Civil Discourse in Cleveland hit its high with Ed Morrison's Regional Economic Iniciatives , (Betsy Merke [1]l and Susan Altshuler organizing Ed) (and Craig and Sue James as facilitators). Sorry City Club, your conversations are 1 way.
I was lucky to find out about these Tuesday afternoon free civic meetings by chance. Don't really know why I went...
But when I went (2004), I immediately recognized that these discussions were the most energized, informative, open, important conversations that I had been involved with ever. And I have been around the block in terms of lectures, seminars, high calibre intellectual stuff. The REI sessions were addictive in their connection with everything essential - especially with other people in the community.
Looking back now from 2012, I would say that none of the REI discussion was able to go anywhere, to mature into results in the community - primarilly due to the political corruption in Cuyahoga County, and also, in a very large part, due to the legacy controlling actors in Cuyahoga County (many of these actors are also involved in the corruption - though their names may not be in the Jimmy Dimora trial press reports).
Ed may not have made the best investment of his time with REI located in Cuyahoga County - there were influences in the County with lots of money that he couldn't control. But Ed and his crew didn't waste their time with me - and I'll bet they didn't waste their time with many other attendees . I now am keen on the open civic model they advocated - and I appreciate their effort in educating me.
Open Civil Discourse.
Thanks!
Image: Ed Morrison at the whiteboard REI Tuesdays Case Western Reserve University September 14, 2005
Hat Tip to REI.
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Links:
[1] http://betseymerkel.posterous.com/innovating-with-higher-levels-of-organization
[2] http://li326-157.members.linode.com/system/files/Ed-Morrison-at-dryboard1-REI-DSC00181-2.jpg