February 2025 - Dialogue - lists.wedgeblade.net

Re: [Dialogue] [Oe List ...] A Path Forward conversation
by Isobel and Jim Bishop 23 Mar '25

23 Mar '25

Dear Bill, I’m praying for your gathering by Zoom- not sure of the time difference for me here in Australia, however thank you for your responsible action on behalf of… I am also unsure if my first email arrived in your inbox- so here is this note. Please put me on the discussion of your insights as they are formed. Resilience and love for humankind in a new way will shine though. Thank you to Randy and Dharma for shining the' horrid light 'John Wesley spoke about- the 'healing light' will come in God’s Economy of time. With love in Jesus the Christ, Isobel Isobel Bishop isobeljimbish(a)optusnet.com.au > On 23 Feb 2025, at 6:53 am, Isobel and Jim via OE <oe(a)lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote: > > Hello Bill, > Thank you. > I add my name to Wanda. > I experience here in my country of origin a similar shaking of the foundations as many have described in your nation and Charlie Angus in Canada. > Sartre said ‘where one country is in chains we are all in chains’ > ( paraphrase). > Please include my name in any findings:- > JWM used to say: > Big think,….act…. Deep resolve. > Jim Weigel or others will remember the correct words.. > ‘These are the times, and we are the people’. > Grace and peace to you Bill, and to all, > Hooray for Zoom 👍😊<c159f9e4-be54-4441-8145-09147177112c.png> > Isobel Bishop > > > > > Isobel Bishop > Mob. 0412 129 425 > >> On 23 Feb 2025, at 4:04 am, Holcombe Wanda via OE <oe(a)lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote: >> >> Bill, >> I can’t join you today because I’m already on a zoom call with other ICA women regarding Women’s Spirit Reflections which also gathers once or twice a year. >> >> Please keep me on your list to participate and if you have any notes to share from this group today, please let me know. Thank you for getting us. And share our thoughts on the >> future. >> >> Grace & Peace >> Wanda Holcombe >> wandah8010(a)gmail.com >> 512-619-3469 >> Amberlin 55+ Community >> Apt #6405 >> Georgetown, TX 78626 >> >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> >>> On Feb 22, 2025, at 9:12 AM, Bill Parker via OE <oe(a)lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote: >>> >>> I’d like to invite you to a conversation about a path forward in light of what is happening in the human community today. It will be today at 3:00pm US central time on Zoom. The zoom id is 630 013 695 and the password is 352922. I have sent zoom invites but am not certain if they will reach you. Join if you can >>> >>> Bill Parker >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> OE mailing list >>> OE(a)lists.wedgeblade.net >>> http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/oe-wedgeblade.net >> _______________________________________________ >> OE mailing list >> OE(a)lists.wedgeblade.net >> http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/oe-wedgeblade.net > _______________________________________________ > OE mailing list > OE(a)lists.wedgeblade.net > http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/oe-wedgeblade.net

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What if? ... Some thoughts on what we could do in the current political climate
by Jo Nelson 08 Mar '25

08 Mar '25

Context: Selected quotes taken from a post by Rosemary Cairns of an article in The Atlantic. "What Would a Liberal Tea Party Look Like? Democrats might have a chance to replicate the energy of the 2009 grassroots movement—if they actually want to." “Republicans aren’t the only ones taking flak. Democratic voters’ frustration with their party’s leaders, who are widely seen as either flat-footed or acquiescent, is growing. ... To recover their mojo, Democrats need some sort of organizing principle, real or purported. ... One challenge of creating a liberal version of the Tea Party is that what liberals want right now is so basic. The opposite of what Trump has done in his first month in office is good governance—careful, measured administration. But that doesn’t make a good bumper sticker, and it doesn’t inspire crowds. ... Representative Jake Auchincloss, a Massachusetts Democrat, has warned against Democrats trying to offer voters a “Diet Coke” version of Trumpian populism. “Voters who ordered a Coca-Cola don’t want a Diet Coke,” he told the New York Times columnist Ezra Klein recently. “There are two different parties. We have to start by understanding who our voters are not and then understanding who our voters could be—and go and try to win them over. ... Ultimately, Democrats will return to viability only if they’re able to learn from and absorb grassroots energy. ... Democrats could certainly use an infusion of fresh ideas—and new leadership." My response: Maybe a shift is needed to what the Iowa caucuses looked like when I was a child in the 1950’s — not about candidates for President, but grassroots meetings to create planks for the party platform. The ideas from the precinct caucuses were taken to a county convention, which then took the consensus to the state convention, and the consensus from the state was taken to the national convention to create the national party platform. (I remember one of these precinct caucuses happening in our family front room when I was 10. I was serving hot coffee to the participants and spilled it on me, which literally burned the meeting into my memory.) This is what my father loved about politics – the way that ordinary people coming together and sharing their ideas created the foundation for grounded choices and decision-making all the way up to the national level. Facilitators know how to design these from the grassroots up. And ICA did community town meetings across the US in 1976. I personally have facilitated consultations for governments that started at the local level and brought those ideas together at a higher level, looking for the common patterns that included all the perspectives. What if we locally took action to bring our neighbours together to discuss what is important to them, and then shared these concerns with others doing the same thing? Jo Nelson jo.r.nelson(a)gmail.com

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Re: [Dialogue] [Oe List ...] A New Song
by Ellie Stock 22 Feb '25

22 Feb '25

Way to go, Milan! Thanks for sending your song. Now to get it out into the public. Yes, the arts have played powerful roles in movements and can continue to do so. I see this as an invitation for folks to share their creativity--songs, poems, art, etc. that speaks to these times. Ellie elliestock(a)aol.com On Friday, February 21, 2025 at 10:47:08 PM EST, Milan Hamilton via OE <oe(a)lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote: I wrote these lyrics in response to what we are seeing with our eyes these days. I am figuring that more political commentary is not going to get much of a hearing from those who have already dug in their respective trenches. But I remembered the power of our singing and the power of the arts and of poetry to reach the deeps of the human experience where the common parlance of discourse failed. I searched extensively in my meagre AI song creation resources for just the right genre for these lyrics, Country didn't quite do it. Folk came closer. R&B and Soul maybe. Celtic? not quite. Certainly not Pop. I finally settled on Blues. But any of them worked a little bit. So I have copies of them all to trot out for covers as the mood may require.Anyway, here is "A Country Song" -- Mellow Milan Hamilton80 North Center StreetRedlands, CA 92373Phone: (909) 943-1667email: melloForwmilan2(a)gmail.com_______________________________________________ OE mailing list OE(a)lists.wedgeblade.net http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/oe-wedgeblade.net

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HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY
by Ellie Stock 14 Feb '25

14 Feb '25

Hi Folks, Below are the words and a link to a beautiful choral arrangement of the traditional Shaker song, "Love Is Little." We thought it was a poignant, affirming, and calming song for living in these turbulent times. Happy Valentine's Day! Carleton and Ellie elliestock(a)aol.com Love Is Little | | | | | | | | | | | Love Is Little | | | LOVE IS LITTLE Love is little, love is low, Love will make our spirits grow,Grow in peace, grow in light,Love will do the thing that’s right. Love is gentle, love is small,Love will find the best of all,Find the peace, find the light,Love will do the thing that’s right. Love is silent, love is strong,Love will sing a quiet song,Sing of peace, sing of light,Love will do the thing that’s right. Love is wonder, love is grace,Love will bind all in its place,Bind the peace, bind the light,Love will do the thing that’s right. ~traditionalShaker hymn BE GENTLE, BE STRONG, BE PEACE, BE GRACE, BE LIGHT, AND BE LOVE TO THOSE AROUND YOU, TO EARTH AND ALL THAT IS IN IT. HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

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Masha Gessen article on the dangers of "anticipatory obedience"
by Ellie Stock 09 Feb '25

09 Feb '25

Hi Folks,Masha Gessen article on the dangers of "anticipatory obedience". . .Ellie elliestock(a)aol.com This op-ed in The NY Times calls on us not to obey in advance: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/08/opinion/trump-power-surrender.html?unloc…

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