<html><div>Let me incite you to riot -- or at the very least -- a
concerted effort to reach out to Special Interest Groups with the news
that opening space can be a health enhancing undertaking for
organizations and members. The recent items the Chrises Two (Corrigan and
Weaver) set me off, but hopefully others might be encouraged to join.
This is not about "selling" Open Space which I find to be
generally impossible. It is about helping folks to understand that they
do not have to be as miserable and non-productive as many appear to be.
There is another way. </div>
<br>
<div>Special Interest Groups (SIGS) have taken a lot of hard knocks
recently. Everybody knows they are the perversion of the political
process, and probably worse. Truthfully, however, they are no more than
the normal, natural, and probably essential way us humanoids get together
to do things. Calling them "Affinity Groups" takes out some of
the sting, but does not change the reality. One of the characteristics of
a SIG is a certain parochialism manifest as an unshakable belief in NIH
(not invented here). Any approach not originated in the SIG certainly
will not work "here." Say what you want to about the Community
of Humankind, SIGS will doubtlessly persist under a variety of guises:
First Nations, Educators, Corporations, Local Governments, Churches,
non-for-profits, plumbers, welders, dog catchers...... </div>
<br>
<div>So here's the point and the plea. Starting with the Chrises Two, but
extending to anybody who cares ( which should be just about everybody on
this list). Please ALSO tell your stories in ways and places appropriate
to the SIGS involved. Find the journals, websites, public platforms --
and tell the tale. Do it with a co-author if that works for you, so it
doesn't seem like a case of special pleading, but Do It! </div>
<br>
<div>This listserve is, and has been, a marvelous electronic
representation of the warm global community of Open Spacers. We share and
help each other -- and may all of that continue. But there is, I believe,
a larger responsibility to share what we have experienced with those who
might benefit. Submit an article, create a training program, make a
presentation, join a chat room -- tell the tale. Then let us all know
back here in the "home room" how it goes. Maybe we could
help. </div>
<br>
<div>Harrison</div>
<br>
<div> </div>
<br>
<br>
<div align="center">
Harrison Owen<br>
7808 River Falls Drive<br>
Potomac, MD 20854<br>
USA<br>
phone 301-469-9269<br>
fax 301-983-9314<br>
website <br>
<a href="http://www.mindspring.com/~owenhh" eudora="autourl">www.mindspring.com/~owenhh</a><br>
Open Space Institute websites<br>
<a href="http://www.openspaceworld.org/" eudora="autourl">www.openspaceworld.org</a><br>
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