Items of Importance

IOI090807

Commentary - "Building Bridges - Connecting People"

"When you see wrong, do something about it; but also consider whether you have some responsibility for it. . . . Turn the searchlight inwards." So says Rajmohan Gandhi, President, Initiatives of Change International.

One Columbus, Inc., a non-profit organization in our city, has as it mission to promote unity and respect within our diverse community by encouraging multi-cultural dialogue among all sectors and at every level of the community. The hope is that through dialogue our city can push back the barriers of ignorance that separate us. Often we are unaware of these barriers or perhaps we have grown up believing that they do not exist any longer.

To move actively toward accomplishing these aims, One Columbus sponsors dialogue groups. Why dialogue groups? One Columbus believes that the first requirement for building respect and acceptance for all persons in our community is to identify those points where we do not affirm each other; where we fail to respect one another as our equals as human beings.

How can we recognize our lack of affirmation of others? By asking them if they feel affirmed by us. If their answer is that they do not feel affirmed then we are called to "turn the searchlight inwards" and honestly examine how we might be contributing to this sense of alienation in our neighbor.

Lack of understanding of another leads inevitably first to anger at that person's behavior and a demand for change. That demand, in turn, elicits a response of reciprocal anger and a refusal to change! We begin to fear one another and attempt in one way or another to suppress that other whom we fear. Out of the loss of mutual respect arises a loss of peace and, consequently, of trust in each other.

Ultimately, loss of peace and trust among others leads to a loss of interior peace. Fear disrupts our own inner quiet. We feel threatened and insecure, leading to a further degradation of peace and trust. One Columbus believes that the way out of this destructive condition is to create a space wherein persons can learn to respect and trust each other if they choose to do so. Each person can begin to be at peace with herself or himself by talking openly and honestly with affirming others about those aspects - even those which the person might wish did not there, trust herself or himself to act with integrity.

Can we citizens of Columbus address our niter-racial problems and begin to solve them? Are we willing to come together openly and honestly and learn each other's viewpoint without threatening or disrespecting each other? The process may be painful as most of us want to protect our perceptions and our beliefs that we know more than the other. It is not about who is right and who is wrong. It is rather about respect and understanding and being willing to affirm the other even when the other's perceptions and beliefs are very different from ours. But by talking about the differences perhaps we can make our city a less divided one.

H. Berrien Zettler, board member and Dialogue Group coordinator 706-324-6363

Tuesday, August 11, 6:30 pm First Presbyterian Dialogue Group meets

The dialogue group which meets at the First Presbyterian Church will begin again next week with a discussion with Professor John Studstill of the CSU sociology department on the topic, "Are 'Black' and 'White' out of Date: What does Race really mean?" The second in the series is entitled, "Hypo descent or the One Drop of Blood Rule: a Chapter in the History of Racism in the South." The first dialogue will be a study of the language of racism, and the second, of the meaning of racist concepts. Please join us at 6:30 on Tuesday, August 11, in the First Presbyterian Church MUSEUM (the room across the large foyer area as you enter the building), located on First Avenue, immediately to the north of the main church (toward the corner of First Avenue and Twelfth Street). There is limited parking in the lot in front of the entrance with more parking on the street.

H. Berrien Zettler,706-324-6363

One Columbus Business Dialogue Groups available

Included in these change management workshops are sessions designed to provide, among other things, increasing participant's knowledge base of themselves with respect to their families and their communities and improving employees' satisfaction with the workplace.

Expert facilitators guide small groups if ten to twelve through a series of sessions to make for a better, more efficient and productive workforce. Ask for our references. Call One Columbus at 706-315-0162

DOWN THE ROAD

Race Relations breakifast begins new season

For decades. conversations about the key issues affecting our community have been held around what has come to be called the Race Relations Breakfast.

The 2009-2010 program year will begin at 7:15 am Wednesday, September 9 at Ruth Ann's Restaurant on Veterans Parkway.

The topic will be announced next week.