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<DIV>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.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Peace,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Jack</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>~~~~~~~~~~</DIV>
<DIV>jack ricchiuto</DIV>
<DIV>two.one.six/three.seven.three/seven.four.seven.five</DIV>
<DIV><A href="http://www.designinglife.com/">www.designinglife.com</A> / <A
href="http://www.appreciativeleadership.org/">www.appreciativeleadership.org</A>
</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV>------------Original Message------------</DIV>
<DIV>From: Cheryl Honey <wecare@familynetwork.org></DIV>
<DIV>To: OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</DIV>
<DIV>Date: Tue, Feb-8-2005 3:25 PM</DIV>
<DIV>Subject: Re: Open Space & Anti-Americanism</DIV>
<DIV>Greetings:</DIV>
<DIV>I'm new to the list. I feel very fortunate to have had Peggy Holman</DIV>
<DIV>introduce me to Open Space. It's a philosophy that I have lived my life
and</DIV>
<DIV>base my transformative community building work.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Colin, I wanted to response to your comment about the Iraqi's leaving
their</DIV>
<DIV>country. More often than not, situations such as this awaken people
into</DIV>
<DIV>their purpose on this planet.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Peggy and I recently attended a Spirited Work session at the
Whidbey</DIV>
<DIV>Institute in the Seattle area. A couple of years ago Spirited Work
organized</DIV>
<DIV>a gathering for peace. In attendance was a "gentle" man from Burundi
named</DIV>
<DIV>Proper. As a member of the Hutu tribe he knew the wrath of vengence
and</DIV>
<DIV>terror that ravaged his country over the past 25 years. Members of
his</DIV>
<DIV>family were killed and he lost many friends to Tutsi's. Thousands of
houses</DIV>
<DIV>were burnt to the ground. In the movie Hotel Rwanda, we see how many
Hutu's</DIV>
<DIV>joined together to retaliate against the Tutsi's which only perpetuated
the</DIV>
<DIV>slaughter and killing of innocent men, women and children. Prosper
wept</DIV>
<DIV>because he knew that this would not bring peace to his country. At the
depth</DIV>
<DIV>of dispare, Prosper awakened to his purpose. In leiu of participating in
the</DIV>
<DIV>vengence, he stepped out in faith and assembled youth from both tribes
to</DIV>
<DIV>work together to rebuild the houses in the villages. This was how he
took</DIV>
<DIV>responsibility for what he cared about. He wanted to bring healing to
his</DIV>
<DIV>country and knew that the youth held the key to save their own future.
He</DIV>
<DIV>didn't run. He was willing to die for what he believed in. The youth
that</DIV>
<DIV>joined the effort were also willing to put their life on the line for
what</DIV>
<DIV>they believed in.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>In the past two years, these youth have rebuilt over 2,000 houses for
both</DIV>
<DIV>Hutu's and Tutsi's in Burundi. Their courage to face death threats and
cross</DIV>
<DIV>roadblocks has been an inspiration and sparked hope in their war
torn</DIV>
<DIV>country. The youth made a commitment to band together and protect
one</DIV>
<DIV>another when faced with death by standing in front of the youth who
were</DIV>
<DIV>taken off the buses by the soldiers to be shot. "Kill us first, before
you</DIV>
<DIV>kill our brothers." This act of courage has inspired all and these
youth</DIV>
<DIV>have become national heroes.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Why...because one man got sick and tired of being sick and tired. He
stood</DIV>
<DIV>up for what was right in a time when people were fleeing the country.
His</DIV>
<DIV>commitment to his country was stronger than his fear of death. Their
actions</DIV>
<DIV>have rekindled hope and built bridges of peace in villages where Tutsi's
and</DIV>
<DIV>Hutu's now live as neighbors.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I suspect there are many in Iraq who are discovering their purpose in
these</DIV>
<DIV>times. Many have lost their lives, and we honor them. Their willingness
to</DIV>
<DIV>stand up for what they believe in instills courage in others. Their
actions</DIV>
<DIV>offer hope to many who choose to stay and live in peace. It took
great</DIV>
<DIV>courage to vote in this past election. Many faced their fears and
followed</DIV>
<DIV>their convictions. Their actions inspire others and rekindle a renewed
sense</DIV>
<DIV>of hope.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The tension is growing across our land and in our own country are
frustrated</DIV>
<DIV>and feeling disenfranchised. I find myself feeling encouraged because I
see</DIV>
<DIV>swirls of activity happening all around me. Many are awakening to
their</DIV>
<DIV>purpose and as we connect to one another our potential for change grows
and</DIV>
<DIV>new opportunities emerge.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>For those who would like to learn more about Prosper's effort you can
visit</DIV>
<DIV>the Youth in Reconstruction of the World in Destruction websites:</DIV>
<DIV>www.jrmd.org and www.hol.edu/aax</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Lastly, I want to introduce you to Spirited Work where I met Prosper. It
is</DIV>
<DIV>a sanctuary where the spirit is nurtured and awakened into its purpose.
We</DIV>
<DIV>find strength and support from other kindred spirits who gather every
season</DIV>
<DIV>at Spirited Work. For more information you can link to their
website:</DIV>
<DIV>www.spiritedwork.org and www.whidbeyinstitute.org</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>It is stories like this that inspire me and reveal the essence of
open</DIV>
<DIV>space.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>In love and light,</DIV>
<DIV>Cheryl Honey</DIV>
<DIV>206.240.2241</DIV>
<DIV>cheryl@familynetwork.org</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>-----Original Message-----</DIV>
<DIV>From: Colin Morley <morleyc1@btopenworld.com></DIV>
<DIV>To: OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
<OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU></DIV>
<DIV>Date: Tuesday, February 08, 2005 1:00 AM</DIV>
<DIV>Subject: Re: Open Space & Anti-Americanism</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>>Dear all</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>>This discussion has been very helpful for me.</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>>I have been part of a group that has struggled with this question - a
group</DIV>
<DIV>>that tried to influence the US election from the UK and that had a
strong</DIV>
<DIV>>backlash from Americans who did not want foreign interference.</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>>Harrison I found your summary that we need to understand the 2 ends
of the</DIV>
<DIV>>spectrum between opening space and being activists and keep a 14
billion</DIV>
<DIV>>year perspective very insightful.</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>>It is also interesting to apply the principles and the laws to the
Iraq</DIV>
<DIV>>situation as you did Steve. If whoever turns up is the right
people then</DIV>
<DIV>>the Americans, Saddam, the Taliban, Al Qaeda are all the right
people.</DIV>
<DIV>This</DIV>
<DIV>>makes me feel sorry for the Iraqis who can only apply the law of 2
feet by</DIV>
<DIV>>leaving their own country. Yet that is the reality. And
whatever happens</DIV>
<DIV>>is the only thing that could have happened.</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>>Ultimately my aim is to bring joy into my life and others.
Thinking about</DIV>
<DIV>>what joy is - my conclusion is that it is 'connecting and being
connected'</DIV>
<DIV>>both in myself and with others. At a deep level this conflict
is</DIV>
<DIV>connecting</DIV>
<DIV>>up a lot of different things. Energy is moving. And there
is joy in being</DIV>
<DIV>>both an opener of space and a passionate and responsible
activist.</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>>Colin Morley</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>>-----Original Message-----</DIV>
<DIV>>From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of
Steve</DIV>
<DIV>>Gawron</DIV>
<DIV>>Sent: 07 February 2005 23:22</DIV>
<DIV>>To: OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</DIV>
<DIV>>Subject: Re: Open Space & Anti-Americanism</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>>Hello David and all,</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>>As an American, I find it counter-productive to compare giving birth
to</DIV>
<DIV>>democracy and removing a tyrant who killed millions of his
country's</DIV>
<DIV>>citizens to anything but furthering the cause of peace. Only an
ostrich</DIV>
<DIV>>sticks his head in the sand and expects danger to go away.</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>>It is NOT "my country right or wrong", it is "Doing the right thing
before</DIV>
<DIV>>something horrible goes wrong." As an American, I would have
rather we did</DIV>
<DIV>>not get involved in Iraq, but on the same hand I am glad we lent a
hand to</DIV>
<DIV>>citizens in Iraq and Afghanistan to allow them to form their own
destiny.</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>>As the open space adage goes, whoever shows up is the right persons
to be</DIV>
<DIV>>there. As an American, I am glad we responded to a call for
peace in that</DIV>
<DIV>>region. If disagreeing with this is considered anti-American,
then you are</DIV>
<DIV>>entitled to your opinion. But I still feel, Saddam and his
henchmen were</DIV>
<DIV>>and are a destabilizing influence on Peace in that region and the
rest of</DIV>
<DIV>>the world. You can't have it both ways.</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>>I will go back to lurking now,</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>>Steve Gawron</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>>----- Original Message -----</DIV>
<DIV>>From: "David William McKay" <dwmckay@sympatico.ca></DIV>
<DIV>>To: <OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU></DIV>
<DIV>>Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2005 6:56 AM</DIV>
<DIV>>Subject: Open Space & Anti-Americanism</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>>> Sorry I'm on digest so can't refer to a specific posting.</DIV>
<DIV>>></DIV>
<DIV>>> Someone linked to an article and said something like:
Anti-americanism</DIV>
<DIV>>> is dead. Or some such. I agree there's nothing to be gained
from</DIV>
<DIV>>> anti-americanism. Speaking from the pacifist side of the
open-space I'm</DIV>
<DIV>>> glad we finally are seeing nudges towards democracy in Iraq. But
I also</DIV>
<DIV>>> find it hard to see how anyone in favour of collaborative
organizational</DIV>
<DIV>>> change -- which is what I take open-space to be -- could feel
all that</DIV>
<DIV>>> comfy with a war justified by lies and false intelligence.</DIV>
<DIV>>></DIV>
<DIV>>> War is always about changing the government of another
nation-state by</DIV>
<DIV>>> killing its citizens. That's about as far from collaborative
change as</DIV>
<DIV>>> you can get. It may at times be necessary. But when it is --
surely the</DIV>
<DIV>>> ideal in a democratic state is to have a meaningful conversation
about</DIV>
<DIV>>> what counts as necessary so the management team (aka the
Executive</DIV>
<DIV>>> Branch) can have a mandate based upon informed consent.</DIV>
<DIV>>></DIV>
<DIV>>> If I was an American -- I'm a Canuck -- I would be worried about
the</DIV>
<DIV>>> situation. Perhaps I have it bass-ackwards. But in wartime
survival</DIV>
<DIV>>> dictates "my country right or wrong" but in peacetime democracy
dictates</DIV>
<DIV>>> that the citizenry place democracy itself as the priority.</DIV>
<DIV>>></DIV>
<DIV>>> David McKay</DIV>
<DIV>>></DIV>
<DIV>>> *</DIV>
<DIV>>> *</DIV>
<DIV>>> ==========================================================</DIV>
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