valid action so that we can face the
>enemy and see their humanity in ourselves.
>
>Rather than deepen the divide, help us bridge it.
>
>Sincerely,
>Peggy Holman
>
>P.S.  Here are some other voices speaking eloquently to this issue.
>
>
>The Mayor of New York says "this was an unprovoked act against innocent men
>women and children."
>
>I write to use all means available to simply say, there is no cause without
>a cause. The creation of terrorism must be understood and dealt with at the
>root of what creates people whose lives are pained enough to make this kind
>of move. Everything is provoked. We must understand the deeper picture of
>human reality.
>
>Dr. Douglass Carmichael
>
>_______________________________________________
>
>If, as the Dalai Lama has said, we have moved from a century of war to a
>century of dialogue, then our choice is clear. On a scale never before
>imaginable, we must know our enemy - not forgive them; not excuse them; and
>not appease them  - but KNOW them. We must know them in our hearts and
>respond to them with a wisdom that passeth all understanding.
>
>Mark Gerzon
>
>_______________________________________________
>To Mark Gerzon's comments I would add a challenge to further our knowing of
>ourselves: we must take up the painful question, How are the horrific acts
>perpetrated today similar to acts -- fast and slow -- perpetrated within
>recent memory and every day by the United States, other nations with similar
>blindnesses, and transnational corporations? Can we come to acknowledge our
>share of culpability in fostering the conditions that have nurtured the rage
>and determination we saw today?
>
>Meeting the heart of the enemy means being willing to see ourselves. New
>wisdom in response to a new understanding will demand that we change our
>lives -- not in order to seek greater security, but to stand down from the
>ongoing provocations for which we have been responsible.
>
>Halim Dunsky
>
>
>
>______________________________
>**** Please note new address:  peggy at opencirclecompany.com ***
>
>Peggy Holman
>The Open Circle Company
>15347 SE 49th Place
>Bellevue, WA  98006
>425.378.8331 (fax)
>425.746.6274
>
>www.opencirclecompany.com
>
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--
Kenoli Oleari, Horizons of Change, http://www.horizonsofchange.com
1801 Fairview Street, Berkeley, CA  94703   Voice Phone: 510-601-8217,
Fax: 510-595-8369, Email: kenoli at igc.org (or click on: mailto://kenoli@igc.org)

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