Note to OMNI about recent events
Friday, June 10, 2011 10:28 AM
From: "Art Hobson" ahobson@uark.edu
The first 3 items on the 7 o'clock NPR news yesterday (Thursday June 9) morning were: a heat wave in the US northeast, flooding in Montana, and fire in Arizona. These and other recent events--flooding in the Mississippi valley, tornadoes in the south, extreme rain in the midwest--raise questions about whether there's an overarching explanation, and whether global warming (GW) is involved. I've been disturbed by the failure of the news media to raise these questions. However, there are signs that people are beginning to notice the possible connections. The June 6 issue of Newsweek featured a 6-page cover story about preparing for GW, with the headline "Weather panic; this is the new normal; we're hopelessly unprepared."
Here's my response, as a possible guide for Omni members and others who are concerned about GW and who want to communicate about it in a scientifically responsible way.
It is scientifically uncontroversial to conclude that GW is causing more violent weather in the form of (a) more damaging thunder storms, (b) devastating flooding such as in Australia, Pakistan, Brazil, Columbia, Venezuela, and the Mississippi valley, (c) more severe droughts (and related fires) seen recently in China, Brazil, and the western USA. And there's (d) a link between GW and more intense hurricanes, although it's still uncertain whether GW will increase hurricane frequency. However, no specific link to tornado activity has been established, possibly because tornadoes are very complex and poorly understood. It's suspected, but not yet confirmed, that GW is affecting the natural El Nino/La Nina cycles. GW has raised Earth's temperature by 1.4 degrees F. This puts more energy and more water vapor (4% increase in water vapor for each 1 degree F rise in temperature) into the atmosphere, causing more extreme rainfall, more intense thunderstorms, and also more extreme drought worldwide. The droughts are a result of evaporation from higher temperatures, and also to the tendency of more rain to fall in a few intense events rather than to be distributed more widely.
Note that we cannot attribute any specific short-term weather event (thunderstorm, hurricane, etc) to GW. Instead, GW "loads the dice" in favor of such events by determining the overall trends. GW increased the probability of, and the probable severity of, the Mississippi flood (the Gulf was unusually warm, it's warm humid air moved into the Mississippi valley), but we can't say that it certainly caused the flood. We're talking here about "climate" change, and "climate" means "long-term, average weather" rather than some specific weather event.
Here's a good but lengthy article by Donald Brown, Associate Professor of Environmental Ethics, Science, and Law at Penn State University, discussing these issues, with emphasis of one of the important but little-understood impacts: tornadoes. The article includes 18 comments from readers and responses from Prof. Brown.
Cheers - Art
Art Hobson, Prof. Emeritus of Physics, U Arkansas, Fayetteville
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Dialogue Across Differences: Mobilizing a Wider Base
by Maia Duerr
Repost from Fellowship of Reconciliation newsletter "Renewing the Movement"
We live in a society that, by all appearances, is characterized by polarization and divisiveness – Tea Party candidates whose platforms are based on fear of the other seem to be gaining ground across the country; subtle and not-so-subtle racism aimed at President Obama, coming from both conservatives and progressives; and the proliferation of biased news outlets like Fox. We are a nation in the throes of toxic hatred.
Or so it seems. As Steve Chapman writes on Reason.com in an article titled “America Only Seems Polarized”: “Stop watching cable TV news channels and listening to politicians. Using them as a gauge of how divided we are is like using the National Hockey League to estimate the level of violence in America.”
In fact, a 2008 survey from the National Opinion Research Center found that the largest ideological group is moderates, even though extremist voices get the most coverage.
And yet there is some truth in all this. It’s common for many of us to interact only with people who think like us, which stretches the perceived divide further.
I believe that no matter how hard progressives work on issues that are important to us, until we can find ways to build bridges rather than walls and learn how to communicate effectively with the majority of Americans who yearn for more civility in public discourse, we won’t gain much traction.
One of the most important things that the global peace and justice movement can do is to reclaim what it means to be a decent and engaged citizen. One of the ways we can do this is by creating opportunities for dialogue across differences and building relationships with those who may not, at least initially, be on the same political page as us.
For example, I envision a cadre of people trained in mediation and dialogue skills working in places like Arizona to facilitate constructive conversation around issues like immigration. This would take a brave group of people, who themselves are able to hold multiple truths and find ways to bring people together rather than divide them. Some organizations that do this include the Public Conversations Project and the Zen Peacemaker Community with its “Bearing Witness” vigils in places like Rwanda and Auschwitz.
Grounding these dialogues in the wisdom that comes from our faith traditions, guided by principles of love and non-duality, can only help in this effort. More than ever, the faith-based approaches that Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr., forged are needed for a sustainable path to social transformation that mobilizes a wider base of people. But they need to be combined with more savvy about organizing methods and new media realities.
Organizations like stone circles and The Movement Strategy Center, and foundations such as the Seasons Fund for Social Transformation, are right in the middle of this equation, dedicated to bringing together effective organizing strategies with the deep well of spiritually-based action and transformative practices. I believe this is the future of activism.
Maia Duerr is the former director of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship and editor of Turning Wheel magazine. Currently, she helps progressive nonprofits build stronger relationships with their constituents through her business, Five Directions Consulting. She also directs the Upaya Buddhist Chaplaincy Training Program in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
1000 Years of War in 5 Minutes
Oh boy... this video from the Peace Alliance blog will raise the hair on your neck. This is why we have to do this work NOW. The size the the explosions are related to the size of the conflict. What do you think about this record of the "progress" of human history?
Roots of Empathy
Peacebuilding tool uses babies and families to teach children empathy and self-understanding
Video of this Canadian program sounds really interesting. Founder Mary Gordon deserves a peace award for this.
Roots of Empathy video
Decade for a Culture of Peace ending this year... how'd it go?
The UN has released a report on the Decade for a Culture of Peace that lasted from 1999 to 2010. Every decade has been designated in some fashion meant to move our culture in a more humane and peaceful direction. This one has been less than 100% successful, but you may be surprised at some of the interesting outcomes that have resulted from the attempt. Here is a link to the report from the UN Committee that oversaw the Decade for a Culture of Peace. What do you think? Was it a total failure? I don't think so.
Report on the Decade for a Culture of Peace
We can do our part in Northwest Arkansas. Sign up to take an OMNI Member Orientation class in the column on the right. Find a spot to do your bit to create the Culture of Peace.
Member Orientation beginning soon
Building blocks of the culture of peace
Some OMNI folks have supported the peace movement for years. Others have come onboard as they watched the erosions of our environment, the domination of the culture by powerful interests, and the disintegration of important social institutions.
Many of you have told us you want a forum to get more deeply integrated into the OMNI process. Others have said they'd like to be included in more OMNI action if you had a good opportunity.
Now here's your chance.
OMNI will begin a 2-hour Member Orientation (MO) that will let OMNI members into the "secret workings" of the local peace movement. It's not really "secret." That just means knowing how the group works, and how to get connected to different programs and activities, and what some of the potentials are.
There's an amazing amount of exciting work going on for peace out there in the big world. You'll be surprised at the high-level changes that are going on beyond the Fox News reporting zone.
Member Orientation is the first rung of a ladder that you can help to build. Knowledgable and prepared peace people can change the world, starting in Northwest Arkansas.
Sign up for MO in the right column of the Peace Builders page, and you'll be notified of upcoming classes.
Internet for Nobel Peace Prize!
The Internet has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Thanks Nathan, for finding this fun site.
Want to make a video about why it should win? Post it on the website:
Unarmed Civilian Peacekeeping - What?
The Nonviolent Peaceforce is an emerging force to be reckoned with. It was started in 1999 by a few gifted peacemakers, including Mel Duncan and David Hartsough, with help from some nonviolence research geniuses like Don Beck. (Beck wrote an amazing series on nonviolent strategy that you should explore someday.)
The Nonviolent Peaceforce is the worlds only paid and trained unarmed civilian peacekeeping force. It has international headquarters in Brussels and administrative headquarters in Minneapolis. Nonviolent Peaceforce has worked in the conflict areas of Sri Lanka, Mindanao, Palestine and Guatemala. Among other activities it has created space for local groups to enter into dialog and seek peaceful resolution. Its members include veterans of conflict zones and experienced peacekeepers.
I first heard of them when my husband met David Hartsough at a peace conference awhile back. It was one of those moments when you think "Nonviolent Peaceforce? Why didn't we do this 100 years ago?" Since then they've been recognized by the UN as a strategic asset and done some amazing things around the globe. Unarmed civilian peacekeeping has become an acknowledged tool to deescalate tensions in the face of violent conflict.
What is unarmed civilian peacekeeping capable of? In a recent letter Mel Duncan listed some memories that meant the most to him from his years as a nonviolent peacekeeper, and Executive Director of "the Force".
- sending the first team of peacekeepers to train in Thailand (many still with NP)
- the dramatic return of 26 child soldiers to their families in Sri Lanka
- the journalist who is alive because of NPs accompaniment
- the safe retrieval of a grandmother caught in the crossfire of war
- a village that did not have to evacuate because of NP mediation
- Ela Gandi saying at the NP convening conference "My grandfather would be very happy today."
Some of these may seem like small accomplishments, but they reflect a powerful potential. If you think "peacekeeper" sounds like a wimpy job, think about this story: During some of the most intense fighting in Sri Lanka, NP staff learned that government troups and Tamil Tigers were converging in a field not far from an innocent village with no time to escape. Without time to formulate an elaborate plan, staffers jumped into the jeep and drove into the field between the two sets of armed troups. Because they had been working for months to connect with both the government and the Tigers, they had phone numbers from leaders on both sides in their cell phones. With phones ablaze they talked the antogonists out of the fight and up to the negotiating table. It wasn't the end of the war, but an entire village was saved because of this quick and courageous action. This is not a small accomplishment.
NP has a good website. Check it out here to see some of the incredible work for peace going on. May "the Force" be with you.
National Peace Academy
Founded only in 2008, and located on the campus of Case Western Reserve University, the National Peace Academy is planning its second year of trainings for the full development of both the peace learner and peace systems. The second Peacelearning / Peacebuilding Intensive will be held August 1-7, 2010 at Wilmington College, Ohio. Information about the Intensive is at the Academy website.
History of the National Peace Academy
Theoretical framework for the Peace Academy