[Dialogue] Re State of Our Values - how harvest

Thu Jan 26 16:44:17 EST 2006

To watch and discuss President Bush's State of the Union Speech.  I am
hosting a Lake Hills Liberals Bush Watch gathering.  This gathering is
registered as one of many watch parties organized by the national Democratic
Party.  Participants will include members of our Lake Hills Liberals (we now
have 145 members) and participants recruited by the National Democratic
Party.

I intend to have all participants register with their name, email address,
mail address and phone number.  Before watching the speech, I will inform
the participants that after the speech I will lead a directed reflection
which will include questions about the speech; their reactions to the
speech; the implications of the speech for Bush's agenda, the Republican
strategy for the 2006 elections and the Democratic strategy; and their
learning and decision concerning their own 2006 political activity.

I will also ask all who aren't Lake Hills Liberals members to let me approve
their membership, so that they can get our weekly newsletter.

At the bottom of this message, I have copied our Lake Hills Liberals
Brochure and our Newsletter which will be sent tomorrow, so you can
understand what we are doing.  Dave Thomas

  _____  

From: Dialogue-bounces at wedgeblade.net
[mailto:Dialogue-bounces at wedgeblade.net] On Behalf Of Janice Ulangca
Sent: Thursday, January 26, 2006 12:51 PM
To: Colleague Dialogue
Subject: [Dialogue] Re State of Our Values - how harvest

Thanks to those who responded so quickly - Jim, Sunny, Ellen Howie.  Very
helpful. I just sent in the following suggestions that I hope might be
e-mailed to the organizers around the country.
Janice

--------------------------------
Suggestions for State of Our Values Organizers

What We Hope People Will Experience in these Gatherings

“We need not be tied to media commentators.  We the people can respond!”

All should feel they can express themselves in an accepting environment.
Respectful dialogue, especially when people have very different
perspectives.  Sharing ideas as well as priorities and values.  A sense of
hope - “I am not alone in my concerns.”  And suggestions for specific
actions (such as contacting representatives on the budget).

Important Context for the Organizers:  Every Group Is Good!

Some of our gatherings will be very small.  But don’t let that disappoint
you, or anyone there.  Whoever comes is exactly the right group!  “Where two
or three are gathered together
”  was Jesus’ recognition of the power of a
small group that is committed to think and act on behalf of the larger
community.  Those you have invited who did not come still know it is going
on - and this may give them a sense of hope.

Suggestion for Introductions

Have each person introduce themselves with name, town or neighborhood
they’re from, and one thing they hope will get discussed tonight.  If the
group is small or medium-sized (up to 20?),  do it in one group.  If the
group is larger,  have them move into groups of 6-8 for the introductions.
Take 10 minutes, then come together and hear some of the different places
people come from and the concerns people hope will be addressed.  Nametags
will be a help.

Harvesting Wisdom from the Groups

These suggestions are in addition to things already suggested:  faxing the
“Get Connected” sign-in sheets and sharing photos, clippings, and broadcast
clips.

1)      Have someone take notes on the memorable things that people say -
about the issues that concern them, about their priorities and deeply-felt
values.  A selection of these quotes, from around the country, can be shared
on the web site.  These can be powerful.

2)      Additional question from the convener/facilitator (perhaps the last
question):  From our conversation tonight, what would be 3 points that the
leadership of our country (of both parties) need to hear and act on in the
coming year?  

Write these down, and send them in.

And finally, this suggestion for Sojourners - from a person who received our
publicity:

"Ask Sojourners to publish a special issue of the magazine focusing on the 
State of the Union Reflections.  I believe many people who are not
subscribers to 
the journal would be interested in purchasing this focused issue if
created."

**************************
Janice Ulangca
3413 Stratford Drive
Vestal, NY  13850
607-797-4595
 <mailto:aulangca at stny.rr.com> aulangca at stny.rr.com
*************************** 

LAKE HILLS LIBERALS

Friends and neighbors working together to enhance freedom and opportunity

As Liberals, we believe:

*	All members of our American community should have the same freedoms
and opportunities.
*	We each have the responsibility to protect the freedoms and
opportunities of all other Americans.  
*	We and our government should be competent and compassionate, 

         helping those who have fewer freedoms and opportunities than the
rest of us.

*	Our United States should be a cooperative member of our world’s
community of nations.  

Having good values is not enough.  Within our Lake Hills Neighborhood, we
are working hard to mobilize liberals to realize these values.  In 90 days,
our membership grew from 7 to 140 residential, outreach and agency members.
Based upon polls of our members, we have initiated over 20 activities.

No More Lonely Lake Hills Liberals

In traditionally conservative Lake Hills, half of our households (44)
display ‘Proud Liberal, Time for a Change’ yard signs and ‘Proud Liberal’
bumper stickers.  We continue to recruit members.  We have many gatherings
and action planning sessions.  We are creating a Welcome Wagon to involve
newcomers in our neighborhood.

Gatherings

Anticipated gatherings include potlucks; a recycling exchange; an arts and
crafts fair; a monthly night at the movies, including discussion of their
implications for enhancing our neighborhood;  watching campaign debates,
election returns and presidential addresses; participatory action planning
meetings; and neighborhood walks.

Participatory Action Planning

Action planning groups are forming for disaster response, crime prevention,
school and youth Services (mentoring students, teaching tolerance, and
preventing violence, suicide, unwanted pregnancy and substance abuse); baby
sitting, household repair, computer and small businesses assistance
listings, enhancing neighborhood appearance and environmental protection.

Political Action

We encourage our members to submit letters-to-the-editors (Our publication
rate exceeds 50%) and letters to our political representatives.  We host
presentations by candidates and our elected representatives.  We are
supporting school levies and relaxed restrictions upon homeless camps.  This
fall, we will canvas to register voters, identify liberals and encourage
them to vote.  We will gather petition signatures, picket and hold vigils to
support causes we favor.

Lake Hills Liberals Website

We issue a weekly newsletter.  We will soon have a
<http://www.lakehillsliberals.org/> www.lakehillsliberals.org website and
discussion board.  These will enable us to exchange information about
opportunities for local political involvement, sources of news and political
skills.  Our Lake Hills Liberals Lending Library serves our members.  A
history of Lake Hills is being written.

For Additional Information or to Join Lake Hills Liberals, send email to
DavThom at att.net. 

------------------

                                        Lake Hills Liberal Newsletter -
January 27, 2006                  

For more information, contact Dave Thomas: 746-4572 or
DavThom at worldnet.att.net.        

Calendar

·       Monday 1/30, 2/1 & 2/3 – First walk for Lake Hills Liberals Walking
group.  Meet at Lake Hills Library parking lot   Please join us to decide
best days and times for walking.

·       Tuesday 1/31 6 PM – Lake Hills Liberals Bush Watch: Come to watch
and discuss  President Bush’s State of the Union speech at Dave Thomas’ &
Charlotte Cowling’s home (162 – 163rd Place SE (near 164th SE & SE 2nd).  7
people signed up so far.  R.S.V.P DavThom at worldnet.att.net or 746-4572 

·       Sunday 2/5 – Several Lake Hills Liberals Super Bowl 12th Man
Parties.  Need Host(ess).

·       Monday 2/6 at 7 PM – Night at the Movies ‘Bagdad Café’ at Lake Hills
Library followed by discussion of implications for Lake Hills development

·       Tuesday, 2/7 – Bellevue Schools levies Election.  Please vote your
support.

·       Saturday 3/4 at 4 PM – End-of-Winter Hawaiian Luau Potluck at Glen
and Miep Luzenhiser’s home (19 – 156th Avenue NE) rsvp galtz at aol.com

·       Saturday 3/18 at 10 to 3 – Recycling Exchange and Arts and Crafts
Fair at Charlotte Cowling’s and Dave Thomas’ home (162 – 163rd Place SE).
Contact Marylane Harrison (msuzharrison at msn.com) to display or sell arts or
crafts.  We will invite neighborhood schools students to exhibit.

Help Wanted (Contact Dave Thomas or person cited below)

·       Host(ess) needed for several Lake Hills Liberals 12th Man Parties,
hopefully the 1st Annual Parties. 

·       Don’t forget to vote by February 7 for both of the Bellevue School
levies.

·       A recent supreme court decision makes timely Washington State
legislation to permit physician assisted suicide.  Contact our 48th District
State Representative Ross Hunter (hunter.ross at leg.wa.gov) 

·       School and Youth Services action planning group needs more
participants to examine mentoring; teaching tolerance; preventing violence,
suicides, unwanted pregnancy, substance abuse, etc. 

·       All of our action planning groups welcome new participants:
Emergency Response; Lake Hills Liberals Yellow Pages; Liberal Information
Sources (television, radio, movies, magazines, books, etc.)

·       Someone to design ‘Lake Hills Liberals’ T-shirts, sweatshirts, caps,
etc. to be worn by members of our Lake Hills Walking Group, petition
signature gatherers, vigilers, picketers, etc.

·       Someone to design a Logo, letterhead and envelope, introduction
(business) card, etc.

Achievements

·       We now have 115: Residential, 23 Outreach and 5 Agency members.

·       On 1/23, four Lake Hills Liberals attended Bellevue City hearing to
support relaxing  restrictions on Homeless Camps.  They relaxed them.  Visit
the Camp at Temple B’nai Torah (15727 NE 4th) before it moves from there on
February 15th. 

·       Lake Hills Liberals Walking group formed, led by Tony Marquez
(tonimarquez at comcast.net. 746-9592).  See attachment

·       Lake Hills Liberals Lending Library open for service, with temporary
librarian Dave Thomas.  See attachment.

·       Lake Hills Liberals Emergency (Earthquake, Pandemic, etc.) Response
action planning group has created action plan.  To participate, contact
Miriam Works (miriamworks at comcast.net) 644-2642).  We are researching city,
county, public health, Red Cross response plans, arranging for the Bellevue
Fire Department to make a presentation, to clarify resident emergency
response roles

·       Our child (baby) sitter yellow page webpage is being prepared with
application form and model contract to be reviewed by sitter and parents.

·       First weekly Lake Hills Liberals Newsletter was distributed, with an
issue to follow each Friday.  Only late breaking urgent news will be
distributed otherwise.  Please submit your news to news editor Dave Thomas
(davthom at worldnet.att.net  746-4572)

·       Our Eastside Liberals email list has been terminated.  Information
about local political activities will appear in our newsletter.  Information
about political skills and sources of information for literate liberals will
appear on our website.  After our website is operational, a discussion group
will be formed for members to exchange information.

--- See reverse side ---

Challenges

·       Creating www.LakeHillsLiberals.org
<http://www.lakehillsliberals.org/>  Website by February 6

·       Scheduling 8th District Congresswoman candidate Darcy Burner
presentation 

·       Initiating a Political Action action planning group.

·       Initiating a School and Youth Services action planning group

·       Continuing to recruit residential, outreach and agency members of
Lake Hills Liberals

·       How to distribute reports to all 3000-3500 Lake Hills households at
reasonable cost.  Mailing apparently costs us a minimum of $1500.  Maybe a
government agency can do the mailing for us at less cost.

New Proposals

·       Our website will include yellow pages which will contain listings
of:

                baby sitters

                household repair, computer and small businesses assistance 

                Lake Hills residents with small businesses

Attached Reports

Participatory Action Planning Guide

Lake Hills Liberals Walking Group

Lake Hills Liberals Lending Library

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