by Gene Knudsen Hoffman
Christmas time is "memory time." It’s time to remember other Christmases and yes, other New Years — so let’s begin with this New Year of remembering what we need to do to make peace. Instead of staying on this path of war, let’s move to a path of peace. Instead of creating new weapons for war, we might explore what makes for a just and lasting peace.
Let’s look at America today. We suffer from a host of difficulties: unprecedented wealth, over-consumption, fear, and resentment. We also suffer from violence, Poverty, homelessness, joblessness, helplessness. I feel that our struggle for peace must deal with those issues right here in Santa Barbara. Until we address it, we cannot have alert, informed citizens who are capable of taking responsibility for their lives, their government, and each other.
I feel the task is a healing, not a punitive one, and it begins — but does not end in Santa Barbara. Here are some projects we might take into our neighborhood. I think working together on them would give us challenges, fraternity, and valid hope. All of them legal!
First, I feel we need a safe area where people of opposing views can meet to share their points of view so there can be stronger understanding of them, for each has come to listen to the "other".
Each side needs to be trained in Compassionate Listening and act without judgment, rancor, or an adversarial mode. Trained monitors should be there as well as some skilled mediators, and, if they really hear one another, they will discover for themselves where the seeds of truth are on each side.
SOME TOPICS I’D LIKE TO HEAR DISCUSSED. (Surely you have others)
Pro life versus pro-choice
Peace as a healing process
Capitol punishment
I think there need to be new classes in schools. We should read the work of our forefathers to learn what dreams founded them. I think there should be classes on the great books of our government’s history. We should read the great Federalist papers, the works of Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson, our Bill of Rights and our Constitution. We are past losing touch with these great documents of our history. Let’s recover them - now!
In the forties there was a book called The Springfield Plan. It was initiated into the schools of Springfield, Massachusetts. Each month these schools presented in their assemblies a new ethnic or nation-group, it’s customs, history, language, culture, foods, hopes and dreams. They also presented contributions their particular group had made to the United states and how it had enriched it. After these days of celebration, the children saw one another in a totally different light. I’d like to see such a program in our schools, with the children helping to create it! (And I’d be willing to work on it!)
Now — about violence. I have come to believe that violence erupts when people feel they will never be heard and their grievances will never be addressed. So I propose we develop one or more compassionate listening task force to listen to the grievances and suffering of any group which feels it’s been unjustly treated.
Listening groups can canvas neighborhoods to learn what people think and feel about issues today, and what they think, feel, is the most important community issue. People need to know what they think, say what they know and do what they mean. We’d be richer for it. Invite the people who listen to take responsibility for something that will benefit their community. People need to know they have the power to change their lives.
And last, I urge us to come together when our government presents initiatives which we feel are just plain "wrong" for us. (England calls this the "shadow government.") Loyal citizens coming together to discuss and vote on what they consider a better measure or candidate even if it’s a private ballot —it’s sure to raise questions and encourage wider thought on the issues.
If we approach this path with responsibility and care for human beings who knows where we might go. I’ll try to tell you where I think such acts might take us: It means we concerned citizens set up an alternative listening post where we can deliberate initiatives and present publicly ones we prefer.
Then comes challenging work: we try to publish them through E—mail, web—sites, radio, TV, Newspapers —and if that doesn’t work, we make our own fl iers, walk our neighborhood, and deliver them.
We’re creative people; we’re resourceful people. We can make differences in this amazing age if we really wish it. And if there are enough of us to begin something like this we might open "The Sola House" again. Let me know.
Gene Knudsen Hoffman has been a regular contributor to HopeDance and her new book, "Compassionate Listening and other writings" by Gene Knudsen Hoffman, Quaker Peace Activist and Mystic is now available. For more information about this book go to http://westernquaker.net/gene_knudsen_hoffman.htm. She can be reached at 966-3686.
