Consensus Basics Brochure

[rebecca]

At Thursday night's meeting we agreed we'd like to have a brochure like this to hand out for Sunday's GA but we did not have time to review this one in detail. Here's what I've got:

docs.google.com/document/d/1i1FP_LopZHCAW77n1vdj4QHFfw5WBKwiAz5-Ji0lO-Y/edit?hl=en_US&pli=1

The one thing I know needs changes is the section on gestures - I got it online and it does not fully match what OA is doing. Can someone give me a summary of the gestures for this group?

Other suggestions are also very welcome - post here or if you'd like to edit the document directly, message me with your email address. Let's try to have changes done by midnight Saturday, so Sunday can be for printing and copying. Thank you!

[Ryan R.]

I think that this concept warrants some serious consideration after glancing over its specific details. I've yet to attend a GA (I plan on being present at the one this Sunday), but I can only see such incredibly high standards serving as a major hindrance to the political activities of this movement.

To refer to a brief excerpt from the brochure in question.

"The care we take in a consensus process to hear everyone’s opinions and weave them into a whole is a living demonstration that each one of us is important. It’s a counter to systems that tell us some people count while others don’t. In consensus, everyone matters."

The primary problem which I foresee in this is the unquestioned assumption of the assertion that all opinions contain some practical value to the aims of this group. I really do not wish to insult anyone, but such is simply not the case. Not everyone matters in a political discussion as people are capable of formulating incorrect stances on matters, positions which are sometimes incorrect to a point where it would simply be of little use to heed them seriously and to pay them time consuming consideration.

To briefly bring into the matter a historical example of Democratic Centralism in effectual application in a situation wherein such extreme democratic excesses as those on display here would lead to folly, I would like to point our attention to the instance of the signing of the Breast-Listov peace treaty which ended Soviet hostilities with Germany in the great imperialist war (WWI). On the Central Committee of the Bolshevik Party, Lenin could not get a majority vote until March of 1918 to agree to peace terms with the Germans. A majority vote, on a committee of limited members, on a matter which would literally determine the fate of an entire revolution, was not able to be secured until the Germany army had nearly decided to march on Petrograd.

The lesson of this being, that even within the context of democratic centralism, agreement on a concise course can be hard to establish on the more controversial issues. Now imagine this situation wherein a demand for 95% consensus of a general assembly was present for action to be taken. You would almost certainly of seen the end to the Bolshevik Revolution in the spring of 1918 if such stringent requirements were prevalent and if such rules were in place to respect all opinions without regard to the value of their content.

In brief, perhaps consensus is not the best stipulation to determine some matters.

[demodave]

I wonder if it might help to emphasize the temporary and malleable nature of the assembly's process, and point out how to address any concerns related to that (in other words, NOT while we're discussing whether to occupy this park or that one).

My thought is that we want everyone to accept and respect the process for the time being that night so we can get things done, but perhaps the best way to maximize that is to make sure they understand that nothing is finalized and how they can most effectively raise any concerns, objections, suggestions.

Something along these lines?..............

Our decision to use this process is temporary and forever subject to review, modification and repeal. Anyone with concerns or suggestions about consensus or any other aspect of current procedure is encouraged to meet with or join the Facilitation Working-Group at the end of assembly or online at occupyalbany.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=facilitation

Likewise with all other concerns or suggestions, regarding anything whatsoever, whether addressed in assembly or not, everyone is encouraged to meet with or join an appropriate Working-Group at the end of assembly or online at occupyalbany.proboards.com

In the meantime, we ask that everyone respect and make the most of the current process as it is.

Etc...............

Also, I wonder if a nuts & bolts procedural outline of how each agenda item will be covered --- (1) Facilitator will introduce issue and review current proposals (2) Assembly will discuss issue, proposals, and possible amendments (3) Vote will be taken. If there are strong objections steps (2) and (3) will be repeated but for less time. Etc.............

I mean I don't even know if that is the procedure, but whatever it is...

[rebecca]

Thanks, Dave. I added your language above about the process being open to discussion, just shortened slightly. Working on making the "Steps in Decision Making" section fulfill the need for a nuts & bolts procedural outline a bit more clearly.

Help with hand signals anyone? Please?

[joshred]

This guy explains the hand signals.



During the last GA I did not understand what "stack" was. As a result I didn't understand what the hand signals were for. I'm pretty sure I was using the point of process hand signal to try and get on stack. I think that's something we need to spend more time on this week. Most people are completely clueless about how this is supposed to work.

[rebecca]

Thank you! Brochure revised accordingly.

[dylan]

This is a two page .pdf titled 'The Top Ten Mistakes in Consensus Process and How to Avoid Them'.

Quite good and would make a great handout in addition to whatever else you all come up with.

treegroup.info/topics/Top-10-Consensus-Mistakes.pdf

Also some tips from Starhawk:

starhawksblog.org/?p=631

[denmarkvesey]

We need to go broader with EZLN Affinity Groups IWW Anarchist Collectives , Catholic Workers and Move and how they organized