[Peace-discuss] re: approaching local churches

[John W.]

At 08:59 PM 11/6/2005, you wrote:

>Mort,
>
>I'm puzzled by your comments.  For me, the bottom line is that until you 
>approach and talk to ministers and members of the churches you plan to 
>target and find out what their views are, you have absolutely nothing to 
>go on regarding the views held by said individual churches, and any 
>protest of perceived views will NOT be well-received or constructive in 
>the least.

I'm with you 110% on this one, Phil, if it matters.

I've been active for 4.5 years in the effort to get Citizen Police Review 
Boards in the cities of Champaign and Urbana.  Our tiny coalition has had 
to laboriously at least try to dialogue with EVERYONE even remotely 
involved - to date, the Human Rights Commissions of both Champaign and 
Urbana; the mayor of Urbana, present and past; the Urbana city council 
members, present and past; the Urbana police chief and his assistant; the 
Urbana police officers union; and various community and civic 
organizations.  It's been a long and tedious process, but arguably well 
worth it as we now, finally, have a task force appointed by the current 
Mayor of Urbana that is seriously considering the issue.  When we start our 
campaign in Champaign in earnest we'll have to do the exact same thing all 
over again.

Surely the principles are similar here.  It is the height of arrogance to 
presume what someone believes without so much as asking them.  NO ONE wants 
to be placed in an adversarial position when their views/opinions have not 
even been solicited.  They want to feel valued as individuals.  And those 
we are attempting to win over to our point of view need to see that we 
(whatever cause we may be advocating) are mature individuals, both 
responsible and responsive, worthy of their trust.  The old adage, that you 
can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar, could not be 
more a propos.

Respectfully,

John Wason