An open letter to those interested in peace or war ...

[Harrison Owen]

At 10:08 AM 9/23/01 -0700, you wrote:
>A friend sent me this description of a vision from someone of the Choctaw
>Nation of Oklahoma.  I don't claim to understand it, but it is intriguing.
>Any comments?
>
>Julie

May have missed the point completely -- but I think I know exactly what
Rabid was talking about. And curiously enough it is about what I was
considering at the end of my preceding message. It is all about standing
without blame or judgement, having no attachment to specific outcomes...
what we do when we create, and hold space ... the very hardest part.
Always, and particularly now  -- when and as we hold space for the
community in which there will doubtless be all sorts of notions which we
may find totally abhorrent. How about a session on "Nuke the Bastards"? --
or "Kill a Raghead for Jesus" as I was admonished in a recent email. God
knows whether these folks mean it or not.. Is it just blowing off steam --
or the beginning of something truly horrible? And we are supposed to stand
there, "Without blame or judgement" just holding space???? Unfortunately, I
think the answer is Yes. Yes, when we take on the role of "space holder."
Of course that doesn't mean that we can't have our own opinions, and for
sure we do. But the hard lesson is that those opinions, when we are holding
the space -- have no space in that space. Another time, another space --
surely we (each of us) must work for what we believe in... but when the
space is open, and we take responsibility for its integrity, I firmly
believe the role is different.  Not easy for sure.

Rabid put it all in different word, and maybe more directly.

"We are left with no choices, no options. This is by Creator's own hand. He
>has made it so. The only alternative is not to participate. We must each
>take a step, whether left or right, forward or back, one step to the center
>and STOP.
>
>We do not have the luxury of continuing as we have.
>
>If you have been slinging dirt, trying to show others why this has happened,
>STOP.
>
>If you have been calling for peace, even marching in the streets, STOP.
>
>If you have been standing for justice, STOP.
>
>If you have been seeking revenge, STOP.
>
>Regardless or what we do, it will bring only war. If you defame and
>demonstrate, you tell this man he has already won - there is a breach in our
>resolve.
>
>If you call for war, you give him what he desires and again he has won.
>
>If you call for "justice" in the courts of the world, he knows himself that
>they are twisted beyond ethical recourse, and he has won.
>
>To follow the way of love is always a good thing, but that presupposes that
>the other party is capable of understanding or even caring.
>
>Remember, "Never fight a battle you cannot win. Second, ALWAYS choose your
>battles."
>
>The only hope we have is to not participate. Either we all learn this
>lesson, together, at the same time, or we perish.
>
>We must allow Creator to do what he is doing. Take your hands away from this
>thing. In that he has given us no choice, Creator has taken away our
>responsibility. In that way, he has given us the opportunity to avoid
>falling into the traps set by all parties concerned.
>
>Let all things be what they are and what they wish to be.

Is he right? Am I right? Who knows. I guess we will find out.

Harrison


Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Drive
Potomac, MD 20854 USA
phone 301-469-9269
fax 301-983-9314
Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com
Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
Personal website www.mindspring.com/~owenhh

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