all good questions, therese. here's what i can add to the story... last year, when Harrison came to do practice of peace in chicago, some of us wrote an invitation to an osonos usa that happened last november. it was the first time we'd had that sort of national gathering in the us since i had hosted the int'l event in 1999.
yes, this was in part created because goa was a long way to travel. it was also because 1999 was a long time ago. it was convened in an election year, when we had lots to deal with, as americans, and lots of american things to think about doing in openspace. many other nations have their own os institute and osonos type gatherings. we tend not to do that in the usa, and i think we suffer from allowing ourselves to simply get mixed into the larger world. there are many americans who can easily see themselves participating online or in person in a national conference. some of these would not see themselves as interested, qualified, able to get to, or otherwise included in our internatinoal conversation and community. we thought that it's about time we started inviting those folks to gather, to connect. and there is much to be explored in the usa, with people that are more like us than the rest of the world. we tend to think that usa culture is world culture, and that an int'l gathering can meet all needs. of course it might, if those were raised, but again, we need more of us(a) in the circle sometimes to deal with some uniquely american ways of going about ost. and yes, last year was successful enough that there are already some vets of that event and some others working to convene this next one, hoping that it might turn into an annual event. there is plenty of work and learning and fun to be had on both intl and natl levels, so there's plenty of reason to have both. they will be different, for sure, and halifax and san antonio are not exactly right around the corner from each other. to the question about excluding canadians... the question last year was essentially "how do we open more space in the usa?" ...and there are few canadians with passion and responsibility for that. last i checked, what we still really want to do is focus on the issues and opportunities and people and connections that can help more and more space open in the usa. hope this answers some of the questions. there are some other voices here htat might say more... m On Mon, 21 Feb 2005 07:11:18 -0800, Lisa Heft <lisah...@openingspace.net> wrote: > Hi, Ms. Therese -- > > You wrote: > <Hi Lisa. I 'get' that you are only asking about dates for the U.S. > OSonOS. . . could you maybe say why the OSonOS in Nova Scotia is not > adequate for this year? I sorta thought the US OSonOS took place > because some US open spacers wanted to gather without traveling to > India. . . but Nova Scotia makes it a bit different. Are you trying to > establish an annual US OSonOS? Would a US OSonOS exclude Canadians? > Maybe there should be a 'bye' for this year?! I intend to go to OSonOS > in Halifax and I would hate to have to choose missing the US one. Just > thinking out loud and sorry if I step on other's thoughts.> > > Your questions are all very good, and how could asking such great > questions step on others' thinking? I'm glad you've asked because I > myself do not have the answer - there's an originating group that I > think had such great experiences at the one last year (I did not attend) > that they wanted to do something regional again. > > I cannot probably come to both, either, and I will come to Halifax, > seeking the international learning because it stretches me so much out > of my known (wanting to come to both but probably not being able to > afford to). Knowing that, I'm supporting this OSonOSinUS group in > whatever way I can, such as asking if these dates work. I'm guessing > folks want to do a regional OSonOS for whomever comes. > > I'm guessing that it has nothing to do with adequacy or inadequacy, or > inclusion or exclusion, but more like abundance and welcoming. Knowing > there's room for everything in time and space for whomever comes. > > I invite more voices into this conversation - including others who are > in the group that wants to create an OSonOSinUS for 2005 - what are your > thoughts, folks? > > ...and I thank you again for sharing with us, Therese, > > Lisa > > ________________________________ > > L i s a H e f t > Consultant, Facilitator, Educator > O p e n i n g S p a c e > 2325 Oregon > Berkeley, California > 94705-1106 USA > +01 510 548-8449 > lisah...@openingspace.net > www.openingspace.net > > * > * > ========================================================== > osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu > ------------------------------ > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, > view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: > http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html > > To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: > http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist > -- Michael Herman Michael Herman Associates http://www.michaelherman.com ...inviting people and whole organizations into movement Small Change News Network http://www.smallchangenews.org ...linking active givers and gifted activists to make a bigger difference * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
