Heal Our World

It would be great if the Club of Athens was also contacted to make a presentation or if you were to get some literature from them for that purpose if they cannot go.

I think Blum would appreciate having their literature and if no one here wishes to DO anything in terms of contacting them it would be a shame.

All you would have to do is give them the literature (and failing that just mention them and their Sovereign Rights Positions.).

Post conference report:

‘Building a New World’ Conference
Radford University, Radford VA - May 22 - 25, 2008
(they have not yet added a post conference update to their webpage)
http://www.wpaconference.org/
(the conference schedule, list of speakers, and some of the participating organizations are posted on their webpage)

There were over 100 speakers.  We met and had discussions with quite a few speakers outside of the classroom as we all shared the campus for a few days.  The overall turn out was small and consisted mainly of speakers, panel members and constituents. The Radford University final semester was over and students returned home for the summer, so there were few students in attendance.  Typical attendance at any given seminar consisted of 15 to 25 participants, with the larger seminars attracting 50 to 100.  A few speakers reported only one or two people in attendance at their workshop presentations.  The smallest attendance I observed was 15 to 25.  There was a question and answer session at the end of each seminar.

Heal Our World had an exhibit table in the main lobby.  There were about 15 exhibitors.  The materials we made available to conference participants were as follows:

1) ‘We Can Change The World’ (a copy in its entirety).

2) Handout:  ‘A Principled Plan’ - by Robert Bruce Baird

3) Handout: Richard Branson’s ‘Council of Elders’  http://theelders.org/

4) Handout:  Ervin Lazlo’s WorldShift Network (an extension of the Club of Budapest).
http://www.worldshiftnetwork.org/home/index.html

5) Handout:  The Club of Athens Global Governance Group (including their full charter/goals/vision statement):
http://www.paricenter.com/library/papers/valaskakis02.php

6) A hard copy America’s Assassinations and Aspirations - by Robert Bruce Baird.

7) Handout:  10 interview questions for discussion on America's Assassinations and Aspirations.

*) The Collective Works of Robert Bruce Baird - the CD.

9) Hand out copies of the H.O.W flyer and business cards:

Considering the small size of the turn out, I think our effort did well.   About half of what we had available was taken by interested participants.  I wish I had prepared a handout on ethics.

One person who picked up a copy of ‘A Principled Plan’ was an independent video/film producer who attended out of his own interest, and voluntarily filmed the conference and sought out speakers for personal interviews.  On the way back to the airport he told us he got a great interview from Reggie Cervantes who was a 911 rescue worker and appeared in Michael Moore’s film 'Sicko' (Reggie was on the 'Right To Health Care' panel along with my conference friend Gerry Perry. He said he will have it up on youtube in about two weeks.   http://www.pbs.org/now/news/326.html

My conference companion Geraldine Perry:

It was my good fortune to meet author Geraldine Perry at the airport on the way to Radford.  We became conference companions throughout the stay.   She was a big help because she knew many of the speakers and was familiar with their work.

She had an understanding of some of the dynamics Robert reports on in his work.  She was familiar with Adam Weishaupt and the University of Ingolstadt - The Illuminati, the Hegelian Dialectic, the ‘depop’ agendas, and ‘play both ends against the middle’.

She self published her book ‘The Two Faces of Money’, and we talked about the aspects of publishing.  We traded copies of ‘The Two Faces of Money’ and ‘America’s Assassinations and Aspirations‘.  I will send her a copy of St. Germain and ask that she do a review.  She read our SG flyer and was interested (she was the only one I gave it to). Here is her bio with a link to her website:  http://www.teamliberty.net/id526.html

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I attended many conference seminars.  I will post only a few reports for discussion.  In my opinion, the webpage they had set up for the conference did not go into enough detail or provide needed links to the presenters and their organizations.  You have to search the net for further information.

FACING FUNDAMENTALISM SEMINAR

Keynote - Jim Fetzer
Moderator - Glen Martin
Panelists: Michael Rivage-Suel, Kirk MacGregor, Philip Rockstroh, Carl Gunther, Mazin Qumziyeh.

Moderator Glen Martin - Glen Martin (Ph.D., Professor of Philosophy, Radford University; Secretary-General of World Constitution and Parliament Association; author of "World Revolution Through World Law").   I had the opportunity to speak with Glen and William Blum (‘End of Empire’ keynote speaker) on a few occasions and attended their seminars. I gave both a copy of AA & A.  I will report later on Glen Martin’s seminar ‘Civilian Democratic Earth Federation’ and William Blum’s ‘End of Empire’ seminar.

From Keynote Speaker - Jim Fetzer:  Jim is a self described Philosopher of Science, a proponent of scientific reasoning, critical thinking, logic and logical theory.  In his keynote address, he stressed Deontological Moral Theory and critical thinking are necessary to face fundamentalism, and referenced Emmanuel Kant:    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deontological_ethics

Jim Fetzer’s bio on wiki:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_H._Fetzer

Fetzer on the JFK assassination:  http://www.assassinationscience.com/

From panelist Michael Rivage-Suel: (Ph.D., Professor and Director of the Peace and Social Justice Studies program at Berea College, Kentucky).  In his talk addressing facing fundamentalism, he stressed strengthening public schools, ‘prescriptive ethics vs. non-prescriptive ethics’, and asked if ‘your’ model of the world was consistent WITH the WORLD?

http://www.lasp.co.cr/newsletters/resisting_the_hijacked_gospel.htm

http://www.globaljusticecenter.org/articles/betterworld_palestine.htm

Michael’s  website:  http://faculty.berea.edu/rivage-seulm/

From panelist Kirk MacGregor; (Dr. Kirk MacGregor - Asst. Professor Religious Studies, Radford University, Radford, VA).  In his talk about facing fundamentalism, he spoke about Jesus as a pacifist.  (I didn’t take thorough notes during his speech.  I wondered if his work is another form of religious fundamentalism.  I may be incorrect as I am not educated with the dynamics in his work).

His article:  ‘Hubmaier’s Concord of Predestination with Free Will’:

http://www.directionjournal.org/article/?1449

http://www.preciousheart.net/ti/2007/index.htm

From panelist Philip Rockstroh: (described in the conference program as ‘a poet, lyricist, philosopher and bard).  In his talk about facing fundamentalism, he spoke about ‘Ad Hoc culture vs. real living’, he suggested the use of logic to confront religious fundamentalism, and quoted Aldous Huxley.

Philip’s blog:  http://www.smirkingchimp.com/author/phil_rockstroh

Tales of Angst, Alienation and Martial Law: Roasting Marshmallows on the American Reichstag Fire to Come by Phil Rockstroh

http://peoplesgeography.com/2007/07/29/phil-rockstroh/

From panelist Carl Gunther: (described in the conference program as ‘a writer promoting integrity vs. top-down control’): I didn’t take notes during his speech.

“Although I started Songs for Social Change to support the community of Los Angeles songwriters who want to change the world with their music, my own songwriting has always been primarily a way of working through difficult and disturbing political, social and philosophical questions, and thereby evolving my own world view. Therefore, most of these works were produced through a process of intensive meditation on issues of great concern, such as wealth disparity, hierarchies of control, mortality, denial, and the possible destruction of the Earth, whose focal center was the evolving song.” ~ Carl Gunther.

http://sfsc.home.mindspring.com/

http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A3VSG5X7GPNNW6

From panelist Mazin Qumziyeh: (Ph. D. former Director of Cytogenetic Services at Yale School of Medicine, author of ‘Sharing the Land of Canaan’). In his talk about facing fundamentalism he spoke about religion used as a tool to start conflict and wars, stated Zionists are not religious, referred to Manifest Destiny, referred to the Ottoman Empire and said for a period of 400 to 500 years they had no wars - the wars started when the Europeans arrived. He delved into some of the history of Britain’s involvement with the Middle East in the 1920s, the Zionist movement and the Colonial Nationalist movement. He mentioned Alah comes from ‘L’ and Elohim.

About Mazin:  http://qumsiyeh.org/aboutqumsiyeh/

http://qumsiyeh.org/unitedstatesofcanaan/

 Note:  Most of the ‘Facing Fundamentalism’ panel discussion was about how to interact in a positive way to reduce fundamentalism.  One of the things that was carried out of this seminar and spoken about at other seminars during the conference, was that Fundamentalism relates to many disciplines - not just religion. A  recurring myth throughout the conference was ‘Jesus was a pacifist’.

My own criticism was that they should have talked more about Intelligent Design in this seminar.  It was barely mentioned - and I think they had the expertise.  Some things that came up in the Q & A:

1) Sam Harris’s book - ‘A Letter to a Christian Nation’.
2) The Oracle Institute - publishes information to combat fundamentalism.
3) Logic is not going to work.
4) The problem is actually with the New Agers.
5) A book and/or group ‘The Truth About the Five Major Religions’.

I forgot to mention:  One of the major themes of the Conference - if not THE major theme, was 'REVOLUTION', presented in a variety of methods.

Sandra,
I finally had time to read your report on the conference.  All I can say is - how powerful it must have been!  As I said before, had I been anywhee close..........I would have been there.  Thanks for reporting on the conference, it has given me alot of resources, and lots of food for thought.
dee

Great job Sandy,

I'm still reading through some of the links and info, but I'm proud of you for being our spirited ambassador to the world, and a group of people who strive to make it better.

TimFish

Dee and Tim

Thanks for participating here.   

I spent a summer working in the ER for a major trauma center about two years ago.  I registered patients, bedside - right in the thick of things.   Working in an ER is an experience.  Hospital politics and profit strategies are part of the ills (sickness)  we face, in addition to the victims of society who walk in the door in need of medical care (but I know I don’t have to tell you that).

Every one of us can be an ambassador for H.O.W..   I put a decent amount of effort in to the materials I took along for display on our exhibit table, but the truth is:   Less than twenty minutes after I arrived (and registered) I found myself sitting across the table from Dr. Glen Martin (professor and organizer of the conference)  who looked me square in the eye and asked ‘how do you propose to heal the world?   Apparently that was his purpose for seating himself at our table (just Gerry and I ) - to investigate the purpose of H.O.W (after all, HOW was one of only fifteen exhibitors).   

After a long day of travel and little to eat, I was caught off guard to say the least.   I stated something about our plan, ethics - Egalitarian and Nichomean,  Einsteins call to end standing armies and his correspondence with Freud, - to which Glen nodded his head.   I don’t recall the rest of what I babbled, but I told him there will be more information on display at our table.   Gerry and I laughed and told him we were exhausted and hungry - and doing our best (or something similar).  We exchanged business cards and concluded our introductions, as he went on his way back to conference duties.

That episode set my schedule plans for the conference.   Instead of spending time at our exhibit table engaging people in discussions, I attended as many seminars as I could.   But you can’t go wrong either way.   Many of the exhibitors spent little time at their table.   I mention it because I thought it might help anyone else who wants to donate their time as a HOW ambassador.    Even a small effort has value - especially for what YOU will learn (as Bob pointed out). 

Many of the conference groups knew each other and some of the key groups teach and are located in Virginia.  I was pleased that HOW had a presence there.   It was a worthwhile investment.

I have my report on Bill Blum's 'End Of Empire' seminar about half way finished.  I'll post it tomorrow.  I didn't have a lot of notes, this was the first seminar on the schedule.  But I have many links to the speakers.