Our visit to the council’s economic development committee went well yesterday- it was a bit nerve wracking (and embarrassing cos my whole face was peeling big chunks of leprosy skin from my recent sunburn) but was a success. They instantly met 2 of the 3 things they have to do to enable Auckland to become a Fair trade town.
It was an inspiration in democracy. They have a person whose entire role is to coordinate democracy. Every month the public can meet the mayor one on one to discuss issues, and members of the public can tootle along to meetings like yesterday and perch them selves in the back and choose to speak in the “Public Forum” which is an open space set aside at the start of each meeting.
The Salvation Army needs processes like this! It reflects the idea that everyone is equal and has something important to bring, holds decision makers accountable to the proles and creates a safe space for gripes to be dialogued about publicly (transparency)
Although, 90% of the time it may only be token gestures, there will be moments that these democratic process count Big Time.
If these sort of processes were in place perhaps international leaders would be more aware of real life, gritty warfare, perhaps power wouldn’t corrupt so easily and perhaps people like the radical forward thinking Salvation Army Leader Chick Yuil wouldn’t feel led to resign….
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3 comments:
what happened with Chick?
He resigned. Had enough. Just like all the other visionary/ edgey thinking types that resign.
I'm quite sad deep down inside at the moment, I don't really know Chick Yuil if I'm totally honest, yet something is awfully wrong here. What's going on with the organisation that I've spent my entire life with? Where are we headed? Perhaps discomfort is a necessary thing to overcome this dreaded inertia confining us to the 'salvation army as we know it' box.
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