- Dialogue - lists.wedgeblade.net

July 4th Greetings on America's 250th
by Ellie Stock 04 Jul '26

04 Jul '26

JULY 4TH GREETINGS AS WE CELEBRATE THIS COUNTRY'S 250th! CELEBRATING AMERICA'SPAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE--A DECLARATION OF INTERDEPENDENCE--OF LIVING THE TRUTH THATALL (ANIMAL, VEGETABLE AND MINERAL)ARE CREATED EQUAL ANDARE ENDOWED BY NATURE WITH CERTAININALIENABLE RIGHTS:THAT AMONG GTHESE ARE LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS FORALL LIFE. Carleton and Ellie Stock 250 YEARS SINCE ITS FOUNDING, AMERICA NEEDS A DECLARATION OF INTERDEPENDENCE(Excerpts)Words by Barathunde Thurston INTERDEPENDENCE Is not just an Indigenous principle—it is the LAW OFNATURE, exhibited by ALL LIVING SYSTEMS, and it reflects the fact that RELATIONSHIPS, not isolation, are coreto SUSTAINING LIFE. In this age of cascading crises, as we revisit the more completefounding narrative of our nation, living in the TRUTH of our INTERDEPENDENCE may be the most importantchoice we can make. INTERDEPENDENCE is a reorientation: from RELATIONSHIPS built on hierarchy andtransaction to ones rooted in RECIPROCITY; from governance thatconcentrates power in the hands of the few to governance that LIBERATES the MANY; from seeing the EARTH as a collection ofresources to honoring it as a COMMUNITY OF RELATIONS; from the pursuit ofgreed to the practice of PEACE. To shift our systems, we must shift our story. Fortunately, 2026 represents a season richwith narrative possibility. With our shared attention focused on remembering the founding events of1776, let’s seize this current moment as a refounding one, with principles of INTERDEPENDENCE intact and central. Aswe’ve learned from the restoration of devastated ecosystems, when done theright way, those systems come back better than ever, faster than expected. Ibelieve the same can be true for our DEMOCRACY. It is hard to let go of the myth of separation, dominance, andindividualistic independence given the culture in which most of us have beenraised. It’s time to recognize that DEMOCRACY in its highest form wasnot imported from Europe—it was native to this land, rooted in PEACE, EQUALITY, ECOLOGICALSTEWARDSHIP, and BALANCE, and it was willingly shared. This is not a call to replace the foundingstory. It is a call to expand it—a UNIFYING VISION that makes room for ALL the excluded TOBELONG to the AUTHENTIC STORY of this nation and to the STORY OF LIFE. And this time around, we can grow from We thePeople, to WE THE LIVING. atmos.earth › political-landscapes ›250-years-since250 Years SinceIts Founding, America Needs a Declaration of ... Nov27, 2025 · It’s time to expand the founding story of the US to reflectthe forms of democracy that many of this land’s original inhabitants practicedso well, writes Emmy-nominated storyteller

3 2

Fwd: The Week needs you: Let’s Spark 20,000 New Conversations!
by James Wiegel 17 Jun '26

17 Jun '26

2 1

Celebrating the life and death of Deirdre Dowsett
by Dharmalingam Vinasithamby 15 Jun '26

15 Jun '26

Dear Colleagues, This is to let you know that our dear colleague, Deirdre Dowsett, who served with many of us in theMaharashtra Human Development Project in India in the 1970s and 80s passed awayat the Benetas Oaks Aged Care Home in Gisborne, Victoria, Australia, on 13thJune morning. She and Philip Dowsett spent many years inMaliwada village, Maharashtra, where the Human Development Training School for projectvolunteers was based. Philip, who received the news from her partner ElaineFragar, said in an email to me yesterday: “In recent years Deirdre battled acomplex of medical issues, and now her trials and tribulations are over. Assoon as I have details of the funeral arrangements, which I understand will belive streamed, I will forward them to people.” Kind regards,V.Dharmalingam

5 5

Re: [Dialogue] Youtube: CATHOLICS ARE IN SHOCK
by David Dunn 15 Jun '26

15 Jun '26

1 0

Youtube: CATHOLICS ARE IN SHOCK
by Cynthia Vance 15 Jun '26

15 Jun '26

Pope Leo XIV silently erases 7 Traditions: Catholics are in Shock Y'all should view this. Totally amazing! Cynthia Vance

2 1

Town Hall Meetings – resources for America’s Semiquincentennial
by Rory Gilchrist 14 Jun '26

14 Jun '26

This year in the United States, we are celebrating 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It is an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on who we are, as a people, in our local communities. For the ICA it brings back memories from 1976 when Town Meetings were held in every county in every state of the union to celebrate America's 200th birthday. Two Archives Town Meeting pages are available here: ICA Global Archive – Town Meetings <https://icaglobalarchives.org/collections/awakening-local-communities/town-…>. We have been pondering what today’s efforts at grassroots reflection could look like in 2026. One step the ICA staff and Global Archives volunteers have taken is to design a “do-it-yourself” Facilitation Guide to allow people interested in having a significant Vision and Action Planning event happen in their community in two-hours. The Facilitation Guide is very flexible to allow individuals to modify for their needs. Here is the Guide: - Guide for reading on screens: Word Doc <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jSVr41SV85vmUfdcYoPlvMREadJqTdTT/edit> | Adobe PDF <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XtNrLrcwbbAq1eC8dE1eY8lnV5jYNLvD/view> (continuous pagination) - Guide for printing: Adobe PDF <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZIF1Yz8Bwi4rsaxqhipjH7bBj89x2vdJ/view?usp=…> (booklet pagination; use “short edge” double-sided printing) Since every state has an America 250 Commission, ICA took another step—to contact the Illinois 250 America Commission, and to offer this Facilitation Guide, as well as Facilitator Training for community leaders to use the Guide. A colleague of the ICA, who is a commissioner on the Illinois 250 Commission, has been working with the Chicago 43rd Ward Alderperson to create a resolution to celebrate the 250th Anniversary by hosting “a collaborative town hall where the community and their elected representatives are able to come together and discuss a collective vision for the future of their communities and the City of Chicago as a whole.” At the last Chicago City Council meeting, they passed the resolution! Here is a copy of the Resolution: Chicago City Council 250 Resolution <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aWQ2qG9AhB_4CZfOn_sGJLHQ9OuSGv-E/view?usp=…> Here are additional materials developed with the assistance of AI NotebookLM that give visual and audio information to assist anyone willing to take the challenge of leading their community in this process: - Cinematic Video: IL America 250 Explanatory Video <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s_J2X_okawWwbbTqqUkpoIorklAAIwgH/view?usp=…> - Infograph: IL America 250 Infographic <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pk9IJXZBKOVz7KK_ymh1bzZPAbcIKg4H/view?usp=…> - Facilitator's Blueprint: IL America 250 podcast ep "The two hour blueprint for community consensus" <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Z7sIIOsscr8feA8E6D-SMQAb9FfeFHTr/view?usp=…> Would you like to have something like this happen in your area? Would you be willing to contact your state’s America 250 Commission? Who are others you know who might be interested in making this happen in your area? What other thoughts, suggestions do you have to create momentum for community meetings to happen locally and nationally during 2026? We are looking forward to hearing your ideas and reflections. Rory Gilchrist Program Manager rgilchrist(a)ica-usa.org Karen Snyder Troxel Archives Coordinator ksnyder(a)ica-usa.org

8 7

Fwd: A Letter I Almost Didn’t Send -- blog from Bruce Lanphear -- a great read
by James Wiegel 07 Jun '26

07 Jun '26

1 0

A new member
by Jo Nelson 05 Jun '26

05 Jun '26

Tim, Pat Boivin Price would like to be a member of ICA Dialogue. Given the impending change, I’m not sure what needs to happen for her to become a member of the list. Please help her make it happen. Take care, Jo -- Jo Nelson, CPF, CTF <jo.r.nelson(a)gmail.com> 647 233 6910 "Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead

4 3

End of hosting of mailing lists, input requested
by Timothy Wegner 26 May '26

26 May '26

Dreamhost, the host of the dialogue, oe, and earthrise mailing lists, just informed me that they are ending support for discussion lists on July 21, 2026. This means that unless we act, these three mailing lists will end on that date. I want to discuss some options, and I would very much like folks here to weigh in. 1. First option is to do nothing, which means that these mailing lists will cease to exist on July 21. Terry Bergdal has opted to do this for his Earthrise list. I am open to ending OE and Dialogue as well. 2. The second option is to find another host for one or both lists. If we do this, I suggest one list because the distinction between the two lists (originally OE and ICA) has become very unclear. I think one list will suffice, the only question is what to call it. Maybe dialogue, oe-dialogue, or oe-ica? The OE and Dialogue lists are not very active, but I see at least on reason to continue: to provide a way to communicate life transitions to the larger community. Sooner or later these lists would end anyway (I am turning 80 soon), but I had assumed they would continue for a few more years. I would appreciate input on whether one list should continue past July 21st (and what to call it), or if this is a good time to end both the lists. Thanks, Tim Wegner

34 36

Re: [Dialogue] End of hosting of mailing lists, input requested
by James Wiegel 25 May '26

25 May '26

I just turned 81, Tim, and would like the lists to continue. Would “Colleague Dialogue” be acceptible?? Jim Wiegel “…the long work of turning their lives into a celebration is not easy. Come and let us talk“. The Sunflowers. Mary Oliver > On May 25, 2026, at 1:13 PM, Timothy Wegner via Dialogue <dialogue(a)lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote: > > Dreamhost, the host of the dialogue, oe, and earthrise mailing lists, just informed me that they are ending support for discussion lists on July 21, 2026. This means that unless we act, these three mailing lists will end on that date. > > I want to discuss some options, and I would very much like folks here to weigh in. > > 1. First option is to do nothing, which means that these mailing lists will cease to exist on July 21. Terry Bergdal has opted to do this for his Earthrise list. I am open to ending OE and Dialogue as well. > > 2. The second option is to find another host for one or both lists. If we do this, I suggest one list because the distinction between the two lists (originally OE and ICA) has become very unclear. I think one list will suffice, the only question is what to call it. Maybe dialogue, oe-dialogue, or oe-ica? > > The OE and Dialogue lists are not very active, but I see at least on reason to continue: to provide a way to communicate life transitions to the larger community. > > Sooner or later these lists would end anyway (I am turning 80 soon), but I had assumed they would continue for a few more years. I would appreciate input on whether one list should continue past July 21st (and what to call it), or if this is a good time to end both the lists. > > Thanks, > > Tim Wegner > > > _______________________________________________ > Dialogue mailing list > Dialogue(a)lists.wedgeblade.net > http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/dialogue-wedgeblade.net

1 0