June/July
The
Disinformation Society
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Talk
RV: No Evidence Required
Robert Jensen
Muting
the Conversation of Democracy
Bill Moyers
The
Path of Self-Limitation, Cooperation, and Sharing
Richard Heinberg
Biodiesel:
Growing a New Energy Economy
Greg Pahl
The
Parallel Revolution in Venezuela
America Vera-Zavala
Grassroots
Effort Creates Citizens Dialogue
Robyn Leor
The
Myth and Necessity of Genetically Modified Free Zones
Jeffrey M. Smith
From
Hurt to Heart
Eryn Kalish
Mudra
as Meditation
Andrea Luchese, M.A.
The
Klamath-Siskiyou Region: A Living Laboratory
Sue Parrish
How
You Can Help Protect Endangered Herbs
Laurel Vukovic
Cosmic
Calendar
Salina Rain
Grassroots Effort Creates Citizens Dialogue
By Robyn Leor
For a couple of Ashlanders it was that pivotal moment when the decision to go one more step down the path of democracy commits one to the entire journey. Their choice opened up a new possibility for many others to also make strides toward personal responsibility and empowerment. The two had attended a city meeting one gray, drizzling winter night, knowing that the Ashland Charter (our city’s constitution) had been under review for months, with very little public involvement. The complete picture of how democracy could work in a small city like Ashland still eluded them but they sensed that the situation was significant, in the way that waking up with an aching tooth is significant. The constitution is the people’s mandate to government, laying out their expectations in the form of guidelines, rules and job duties.
Two hundred years ago our country and its constitution were youthful and vital. One hundred years ago the relationship between our own city and its constitution was vibrant and alive too. Today both are in jeopardyand we are all witnessing a huge disconnect between the People and their government.
The two individuals’ decision that winter night catalyzed a process that has become known as the Ashland Constitution Dialogue. It’s a survey-dialogue process to find out what changes people want in the Ashland Charter. From the beginning, the Constitution Dialogue sessions have been unique gatherings of seemingly unlikely folks. Some are retired from the political scene and others are still out there on the picket lines, still other folks are politically phobic. A few have come with petitions and important interests while others show up just caring and curious. Young and old, men and women, students, professionals and retired persons, everyone is looking for clarity and a way to make a difference. Remarkably, consensus has emerged, and we have found that we share common values.
The dialogue process has flourished over the months, attracting more people, more energy, and a wealth of ideas and information. Very early in the process, we realized that complaining and blaming others put us in a negative emotional space of conflict and fighting that led to discouragement and disconnection. We decided to define who we were and what we wanted instead. We chose a positive path to progress.
The Ashland Constitution Dialogue is a grass-roots effort, independent of city government and government-appointed citizen committees but inclusive and open to all points of view. The Constitutional Dialogue sessions rise above negativity to create a positive atmosphere where people can work together, listen to and speak with each other. We come together as an amorphous gathering of equals where everyone is considered a leader in their own right. Individuals volunteer for different jobs as need arises. We’re non-partisan and don’t advocate any political cause. We do uphold the right of the people to be heard, to define the role of our city government, and to hold that government accountable for its decisions as it fulfills the mandate of the Ashland Charter. We affirm that, in a democracy, it is not the government’s job to decide its own powers. It is the responsibility of those who create the government through elections to clearly define the role of the government. And when the government steps beyond its designated limits, it’s our right and responsibility to fix it.
In our dialogue sessions, as we discuss what we would like to see for Ashland in the future, we often share stories and information based on our experiences as Ashland residents. We have also conducted a survey of over 300 people throughout the Ashland community to find out what they wished relative to certain charter issues. Many people are unaware of the charter and the fact that it is being reviewed. A common response among those contacted was the dismay at often having no voice in governmental process. They were grateful to have a chance to express their opinion.
The Iroquois Model
The Ashland Constitution Dialogue has been considering other models, and one intriguing structure of government is that of the Iroquois, who organize themselves as a confederation of five native tribes or nations. Remarkably, in fact, many elements of the Iroquois’ way of governing themselves were incorporated into the original Constitution of the United States. Some of the founding fathers, including Benjamin Franklin, sat in treaty councils with the Iroquois Confederacy, studying and becoming knowledgeable in their customs and ways. Franklin during that time wrote, “English Colonial society had trouble maintaining its hold on many men once they had tasted Indian life.”
These colonialists, seeking new ideas, saw that this Native American culture embodied an ethical code that permeated all aspects of their existence. Values like equality, integrity, accountability, honesty, unity, liberty, transparency and preserving and protecting what was common to all for posterity weaved through their personal and social relationships. Expressing these values in the day to day endeavors of governing themselves was as important as practicing them for the sake of emotional and spiritual wellbeing. The Iroquois Confederacy’s “Great Law” was intended to create and maintain balance.
“Within our society we maintain a balance between the responsibilities of the women, the responsibilities of the men, of the chiefs, of the faithkeepers. All the people in between have a special job to do to help to keep this balance so that at no time do we come to a place within our society where anyone has more power than any of the rest, for our leadership all have equal power. They must be able to listen to one another.”
An example of how the Iroquois Conf-ederacy Constitution maintains balance through accountability and equality is the following paraphrased excerpt: “If a Chief acts improperly, or if during a deliberation the Clan Mothers see that the Chief is not acting of the good mind or he is stalling consensus because of his own selfish reasons, then the Clan Mothers will call him outside. Once outside, the chief will be talked to and warned that he is not acting with the best interests of the people in mind. If he persists to act wrongly, the Clan Mothers will have his antlers, which show his authority as a chief, removed from his kastoweh (hat); thus dehorning (impeaching) him.”
Unfortunately, the founding fathers did not honor the wisdom of women in maintaining the balance the way their native teachers did. Nor did they include a code of ethics to support the process. The Iroquois, on the other hand, include a code of ethics in their constitution:
“The Lords (chiefs) of the Confederacy of the Five Nations shall be mentors of the people for all time. The thickness of their skin shall be seven spans—which is to say that they shall be proof against anger, offensive actions and criticism. Their hearts shall be full of peace and good will and their minds filled with a yearning for the welfare of the people of the Confederacy. With endless patience they shall carry out their duty and their firmness shall be tempered with a tenderness for their people. Neither anger nor fury shall find lodgment in their minds and all their words and actions shall be marked by calm deliberation.
“All Lords of the Five Nations Confederacy must be honest in all things. They must not idle or gossip, but be men possessing those honorable qualities that make true royaneh (noble). It shall be a serious wrong for anyone to lead a Lord into trivial affairs, for the people must ever hold their Lords high in estimation out of respect to their honorable positions.”
We can benefit from revisiting the teachings of our Iroquois brothers and sisters. Much of their ancient wisdom is apparent in our present day governmental structures. It only needs to be recognized, reaffirmed, and protected. We busy Americans often wishfully think “We elected them to take care of this for us!” We also tend to assume that once the vote is cast and the elected officials take their place in government there is nothing more for us to do. This is faulty thinking because it takes everyone’s involvement on an ongoing basis to create our lives, our city and our country working. The voters must play the important role of holding the elected officials accountable like the Clan Mothers of the Iroquois, while at the same time realizing that such accountability begins with us. We are each personally responsible.
The Ashland Constitution Dialogue does not pretend to have the answers to today’s pressing questions but it does offer a way to find them. Out of the process of people voicing to each other their individual thoughts and dreams, synergy occurs. Stimulating ideas and amazing answers surface and the next direction to move in becomes apparent.
Using the dialogue process, we can discover ways to eliminate the conflicts that arise between government and the people in Local Improvement Districts (LIDs) by creating a better process; we can create a code of ethics for our constitution that raises the bar for professional behavior while still being fair to public servants; we can create a means whereby everyone’s voice can be heard easily and without adding time and logistical burden to our city council and city-appointed committees’ already-maxed-out schedules—a real Citizen Participation Plan; and we can recreate our city charter so it reflects our current values and concerns.
The Ashland Constitution Dialogue invites everyone to join us as we balance and integrate multiple points of view while deciding and drafting our city charter amendments every other Sunday, 1-4pm at the Ashland Public Library. Conversation Cafés, for more informal and spontaneous gatherings to generate vision and new ideas, are at Three Rivers Restaurant each Monday, 6-9 pm. Buffet dinner is optional. Live broadcasts may be aeen on RVTV (roguetv.org), every other Friday night, 7-8pm, with open community discussions and call-ins on constitutional issues. Visit www.ashlandconstitution.org for complete details.
Robyn Leor believes everyone’s voice is important. Robyn manages zzskincare.com, an internet resource center for petrochemical-free skin and body care products. Robyn may be reached at robyn@zzskincare.com.
