Syndicating OrangeBand.org http://convergingvoices.com/oband 2010-09-04T21:07:43+01:00 http://convergingvoices.com/oband http://convergingvoices.com/oband/images/M_images/joomla_rss.png text/html 2007-03-20T20:16:49+01:00 http://convergingvoices.com/oband http://convergingvoices.com/oband/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=104&Itemid=9 What's an issue, topic, question, answer, or idea you would like to bring into conversation? text/html 2007-03-05T21:21:33+01:00 http://convergingvoices.com/oband http://convergingvoices.com/oband/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=103&Itemid=9 Dynamic Facilitation (http://www.thataway.org/exchange/resources.php?action=view rid=1586) workshop last week inspired, challenged, and healed. For those unaware of the method, as I was prior to attending Jim and Jean Rough’s workshop (http://www.tobe.net/) in Port Townsend, let me vouch for its unique place on our D D toolbelts - or, rather, its own color on our D D practioner palettes. DF is different, as it relies on intuitively following the energy of the conversation and purposely probing participants to get at their root concerns and ideas. Please do check it out (3-minute audio intros (http://www.tobe.net/audio/UnderstandingDF.html)). And I want to share another simple thought: our work to provide spaces for people to be their authentic selves, share their authentic creativity and concerns, and do so in community is perhaps at its root about facilitating meaningful relationships built on genuine care for each other. As many lists are brainstormed, strategic plans are written, and human resource issues are resolved, there is potential to facilitate in a way that lets people be their full selves, rather than only their “thoughts” or only their “feelings.” When the space is designed to share both and more, problems aren’t just solved - relationships can build that transcend the problem. When we talk from time to time about the urgent (http://thataway.org/index.php/?p=571) need for a movement (http://convergingvoices.com/index.php?option=com_content task=view id=55 Itemid=9), and struggle about what that movement is about (http://convergingvoices.com/index.php?option=com_content task=view id=74 Itemid=9), perhaps we can add this: a movement to elevate our process consciousness has at its root the potential and/or desire to facilitate love in a world that can make such connection a rarity. text/html 2007-01-23T11:33:06+01:00 http://convergingvoices.com/oband http://convergingvoices.com/oband/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=102&Itemid=9 RSCGuEGaNJQ text/html 2006-11-20T20:15:28+01:00 http://convergingvoices.com/oband http://convergingvoices.com/oband/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=101&Itemid=9 Here's the latest article about OrangeBand, in the Salt Lake Tribune. (http://www.sltrib.com/search/ci_4668737) (Click the link or read more ) text/html 2006-11-16T21:27:41+01:00 http://convergingvoices.com/oband http://convergingvoices.com/oband/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=100&Itemid=9 University of Utah does a great job representing OrangeBand in a recent interview on Nightside (http://nightside.ksl.com/). Click here to hear the interview. (http://media.bonnint.net/wimpy_button.swf?theFile=http://real.ksl.com/video/slc/1/160/16035.mp3) text/html 2006-11-13T12:46:18+01:00 http://convergingvoices.com/oband http://convergingvoices.com/oband/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=98&Itemid=9 Here's a story from Nov 12 on OrangeBand - it's a good one! Link to Article at TimesDispatch.com (http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle c=MGArticle cid=1149191649450) or click Read More (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=98 Itemid=9) for full text. text/html 2006-11-08T13:04:32+01:00 http://convergingvoices.com/oband http://convergingvoices.com/oband/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=97&Itemid=9 Here's an article (http://www.dispatch.com/columnists/columnists.php?story=dispatch/2006/11/08/20061108-E1-05.html) about OrangeBand printed in The Columbus Dispatch today, the day after the election. Click the link or click Read more. text/html 2006-11-07T11:28:26+01:00 http://convergingvoices.com/oband http://convergingvoices.com/oband/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=96&Itemid=9 OK, so a few measured responses from friends about my initial reaction (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=93 Itemid=9)to this weekend's NY Times article about OrangeBand make me want to acknowledge the fact that it's great to get coverage in the New York Times. Yes. I'm not ungrateful and don't want to sound whiney. But, c'mon, the story made ME uninterested and confused about OrangeBand, it doesn't even explain what OrangeBand IS, and after quickly emailing with Andy Perrine he says he's sure he never said he was all talked out in that context (I know Andy - he's never talked out!). Click more below and see an exchange I had with the author on just one of her good questions. Confusing: the questions were great - but none of that made it into the article. text/html 2006-11-07T08:16:46+01:00 http://convergingvoices.com/oband http://convergingvoices.com/oband/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=95&Itemid=9 So, here we are on an all important Election Day - the best of times and the worst of times when it comes to civil discourse and civic engagement. I'm in Virginia, so I've been deluged with negative campaigning, attack ads, and partisan talk. Last week, I stood with a fistfull of OrangeBands held in the air between supporters of Sen. Allen and supporters of voting NO on the the marriage amendment. It was interesting that people from both sides who that morning had expressed interest and motivation in promoting civil discourse were holding close to their camp and either ignoring or yelling at the other side. This picture is of an OrangeBand supporter (usually) trying to satirically represent the worst of the other side. He's actually NOT for the marriage amendment, but showed up in mock support FOR the amendment last week as Sen Allen was speaking. Is there a time when we who promote civil discourse can appropriately resort to unproductive and negative chatising of the other side? I understand people's frustration, but I think not. Thanks hburgnews.com for the story and photo. (http://hburgnews.com/2006/10/27/allen-and-the-amendment-rally-on-court-square/) text/html 2006-11-06T21:29:09+01:00 http://convergingvoices.com/oband http://convergingvoices.com/oband/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=94&Itemid=9 So, here's an idea: what if OrangeBand reorganized as a worker-owned cooperative? OrangeBand is its healthiest when people take ownership of it, as is happening at James Madison Univ., Univ. of Utah, Wartburg College, James Madison High School, etc. So why not make it official, actually build ownership possibilities into the business structure of the organization? I think this would be in the spirit of OrangeBand (democratic rule, based on open and civil deliberation, etc) AND be good strategy for sustainability and growth. hmm... Lots more later. For now, here's two relevant links: National Cooperative Business Association (http://www.ncba.coop/abcoop.cfm) International Co-operative Alliance (http://www.ica.coop/) text/html 2006-11-05T11:40:20+01:00 http://convergingvoices.com/oband http://convergingvoices.com/oband/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=93&Itemid=9 Six weeks of anticipation of a NY Times article on OrangeBand turned out to be an almost comically superficial and uninformative read this morning. (I pasted the text below in order that future readers aren't made to register at the NY Times website to read the article) After lengthy phone interviews and half a dozen followup emails that covered the history, growth, and direction of OrangeBand, the article makes no mention of the declining trends (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=20 Itemid=39) in civil discourse, social capital, and civic engagement; the significance of nearly 9,000 people voluntarily choosing to use a strip of fabric to start respectful conversations about things they care about; the new energy at University of Utah and Wartburg College; or even the natural connection of this work to the disillusionment in our political process on the eve of a significant national election. And, well, nothing about the urgency (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=92 Itemid=9) of starting a movement (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=55 Itemid=9) of process activists or the crisis (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=73 Itemid=9) in American public discourse - or the Rock 'n Roll of Democracy (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=74 Itemid=9). Obviously the story couldn't cover anywhere close to all of this - but isn't a story with no mention of ANY of it a shallow representation of what we're doing? But, lest we are disheartened by superficiality in journailsm, I'm happy to say there have been recent stories/articles that capture the spirit and purpose of OrangeBand in quality publications such as Wartburg College's Weathervane (http://weathervane.emu.edu/index/50/19/burg/orangeband), Harrisonburg's Rocktown (http://www.rocktownweekly.com/rocktown/search_rockdetails.php?AID=342 key=orangeband title= author= date1= date2=), James Madison University's Montpelier (http://www.jmu.edu/montpelier/2004Fall/OrangeBand.shtml), and the internet's Link to NYT (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/05/education/edlife/civil.html?_r=1 oref=slogin pagewanted=print) What's Orange, Bright and Read All Over? By MELANIE D.G. KAPLAN THE essential accessory at James Madison University seems to be a footlong strip of orange fabric clipped to a backpack or a messenger bag. The OrangeBand is an open invitation to stop right there and engage in civil discourse. Some students write on their bands the issues they want to discuss — local fish kills, sexuality on campus, the role of religion in everyday life. This call for color — and for conversation — began on the campus, in Harrisonburg, Va., in 2003, when several seniors were lamenting the lack of dialogue in society at large. “We wanted to get people talking,” says Kai Degner, one of the students and now executive director of the OrangeBand Initiative, the nonprofit group that formalized the concept. “The war in Iraq was pending, and people weren’t talking about the issues. So OrangeBand was an invitation to talk about it.” Mr. Degner started distributing swaths of orange cotton — $2.87 a yard at Wal-Mart — and by week’s end people were running toward him on the quad to get a band. Why orange? Mr. Degner ruled out every other color. Orange “is bright and makes me think of Dutch soccer, which doesn’t hit too many buttons here.” Thus far, 8,000 bands have been distributed at James Madison. The band has also been cited at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles and the University of Virginia. But in some circles the novelty has already worn off. Andy Perrine, a James Madison spokesman, used to wear a band on his sleeve. “But not anymore,” he says. “I’m all talked out.” text/html 2006-10-26T10:57:14+01:00 http://convergingvoices.com/oband http://convergingvoices.com/oband/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=92&Itemid=9 We probably agree with this: Participation in meaningful discourse is a central right and responsibility of those living in a democracy. Without a citizenry skilled and comfortable with dialogue and/or deliberation, a democratic community cannot function as it is intended. And this: Meaningful discourse is as much at the heart of meaningful relationships as democracy. And this: “Crossfire”-type shows, partisan politicians, and issue advocates frequently showcase reactionary and fallacy-ridden argumentation. But do we think enough about: The alarmingly dangerous impact these speakers have as they claim the space of civil discourse and/or debate while modeling the opposite: it redefines the public’s and the academy’s understanding of these forms of discourse. Civil and authentic discourse is now associated, in significant portions of a lay and academic audience, with Crossfire, Hardball, O’Reilly, etc. Which implies: With this mis-definition of the concept of meaningful discourse and how to be a participant in such a conversation, the popular audience (i.e. real people) either 1) Becomes adverse to participating in advertised opportunities for authentic discourse because they associate it with the negativity of an inauthentic popular model, and/or 2) Unwittingly sabotages spaces for authentic discourse by modeling what is honestly believed to be proper argumentative behavior, but is in fact disingenuous and fallacy-ridden, and/or 3) Becomes unable to, through authentic discourse, contribute meaningfully as a partner to a relationship OR as a citizen to a democracy. If these premises are true, we have a real problem - and an urgent responsibility to reclaim in the popular mainstream concepts of dialogue, deliberation, and debate. What do you think? text/html 2006-10-19T20:15:02+01:00 http://convergingvoices.com/oband http://convergingvoices.com/oband/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=91&Itemid=9 I couldn't have said it better myself. I am energized by the fact that the idea is being so clearly communicated thousands of miles from where I sit and type this. From the Daily Utah Chronicle, here (http://www.dailyutahchronicle.com/media/storage/paper244/news/2006/10/04/Opinion/Band-Together-2330177.shtml?norewrite200610192203 sourcedomain=www.dailyutahchronicle.com) on October 4, 2006 Band Together Communication has the power to solve problems Clayton Norlen Posted: 10/4/06 When I was 8 years old, I solved a problem by throwing a dirt clod into a peer's mouth before immediately realizing there was a more humane way to do things. In the time I've been around since, I've noticed the best way to solve a problem is through discourse. But in today's political climate, publicly proclaiming your political leanings may be enough to warrant tar-and-feathering in many places. So how are we supposed to discus the issues of the day when no one is willing to hear us out? Introducing OrangeBand-an initiative dedicated to promoting respectful conversation. OrangeBand is a nonprofit organization that promotes exploration of the issues you deem important-whatever you deem important. Be it education, gay rights or global warming, no matter what stance, it is yours to discuss. OrangeBand is nonpartisan, but it encourages you to take a stance on issues and voice your opinions. Now, before you grab an OrangeBand and start screaming that your peers will burn in hell if they don't support you, I'd like to stress the most important attribute of OrangeBand: These conversations are meant to be constructive and create a better understanding of different viewpoints. Try listening and maybe you'll learn why someone believes something so strongly. You don't have to agree, just learn. Too often, we get caught up in the technicalities of an argument, be it religious predispositions, economic standing or ethnicity-we all approach each argument with predetermined viewpoints. OrangeBand offers us an opportunity to set our dispositions aside and learn why others feel the way they do. I wrote federally funded stem cell research on my OrangeBand. A religiously active friend asked why I was wearing such a politically charged statement on my sleeve, and I took the opportunity to explain the OrangeBand initiative and why I feel the way I did about stem cell research. It's so easy it is to incorporate OrangeBand into everyday life. My friend and I parted ways, still friends, but with a better understanding of why the other thinks the way he or she does. Maybe you believe more needs to be done concerning immigration reform, or perhaps you are furious about social security. Do you want our troops sent home today? Or do you think America needs to finish the job? Health care got you worried? Grab a band and let everyone know what you think and why you think it. Currently, the right and the left of the political spectrum have been pushed to such extremes that it is getting harder and harder to find middle ground on which we can all stand united to resolve our society's ills. OrangeBand provides that common ground. For those of you who have registered with OrangeBand, check your e-mails for upcoming forums and speakers in the future. Let's give constructive conversation a try and see what we can learn. text/html 2006-10-16T09:18:35+01:00 http://convergingvoices.com/oband http://convergingvoices.com/oband/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=88&Itemid=9 YouthNoise (http://www.youthnoise.com/), a web-based organization focused on providing a space for youth to discuss issues important to them (their OrangeBands). For those interested in working with an international youth-focused organization that promotes dialogue, check it out. It’s inspiring to see youth so active. The website is dynamic and clearly makes an effort to reach out to a youthful target audience - and it’s buzzing! The discussion board (http://boards.youthnoise.com/eve) activity is a clear indicator of the organization’s effectiveness in keeping the attention of youth: topics “Ending the -isms”, “International Relations”, “School Education”, and “Health, Sexuality, Substance Abuse” each have over 20,000 posts! “Across the globe, youths everywhere are making a difference. Combating issues without blinking an eye, they possess the spirit and strength, along with the heartfelt belief, that they can change the world. And change the world they do! YouthNoise gives these world-changers, these hope-givers, a voice, a place to connect, and a place to inspire—and be inspired. An activist haven, a socially conscious sanctuary, YouthNoise invites youths to write, to learn, to think, and to act. A virtual conference hall, playground, coffee shop, and classroom, YouthNoise is where the difference begins.” text/html 2006-10-08T15:35:11+01:00 http://convergingvoices.com/oband http://convergingvoices.com/oband/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=75&Itemid=9 Rich, Utah's LOCO (Local OrangeBand Chapter Organizer), just sent along some pictures of their first OrangeBand effort at University of Utah! If you're in that area, check out their chapter page (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=68 Itemid=125) for more information on how to get involved! Feel free to email digital pictures of YOUR OrangeBand to staff [at] orangeband.org. text/html 2006-10-02T14:56:23+01:00 http://convergingvoices.com/oband http://convergingvoices.com/oband/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=74&Itemid=9 I've been waiting over three years to write this post, or, more importantly, be in a position to make a statement about where The OrangeBand Initiative's direction fits in the big picture. Think of this as an addendum to the last post (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=73 Itemid=9), and the two posts (one (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=54 Itemid=9) , two (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=55 Itemid=9)) on the momentum for a movement after the NCDD Conference. I hope to briefly introduce, and justify, the idea that OrangeBand is the Rock 'n Roll of Democracy. Establishing that there is a Crisis in American Public Discourse The last post (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=73 Itemid=9) really focuses on this point, so I won't belabor it here. Our society lacks populist and accessible examples of quality dialogue and, in particular, deliberation. indeed, most prevalent examples are disingenuous and negative forms of these concepts (Crossfire, Hardball, O'Reilly, etc). The scary thing is these popular shows are claiming the space of open, civil dialogue and debate and, thereby, (re)defining these concepts in the minds of their audience. This is a major problem because people will then be left to use argument fallacies and other crossfire techniques thinking they are acceptable in a space for civil discourse. Without proper counter examples - or proper instruction by practioners and scholars - we're left with a populous that is unable to do at least some of the following: articulate their own opinions; respectfully and thoughtfully interpret and address challenges to their opinions and premises; associate the potential of changing their mind with opportunities to discuss; respectfully and thoughtfully challenge others' opinions and premises; avoid fallacious reasoning. Implicating a Crisis in Citizenship, and therefore Democracy OK, so what? Here's what: having your voice be heard is a fundamental right and responsibility of the citizen in a democracy (yes, even in a democratic republic!). This breakdown in the mechanisms of our interpersonal communications can, therefore, be directly related to our abilities to act in the role of a citizen. If citizens can't articulate their views - or effectively challenge others' views - democracy can't work. And democracy (in its ideal form) is something to vehemently protect given it's the best thing we can think of to garner our collective wisdom and thereby achieve freedom and justice. So, crisis in public discourse --> crisis in citizenship --> crisis in democracy --> this really matters and we need to do something about it. Makes sense to me. Turning around to Look Ahead For three years, we've been trying to figure out where the appeal to OrangeBand's work originates. What need is a strip of fabric fulfilling for the 8,000 people that have taken an OrangeBand to hang from their bag? We've come up with a three-pronged answer, which is written about over here (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=20 Itemid=39) and thus won't be belabored here. The basic point, though, is we're yearning for these three things: Civil Discourse, or Respectful Conversation – We're yearning for rich conversations about things that matter, where no organizing body is telling us what should matter to us or how it should matter to us. Social Capital, or Meaningful Relationships – We're yearning for quality connections with others, and conversation about issues important to us are a basis for meaningful relationships. Civic Engagement, or Active Citizenship – We're yearning to feel like we have a chance to make a meaningful contribution to change things for the better - or to keep things from changing for the worse. All three of these areas have seen real and/or perceived drop-offs as polarization has picked up, the pace of life increases, and decision-making processes seem uninviting and/or closed to the public. Each of these are huge, massive trends. And each are connected to the simple act of talking - and listening - to others about what we feel is important. That's all fine and good, but it's more an explanation of where the positive response is coming from rather than where OrangeBand fits into the bigger picture. This question was first explored this summer in preparing to attend the National Conference on Dialogue and Deliberation. In preparing to attend an event with hundreds of people who are passionate about promoting and implementing dialogue processes, it seemed to make sense that OrangeBand could serve as a gateway to this community and these practices for people that may otherwise not come across them. This idea, in theory, was quickly validated at the conference. But then the conversation turned towards starting a movement. In my initial thinking (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=55 Itemid=9) after the conference, I felt this movement needed to be one of process activists. That means people who are thoughtful critics and proponents of the processes in place that either help or hurt our abilities to talk, listen, deliberate, and participate. That's a powerful idea, but, that's way too abstract - and boring - for a lot of people. Like OrangeBand, we need something catchy and accessible for this to actually involve enough people to even get close to being a movement. Making the OrangeBand-Rock 'n Roll Connection Enter a short conversation a couple weeks ago. In the context of a discussion about OrangeBand and starting a movement of this sort, my friend told me to go to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Confused, I asked why. He said it documents how RnR was able to take music back from the institutions and rich folks who normally sponsored it and gave music back to the people. Before Rock and Roll, he said, there was ac prevalent model of music being commissioned by institutions and the aristocracy for the rest of the populace to listen to and observe (think Mozart being commissioned by the aristocricy to make music). On a mass level, Rock and Roll was a time when people said we'll make the music ourselves, for ourselves - and we'll support each other doing it (build a market around it). My mind was firing away in relation to the discussion of starting a dialogue movement. I need to read some books on the history of Rock and Roll, and I'm sure other musical and artistic forms might have had a similar impact in different places and times and communities - and I've been reminded of the irony that Rock and Roll then became re-institutionalized, as exemplified by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame itself. BUT, in a general sense, this is a worthwhile analogy to explore. What if the movement we're talking about is framed as having people rediscover dialogue and deliberation themselves in a time where institutions, media, and politicians often offer it up for our viewing rather than our meaningful participation. What if we're talking about taking back the conversations for ourselves, just like RnR took back the music? And since we've established the connection of conversation to democracy, couldn't we say OrangeBand is Rock and Roll of Democracy? I think so. I like that. It's punchy. It's accessible. It's juxtaposes what we do with a mainstream phenomenon and an entertainment paradigm - both things I think are strategic requirements for this to get off the ground. OrangeBand is the Rock and Roll of Democracy. You can be a rock star. Your song is your OrangeBand. Your stage is everywhere. text/html 2006-09-28T14:18:53+01:00 http://convergingvoices.com/oband http://convergingvoices.com/oband/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=72&Itemid=9 I was just asked an interesting question by a reporter writing an upcoming story about OrangeBand: Can you address this? Orange is generally considered the color of protest (the Orangemen, for example). Wikpedia even has a segment on how orange is incendiary. can you please get in touch with him [Kai] and ask him if he knew that orange is not neutral, and in fact is the opposite. Good question. It strikes to the heart of a few major paradigm shifts I've had in thinking about the concepts of neutrality and protest. Please bear with me.. Colors have a connotation that changes from culture to culture, nation to nation, and even person to person. We were very intentional in choosing orange because of our initial perception of its neutrality. When I thought of orange before this began, I thought of Dutch soccer. Pretty benign. For our campus and community, orange had no prevalent connotations that we felt would convey an unintended message - and we were hyper-sensitive to being framed as a protest group. That wasn't advantageous for us. When pressed about whether we're a protest group, I'd say, If we're a protest group, we're protesting nothing but apathy. That response, though, is starting to change. Increasingly, I am getting more comfortable with the notion of protesting disingenuous dialogic or deliberative processes (e.g. Crossfire). This change coincides with a matured understanding of the notion of neutrality. Originally, neutrality is what I thought was OrangeBand's advantage: in bringing people of diverse perspective to a table to discuss their opinions in a welcoming environment, it's important that the setting and organizing body is perceived as neutral. But, I've had a change of heart. We aren't neutral. We are active proponents and critics of the processes intended to garner meaningful dialogue and deliberation. Neutrality conveys the idea of having no influence. But we do intend to have influence. The trick is to be explicit about what influence it is we're trying to have and not be afraid of standing up for it. The influence we intend to have is to provide an environment that promotes rich and meaningful conversation. That's not neutral at all.I recently attended the National Conference on Dialogue and Deliberation in San Francisco. Here's an excerpt from a post on the OrangeBand website I wrote after returning. I have probably 50 posts worth of thoughts and experiences to share, which, over time, I will. What I want to share now is a conclusion that I've come to: I think there's an opportunity in this country to start a movement that creates a paradigm shift in how we engage each other, our communities, and our government. Basically, this movement would be a consciousness-raising exercise, geared at raising the level of discourse by empowering people to have and promote meaningful conversation and to effectively engage their local decision-making structures (government and otherwise). There is a critical mass of proven methods and models for facilitating constructive and meaningful dialogue about issues that matter. There are committed individuals that have sensitivities to what I feel are key considerations (principles) on which such a movement would need to be founded. There are also efforts that are underway aimed at starting such a movement that, without sensitivities to these principles, will, in my humble opinion, fail (more on that later). I was surprised at universality of one common thread at the conference: the attendees, in one form or another, were process conscious. We were almost all critics and proponents of particular methods of getting people talking, listening, and deliberating about what matters. Kenn Burrows put it best when he said he self-identifies himself as a process activist. I like this. It takes the neutral connotation of what we do and shoves it aside. We're not neutral, touchy-feely, make-sure-everyone-is-heard, ice-breaking, bubbly facilitators. We're, instead, serious, thoughtful, and experienced proponents of methods that have potential to maximize the collective wisdom of participating parties. We are the people with innovative and proven methods that can contribute to making democracy work.Over the years, people have shared many other meanings of orange, from mystic, eastern, political, and social science perspectives. It will be difficult to use orange in Ireland, e.g. Also, Univertsity of Alabama students - completely intrigued by OrangeBand - had to wrestle with whether that could use orange when U Texas, Tennesse, and Florida, their major football rivals, all have orange as a school color. They actually chose green! See a news story about this here. Other people asked whether we chose orange because it means awareness (think orange cones) and even whether we intended to connect it to the national threat levels (no). It's been interesting to see it adopted by the Ukranian and the free Palestinian movement.I was unaware of orange's protest connection until very recently. Your editor's email is the first time I've heard of this explicit a connection with protest. Originally, I may have been alarmed by your editor's connecting orange to protest. But now, that could be an advantage, especially as we move to this idea that we're trying to provide avenues for people to rediscover democracy through dialogue. We're the Rock and Roll of democracy: anyone can be a rockstar by sharing their song ( i.e. their OrangeBand), the concert promoters are the people organizing the conversations, and the venues are any place you can ask What's your OrangeBand? Rock and Roll certainly had a rebellious aspect, a protest theme. There's nothing wrong with that - the trick is to do it respectfully. That's OrangeBand's intention. text/html 2006-09-27T21:11:28+01:00 http://convergingvoices.com/oband http://convergingvoices.com/oband/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=71&Itemid=9 www.ConversationCafe.org (http://www.ConversationCafe.org) to learn more - and take a host training. What is particularly interesting from our perspective is this is a model that can empower anyone in any community to convene or organize a conversation regardless of whether they are practiced facilitators, moderators, or mediators. Check out the website and give it a try with your friends or family at the dinner table, in your offices, at a weekly discussion, or some place else! There is a listserv for Conversation Cafe host that provides support for new hosts, including organizing and advertising tips. text/html 2006-09-20T06:33:47+01:00 http://convergingvoices.com/oband http://convergingvoices.com/oband/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=60&Itemid=9 Bruce tipped me off to this contest (http://www.politicsonline.com/content/main/specialreports/2006/top10_2006/vote.asp) related to highlighting projects that have impact on politics via the internet. It's interesting to note that these projects involve methods to engage a group of people in a deliberative process - meaning they help groups make decisions based on the input of the people involved. They facilitate (or attempt to better facilitate) people's voices being meaningfully heard. The Top 10 Who Are Changing the World of Internet and Politics PoliticsOnline and the World E-Gov Forum are proud to announce the list for nominations of the Top 10 Who Are Changing the World of Internet and Politics. For the seventh year in a row, PoliticsOnline subscribers and visitors from around the world are invited to help select the top 10 individuals, organizations and companies having the greatest impact on the way the Internet is changing politics. This prestigious award seeks to recognize the innovators and pioneers, the dreamers and doers who bring democracy online. This year marked the toughest year ever in choosing the 20 finalists. The integration of politics and the Internet are reflected in this year's diverse, international nominees. The winners, those top 10 nominees who receive the most votes, will be invited as honored guests to the World E-Gov forum October 18-20, in Issy-les-Moulineaux, (Paris, France), where they'll take part in an awards ceremony and other special programs throughout the three-day forum. text/html 2006-09-19T12:01:21+01:00 http://convergingvoices.com/oband http://convergingvoices.com/oband/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=58&Itemid=9 OrangeBand now has a MySpace profile! If you are one of the 110,000,000 people on MySpace, use your profile to spread the word and stay in touch. www.myspace.com/orangebandinitiative (http://www.myspace.com/orangebandinitiative)