So much of our public discourse today plays out through the media and their broadcasting of politicians. I have been sitting with the question of what happens from here? It occurs to me that rather than watching with great frustration as the politicians and media foment discord and speak of punishing those at fault, it is time to let them know that there are voices who wish to see a different kind of response. I have gathered e-mail addresses for people I thought important to reach. Some are here because they are in positions of power and it seems important that they hear another perspective. I chose others because they seem to be searching for other alternatives and are respected. You may have others you think worth contacting.
So, I ask, as we talk to each other to make some sense out of this, please consider also contacting people with power and influence to let them know we wish to see a different kind of response. The note I am sending follows the addresses I've located. Peggy ABC News http://abcnews.go.com/service/help/abccontact.html (I'm contacting Ted Koppel) ABC World news tonight with Peter Jennings http://abcnews.go.com/sections/wnt/WorldNewsTonight/WNT_newemail_form.html CBS News with Dan Rather even...@cbsnews.com NBC News with Tom Brokaw nigh...@nbc.com Lots of NBC contact addresses: http://www.msnbc.com/news/435157.asp#nbc CNN news http://www.cnn.com/CNN/askcnn/ Bill Moyers programm...@thirteen.org (this one's a bit of a guess) Oprah Winfrey http://www.oprah.com/email/reach/email_reach_fromu.html President George W. Bush: presid...@whitehouse.gov Vice President Dick Cheney: vice.presid...@whitehouse.gov Senators http://www.senate.gov/ House of Representatives http://www.house.gov/writerep/ Working Assets Long Distance http://www.workingforchange.com/help/contact_topic.cfm MY MESSAGE The World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks create an enormous opportunity for unity. These unspeakable acts dramatically draw most of us together in our shock and disbelief. What about those who celebrate it? Who are they? What is it that moves them to joy as the rest of us are moved to tears? Their stories are a vital part of what happens next. As a person with great influence and power, I implore you to tell us their stories. Why do I want to know? Because it is by understanding their humanity that the greatest chance for healing all of us occurs. We can respond, as we always do, with swift, and just military vengeance. We have centuries of experience of the results of this course. It simply breeds more of the same. At this time when we are all grieving for the people directly affected and those close to them, let us respond differently. Help us to understand the anger that turns such atrocity into valid action so that we can face the enemy and see their humanity in ourselves. Rather than deepen the divide, help us bridge it. Sincerely, Peggy Holman P.S. Here are some other voices speaking eloquently to this issue. The Mayor of New York says "this was an unprovoked act against innocent men women and children." I write to use all means available to simply say, there is no cause without a cause. The creation of terrorism must be understood and dealt with at the root of what creates people whose lives are pained enough to make this kind of move. Everything is provoked. We must understand the deeper picture of human reality. Dr. Douglass Carmichael _______________________________________________ If, as the Dalai Lama has said, we have moved from a century of war to a century of dialogue, then our choice is clear. On a scale never before imaginable, we must know our enemy - not forgive them; not excuse them; and not appease them - but KNOW them. We must know them in our hearts and respond to them with a wisdom that passeth all understanding. Mark Gerzon _______________________________________________ To Mark Gerzon's comments I would add a challenge to further our knowing of ourselves: we must take up the painful question, How are the horrific acts perpetrated today similar to acts -- fast and slow -- perpetrated within recent memory and every day by the United States, other nations with similar blindnesses, and transnational corporations? Can we come to acknowledge our share of culpability in fostering the conditions that have nurtured the rage and determination we saw today? Meeting the heart of the enemy means being willing to see ourselves. New wisdom in response to a new understanding will demand that we change our lives -- not in order to seek greater security, but to stand down from the ongoing provocations for which we have been responsible. Halim Dunsky ______________________________ **** Please note new address: pe...@opencirclecompany.com *** Peggy Holman The Open Circle Company 15347 SE 49th Place Bellevue, WA 98006 425.378.8331 (fax) 425.746.6274 www.opencirclecompany.com * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu, Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html