Bernie: And T-shirts saying “Nasty Woman.”
Participant 5: I would say to both sides, “You
have to decide what you’re trying to do when
you talk to someone. I have evangelical friends
who try to convince a Muslim by referring to the
Bible. I tell them “He’s a Muslim. That’s not going
to work.” You need to ask, “Are you trying to give
witness or to convince?”
Participant 6: I’m looking at this at the largest
level, which is we’re in a state of heightened
uncertainty about our democracy. I’m looking
beyond the candidates to the audiences and
seeing their response to the messages. For
the emboldened this is a chance to have the
microphone. This is something for our profession to consider. I am fearful for the state of
democracy. I don’t think we’re ready to have
conversations, so I’m trying just to listen, not
with the hope of changing anyone’s mind, but
just to listen and then maybe work back to the
larger level.
Participant 7: Is there something that the
mediation community can do at this time? I’m
pleased that we are a mixed group willing to
talk with each other. I recall the Public Conversations Project’s work a few years ago to
bring people together from both sides of the
abortion issue for extended conversations, not
to change minds but just to get to know each
other. The outcome was some very deep and
enduring friendships. Could we as mediators
do the same across the political spectrum? We
have to talk to people who don’t think as we do,
so we get the kind of knowledge we wouldn’t
get from talking to people who believe as we do.
I’d like to see us try to develop such a project.
Sharon: When people get to know each other
on a human level, that’s what matters. It’s much
easier to say hateful things across electronic
social media when you’re not face-to-face. But
when you’re in community with each other, that
makes a difference, and that’s something our
profession knows how to do.
Bernie: I think this has been an interesting
conversation, both listening and airing our views.
Listening is really important but in some ways, at
times like this, almost the harder thing, and it’s
something I try to challenge myself to do all the
time, is how to speak our truth in a way that’s
authentic and allows others to hear us as well. facebook.com/ Associationfor
ConflictResolution
twitter.com/
ACRgroup
twitter.com/
ACRconferences
plus.google.com/
10939301505167
3216231
or search:
ACR Staff
linkedin.com/
groups/
ACR-2889678
or search:
ACR in Groups
youtube.com/user/
AssocConflictRes
pinterest.com/
acrgroup
Find ACR on Your Favorite Social Media Sites!
REFLECTIONS AND PROPOSALS
