Firewalk With Me.

Two weekend events have inspired me to pull an idea off my back burner and put it into action.

After  Saturday's Red and Blue Raku that brought together conservative and progressive bloggers, I followed the exhortation and example of Chad Everson, who organized the day. I reached out to Joey Monson of Pheistyblog to continue our dialog.

She describes what we're doing in her blog, so I'll keep it short here. In the spirit of sharing, I've even swiped her graphic until we settle on something to label our work. [Chad's own generous and exhaustive account of his weekend is here.]

Joey and I will have periodic discussions around an issue of common interest but possibly divergent opinions. Then we'll post the results on our blogs to expose presumably receptive readers to the experiences, thinking and assumptions of the Other.

As my first positive interaction with Joey was over my questioning her passion for the misleading and divisive rhetoric of Jason Lewis [latest example here], I know we will be able to have civil discussion while still letting a few sparks fly.

I'll gladly share our principles and lessons with other bloggers who want to try the same thing. And if it works for us, who knows where it will go?

The other inspiring event was the first sequentially. "Solutions Twin Cities" brought together local folks who had taken personal, creative action to affect some corner of their world.

Some of the projects presented were intensely local, such as the work of Juxtaposition Arts to help kids reclaim their Northside neighborhood. Chuck Olson and UpTake.org's initiative to inspire, train and "publish" citizen video journalists is local, but with far-reaching implications. Doug McGill broke the story of Ethiopian genocide from what he learned from his neighbors in Rochester, Minnesota.

There were more good stories and a few clunkers (go to Solutions.org for links to all of them), but they all represented a fusion of personal interests, strong values, creative thinking and a commitment to make the world a better place. Another cool thing, at least to this boomer: The organizers were twentysomethings and the audience definitely skewed toward youth. I won't miss the next one.

The message from both places was: It's not Bush or the party or the system or the Man or the corporations or the shit that happened in high school. It's me. So how am I going to take responsibility for my place in the world?

Comments

[Teddy Bear]

Charlie,

I look forward to reading what you and Joey come up with. I am biting at the bit to take this template to the masses myself. I posting today as a Grizzly Groundswell call to action in attempts for my Grizzly Groundswell Governors and Readers to take this template and utilize it in their backyards across the nation.

I am encouraged by our success, but very frustrated at the lack of depth in our conversation.

It will be interesting where this takes politic today.

~Teddy Bear