[Consensus] [Spokes] A Consensus Weekend Retreat

Jorge Alvarez eghm627 at mac.com
Mon Feb 20 11:28:11 EST 2012


so much for anti-oppression work...

thanks for the "heads up!"


With peace,
Jorge Alvarez
eghm627 at mac.com

This email was composed on a mobile device.  Please excuse any errors.




On Feb 20, 2012, at 10:55 AM, Anthony Bucci wrote:

> POI: I've recently heard yet another not-so-flattering story about Butler from a friend of mine. Unsolicited, he told me he was once at an event in which Butler sat down at a table with him and made so many "inappropriate comments" (as my friend called them) to people, especially women apparently, that he was asked to leave the table. I can put anyone interested in touch with this friend to get a firsthand account.
> 
> Anthony
> 
> 
> On Sun, Feb 19, 2012 at 12:55 PM, Gregory Murphy <gsjmurphy at gmail.com> wrote:
> Consensus, Spokes and Facilitation,
> 
> I am resending this email about a Consensus Workshop, next weekend on Long Island.  In response to my request for a payment plan, C. T. agreed to accept 3 monthly payments of $83.33, and also informed me that this offer is available to anyone else from Boston, who may want to attend. Allison and I both want to participate, and I encourage our friends and colleagues who are interested in consensus to join us, for this weekend outing. We do not have a car, so most probably will avail ourselves of MegaBus. We just need to figure out childcare for our daughter.
> 
> I also share two comments from recent emails, from C. T.. He has recently bought an old RV, and he and colleagues are planning to embark on a national tour of Occupations, in response to many invitations from around the country. They are in the midst of some initial fundraising to get themselves on the road, after which they feel they can sustain the tour through workshops and book sales.
> 
> "Long Island is called long because it is. My friend (and patron, he subsidized the writing of Consensus for Cities and it is dedicated to him) lives in Manorville which is one and a half hours from NYC, almost to the eastern end, just short of the Hamptons. This workshop is being subsidized by my friend. He is providing the housing at no cost to me and the food at cost. (His wife is a graduate  of a vegetarian culinary institute in NYC I do not remember the name of and she will be doing all the cooking.) The idea was to raise money for the tour. "
> 
> "Also, the folks we listed as references in the email really do want to hear from interested folks. They had a powerful experience and they would enjoy sharing it. They didn't just say "yes, I'll be a reference" they enthusiastically encouraged me to have people to call them. Frankly, I was quite surprised and pleased, after two weeks had passed and those post-workshop feelings had dissipated (I would have thought).
> 
> 
> I do realize that some of us have quite strong feelings about Mr. Butler, and to some he is a controversial figure, and that there are other proponents and models of consensus. I have certainly begun to expand my reading list. That said, I find myself drawn to his work, and want to learn more to test my strong belief that consensus would be a good model for Boston to embrace.  Please know I am doing some fundraising to sponsor C.T. for another trip to Boston, but am unsure of the timing, and if it will even happen.
> 
> C. T. is also offering a discount to any one of us attends, and who recruits someone else to attend. Call me for more info.  Please forward this email to anyone you think may be interested. I think the timing is perfect, as we experiment internally with using consensus at Spokescouncil meetings, and as Facilitation is encouraging a broad conversation about process.
> 
> 
> Best,
> 
> 
> Greg
> 617.413.6472
> 
> 
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: C.T. Butler <ctbutler at together.net>
> Date: Sat, Feb 11, 2012 at 3:53 PM
> Subject: Weariness in Occupyland
> To: Gregory Murphy <gsjmurphy at gmail.com>
> 
> 
> [Greg, be sure to check out my answers to Sati's questions attached below. I strongly encourage you to consider attending this workshop so you know firsthand what I am teaching. C.T.]
> 
> There's a lot of weariness out there in Occupyland this winter. Are you bunkered in, wondering how such diverse people will ever practice direct democracy? Are you discouraged, or already taking a break? Has your GA shrunk down to the loud cowboy voices and the peacekeepers trying to placate them? How did we know, you ask?
> 
> Wren and I have been experiencing the same stew of elation, hope, consternation and frustration that many of you have shared with us in person, by phone and in emails. Occupy is our baby, too, and we are as deeply invested in its success as you.
> 
> This is why I'm urgently inviting you to Fiopa Consensus Collective's Consensus: Body & Soul workshop, February 24-26, on Long Island, NY. The reason I want you to attend is that I believe, with all my heart, that value-based consensus process is a revolutionary decisionmaking process unlike the consensus process you have seen so far. 
> 
> The following questions are typical of what we've been asked. These came from Sati, of OWS:
> 
> What do you do when you suspect there are plants in a group that would like the group not to reach consensus – it would like the group to fail to make any decisions?
> 
> What do you do when a group of people who are just too emotional, they start shouting at each other?
> 
> Consensus appears to fail even in a small group of people, how can we expect it to work in a large group of people like cities? They can’t even gather together in one place. It seems to me that representative governance just cannot be avoided. Once the group of representatives is down to around 10 or so, we could possibly think of consensus. But even in that situation, the interest of the super-rich is diagonally opposite to that of poor. How are they going to reconcile with each other?
> 
> [My responses are attached at the bottom of this email.]
> 
> 
> From our experience with groups that do ongoing deep work with this model for years, we know that consensus can address and resolve the serious problems the Occupy movement encountered with direct democracy. However, you do not have to take our word for this. Fiopa Collective recently taught this workshop to activists from Occupy Baltimore. Please feel free to contact the attendees below and hear directly from them what they experienced:
> 
> Zak Wear • zakwear at gmail.com • 410.570.9322  (graduate of Gilford College, a Quaker college)
> 
> Jenny Graf • jennygrafsheppard at gmail.com • 240.893.2239
> 
> Ed Boicourt • eboicourt at gmail.com • 443.677.9308
> 
> Lane Berck • 410.727.1880  (leave message loudly and twice)
> 
> The 2-day workshop on consensus will be held on Long Island (Manorville, NY) Feb 24-26 (Friday evening to Sunday). It is accessible by the LIRR from Penn Station to Mastic/Shirley or Patchogue (~$34 round-trip). We will provide transportation from the train station to the venue. The host is an experienced vegetarian chef. She will be providing light fare on Friday and three meals Saturday & Sunday. We encourage folks to arrive Friday evening whenever they can. Sessions will be 9am till 5pm both Saturday & Sunday. All sessions will be held in a huge private home complete with hot tub. The entire package is only $250/person, including tuition, room & board (gourmet vegetarian food & indoor camping)! If you or anyone you know wants a deep immersion in value-based consensus in an excellent environment, this would be the one to attend. It promises to be an amazing experience! Please print the brochure attached below and fill out and mail the registration form or call Wren @ 410.458.2310 for questions or to register.
> 
> Again, I believe this work is an essential part of the change we all want to see in our country. We need to learn how to make direct democracy work for real. This is imperative. We cannot fail. To fail is to perish. Please spread the word.
> 
> C.T. Butler
> 
> 301.586.2560
> 
> 
> 
>   
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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