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March/April 2005 Living Now
Social Artists

by Rev. Grace Young

We are at a critical juncture of history for humankind. Our intuition senses a quickening, an almost desperate sense that we need a fundamental renewal of the social, economic and cultural systems within our society. This will require a change of both our hearts and our minds; a transformation of individual character, social policy, and our physical environment as we explore the foundations for a new social vision.

This time demands our genius as well as the ability to act. Jean Houston has identified an emerging new field called "Social Artists" which she defines as paradigm pioneers and stewards of the process of change. The social artist is a social change agent opening the doors of perception and giving us a view of possibilities in the reinvention of the world.

Whether pioneers, visionaries or just plain folk, they want to shift the paradigm and build a better world. As you will see, we have a formidable cadre of social artists right here in our community. This column will provide them with a soapbox. As Peter Drucker said; "the best way to predict the future is to create it." Let us hope that the vision and example of these Social Artists and their organizations will ignite many more sparks of creativity.

Onward Oregon

Lenny Dee

In the summer of 03, after a hard work week, I was lying in bed listening to Bill Moyers interview Grover Norquist. As the interview went on I became increasingly alarmed, for Norquist, though not elected to any office, was clearly leading the right wing domestic agenda by bringing together the White House, Congress, and Big Business. Norquist, it turns out is a free market ideologue, whose stated goal is to "drown government in the bathtub." This man is so strident in his beliefs that he literally has compared paying taxes to the Holocaust. Appalled at what I was hearing I sat up in bed and said to my sweetie, ‘I’ve got to get out there and try and make a real difference.

My first call was to Tim Nesbitt, President of the Oregon AFL-CIO, offering my volunteer assistance in their work. We brainstormed over breakfast a couple of mornings and decided that Oregon could use a group focused on using internet technology to advance progressive ideas in the state. My next call was to a colleague, Rick Ray, former President of Friends of Columbia River Gorge, whose web smarts, and progressive instincts could be essential to such a project. When Rick enthusiastically jumped on board I knew we had lightning in a bottle.

We then spent over a year honing our mission, working out technology bugs, and getting counsel from sharp pencils all over the state. Onward Oregon.org is a 100% volunteer effort. We were inspired by 30,000 Oregonians who marched against the war, and the tens of thousands who worked so hard to defeat George Bush last November. Imagine if all the energy could find a common voice that would represent our common dreams. We regularly reach out to Oregonians all over the state for ideas and feedback as to what a progressive internet community should be advocating. This year we will be working with activists in towns and cities all over Oregon, giving them access to our technology, and figuring out ways we can collaborate on state-wide campaigns.

The progressive community both nationally and in the state of Oregon needs to acknowledge that though we’ve made some advances, we are facing strong reactionary forces that have been much smarter about the way they advocate. Onward Oregon.org is committed to representing innovative policy that provides creative answers to problems. In addition we want to find ways of presenting issues in a framework that develops broad support from Oregonians beyond just one specific interest group. Above all we need to remember that in the ebb and flow of social change we need to cherish those who stand by our side.

You can help pick the next online action: help influence our elected officials, spread the word about a ballot measure, etc. About 10,000 Oregonians signed up in 2004. We'd like to double that number by the end of 2006. We need everyone "on board" to be successful. It's free and it just takes a few clicks. Join with us for Oregon's future. Check out Onward Oregon at www.onwardoregon.org

Peace In Our Time?

John D. Brown

The polarizing adventure of our last election cycle tore me limb from limb. On the heels of that experience, I attended a conference promoting legislation to establish a Cabinet Level US Department of Peace (DOP). It rekindled my hope, and now I want to pass that hope on to others.

The Department of Peace would focus on nonmilitary peaceful conflict resolution, the prevention of violence and the promotion of justice and democratic principles that expand human rights. At home it addresses gang and domestic violence, child abuse, mistreatment of elderly and other issues of environmental and cultural violence. Funding would be 2% of the Defense Budget providing $8 Billion. Much of this would be directed into local communities.

Internationally it would gather research, analyze foreign policy, and by law make recommendations to the President and Secretaries of State and Defense on how to address root causes of war, proposing methods of intervention before violence begins. The vision embraces living and creating in a community and country whose organizing principles are Peace, Justice and Nonviolence. For information on this bill (hb 1673) go to <www.dopcampaign.org/read-bill.htm>;

The conference explained the legislative process, reducing it to bite size pieces. We could see that it would take some doing to get this enacted in congress. And the first step for each of us was to find this peace within ourselves. Gandhi understood this when he said we must "be the change we want to see in the world."

I created a personal resolution form declaring the presence, awakening and growth of an internal place of peace which is the Inner Department of Peace (IDOP). Each person signs their own declaration and then invites family and friends to sign and witness this declaration. This inspires others to sign and get witnesses for their own resolutions of inner peace.

I use the presence of this Inner Department of Peace as a resource for personal conflicts. By connecting with this powerful inner resource I hold a current conflict in mind and set the intention for it to be addressed by the IDOP. Then I get quiet, remember my support and listen. It works! Issues that have been festering for months and years resolve as if they were smoke in a breeze.

On an individual basis, one by one, we can create our Inner Department of Peace. As we naturally connect with the different organizations we belong to we can encourage these organizations to develop an organizational Department of Peace. Out of this we will be introducing the DOP to the city, county and state governments. As cities across the country develop this program then United States Congress will naturally come in line. As we integrate the organizing principles of peace into our local policies and actions our communities, states and country will be transformed.

I am offering a half day workshop that you and your organizations can use to discover and build Departments of Peace in hearts and in your back yards. Find details at <www.HRFoundation.net> or call me, John D. Brown: (503-282-5497

Rev. Grace Young is the Executive Director of the Spiritual City Forum, a dialogue forum for providing a spiritual perspective to civic matters. She can be contacted at 503-246-2829 or revgrace@spiritualcityforum.org.