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<dd><h2><font size=5><b>"A house divided against itself cannot
stand." Abraham Lincoln</b></font> </h2></div>
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<dd> From February 11th
to 15th , 2009, at the <a href="http://www.transpartisan.net/">American
Citizens’ Summit</a> in Denver, people from across the political spectrum
gathered to speak and identify priorities demanding attention at a time
of converging global crises. Processes included meeting in circles,
listening, open space, and innovative feedback technologies that allowed
everyone to vote on issues, ideas, and positions--anonymously and
instantly--and to reflect the information to the group. <br><br>
<dd> An interim Sunshine
Cabinet--including Cynthia McKinney (2008- Green Party candidate for
President), Congressman Ron Paul, Grover Norquist, Liberty Coalition
co-founder Michael Ostrolenk, Barbara Marx Hubbard, humorist Steve
Bhaerman and Committee for a Unified Independent Party director Jackie
Salit--spoke about their top priorities. They included transparency,
dismantling the national security state, a non-interventionist foreign
policy, peace, justice, dignity, promoting liberty, following the
Constitution, creating a Peace Room, and addressing the collapse of the
economic system by creating a local/global sustainable economy that
values solar energy, food, human invention and love. <br><br>
<dd> The history and
evolution of the Transpartisan Movement was mapped. Processes, some of
which were developed from high school classroom ground rules and from
rules adopted at the first Bipartisan Congressional Retreat, were
explained. <a href="http://www.spiraldynamics.net/">Spiral Dynamics</a>
allowed everyone to understand a framework to help people consciously
transcend the limits of bipartisan thinking. People were encouraged to
leave their egos at the door and to be open to all points of view, deeper
truths, and surprising synergies, so they could create space in which
ideas or solutions drawn from the collective wisdom of a diverse group of
people could emerge. <br><br>
<dd>
<a href="http://www.mediatorsfoundation.org/about_mark.html">Mark
Gerzon</a>, a pioneer in the movement, candidly admitted that the
Stimulus Bill (which President Obama publicly signed into law February
18th, 2009, in Denver), was a result of bipartisan thinking and give and
take, creating ammunition for future arguments and battles between
Republicans and Democrats. A genuine effort to rationally examine
measurable effects of past efforts to improve the lives of individuals,
communities, and regions--to meet people’s needs and ameliorate economic
conditions--was thwarted by Congress. <br><br>
<dd> The Stimulus Bill is
basically window dressing that does not begin to tackle the deeper
systemic problems or the most urgent immediate needs of the people at a
time of uncertainty and crisis; it is window dressing that promotes the
“idea” that the government is “trying to do something” and is on top of
the situation--which is an illusion, like the bubble wealth creation of
the financial sector that has burst. Throwing money at the speculators’
black hole of astronomical debt will only reward and enrich the banksters
and transfer an unpayable debt from them onto the shoulders of taxpayers.
Rescuing banks has never served or helped the plight of populations who
have seen their homes, savings, and businesses stolen from them by
predators who already have the most wealth. <br><br>
<dd> With so many systems
failing, prescribing “more of the same medicine” does not inspire
confidence. Pronouncements from the World Economic Forum and the White
House try to convince us that the government and corporate structures
that have dominated the past several decades are going to offer genuine
solutions. These government and corporate structures are a large part of
what has created the problem in the first place. The current policies
might maintain the veneer of structural integrity, but beneath the
surface explosives are going off, destroying huge swaths of
infrastructure--key columns, as happened in the controlled demolition of
World Trade Center 7. The fall time is predicted by the laws of physics,
so that those in the know can exit and profit as they watch from a
distance--and calculate how to profit even more from the insurance money
that they’ll use to build the next bubble economy. <br><br>
<dd> Facilitator Peggy
Holman, author of <a href="http://thechangehandbook.com/">The Change
Handbook</a>, wrote: <br><br>
<dd>“Systems call forth different aspects of intelligence, as needed.
When everything is working fine, people who have answers are rewarded and
the pioneers and questioners are pushed to the fringe. When shifts begin
to happen rapidly and systems begin failing, smart people and
institutions start pulling in those who are effective at challenging the
status quo and asking and pursuing powerful questions. What was fringe
becomes central…” ><br><br>
<dd> In creating room for
dialogue and compassionate listening, respect for diverse points of view,
awareness of the “triggers” that push our buttons and how to overcome
reactions and “stay present,” the Citizens’ Summit created a space for
surprising insights, ideas, synergies, and solutions to emerge in
powerful ways. <br><br>
<dd> The Citizens’ Summit
identified the values we held in common: the top ones were respect,
listening, integrity, transparency, taking action, building trust,
compassion, and love. Joseph McCormick, primary organizer of the
Citizens’ Summit and co-founder of Reuniting America, deliberately chose
the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday as the date of the
conference to draw together people with the "courage to
cooperate</b>" across traditional ideological barriers. He voiced
his concern about the increasing polarization taking place within the
country. He showed a map delineating Republican and Democrat counties in
2006 and 2008 that highlighted how the red areas were becoming redder and
the blue areas bluer, with very little purple. <br><br>
<dd> Michael Andregg, in
his book <a href="http://www.gzmn.org/causes.htm">On the Causes of
War</a>, explains that wars arise when there are two distinct narratives
to explain “a common event.” Pitting right against left allows the top to
control the bottom. The summit was an attempt to bring people from across
the political landscape together, and we all experienced the challenges
of this attempt. For example, the processes were too “communistic or
touchy/feely” for some participants who came to advocate their particular
issues. There were some very passionate advocates for radical reforms,
but some of them had learned over decades that the best way to persuade
people about these issues involved the softer approach of compassionate
listening and thoughtful, honest, deliberative dialogue. <br><br>
<dd> There seemed to be
many “leaders, authors, presidents, politicians, and founders of various
organizations” at the summit, and few “followers.” There was a healthy
gender balance but a distinct lack of ethnic and income diversity. The
registration fee to attend the summit and the hotel costs were beyond the
price range of struggling activists and those who have to “earn a
living.” The organizers had approached the conference with a strong
vision and had gone out on a limb to try to pull off a conference in the
middle of February in Colorado. A poster session focused on endowing the
Transpartisan Alliance, paying off the debt, and advancing the work.
<br><br>
<dd> I was drawn to the
summit when I learned that Cynthia McKinney and David Ray Griffin were
invited speakers. I had hopes that the issues that I have worked on for
years would be addressed and I was intrigued to try the new processes.
The Northern California 9/11 Truth Alliance</b> voted to sponsor a booth
at the summit and send Ken Jenkins, Richard Gage, and me as delegates.
Fran Shure of <a href="http://colorado911visibility.org/">Colorado 911
Truth Visibility</a> offered to host us and help us with a 9/11 Truth
booth. Jennifer Parisi, also active with Colorado 911 Truth Visibility
helped at our booth. Jonathan Elinoff brought his laptop and shared
excerpts from his new film
"<a href="http://www.coreofcorruption.com/">Core of Corruption</a>”
which includes dramatic new footage on 9/11. We are Change Colorado</b>
had a booth. In addition to attending the summit, Richard Gage, AIA,
founder of Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth</b>, spoke at a local
bookstore to a full house, which also drew people from the summit. Even
though our poster sessions on 9/11 Truth were lightly attended, when
polled over 70% of the participants on Sunday indicated that they
believed the US government either allowed 9/11 to happen or made it
happen. <br><br>
<dd> Evan Ravitz,
activist and webmaster of <a href="http://www.vote.org">www.vote.org</a>,
who is a passionate advocate for national ballot initiatives, offered us
an idea to improve our outreach to the public. Observing the popularity
of the homemade cookies that we gave away at our booth as well as at some
of the poster sessions, he suggested making a large banner saying “9/11
Truth and Cookies</b>” and using that name to create yet another 9/11
Truth group, with perhaps greater appeal than the many
<a href="http://ae911truth.org">Architects and Engineers</a>,
<a href="http://www.pilotsfor911truth.org/">Pilots</a>,
<a href="http://mp911truth.org/">Medical Professionals</a>,
<a href="http://www.v911t.org/">Veterans</a>,
<a href="http://firefightersfor911truth.org/">Fire Fighters</a>,
<a href="http://stj911.org/">Scholars</a>… for
<a href="http://www911Truth.org">9/11 Truth groups</a>. He also suggested
putting the cookie recipes on the website. <br><br>
<dd> As publisher of the
<a href="http://www.deceptiondollar.com">Deception Dollars</a>, I had
been planning to print a new bill that would be an evolution of the
“<a href="http://communitycurrency.org/conception.html">Conception
Dollar</a>” published in August 2007 that pointed towards solutions.
While attending the summit I volunteered to publish a “Perception
Dollar,” or “Transpartisan Dollar,” in collaboration with others at the
summit, to further the Transpartisan Movement and identify the values,
processes, and solutions that citizens were coming up with in response to
the massive problems generated by corporations, militarism, and the
corruption and abuse of power so prevalent in the institutions that seek
to dominate our country and the world. <br><br>
<dd> Frankly, I’m not
sure what the next step will be for those of us who came to the summit,
were transformed, and have committed to work together during this time of
crisis. I was surprised to learn that Obama chose to sign the Stimulus
Bill in Denver, in the wake of the citizens’ summit. Obama was elected
because people wanted “change,” but he has surrounded himself with those
who engineered the economic crisis. Obama and Congress have supported the
bailout and permitted the largest transference of wealth in history and
the biggest financial crime ever. <br><br>
<dd> Prior to 9/11, my
main issue--after I became aware of the extremely destructive nature of
the debt-based monetary system--was
<a href="http://communitycurrency.org/reweaveWeb.html">money</a>/monetary
reform, or global economics (the global power structure). Although I had
inherited some wealth, after I realized what was behind our monetary
system I literally gave away all my money in the 90’s to change the
system, to promote local currencies, and to educate people about money--a
major blind spot of civilization. I had been expecting a financial
collapse for a long time and felt that the system held up only due to the
smoke and mirrors of the mainstream media--which hid the criminal fraud
of the system itself and of the most powerful players on the world
stage--as well as due to the lack of an “alternative system.” I realized
that to change the monetary system required changing the belief system of
Americans and the world. <br><br>
<dd> In some ways, 9/11
created a unique opportunity to expose “the curtain” and “those behind
the curtain” who create “events” or “psychological operations--black
operations--terrorist attacks” to manipulate public opinion and trick
populations into supporting wars and allowing the construction of a
police state.... Despite the powerful psychological obstacles to looking
at the facts about 9/11, it turned out to be easier to help people
understand the events of 9/11 than to educate them about how money is
created and how global economics works. (An excellent resource on both
issues is Michel Chossudovsky’s website,
<a href="http://www.globalresearch.ca">www.globalresearch.ca</a>.)
<br><br>
<dd> At a poster session
on
“<a href="http://transpartisan.wikispaces.com/Session+A-2">Transpartisan
Economics</a>” there was a very friendly, respectful discussion regarding
numerous approaches to tax reform, land reform, and monetary reform,
which recognized that there is no silver bullet solution to quickly solve
and retool our economic system. Wendell Fitzgerald, president of the
Henry George School of San Francisco
(<a href="http://www.henrygeorgesf.org">www.henrygeorgesf.org</a>), and
Steven Shafarman, author of
<a href="http://www.tendrilpress.com/node/7">Peaceful, Positive
Revolution: Economic Security for Every American</a>, advocated for a
guaranteed basic income, together with tax and monetary reformists,
agreed that we need “an honest, above-board participatory economic system
valuing community in the creation of money, land value and tax policy to
serve our individual and common needs, creating income security for all,
and not passing down debt and loss to the final consumer or future
inhabitant.” <br><br>
<dd> Last September, when
the financial crisis made headlines and the bailout was proposed, a huge
majority of people suddenly could see that they were being ripped off and
that the crooks who were most responsible were being rewarded. The time
for monetary reform is ripe. Knowing the importance of this issue, I
actually tried to get those advocating monetary reform to attend the
Citizens’ Summit--including Congressman Dennis Kucinich, who last October
introduced H. R. 7260
(<a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-7260">
Transparency in the Creation of Wealth Act of 2008</a>), which demanded
transparency in the Federal Reserve; Stephen Zarlenga, founder of
<a href="http://www.monetary.org/">The American Monetary Institute</a>
and author of The
<a href="http://www.monetary.org/lostscienceofmoney.html">Lost Science of
Money: The Mythology of Money, The Story of Power</a>; and Richard Cook,
author of <a href="http://www.tendrilpress.com/we-hold-these-truths">We
Hold These Truths: The Hope of Monetary Reform</a>. <br><br>
<dd> Congressman Ron
Paul, who also proposed legislation to
“<a href="http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul504.html">end the Federal
Reserve</a>,” did not speak directly about the issue at the summit, but
indirectly and more broadly suggested that we promote liberty as a
unifier, as well as honoring the Constitution. His supporters were
passionately advocating a return to silver and gold backed currency. I
took the workshop on “overcoming triggers” just so that I could dialogue
with the hard money advocates without immediately falling into debate
mode. At the circles addressing economics issues, we realized that most
of the work we had to do was in the realm of public education--overcoming
myths that entrench a dysfunctional system that maintains and exacerbates
the disparities between the rich and the poor and decimates the middle
class. <br><br>
<dd> These are the top
issues that emerged from the collective whole, framed as questions:
<br><br>
<dd>How do we give everyone access to affordable, quality healthcare?
<br>
<dd>How do we create a system for quality education that respects the
individual, encourages the desire to learn, and develops critical
thinking skills? <br>
<dd>How do we achieve transparency in all government transactions
including taxes and the Federal Reserve? <br>
<dd>How do we develop an alternative energy economy that provides jobs,
protects our environment and creates energy independence? <br>
<dd>Enhancing local role in decision making:
<dd>How do we deepen the quality of engagement between Americans and
their government?
<dd>All people are authentically engaged in the creation of all public
decisions and policy. America's government is termed a Republic:
<dd>How do we achieve a truly representative Republic - a truly
representative Democracy? <br>
<dd>How do we create economic policies that provide the basic needs and
opportunities for every American? <br>
<dd>How do we create healthy, safe, vital, sustainable local
communities?</i></b> <br><br>
<dd> Establishing common
ground and trust in shared values and goals seemed to be the first step
in working together through the more gnarled strategies and steps
necessary to realize them. On the first day, a long presentation on
spiral dynamics looked at the evolution of thought processes and how
increasingly complex problems and crises demand new ways of
thinking--first for tribes, then nations, and finally for civilizations
to adapt and survive. Many have not survived. <br><br>
<dd> Sometimes the most
personal stories are the most universal, when someone has the courage to
bare their soul, removing whatever façade they might wear to protect
themselves, and exposing their weaknesses, their vulnerabilities, their
heart. The revelations we offer one another--and the sensitive listening,
reciprocity, and respect--are the essential first steps toward developing
trust and overcoming stereotypes and prejudice based on appearances.
<br><br>
<dd> I was surprised at
the summit by the revelations I heard. I was also told directly by
several people that Ken, Richard, Fran, Jennifer and I broke “the crazy
conspiracy theorist” stereotype for people who otherwise would not have
doubted or questioned the official 9/11 story. <br><br>
<dd> My own natural
“mistrust” of elected officials was challenged when I learned that one of
the wealthier men in Congress actually sponsored the attendance at the
summit of my activist friend Evan Ravitz. During a hike after the summit,
Evan told me about <a href="http://www.polisforcongress.com/">Jared
Polis</a>, a freshman Congressman from Colorado who used his
entrepreneurial and Internet skills in his college days to help his
family make a fortune with their greeting card company. Jared devoted
much of his personal fortune to passing good legislation, improving
education in Colorado, and serving the greater good. <br><br>
<dd> Mark Twain wrote:
<br>
<dd> “It could probably be
shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctly native criminal
class except Congress.” <br><br>
<dd> I agree with Twain
for the most part. I am embarrassed to even admit that I ran for Congress
twice. (I usually add that I ran because Congress was behaving
treasonably by not defending the Constitution and by not impeaching Bush
and Cheney, who I considered the greatest threats to our nation and the
world. I also knew, as a Green Party candidate, that my chances of
winning were almost nil, but running allowed me to speak publicly about
taboo issues). However, I have also met those with great courage and
integrity who were in Congress and lost their seats because they posed a
threat to the status quo. And under tremendous pressure, a few, including
Representatives Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich, continue to speak up and
champion the people’s interest over corporate interests. <br><br>
<dd> 9/11 truth and the
monetary crisis were transpartisan issues in the sense that they
transcended the limited political boxes, or hats that people wore,
drawing people from across the political spectrum to question the
invisible agreements and assumptions that permeate civic life and the
possibility that those could and should be changed. <br><br>
<dd> On the last day of
the conference, we were asked to stand where we felt we were in relation
to the Transpartisan Alliance--anywhere from the center to the edge.
Except for getting up from my chair, I didn’t move, because I could see
how I could incorporate the good ideas into my work and help promote
them, and at the same time try to balance my life and continue to work on
the issues that I cared about passionately. However, in the last round of
stating our commitments to the group, I found myself teamed up with
<a href="http://www.oss.net/extra/page/?id=290">Robert Steele</a>, an
ex-intelligence professional (can one actually retire from the CIA?) who
has strongly advocated open source public intelligence available to all,
promoting the idea of
<a href="http://www.oss.net/extra/news/?module_instance=1&id=2498">
Collective Intelligence</a>--inspired by one of my mentors and friends,
Tom Atlee of the
<a href="http://www.co-intelligence.org/">Co-Intelligence Institute</a>.
I subsequently found myself on the funding committee. <br><br>
<dd> In an era when the
volume of information is exploding, knowledgeable processing of that
information can’t keep up, and genuine wisdom is rare and speaks so
softly that it is hard to discern from the cacophony, my deepest concerns
are over technology. On one hand, technology is incredibly empowering and
enables us to communicate without the traditional gatekeepers of the
mainstream media; on the other hand, technology can be abused and has a
history of being used to serve elite interests and maintain their control
over the planet. I struggle to process more than I can possibly
disseminate and share in words or through art and actions, while
balancing the demands of my family, my colleagues, and the world.
<br><br>
<dd> I have a heartfelt
desire that we move from the paradigm of fear toward one of courage,
love, respect, and cooperation. My hope is that we can transition from
the “love of power to the power of love,” and my fear is that every
technological trick in the book will be used to deceive, frighten, and
fragment people to maintain the dying empire. How can we nurture new,
transparent, life serving, decentralized, local, state, national,
international Transpartisan efforts to identify and solve the real
problems that we face? Can we draw from the collective wisdom of the
diverse many with direct knowledge and experience in the real world whose
voices, concerns and insights need to be heard? Do we need technology to
do it? Can we do it through face to face meetings? Like money, will
technology tyrannize humanity? Or can we use it, as we might use an
enlightened monetary system, to serve human needs? I don’t know all the
answers, but now more than ever, we need to raise questions and come up
with new ways to solve our problems. Matching processes with purpose
seems like the right place to start. <br><br>
<dd>By Carol Brouillet<br><br>
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