Open Space & Anti-Americanism

Wed Feb 9 04:58:17 PST 2005

Cheryl, thanks much for this wonderful story; it inspires. It brings to mind that in any violence-torn or politically divided society or region, there are people who spiritually live along a continuum from peaceful to suffering. Where the suffering is severe enough, the suffering closes the space of the heart, making authentic dialogue and peaceful interaction not possible - and only harmful thoughts and actions possible. I think the role of facilitator in these situations is to engage those whose hearts are for whatever reason not as disabled by the suffering. It is to open the space, allowing the open space to attract the open hearts and begin seeding the charred spiritual landscape with seedlings for its transformation.

Peace,

Jack

~~~~~~~~~~
jack ricchiuto
two.one.six/three.seven.three/seven.four.seven.five
www.designinglife.com / www.appreciativeleadership.org 

------------Original Message------------
From: Cheryl Honey <wecare at familynetwork.org>
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Date: Tue, Feb-8-2005 3:25 PM
Subject: Re: Open Space & Anti-Americanism
Greetings:
I'm new to the list. I feel very fortunate to have had Peggy Holman
introduce me to Open Space. It's a philosophy that I have lived my life and
base my transformative community building work.

Colin, I wanted to response to your comment about the Iraqi's leaving their
country. More often than not, situations such as this awaken people into
their purpose on this planet.

Peggy and I recently attended a Spirited Work session at the Whidbey
Institute in the Seattle area. A couple of years ago Spirited Work organized
a gathering for peace. In attendance was a "gentle" man from Burundi named
Proper. As a member of the Hutu tribe he knew the wrath of vengence and
terror that ravaged his country over the past 25 years. Members of his
family were killed and he lost many friends to Tutsi's. Thousands of houses
were burnt to the ground. In the movie Hotel Rwanda, we see how many Hutu's
joined together to retaliate against the Tutsi's which only perpetuated the
slaughter and killing of innocent men, women and children. Prosper wept
because he knew that this would not bring peace to his country. At the depth
of dispare, Prosper awakened to his purpose. In leiu of participating in the
vengence, he stepped out in faith and assembled youth from both tribes to
work together to rebuild the houses in the villages. This was how he took
responsibility for what he cared about. He wanted to bring healing to his
country and knew that the youth held the key to save their own future. He
didn't run. He was willing to die for what he believed in. The youth that
joined the effort were also willing to put their life on the line for what
they believed in.

In the past two years, these youth have rebuilt over 2,000 houses for both
Hutu's and Tutsi's in Burundi. Their courage to face death threats and cross
roadblocks has been an inspiration and sparked hope in their war torn
country. The youth made a commitment to band together and protect one
another when faced with death by standing in front of the youth who were
taken off the buses by the soldiers to be shot. "Kill us first, before you
kill our brothers." This act of courage has inspired all and these youth
have become national heroes.

Why...because one man got sick and tired of being sick and tired. He stood
up for what was right in a time when people were fleeing the country. His
commitment to his country was stronger than his fear of death. Their actions
have rekindled hope and built bridges of peace in villages where Tutsi's and
Hutu's now live as neighbors.

I suspect there are many in Iraq who are discovering their purpose in these
times. Many have lost their lives, and we honor them. Their willingness to
stand up for what they believe in instills courage in others. Their actions
offer hope to many who choose to stay and live in peace. It took great
courage to vote in this past election. Many faced their fears and followed
their convictions. Their actions inspire others and rekindle a renewed sense
of hope.

The tension is growing across our land and in our own country are frustrated
and feeling disenfranchised. I find myself feeling encouraged because I see
swirls of activity happening all around me. Many are awakening to their
purpose and as we connect to one another our potential for change grows and
new opportunities emerge.

For those who would like to learn more about Prosper's effort you can visit
the Youth in Reconstruction of the World in Destruction websites:
www.jrmd.org and www.hol.edu/aax

Lastly, I want to introduce you to Spirited Work where I met Prosper. It is
a sanctuary where the spirit is nurtured and awakened into its purpose. We
find strength and support from other kindred spirits who gather every season
at Spirited Work. For more information you can link to their website:
www.spiritedwork.org and www.whidbeyinstitute.org

It is stories like this that inspire me and reveal the essence of open
space.

In love and light,
Cheryl Honey
206.240.2241
cheryl at familynetwork.org

-----Original Message-----
From: Colin Morley <morleyc1 at btopenworld.com>
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
Date: Tuesday, February 08, 2005 1:00 AM
Subject: Re: Open Space & Anti-Americanism

>Dear all
>
>This discussion has been very helpful for me.
>
>I have been part of a group that has struggled with this question - a group
>that tried to influence the US election from the UK and that had a strong
>backlash from Americans who did not want foreign interference.
>
>Harrison I found your summary that we need to understand the 2 ends of the
>spectrum between opening space and being activists and keep a 14 billion
>year perspective very insightful.
>
>It is also interesting to apply the principles and the laws to the Iraq
>situation as you did Steve.  If whoever turns up is the right people then
>the Americans, Saddam, the Taliban, Al Qaeda are all the right people.
This
>makes me feel sorry for the Iraqis who can only apply the law of 2 feet by
>leaving their own country.  Yet that is the reality.  And whatever happens
>is the only thing that could have happened.
>
>Ultimately my aim is to bring joy into my life and others.  Thinking about
>what joy is - my conclusion is that it is 'connecting and being connected'
>both in myself and with others.  At a deep level this conflict is
connecting
>up a lot of different things.  Energy is moving.  And there is joy in being
>both an opener of space and a passionate and responsible activist.
>
>Colin Morley
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Steve
>Gawron
>Sent: 07 February 2005 23:22
>To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
>Subject: Re: Open Space & Anti-Americanism
>
>Hello David and all,
>
>As an American, I find it counter-productive to compare giving birth to
>democracy and removing a tyrant who killed millions of his country's
>citizens to anything but furthering the cause of peace.  Only an ostrich
>sticks his head in the sand and expects danger to go away.
>
>It is NOT "my country right or wrong", it is "Doing the right thing before
>something horrible goes wrong."  As an American, I would have rather we did
>not get involved in Iraq, but on the same hand I am glad we lent a hand to
>citizens in Iraq and Afghanistan to allow them to form their own destiny.
>
>As the open space adage goes, whoever shows up is the right persons to be
>there.  As an American, I am glad we responded to a call for peace in that
>region.  If disagreeing with this is considered anti-American, then you are
>entitled to your opinion.  But I still feel, Saddam and his henchmen were
>and are a destabilizing influence on Peace in that region and the rest of
>the world.  You can't have it both ways.
>
>I will go back to lurking now,
>
>Steve Gawron
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "David William McKay" <dwmckay at sympatico.ca>
>To: <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
>Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2005 6:56 AM
>Subject: Open Space & Anti-Americanism
>
>
>> Sorry I'm on digest so can't refer to a specific posting.
>>
>> Someone linked to an article and said something like:  Anti-americanism
>> is dead. Or some such. I agree there's nothing to be gained from
>> anti-americanism. Speaking from the pacifist side of the open-space I'm
>> glad we finally are seeing nudges towards democracy in Iraq. But I also
>> find it hard to see how anyone in favour of collaborative organizational
>> change -- which is what I take open-space to be -- could feel all that
>> comfy with a war justified by lies and false intelligence.
>>
>> War is always about changing the government of another nation-state by
>> killing its citizens. That's about as far from collaborative change as
>> you can get. It may at times be necessary. But when it is -- surely the
>> ideal in a democratic state is to have a meaningful conversation about
>> what counts as necessary so the management team (aka the Executive
>> Branch) can have a mandate based upon informed consent.
>>
>> If I was an American -- I'm a Canuck -- I would be worried about the
>> situation. Perhaps I have it bass-ackwards. But in wartime survival
>> dictates "my country right or wrong" but in peacetime democracy dictates
>> that the citizenry place democracy itself as the priority.
>>
>> David McKay
>>
>> *
>> *
>> ==========================================================
>> OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
>> ------------------------------
>> To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
>> view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
>> http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
>>
>> To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
>> http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
>>
>>
>
>*
>*
>==========================================================
>OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
>------------------------------
>To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
>view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
>http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
>
>To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
>http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
>
>*
>*
>==========================================================
>OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
>------------------------------
>To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
>view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
>http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
>
>To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
>http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist

*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html

To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist

*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html

To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.openspacetech.org/pipermail/oslist-openspacetech.org/attachments/20050209/e270c0d9/attachment-0016.htm>