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Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: TimF who wrote (4640)	2/4/2001 11:40:58 AM
From: Lane3	Respond to of 82486

So it is ok to impose on them? I'm thinking that I didn't do a very good job of making my point about consensus. You and I have both said that we've found our little conversation interesting, useful, and constructive. We both acknowledge that we have no expectations of changing the other's mind on abortion. I rarely discuss with the intent to change anyone's mind about anything. I just toss out my little pearls for whatever they're worth to the reader. I not only recognize that I'm unlikely to convince you of any of my perspectives on abortion, I don't want to. I would, however, like to make an impression on you regarding the nature and value of consensus. We all have to find a way to get along in this country and this world. Consensus is not about changing anyone's mind. It's about creatively and jointly finding something that virtually everyone can live with. Live with. Not what we individually want but what we can all live with. If I'm facilitating a group towards consensus, I'm savvy enough and light enough on my feet to overcome problems with difficult participants. I can deal with people who act out in various ways. That's to be expected when people are tackling sensitive or controversial matters. There's only one thing that's an absolute process stopper. You have to have an agreement from the group that they want to move forward constructive and find a solution. If you have participants who would rather go down in flames than accept a consensus that doesn't look exactly like their entry position, it ain't gonna work. The same thing is true in political consensus. If we refuse to accept that it's more important that we find a way to get along than to be absolutely faithful to our absolute truths, we'll be scrapping and squabbling and maybe worse into eternity. Either that or we'll have some iron hand who is so sick and tired of the squawking that we lose our freedom--kind of like having one's thread erased. <g> I would not want you to forsake your beliefs on abortion. I would, however, want you to give consensus a chance. Karen