♪ ♪
>> TODAY, YOU ARE PART OF AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION
ABOUT OUR SHARED FUTURE.
THE E.N. THOMPSON FORUM ON WORLD ISSUES
EXPLORES A DIVERSITY OF VIEWPOINTS ON INTERNATIONAL
AND PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES TO PROMOTE UNDERSTANDING
AND ENCOURAGE DEBATE ACROSS THE UNIVERSITY
AND THE STATE OF NEBRASKA.
SINCE IT'S INCEPTION IN 1988, HUNDREDS OF DISTINGUISHED
SPEAKERS HAVE CHALLENGED AND INSPIRED US,
MAKING THIS FORUM ONE OF THE PREEMINENT SPEAKER SERIES
IN HIGHER EDUCATION.
IT ALL STARTED WHEN E.N.
"JACK" THOMPSON IMAGINED A FORUM ON GLOBAL ISSUES THAT WOULD
INCREASE NEBRASKANS' UNDERSTANDING OF CULTURES AND
EVENTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
JACK'S PERSPECTIVE WAS INFLUENCED BY HIS TRAVELS,
HIS ROLE IN HELPING TO FOUND THE UNITED NATIONS,
AND HIS WORK AT THE CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT
FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE.
AS PRESIDENT OF THE COOPER FOUNDATION IN LINCOLN,
JACK PLEDGED SUBSTANTIAL FUNDING TO THE FORUM,
AND THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AND LIED CENTER FOR PERFORMING
ARTS AGREED TO CO-SPONSOR.
LATER JACK AND HIS WIFE KATIE CREATED THE THOMPSON FAMILY FUND
TO SUPPORT THE FORUM AND ALL THEIR PROGRAMS.
TODAY MAJOR SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY THE COOPER FOUNDATION,
LIED CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS, AND UNIVERSITY OF
NEBRASKA-LINCOLN.
WE HOPE THESE TALKS SPARK AN EXCITING CONVERSATION AMONG YOU.
AND NOW, ON WITH THE SHOW!
♪ ♪
>> THE E.N. THOMPSON FORUM ON WORLD ISSUES.
I'M PATRICE McMAHON, AND AS THE NEW CHAIR OF THE FORUM,
I'M PLEASED TO WELCOME YOU ALL HERE.
WHETHER YOU'RE WATCHING VIRTUALLY OR YOU JOINED US
HERE AT THE LIED CENTER THIS EVENING, WE'RE SO GRATEFUL
FOR YOUR INTEREST.
IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE SO MANY FACES TOGETHER,
AND SOCIALLY DISTANCED.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE COOPER FOUNDATION AND THE UNIVERSITY
FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR THIS IMPORTANT
TOWN-GOWN EVENT.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE LIED CENTER FOR THEIR HARD WORK ON
THE SOCIALLY DISTANCED SAFETY MEASURES THAT THEY PUT IN PLACE
TO KEEP US ALL SAFE.
THIS SEASON'S THEME IS "REGENERATION: LEADERSHIP
AND HOPE FOR A CHANGING PLANET."
WE BELIEVE THAT THIS THEME AND OUR SPEAKERS WILL FURTHER
UNDERSTANDING OF THE GRAVE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
FACING THE WORLD AT THIS TIME.
WE ALSO HOPE OUR SPEAKERS AND THEIR EXPERTISE AND ENERGY
PROMOTES DISCUSSION, COMMUNITY, AND ACTION AS WE ALL TRY TO
DO OUR PART FOR OUR CHANGING PLANET.
WE HAVE A VERY STRONG LINEUP THAT I'M EXCITED TO SHARE WITH
ALL OF YOU, STARTING WITH OUR AMAZING SPEAKER THIS EVENING.
I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME MIKE ZELENY TO THE STAGE WHO WILL
TELL YOU A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THIS EVENING'S SPEAKER,
A LOCAL, A NATIONAL, AND INTERNATIONAL TREASURE.
THANK YOU AND GOOD EVENING.
(clapping)
>> THANKS, PATRICE.
GOOD EVENING.
I AM MIKE ZELENY WITH THE UNIVERSITY AND I AM DELIGHTED
TO BE HERE THIS EVENING TO INTRODUCE THE FIRST SPEAKER
IN THIS HIGHLY REGARDED SERIES SUPPORTED BY THE COOPER
FOUNDATION, THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN,
AND THE LIED CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS.
TONIGHT OUR SEASON BEGINS WITH MARY PIPHER,
THE AUTHOR OF TEN BOOKS INCLUDING THE NUMBER ONE
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER "REVIVING OPHELIA:
SAVING THE SELVES OF ADOLESCENT GIRLS,"
AND MOST RECENTLY "WOMEN ROWING NORTH: NAVIGATING
LIFE'S CURRENTS AND FLOURISHING AS WE AGE."
IN 2013, MARY PUBLISHED "THE GREEN BOAT: REVIVING OURSELVES
IN OUR CAPSIZED CULTURE" ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISM
IN NEBRASKA.
MARY PIPHER IS A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST AND AUTHOR.
SHE GRADUATED IN CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY FROM THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY IN 1969, AND RECEIVED HER Ph.D.
FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY IN 1977.
SHE WAS A ROCKEFELLER SCHOLAR IN RESIDENCE AT BELLAGIO,
AND HAS RECEIVED TWO AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION
PRESIDENTIAL CITATIONS, ONE OF WHICH SHE RETURNED TO PROTEST
PSYCHOLOGISTS INVOLVEMENT IN ENHANCED INTERROGATIONS
AT GUANTANAMO AND OTHER BLACK SITES.
MARY WAS BORN IN THE OZARKS AND GREW UP IN RURAL NEBRASKA.
SHE IS ALSO A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER AND ACTIVIST
FOR MANY CAUSES.
SHE LIVES IN LINCOLN WITH HER HUSBAND, JIM.
AFTER THIS EVENING'S SPEECH, YOU WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK
DR. PIPHER QUESTIONS BY TEXTING ENT 918 TO 22333,
OR GOING TO POLLEV.COM/ENT 918.
AND NOW PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING MARY PIPHER
TO THE STAGE.
MARY.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU, MIKE.
GREETINGS, EVERYONE.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE MY FRIENDS HERE AND I HOPE AT HOME
AND ALSO IT'S GREAT TO SPEAK IN MY HOMETOWN.
IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE AND PART OF THIS
DISTINGUISHED SERIES.
IN THIS COUNTRY OF 330 MILLION PEOPLE,
IT'S A PRIVILEGE AND A RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE A VOICE
AND I HOPE MY SPEECH WILL BE WORTHY OF YOUR TIME TONIGHT.
LET'S BEGIN WITH WHAT MARTIN LUTHER KING CALLED
THE "FIERCE URGENCY OF NOW."
AT THE MOMENT OUR COUNTRY IS FACING MULTIPLE CRISES.
EMINENT ENVIRONMENTAL COLLAPSE, SHAMEFUL INCOME INEQUALITY,
SYSTEMIC RACISM, FAILING INSTITUTIONS AND A LACK OF TRUST
IN GOVERNMENT AND MANY OTHER INSTITUTIONS.
OUR CITIZENS ARE BOMBARDED BY A 24/7 NEWS CYCLE.
WE'RE DEALING WITH A LEVEL OF COMPLEXITY AND INTENSITY
THAT KEEPS US IN WHAT I'M GOING TO CALL AN ONGOING
TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER.
OUR PROBLEM-SOLVING ABILITIES, OUR COPING SKILLS,
OUR SYSTEMS FOR GLOBAL COOPERATION HAVE NOT EVOLVED
QUICKLY ENOUGH TO SUSTAIN US.
WE'VE GOT PALEOLITHIC AROUSAL SYSTEMS, NEOLITHIC BRAINS,
MEDIEVAL INSTITUTIONS, AND 21st CENTURY TECHNOLOGY.
AND NOW WITH COVID, WE'RE ISOLATED FROM EACH OTHER.
OUR COMMON MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES ARE ANXIETY, ANGER,
SORROW AND A SENSE OF HELPLESSNESS.
IN ADDITION TO THE PROBLEMS WE CAN LABEL,
WE HAVE NEW PROBLEMS WE CAN BARELY NAME.
FOR EXAMPLE, GLENN ALBRECHT COINED THE TERM "SOLASTALGIA"
TO DESCRIBE HOMELESSNESS OR MELANCHOLIA WHEN YOUR
ENVIRONMENT IS CHANGING ALL AROUND YOU IN WAYS YOU FEEL
ARE PROFOUNDLY NEGATIVE.
WE EXPERIENCE OUR PAIN BUT ALSO THE PAIN OF THE EARTH,
OF PEOPLE AND ANIMALS SUFFERING ALL OVER THE WORLD.
THE GREAT ENVIRONMENTALIST JOANNA MACY CALLS THIS PAIN
PLANETARY ANGUISH.
WE KNOW SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH US,
BUT THE PROBLEMS ARE ENDEMIC AND SYSTEMIC.
AS A PEOPLE WE HAVE LOST OUR GROUNDING IN DEEP TIME
AND MOTHER EARTH.
OUR PROBLEMS ARE AT ROOT RELATIONSHIP PROBLEMS.
WE HAVE A DISORDERED RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE WEB OF LIFE.
THE CLIMATE CRISIS, FOR EXAMPLE, IS SO ENORMOUS IN ITS
IMPLICATIONS THAT IT'S DIFFICULT FOR US TO GRASP ITS REALITY.
ITS SCOPE EXCEEDS OUR HUMAN AND CULTURAL RESILIENCE SYSTEMS.
OFTENTIMES BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO RESPOND,
WE DON'T RESPOND.
WE DEVELOP LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND OUR SENSE THAT WE ARE
POWERLESS BECOMES A SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY.
IN "STATES OF DENIAL" STANLEY COHEN WRITES ABOUT GERMANY
DURING THE WAR AND THE DENIAL OF THE HOLOCAUST.
HE TALKED ABOUT A STATE OF KNOWING, NOT KNOWING,
THAT ARISES IN TRAUMATIC ONGOING SITUATIONS.
THIS "WILLFUL IGNORANCE" OCCURS WHEN INFORMATION CANNOT BE
TOTALLY DENIED, BUT IS TOO UPSETTING TO BE
TOTALLY PROCESSED, EITHER.
THIS INTENSE -- THE INTENSE DESTRUCTIVE POLARIZATION AND
TENDENCY TO VIEW EVERY PROBLEM THROUGH A POLITICAL FILTER
MAKES MANY PROBLEMS EVEN MORE UNSOLVABLE.
BECAUSE OF OUR CULTURE WARS, WE HAVE ALMOST NO WAYS WE CAN
DISCUSS CLIMATE CHANGE, THE MASS EXTINCTION OF OUR SPECIES,
SYSTEMIC RACISM AND SO ON.
IT'S AS IF OUR CULTURE HAS YELLOW WARNING TAPE AROUND THESE
MOST IMPORTANT TOPICS AND OUR NATIONAL ATTITUDE TOWARDS THEM
IS DON'T ASK AND DON'T TELL.
THIS REMINDS ME OF AN OLD JOKE FROM THE SOVIET UNION ERA.
TWO KGB MEN WERE WALKING TOGETHER DOWN A STREET.
ONE OF THEM SAID TO THE OTHER,
"WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE SYSTEM?"
"I DON'T KNOW," SAID THE OTHER ONE.
"I PROBABLY THINK ABOUT THE SAME THING YOU DO."
"IN THAT CASE," SAID THE FIRST MAN,
"I'M GOING TO HAVE TO ARREST YOU."
JOANNA MACY BELIEVES THAT WE ALL HOLD TWO GREAT FEARS:
FEAR OF THE FUTURE, AND FEAR OF FACING OUR FEAR.
WE'RE EXPERIENCING A PSYCHIC NUMBING AND A TEMPTATION TO
EMOTIONALLY SHUT DOWN, BUT WE CANNOT SOLVE PROBLEMS
WE WILL NOT FACE.
WITH AWARENESS, EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE.
WE CAN BEGIN A PERSONAL JOURNEY AND CULTURAL JOURNEY THAT STARTS
WITH TRAUMA AND GOES THROUGH SHOCK, DESPAIR,
AND ACCEPTANCE TO TRANSCENDENCE.
IN FACT, THE POET ROETHKE SAYS IT VERY WELL.
"THE DARKER THE CIRCUMSTANCE, THE MORE BRILLIANT
THE INVITATION."
SO LET ME TALK ABOUT THIS HEALING
AND TRANSCENDENT RESPONSE TONIGHT.
NOW, TRANSCENDENT RESPONSE IS DIFFERENT FROM A RECOVERY
OR A RETURN TO NORMAL.
I DEFINE IT PRETTY SIMPLY AS WHEN OUR PROBLEMS ARE TOO BIG
FOR US, WE MUST GROW BIGGER.
AND A SIMPLE EXAMPLE OF THAT IS IN THE MOVIE "JAWS"
WHERE THE SHARK COMES AND THE MEN ARE IN A SMALL BOAT,
AND AFTER THAT SCENE THE CAPTAIN SAYS "WE NEED A BIGGER BOAT."
WE NEED A BIGGER BOAT RIGHT NOW.
THE KIND OF EMERGENCIES WE'RE EXPERIENCING CALL FOR EMERGENT
THINKING AND EMERGENT BEHAVIORS.
WE ALL KEEP APPOINTMENTS WE DID NOT MAKE.
WE ALL HAVE -- WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE CONTROL
BUT WE HAVE CHOICES.
AND DESPAIR CAN BE A CRUCIBLE FOR GROWTH.
ALL OF YOU KNOW EXAMPLES OF A CANCER PATIENT WHO REMAINS
CHEERFUL AND KIND AS THEY EXPERIENCE SUFFERING AND LOSS,
OR PARENTS WHO HAVE LOST A CHILD AND SPEND THE REST OF
THEIR LIVES WORKING TO PREVENT OTHER CHILDREN FROM DYING.
THIS CAPACITY FOR HEROIC RESPONSE IS BUILT INTO US
AND MUCH MORE COMMON THAN IS SUPPOSED.
ORDINARY PEOPLE ALL AROUND US RISE TO THE OCCASION.
AND MY GUESS IS IF YOU THINK RIGHT NOW OF YOUR OWN
EXPERIENCE, YOU CAN THINK OF MORE THAN ONE PERSON THAT
THAT DESCRIPTION FITS.
NO EXPERIENCE IS WASTED IF WE CAN GROW FROM IT.
AND THE GREAT EDUCATOR PARKER PALMER TALKS ABOUT THE POWER
OF HEARTBREAK.
"IF WE ALLOW OUR HEARTS TO BREAK OPEN,
WE CAN ALLOW THE WHOLE WORLD TO FLOW IN.
WE CAN INCREASE OUR MORAL IMAGINATIONS BY WHICH I MEAN
EMPATHY AND DESIRE TO HELP ALL LIVING BEINGS.
WE CAN WORK WITH OTHERS TO CREATE THE KIND OF WORLD
WE WANT TO LIVE IN."
NOW, THAT'S ENOUGH ABSTRACT LANGUAGE.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A VERY SPECIFIC EXAMPLE OF THIS
IN NEBRASKA.
AND NEBRASKA STORY WHERE GROUP OF PEOPLE MOVED FROM DESPAIR
TO AWARENESS AND TO ACTION.
HUNDREDS OF US WORKED TOGETHER IN OUR STATE TO STOP
THE TRANSCANADA PIPELINE, TRANSCANADA FROM BUILDING
THE KXL PIPELINE THROUGH OUR SAND HILLS AND OVER
THE OGALLALA AQUIFER AND THIS WAS BY THE WAY --
THIS STARTED ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO.
IT WAS A REALLY ORGANIC MOVEMENT IN WHICH PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER
THE STATE CAME TOGETHER TO PROTECT THIS LAND AND WATER
THAT WE LOVE.
PEOPLE WHO HAD NEVER BEEN ACTIVISTS EMPOWERED THEMSELVES.
LEADERS HELPED OTHER PEOPLE TO BE LEADERS AND EVENTUALLY WE HAD
A GREAT VICTORY FOR THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR STATE.
I'LL SHARE MY PART OF THAT STORY TONIGHT,
REMINDING YOU ALL THAT MY STORY IS JUST ONE STORY AND THAT
THERE WERE MANY IMPORTANT LEADERS IN THIS STATE
WORKING TO STOP THE KXL.
I WOULD NAME A FEW BUT THERE ARE SO MANY THAT I WOULD BE AFRAID
TO LEAVE SOME PEOPLE OUT.
IN THE CATACLYSMIC SUMMER OF 2010,
I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO FACE MY FEARS
ABOUT GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE.
AT THAT TIME, THE EARTH WAS EXPERIENCING ITS WARMEST DECADE,
ITS WARMEST YEAR, AND THE WARMEST APRIL, MAY,
AND JUNE ON RECORD.
IN 2010, PAKISTAN HIT ITS RECORD HIGH OF 129 DEGREES
AS DID RUSSIA, 111.
IN JULY THE HEAT INDEX IN LINCOLN REACHED 115
FOR SEVERAL DAYS IN A ROW.
OUR PLANET AND ALL LIVING BEINGS SEEMED TO BE GASPING FOR BREATH.
THAT SUMMER I READ BILL McKIBBEN'S BOOK "EAARTH"
AND THAT SPELLED E-A-A-R-T-H IN WHICH HE ARGUES THAT
THE EARTH AS WE USED TO KNOW IT HAS ALREADY VANISHED.
HE POSTULATES WE NOW LIVE ON A NEW PLANET,
EAARTH AS HE SPELLED IT WITH THE RAPIDLY CHANGING ECOLOGY.
HE ARGUES THAT WITHOUT IMMEDIATE ACTION OUR FAMILIAR WAYS OF LIFE
WILL DISAPPEAR, NOT IN OUR GRANDCHILDREN'S ADULTHOODS BUT
IN THE LIFETIME OF MIDDLE-AGED PEOPLE ALIVE TODAY.
HE WRITES WE DON'T HAVE 50 YEARS TO SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT,
WE HAVE A DECADE.
NOW, NONE OF MY EXPERIENCES HAD QUITE PREPARED ME FOR
THE BLEAKNESS OF THIS BOOK.
I COULDN'T STOP READING IT, AND WHEN I FINISHED
I FELT SHELLSHOCKED.
ALL I COULD DO WAS EXPERIENCE DESPAIR.
EVERYTHING FELT SO HOPELESS AND OVER.
NOW, DURING THIS TIME, MY THREE YOUNG GRANDCHILDREN
CAME TO VISIT, AND AS WE PICKED STRAWBERRIES,
I THOUGHT ABOUT ALL THE CARE WE LAVISH ON THOSE CHILDREN.
WE MAKE SURE THEY EAT HEALTHY FOODS AND BRUSH THEIR TEETH
WITH SAFE TOOTHPASTE.
WE EXAMINE AND TREAT EVERY LITTLE BUG BITE OR CAT SCRATCH
AND YET WE, AND I MEAN ALL THE PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS IN THE
WORLD INCLUDING MYSELF HAVEN'T WORKED TO SECURE THEM A FUTURE
WITH CLEAN AIR AND WATER AND DIVERSE HEALTHY ECOSYSTEMS.
HAD WE BEEN IN A TRANCE?
THAT SUMMER WHEN I LISTENED TO FRIENDS TALKING ABOUT THE
MUNDANE DETAILS OF LIFE, I WANTED TO SHOUT AT THEM,
"WAKE UP, PLEASE WAKE UP.
MATTERS ARE URGENT.
WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING NOW."
BUT AFTER YEARS OF BEING A MOTHER AND A THERAPIST,
I HAVE LEARNED SHOUTING "WAKE UP" DOESN'T WORK.
IN FACT, THAT IS ONE OF MY MOST DISPIRITING REALIZATIONS.
I WANTED DESPERATELY TO PRESERVE THE WORLD I LOVED,
BUT I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO TALK ABOUT THIS
WITH MY CLOSEST FRIENDS.
MY OWN DESPAIR WAS INTOLERABLE.
I HAD TO FIND A WAY OUT OF MY STATE OF MIND.
I COULDN'T SURVIVE WITH ALL THAT AWARENESS
EVERY MINUTE OF MY DAY.
I WANTED TO BE HAPPY AGAIN, TO BE ABLE TO LAUGH AND TO SNUGGLE
WITH MY GRANDCHILDREN WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT THEIR FUTURES,
BUT I COULDN'T FORGET WHAT I NOW UNDERSTOOD.
WHAT PULLED ME OUT OF MY DESPAIR WAS THE DESIRE TO GET TO WORK.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO.
I FELT UNQUALIFIED FOR VIRTUALLY ANYTHING
INVOLVING THE ENVIRONMENT.
BUT I KNEW I HAD TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP.
IT WAS UNCLEAR HOW MUCH MY ACTION WOULD BENEFIT THE WORLD,
BUT I WAS PRETTY SURE IT WOULD HELP ME.
I'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO TOLERATE STEWING IN MY OWN ANXIETY.
ACTION HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY ANTIDOTE TO DESPAIR.
SO AROUND THIS TIME, I HAD A GUY NAMED BRAD KINDLER COMING OVER
TO HELP ME PRUNE TREES AND HE WAS A YOUNG GUY, WORE OVERALLS,
AND HAD HAIR DOWN BELOW HIS WAIST, AND HE WORE WORK BOOTS.
TALL, SKINNY GUY.
WE LIKED TO TALK TO EACH OTHER.
HE'S REAL GOOD CONVERSATIONALIST.
ONE DAY WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT,
AND HE FELT LIKE I DID, AND WE DECIDE, WELL,
LET'S DO SOMETHING TOGETHER.
SO HE -- WE AGREED HE WOULD INVITE A FEW OF HIS FRIENDS
AND I WOULD INVITE A FEW OF MY FRIENDS,
AND I COOKED US A GOOD MEAL AND I BOUGHT A COUPLE BOTTLES OF
FRENCH WINE AND WE MET AT MY HOUSE FOR A POTLUCK TO TALK OVER
WHAT WE COULD DO TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT IN OUR STATE.
AND RIGHT AWAY, THE FIRST MEETING I THINK, LIKE,
FOUR OR SIX PEOPLE WERE THERE.
AND RIGHT AWAY, WE DECIDED THAT THE BIG ISSUE IN NEBRASKA
WAS TRANSCANADA.
THERE HAD BEEN AN ARTICLE IN THE "LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR" ABOUT HOW
THE PIPELINE WOULD CROSS 2,000 MILES OF EVERY MAJOR RIVER
SYSTEM WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI AND ALSO THE SAND HILLS
AND OGALLALA.
NOW, THIS TAR SANDS WAS ALREADY AN ECOLOGICAL DISASTER
IN ALBERTA.
ITS SPILLAGE WAS DEVASTATING ECOSYSTEMS AND IT WOULD
COMPROMISE OUR WATER SUPPLY, AMONG OTHER THINGS.
SO, WE SHARED WHAT LITTLE WE KNEW ABOUT IT AND GAVE EACH
OTHER ASSIGNMENTS, AN ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY TO FIND OUT MORE,
AND TO INVITE MORE PEOPLE.
NOW, AFTER EVERYBODY LEFT THAT NIGHT I HAD ALL THESE DISHES
IN THE KITCHEN, AND I WAS DOING DISHES AND I NOTICED
I WAS HUMMING.
I ALMOST NEVER HUM.
I'M NOT THAT HAPPY A PERSON.
BUT BOY, I THOUGHT THIS IS WHAT ACTIVISM DOES FOR ME.
IT GIVES ME SOME HOPE.
SO THE NEXT WEEK, ABOUT A DOZEN PEOPLE SHOWED UP,
AND AT THAT TIME WE CALLED OURSELVES "THE COALITION"
AND WE KIND OF LAID THE GROUND RULES FOR OUR MEETINGS.
LIKE ONE OF THE THINGS WE DECIDED WAS OUR MEETINGS
WE CALLED THEM "PEETINGS."
THEY WERE HALF MEETINGS AND HALF PARTIES.
WE ALWAYS HAD GOOD FOOD, WE HAD A LOT OF JOKING,
AND LAUGHTER, AND HUGS.
WE ALWAYS STARTED OUT WITH VICTORY REPORTS WHERE ANYBODY
WHO HAD DONE ANYTHING THAT FURTHERED OUR CAUSE WE MADE
A TOAST TO THEM AND THEY GOT A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
THEN WE TALKED OVER INFORMATION WE'D HEARD.
WE REPORTED ON ACTION WE HAD DONE.
AND WE GAVE OURSELVES NEW ASSIGNMENTS.
WE NEVER LEFT WITHOUT ASSIGNMENTS.
AND WE'D ALWAYS END THE MEETINGS ON A POSITIVE NOTE,
SO EVERYBODY WANTED TO COME BACK.
NONE OF US WERE -- NONE OF US HAD EXTRA TIME AND WE CERTAINLY
DIDN'T HAVE ANY EXTRA TIME FOR SUFFERING OR TEDIUM OR TO WASTE.
BUT WE FELT LIKE WE WERE ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISHING SOMETHING
AND WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE COMMON GOOD IN A WAY
THAT WAS VERY ENJOYABLE.
NOW, I WANT TO MENTION HERE WE DIDN'T EXPECT TO SUCCEED.
IN FACT, I WOULD SAY OUR MEMBERSHIP COULD EASILY
BE CALLED THE ROYALTY OF LOST CAUSES.
WE WERE A GROUP OF URBAN PROGRESSIVES,
MANY OF US WHO HAD BEEN FIGHTING AND LOSING BATTLES FOR YEARS
IN NEBRASKA, WHICH HAS BEEN PRIMARILY A RED STATE.
WE ORGANIZED PRIMARILY BECAUSE WE JUST COULDN'T SIT AND LET
THIS STUFF HAPPEN TO US.
IT WAS REALLY A MENTAL HEALTH STRATEGY OF WE JUST CAN'T SIT
HERE AND KNOW THIS IS GOING ON, AND NOT DO ANYTHING.
IT FELT BETTER TO FIGHT BACK AND A LOT OF US BY THEN HAD LEARNED
THAT HOPE IS NOT ABOUT OUTCOME.
IT'S ABOUT A PROCESS.
HOPE COMES FROM ENGAGING IN A HOPEFUL PROCESS.
IF YOU WANT TO DISCOVER HOW THE WORLD WORKS, TRY TO CHANGE IT,
ESPECIALLY IF THAT CHANGE INVOLVES CONFRONTING
THE FOSSIL FUEL INDUSTRY.
OUR CAMPAIGN WAS A COMPLICATED STORY ABOUT INTERNATIONAL
COOPERATION -- CORPORATIONS AND POLITICS BUT IT WAS ALSO
A SIMPLE STORY ABOUT NEBRASKANS WORKING TO SAVE OUR STATE
FROM WHAT WE CALL "THE EXTRA LEAKY PIPELINE."
OUR FIRST REALIZATION VERY EARLY ON WAS
NOBODY'S COMING TO SAVE US.
THE GOVERNMENT WASN'T HELPING US.
THE OIL INDUSTRY HAS A GREAT DEAL OF POWER IN THIS STATE
AS IN EVERY OTHER STATE.
THEIR LOBBYISTS ARE MONEYED PEOPLE.
THEY HIRE VERY ATTRACTIVE, SKILLFUL PEOPLE WHO COME WITH
PLENTY OF MONEY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT FOR OUR STATE.
SO WE REALIZED ALSO THAT CELEBRITIES
WEREN'T COMING TO SAVE US.
EARLY ON, PEOPLE WOULD SAY THINGS LIKE,
"WELL HAVE YOU THOUGHT OF ASKING OPRAH?"
OR "HAVE YOU THOUGHT OF ASKING ROBERT REDFIELD OR SOMEONE
LIKE THAT TO COME SAVE US?"
WHAT WE WOULD SAY IS, "NO, WE'RE LOOKING AT YOU.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?"
AND IF SOMEBODY SAID, "I REALLY LIKE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING,"
WE'D SAY, "WELL, WHY DON'T YOU DO SOME STUFF, TOO?
WHAT ARE YOU INTERESTED IN DOING?"
WE REALLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE THAT WE ALL HAVE THE POWER
TO CO-CREATE THE WORLD WE WANT TO LIVE IN.
WHETHER YOU BELIEVE YOU CAN DO SOMETHING OR NOT, YOU'RE RIGHT.
ACTING AS IF YOU HAVE POWER CREATES POWER OUT OF THIN AIR.
SO THE FIRST THING IS JUST DECIDING I WILL ACT AS IF
I HAVE SOME POWER.
AND THEN AS YOU ACT THAT WAY, AS YOU ADD YOUR POWER
TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING THINGS YOU WANT TO SEE DONE,
AS YOU ASK OTHER PEOPLE TO ADD THEIR POWER TO YOU,
AS YOU DO THINGS YOU WANT TO SEE DONE,
YOU ACCRUE POWER IN REALLY A PRETTY AMAZING AND
TRANSFORMATIVE WAY.
THE OTHER THING I WANT TO SAY ABOUT THAT IS ALL OF US
ARE COMMUNITY EDUCATORS, WHETHER WE KNOW IT OR NOT.
EVERY TIME WE OPEN OUR MOUTHS, WE HAVE A CHANCE TO SAY
SOMETHING USEFUL AND HELPFUL.
NOW, SOMETIMES THAT'S ON THE LEVEL OF CRACKING A GOOD JOKE
TO HELP SOMEBODY CHEER UP, OR TURNING THE CONVERSATION
INTO A POSITIVE DIRECTION WHEN SOMEONE IS LOW,
OR SYMPATHIZING WITH SOMEONE OR LISTENING TO SOMEONE AND GIVING
THEM PERMISSION TO TALK ABOUT THEIR PAIN AND GRIEF.
BUT SOMETIMES, IT'S BEING ABLE TO SAY THINGS LIKE,
"IF YOU EVER WANT HELP BUILDING A COMPOST BIN,
I KNOW HOW TO DO IT."
OR "HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT HAVING A RAIN GARDEN
IN THIS AREA?
IT'S NICE AND LOW."
OR "ARE YOU DOING SOME SHOPPING THROUGH
LOCAL FARMER'S MARKETS AND CSAS?
I'VE FOUND VEGETABLES AND FRUITS DELICIOUS THERE."
EVERY ONE OF US CAN ASK THE QUESTION "WHAT IS IT I CAN DO
NOW FROM WHERE I AM?
WHAT IS IT I CAN DO NOW?"
AND THE OTHER THING ABOUT THAT IS MARGARET MEAD HAD A BEAUTIFUL
LINE WHICH IS "THE IDEAL CULTURE HAS A PLACE
FOR EVERY HUMAN GIFT."
AND YOU CAN SAY THAT ABOUT ACTIVISM, TOO.
THE IDEAL ACTIVIST CAUSE HAS A PLACE FOR EVERY HUMAN GIFT.
IF YOU'RE MUSICAL, IF YOU'RE ARTISTIC,
IF YOU'RE A GOOD SPEAKER, IF YOU'RE A GOOD WRITER,
IF YOU'RE A GOOD WORKHORSE, IF YOU KNOW HOW TO FIX VEHICLES,
THERE'S ALWAYS A PLACE FOR YOU IN A CAMPAIGN.
NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED WAS OUR COLLECTIVE
CAMPAIGN WAS THE BEST THING THAT'S REALLY EVER HAPPENED
IN NEBRASKA MAYBE EXCEPT FOR SOME PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE
THAT'S BIG RED FOOTBALL.
BUT FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED WAS
OUR FIRST ALLIES, HERE IN LINCOLN WHEN WE STARTED TO
WORK ON THIS, WERE PROGRESSIVE RANCHERS -- I MEAN,
WERE REPUBLICAN RANCHERS AND THE REASON THAT WAS HAPPENING IS
THEY FULLY UNDERSTOOD THAT YOU CAN'T GIVE COWS BOTTLED WATER.
THEY JUST WON'T DRINK BOTTLED WATER.
YOU CAN'T BUY IT AND KEEP YOUR RANCH ALIVE ON BOTTLED WATER.
THEY ALSO WERE GETTING A LOT OF PRESSURE FROM TRANSCANADA ABOUT
EMINENT DOMAIN AND IF THEY DIDN'T ALLOW THIS PIPELINE
TO COME ACROSS THEIR LAND THEY WOULD BE --
THEIR LAND WOULD BE TAKEN FROM THEM.
THE RANCHERS WERE INDEPENDENT PEOPLE
AND THEY DIDN'T LIKE THAT.
SO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SURPRISED LIKE AT THAT TIME
KEN WINSTON WAS ATTORNEY FOR THE SIERRA CLUB,
AND HE WAS TRYING TO GO OUT TO COUNTIES WHERE THEY HAD BUMPER
STICKERS THAT SAID THINGS LIKE "WE SHOOT DEMOCRATS" AND HE
WALKED INTO A LITTLE VFW CALL IN A TOWN IN WESTERN NEBRASKA
AND HE GOT A STANDING OVATION.
IT WAS REALLY FUNNY FOR OUR GROUP BECAUSE WE'RE SO USED TO
OPPOSITION WHEN WE STARTED TO GET SUCCESS,
WE HARDLY KNEW WHAT TO DO WITH IT.
IT'S LIKE "OH, NO, WE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN AGREEMENT WITH US.
NOW WHAT DO WE DO?"
THAT WAS SO NEW.
BUT WE HAD THE COWBOY AND INDIAN ALLIANCE, FOR EXAMPLE.
THAT WAS REALLY A BEAUTIFUL THING.
WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE GO TO D.C.
WE JUST MADE STUFF UP, LIKE AT ONE POINT
WE DECIDED LET'S SEND SOME PEOPLE TO DC
TO TALK TO OUR SENATORS AND REPS BACK THERE.
AND WHAT SHOULD WE CALL THAT GROUP?
DELEGATION.
LET'S CALL IT A DELEGATION.
THAT SOUNDS IMPORTANT.
AND THEN WE WENT BACK AND I REMEMBER WE HAD A TEACHER,
A REALLY SWEET SCHOOL TEACHER, FROM HASTINGS IN OUR GROUP.
AND SHE WAS ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE LINCOLN PAPER
BACK IN D.C. HANDCUFFED.
SO WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE GO BACK TO D.C. TO MAKE A STAND
AGAINST THE KXL AND AS THEY WENT BACK THERE,
THEY GOT MORE AND MORE ENGAGED.
THAT'S ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT ACTIVISM.
THE MORE YOU DO, THE MORE YOU START DEVELOPING FRIENDS
AND SEEING THE EFFECTS OF YOUR ACTION,
AND CONNECTING WITH OTHER PEOPLE ,
AND HAVING FUN AND IT STARTS BEING A REALLY --
A PROCESS THAT IS VERY REINFORCING TO BE IN.
NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS WE REALIZED IN NEBRASKA IS THIS
STATE DOES NOT LIKE RADICALS.
IT'S A VERY POLITE STATE AND WE LIKE POLITE PEOPLE.
SO ALL OF OUR TACTICS WERE POLITE.
FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF OUR TACTICS WAS WE HAD A WOMAN WHO COULD
BAKE THESE BEAUTIFUL DEEP-DISH CHEDDAR CRUST APPLE PIES
AND WHENEVER ANYBODY IN THE LEGISLATURE OR L.E.S.
OR CITY COUNCIL OR ANYBODY WITH POWER IN THE STATE MADE A GOOD
DECISION, WE WOULD CALL A PRESS CONFERENCE AND GIVE THEM ONE OF
THESE DEEP-DISH APPLE PIES.
I WOULD GO PICK IT UP RIGHT OUT OF THE OVEN SO THE ODOR WOULD
WAFT OVER THE CAPITOL ROTUNDA OR WHEREVER WE WERE CALLING
OUR PRESS CONFERENCE.
AND THOSE TURNED OUT TO BE VERY POPULAR AND EFFECTIVE.
AND STILL WHEN I GO BACK TO L.E.S.
TO TESTIFY, IF I MENTION THAT DEEP CRUST CHEDDAR APPLE PIE,
THERE IS PEOPLE THAT THEIR EYES GET A LITTLE TEARY,
BECAUSE WE WOULD GAVE EVERYBODY ONE IF THEY'D VOTE FOR
SOME ALTERNATIVE ENERGY.
WE ALSO REALLY TRIED TO CRAFT A LOT OF DIVERSE GROUPS.
ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING GROUPS WAS THE OGONI NATION.
AND THEY HAD BEEN IN NIGERIA WHEN ROYAL DUTCH SHELL OIL,
WHO BY THE WAY ALSO IS PART OF TRANSCANADA,
THEY'RE THE SAME COMPANY, WITH JUST DIFFERENT NAMES
IN DIFFERENT CONTINENTS.
BUT ANYWAY, THE OGONI PEOPLE HAD BEEN DOWNRIVER AS COMMUNITIES
UPRIVER HAD THE PIPELINE, THE DUTCH SHELL OIL PIPELINE COME
THROUGH, IT WAS IN CAHOOTS WITH THE CORRUPT GOVERNMENT,
AND THEY SAW WHAT WAS HAPPENING UPRIVER AND PROTESTED.
AND ALL THE MALE LEADERS WERE HUNG IN THAT COMMUNITY.
AND THE WOMEN AND THEIR -- THE CHILDREN WERE GIVEN ASYLUM
AND THEY CAME TO LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.
SO WE HAVE QUITE A FEW OGONI PEOPLE HERE.
BUT WE HAD A STATEWIDE WATER FESTIVAL WHERE PEOPLE IN
LITTLE TOWNS ALL OVER THE STATE CELEBRATED WATER
AND WHATEVER THEY CHOSE.
AND WE HAD A BIG PARTY IN ANTELOPE PARK
AND THE OGONI CAME.
AND IT WAS A REALLY BEAUTIFUL EVENT,
BECAUSE THE OGONI LEADER STOOD UP -- HE HAD A TRANSLATOR AND HE
SAID THIS WAS A GUY, AN OLDER GUY WHO'D SURVIVED AND HE SAID,
"FIRST WHEN THE PIPELINE CAME UPRIVER, WE SAW THE FISH DIE.
THEN WE SAW THE ANIMALS DIE.
AND THEN WE SAW THE PEOPLE DIE.
SO DON'T LET THAT HAPPEN IN NEBRASKA."
AND ONE OF THE THINGS -- THAT DAY I WAS SITTING BY A COUPLE
REPUBLICAN RANCHERS, AND THEY, THE OGONI,
MADE SOME VERY KIND REMARKS AND THANKED THESE RANCHERS
FOR THE WORK THEY WERE DOING.
AFTERWARDS THEY WERE BOTH SO MOVED BY THAT.
ONE OF THEM SAID TO ME, "YOU KNOW,
I WOULD NEVER HAVE MET ANYBODY LIKE THIS OGONI LEADER
IF I HADN'T BEEN PART OF THIS MOVEMENT."
HE SAID, "THIS WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME
THAT THIS HAPPENED TODAY."
WE ALSO HAD SOMETHING CALLED THE "THANK YOU IN ADVANCE CAMPAIGN"
WHERE A BUNCH OF OLDER WOMEN THAT LOOKED LIKE ME WENT TO
THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION AND WE TOOK THINGS LIKE CORN MUFFINS,
AND ZUCCHINI BREAD, AND LITTLE BOUQUETS OF FLOWERS,
AND WITH THESE WE HAD A "THANK YOU IN ADVANCE, GOVERNOR,
FOR CALLING A LEGISLATIVE SPECIAL SESSION
TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE FROM THIS PIPELINE."
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS CAMPAIGN
IS WE KNEW WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE -- YOU DON'T WANT TO SPEAK LOUDLY
AND SPEAK WRONG.
YOU WANT YOUR FACTS TO BE RIGHT.
AND THE OTHER THING IS, WE FOCUSED ON WHAT I'LL CALL
ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE.
THERE IS A LOT OF INTELLIGENCE OUT THERE IN THIS 24/7
NEWS CYCLE THAT I CALL DISTRACTIONAL INTELLIGENCE.
LIKE I'LL PICK AN EXAMPLE OF MY WHAT I CONSIDER DISTRACTIONABLE.
EVERYBODY CAN MAKE THEIR OWN CALLS ON THAT.
THERE IS NOTHING I, MARY PIPHER
IN LINCOLN, NEBRASKA CAN DO ABOUT THE TROUBLES
BETWEEN PALESTINE AND ISRAEL.
I CARE ABOUT IT.
I'VE BEEN READING ABOUT IT SINCE I WAS A TEENAGER.
BUT I PERSONALLY HAVE NO IDEAS AND NO AGENCY WITH THAT PROBLEM.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID WAS WE STUCK WITH INFORMATION THAT
WE COULD USE AND WE ACTED ON THAT INFORMATION AND THE REST OF
THE INFORMATION WE DIDN'T PAY TOO MUCH ATTENTION TO,
AND WE NEVER LET OURSELVES GET INTO KIND OF AN "AIN'T IT AWFUL"
KIND OF DISCUSSION.
WE ALWAYS STAYED REALLY FORWARD MOMENTUM AND FOCUSED ON
VICTORIES AND WHAT WE COULD DO NEXT.
WHAT ALL THESE PEOPLE FROM ALL THESE DIFFERENT AREAS HAD IN
COMMON WAS WE WANTED TO PROTECT A PLACE WE LOVED,
AND NEBRASKA IS A PLACE WHERE A LOT OF THE PEOPLE IN LINCOLN,
FOR EXAMPLE, THEY HAVE HOMESTEADER GRANDPARENTS,
OR THEY'LL SAY, "MY FAMILY HAS BEEN IN THE STATE THREE
GENERATIONS," OR "I GREW UP IN A SMALL TOWN."
A LOT OF PEOPLE OF US WERE NOT JUST NEBRASKANS,
WE'RE FROM NEBRASKA AND WE HAVE A REAL DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF
OUR STATE AND WHY WE LOVE THIS STATE.
NOW, ONE OF THE BEST THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO US WAS THERE WAS
A CORNHUSKER GAME, AND MAYBE SOME OF YOU WERE THERE.
BUT THIS IS WHEN THE TIDE TURNED AND THE GOVERNOR
CALLED A SPECIAL SESSION.
THAT TRANSCANADA ADVERTISED ON THE JUMBOTRON,
SOMETHING REALLY GREAT ABOUT THE KXL PIPELINE
AND THE PEOPLE IN THE STADIUM BOOED.
THE PEOPLE IN THE STADIUM BOOED.
AND I WASN'T AT THE FOOTBALL GAME, BUT I HEARD ABOUT IT.
AND I REALIZED THIS IS REALLY GOOD.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE WERE ABLE TO DO,
THIS IS NOT -- THIS IS NOT A POLITICAL ISSUE.
CLEAN WATER IS NOT A POLITICAL ISSUE.
CLEAN AIR.
CLEAN SOIL.
IT'S NOT A RED ISSUE.
IT'S NOT A BLUE ISSUE.
WATER IS CLEAN OR DIRTY.
WE HAD A LOT OF WAYS WE FRAMED THIS SO THAT WE WEREN'T
INCITING ANY KIND OF POLARIZED DEBATE ABOUT THINGS.
OUR GROUP LEARNED A LOT OF LESSONS.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE LEARNED IS THAT PESSIMISM --
THIS IS QUOTING GEORGE ORWELL.
"PESSIMISM IS REACTIONARY BECAUSE IT MAKES THE VERY IDEA
OF IMPROVING THE WORLD IMPOSSIBLE.
I FOUND THAT WHETHER OR NOT WE BELIEVE WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD
IN A SMALL WAY ACTING AS IF WE CAN IS THE HEALTHIEST EMOTIONAL
STANCE TO TAKE IN THE FACE OF INJUSTICE AND DESTRUCTION.
WE CAN NEVER KNOW THE SIGNIFICANCE OF OUR INDIVIDUAL
ACTIONS, BUT WE CAN ACT AS IF OUR ACTIONS ARE SIGNIFICANT.
THIS WILL CREATE ONLY GOOD ON EARTH."
THUS FAR WE'VE KEPT THE KXL OUT OF AMERICA.
THERE WAS A SUPREME COURT DECISION IN EARLY JULY TO HALT
ACTION UNTIL FURTHER ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND THAT
PLUS THE FACT THAT AT THIS POINT IT'S ECONOMICALLY NOT A GOOD
IDEA FOR THE OIL COMPANIES, THEY REALLY HAVE NO INTEREST IN IT
MEANS WE'VE PROBABLY STOPPED IT FOREVER, WHICH IS GREAT.
NOW, OUR GROUP HAS CHANGED ITS NAME "GUARDIANS OF THE AQUIFER"
AND WE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN A FIGHT TO REGULATE
CONFINED ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS,
SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON THE FREMONT PLANT.
BUT ALL OF THE CATHODES IN THE STATE NEED MUCH BETTER
REGULATION BECAUSE THE NITRATE LEVELS IN OUR WATER
ARE VERY HIGH.
AND WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING VERY HARD WITH O.P.P.D.
AND L.E.S. ON ENERGY ISSUES.
AND WE'RE HAVING A LOT OF SUCCESS WITH THAT.
THE PEOPLE ON THOSE BOARDS WANT TO MOVE TOWARDS ALTERNATIVE
ENERGY, AND THEY'RE BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT ONLY
THE RIGHT THING TO DO, IT'S THE CHEAPEST THING TO DO.
SO THAT'S REALLY BEEN A GOOD MOVEMENT.
AND SO ABOUT ONCE A MONTH WE'RE STILL GETTING TOGETHER AFTER
TEN YEARS AND WE'VE BECOME WHAT MARTIN LUTHER KING CALLS
A BELOVED COMMUNITY.
I WANT TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OTHER WORK I'M DOING.
THIS IS WORK I LEARNED FROM -- SHE IS NOW ABOUT 90-YEARS-OLD.
SHE IS AN EDUCATOR, BUDDHIST,
TRANSLATOR FROM THE GERMAN OF RILKE.
I THINK SHE CAN SPEAK ABOUT SEVEN LANGUAGES.
HER NAME IS JOANNA MACY.
SHE STARTED HER ACTIVISM IN THE 50s TO STOP NUCLEAR WEAPONS
AROUND THE WORLD.
AND THE WHOLE NUCLEAR FREEZE MOVEMENT SORT OF MORPHED INTO
THE ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT.
ALMOST THE SAME PEOPLE WERE INVOLVED.
HOW SHE GOT MOST INVOLVED IN WHAT SHE NOW CALLS
"THE WORK THAT RECONNECTS" WAS -- SOME OF YOU IN THIS ROOM
ARE OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER CHERNOBYL.
WHEN CHERNOBYL HAPPENED, HER HUSBAND WAS WORKING AS
AN AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AMBASSADOR IN MOSCOW.
AND SHE AND HER HUSBAND WERE LIVING IN MOSCOW.
AND THE ACCIDENT AT CHERNOBYL WAS A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT.
MANY PEOPLE WERE KILLED.
THE MILK COWS, THE MILK WAS RADIOACTIVE,
THE 500-YEAR-OLD FOREST AROUND THE VILLAGE OF CHERNOBYL
BECAME UNINHABITABLE.
THAT'S WHERE THE VILLAGERS WENT FOR FIREWOOD AND MUSHROOMS
AND GAME AND SO ON.
THE WORST THING ABOUT CHERNOBYL IN SOME WAYS WAS THE GOVERNMENT
DIRECTED THE NUCLEAR RAIN TO FALL ON CHERNOBYL.
THE NUCLEAR RAIN WAS IN A CLOUD HEADING TOWARDS MOSCOW
AND THEY SENT UP AIRPLANES TO SEED THOSE CLOUDS
SO IT WOULD FALL ON CHERNOBYL.
THERE WAS A UNIQUE SENSE OF WHY WERE WE CHOSEN TO BE THE PLACE,
THE SACRIFICIAL AREA IN THIS TERRIBLE SITUATION?
MACY WENT THERE, AND THE PEOPLE WERE DEVASTATED, OF COURSE,
TRAUMATIZED, JUST BESIDE THEMSELVES.
AND SHE DECIDED THAT SHE NEEDED TO ORGANIZE EXERCISES TO HELP
PEOPLE DEAL WITH THEIR GRIEF, SHARE THEIR GRIEF
WITH OTHER PEOPLE,
THINK OF WAYS TO COME TOGETHER TO MAKE THEIR SITUATIONS BETTER,
TO BUILD STRENGTH AND COURAGE FOR THEIR COMMUNITY,
AND THEN CELEBRATE TOGETHER THEIR LOVE OF THEIR COMMUNITY
AND EACH OTHER AND THEIR GOALS FOR THE FUTURE.
SO, SHE DESIGNED A LOT OF EXERCISES FOR THAT AND
THE LAST ONE IS A BEAUTIFUL ONE THAT I'VE USED.
I'M IN A GROUP WITH JUDY GREENWALD AND KIM MORROW AND
SOME OTHERS HERE IN LINCOLN AND WE'VE USED THIS EXERCISE
AT OUR WORKSHOPS, BUT IT'S CALLED THE ELM DANCE.
IT'S THIS BEAUTIFUL CIRCLE DANCE WHERE PEOPLE DANCE
TO THIS SLOW SAD MUSIC THAT BECOMES MORE AND MORE JOYOUS.
AND BY THE END OF HER TIME IN CHERNOBYL,
PEOPLE WERE DANCING TOGETHER TO THE ELM DANCE.
THAT'S WHEN SHE DECIDED THIS WHOLE WORLD IS IN PAIN,
AND WE CAN BRING THIS KIND OF HEALING TRANSFORMATIVE WORK
TO PLACES ALL OVER THE WORLD.
SO, SOME OF US HAVE BEEN A TRAINER AND WE'RE BRINGING THAT
WORK TO LINCOLN THE BEST WE CAN.
BUT LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HER THEORIES
BECAUSE THEY'RE SO PERFECT FOR THIS MOMENT.
SHE SAYS THERE'S THREE GREAT STORIES BEING TOLD
IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW.
ONE OF THOSE STORIES IS BUSINESS AS USUAL.
IF WE JUST KEEP ALL THIS INDUSTRIAL GROWTH CYCLE AND
CAPITALISM MOVING ALONG AND KEEP THINGS THE WAY THEY ARE,
WE'RE IN A SOCIETY WHERE INFINITE GROWTH IS POSSIBLE,
INFINITE CONSUMERISM, INFINITE EXPANSION.
THAT'S ONE STORY, BUSINESS AS USUAL.
THE NEXT STORY IS THE GREAT UNRAVELING,
WHICH IS BASICALLY EVERYTHING IS GOING TO HELL.
EVERYTHING IS FALLING APART.
AND WE'RE WITNESSING THE END OF LIFE AS WE KNOW IT.
AND THE THIRD STORY IS THE ONE SHE IS INTERESTED IN.
AND THAT IS THE STORY OF THE GREAT TURNING AND ALL OF HER
WORK, THESE MANY YEARS, HAS BEEN TO FURTHER THE STORY OF
THE GREAT TURNING ALL OVER THE WORLD THROUGH EXERCISES.
AND I'VE BEEN TO MULTIPLE WORKSHOPS WITH JOANNA
BUT I HAPPENED TO BE AT THE LAST WORKSHOP SHE WAS AT.
BY THEN SHE WAS VERY OLD WOMAN, SHE COULDN'T SEE VERY WELL.
SHE HAD A LITTLE BRAIN DAMAGE IN THAT SHE INVITED ME AND SOME
OTHER NEBRASKANS OUT TO LUNCH AND THEN SHE FORGOT ABOUT IT
AND INVITED SOME OTHER PEOPLE OUT TO LUNCH.
AND SHE HAD A HEARING PROBLEM, WE HAD TO REALLY SHOUT
TO HEAR HER.
SO THERE WAS A WAY IN WHICH I FELT KIND OF SORRY FOR HER
AT 90 HAVING TO STILL DO THESE WORKSHOPS.
BUT WHEN SHE STARTED TALKING, SHE WAS LIKE JOHN NEIHARDT WHEN
HE STARTED TALKING AS AN OLD MAN AT LINCOLN AT THE STUDENT UNION
SOME, YOU KNOW, 30 YEARS AGO.
AMAZING.
ALL THIS STRENGTH AND POWER CAME INTO HER.
AT THE END OF THE WORKSHOP, IT WAS HER LAST WORKSHOP
AND SHE KNEW IT.
AND SHE HAD THIS PRETTY SILK SHIRT ON,
AND SHE WAS SAYING GOODBYE AND TALKING ABOUT HER WORK AND WHAT
IT MEANT ALL OVER THE WORLD, SHE HAD THESE TEARS STREAMING DOWN
HER FACE, AND SHE HAD THIS PRETTY SILK BLOUSE ON
AND IT WAS WET WITH TEARS.
AND THEN THIS WOMAN GOT UP AND STARTED SINGING
THIS BEAUTIFUL SONG.
WE SURROUNDED JOANNA.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THIS SONG SWITCHES FROM SAD TO HAPPY
AND JOANNA JUST STARTS DANCING THIS WILD FRENETIC DANCE,
AND HER FACE IS TRANSFORMED FROM SORROW TO JOY.
AND I REMEMBER THINKING, "BOY, IF I COULD DANCE AND LOOK LIKE
THAT AT 90, I WOULD LIKE TO BE DOING THE KIND OF WORK
SHE IS DOING."
THERE'S A BIG PAYOFF IN FACING YOUR GRIEF,
WORKING TO HELP THE WORLD, AND THEN CELEBRATING THE WORK
YOU'VE DONE.
BUT SHE TEACHES THERE IS THREE KINDS OF WORK TO DO NOW.
THERE IS ACTION TO SLOW THE DAMAGE THAT'S ONGOING.
NOW, THAT CAN BE THINGS LIKE WORKING WITH CLEAN ENERGY.
IT CAN BE PROTECTING FORESTS AND WETLANDS.
IT CAN BE PLANTING TREES.
IT CAN BE ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT JUST SLOW DOWN DAMAGE.
HELPING REFOREST THE AMAZON, STOPPING SOME OF
THE DANGEROUS ACTIVITIES THERE.
THE SECOND KIND OF ACTION IS THINKING NEW THINKING ABOUT
HOW TO TRANSFORM THE VERY FOUNDATIONS OF OUR COMMON LIFE.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE IS A WHOLE NEW WAY
OF THINKING ABOUT AGRICULTURE THAT TAKES THE BEST PRACTICES
FROM A LONG TIME AGO AND ADAPTS THEM TO THE WORLD
WE'RE LIVING IN RIGHT NOW.
AND WE HAVE SOME WONDERFUL PEOPLE,
GRAHAM CHRISTIANSEN COMES TO MIND,
WHO ARE WORKING ON THAT IN OUR STATE.
ALSO, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW
TO BE TELLING STORIES OF HOPE.
FOR EXAMPLE, MACY'S ESSENTIAL STORY IS WE CAN MEET OUR NEEDS
AND HAVE ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE ON THE PLANET WITHOUT DESTROYING
OUR LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM, AND FURTHERMORE,
THIS NEW WORLD WILL NOT BE ONE OF SACRIFICE BUT ONE OF
CONNECTION AND JOY.
THE OTHER THING IS, A SHIFT IN WORLDVIEW,
A PARADIGM SHIFT FROM INDIVIDUALISTIC TO A COMMUNAL
CULTURE, FROM A DISCONNECTED SENSE OF SELF TO A VERY DEEP
SENSE OF INTERCONNECTION, AND I WANTED TO TELL YOU A LITTLE
STORY ABOUT THIS THAT CAME UP WITH MY GRANDCHILDREN LONG AGO.
AT THE TIME -- THEY'RE TEENAGERS NOW.
BUT AT THE TIME THEY WERE, OH, I WOULD SAY THEY WERE ABOUT
EIGHT, SIX, AND FOUR.
AND I READ THEM THIS BOOK CALLED
"HEY, LITTLE ANT."
HAVE ANY OF YOU EVER SEEN THIS BOOK?
IT SHOWS A BOY IN A SCHOOLYARD AND THERE IS AN ANT AND HIS
FRIENDS HAVE BEEN RUNNING AROUND STOMPING ON ANTS.
AND HE'S JUST READY TO STOMP ON THIS ANT
AND THE ANT STARTS TALKING TO HIM.
AND THE ANT IS GOING, "WELL I'VE GOT A FAMILY, TOO.
AND MY FAMILY DEPENDS ON ME.
AND I LIKE MY LIFE JUST AS MUCH AS YOU LIKE YOUR LIFE.
AND WHY WOULD YOU JUST SNUFF OUT MY LIFE SO YOU COULD SHOW
THOSE BOYS YOU WERE A BULLY LIKE THEM?"
AND SO THE SONG THAT GOES WITH THIS IS THE CHORUS IS: SHOULD
THE ANT GET SQUISHED, SHOULD THE ANT GO FREE, IT'S UP TO THE KID,
NOT UP TO ME.
WE'LL LEAVE THAT KID WITH THE RAISED UP SHOE,
NOW WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT BOY SHOULD DO?
SO THAT'S WHERE I STOP THIS BOOK WITH MY GRANDCHILDREN.
I GO, "WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY
TO SQUISH AN ANT?"
WELL, THE OLDEST GIRL, KATE, GOES, "OH, NANA,
I WOULD NEVER -- I WOULD NEVER SQUISH AN ANT NOW."
AND ADEN, WHO WAS SIX AT THE TIME GOES,
"OH, NANA, I WOULDN'T EITHER.
I WOULD NOT SQUISH AN ANT NOW."
AND THE YOUNGEST ONE CLARE SAID, "WELL, NANA,"
SHE THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND SHE GOES, "NANA,
THE BEST I COULD PROMISE IS I WON'T SQUISH A TALKING ANT."
SO SHE SORT OF HAD THE IDEA, BUT SHE HAD SOME MORE DEVELOPMENT
IN HER MORAL IMAGINATION.
THE WAY MACY PUTS IT IS OUR RECOVERY DEPENDS ON
THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE BELONG TO EACH OTHER
AND ARE PART OF ONE IMMENSE HUMAN HEART.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN THE BARDO, WHICH MEANS
WE'RE BETWEEN TWO SHORES.
WE'VE LOST SIGHT OF ONE PLACE AND CANNOT YET SEE ANOTHER.
THE BARDO ALSO SIGNIFIES A GAP BETWEEN WORLD VIEWS,
WHERE CULTURAL PARADIGMS CAN CHANGE AND TRANSFORMATION
IS POSSIBLE.
THE OLD NORMAL WILL NOT RETURN, AND IN SOME WAYS THAT'S GOOD.
CAPITALISM, WESTERN CIVILIZATION IT WAS WORKING,
WAS NEITHER SUSTAINABLE NOR FAIR.
AND OUR OLD WAYS OF THINKING WILL NOT SAVE US.
AS EINSTEIN SAID, "NO PROBLEM CAN BE SOLVED BY THE SAME LEVEL
OF CONSCIOUSNESS THAT CREATED IT."
EMERGENCIES REQUIRE EMERGENT BEHAVIOR.
IN TIMES OF RAPID CHANGE, WE NEED TO SEE CREATIVITY,
CONNECTEDNESS, AND FLOURISHING.
WHAT WILL SAVE US NOW IS OUR IMAGINATIONS.
WE MUST IMAGINE A NEW FUTURE AND WE MUST IMAGINE AND WORK ON
THE TRANSITIONS THAT WILL MAKE IT POSSIBLE.
IT'S A TERRIFYING TIME, BUT IT'S A TIME TO CREATE A NEW STORY
ABOUT THE FUTURE AS RILKE SAID, "WE ARE CONCEIVING A NEW STORY.
LET US NOT SQUANDER THE PAIN OF OUR DESPAIR."
AND THERE IS A BEAUTIFUL BOOK RIGHT NOW OUT BY ROB HOPKINS
CALLED "FROM WHAT IS TO WHAT IF" IN WHICH HE ARGUES THAT OUR ONLY
LIMITS FOR BUILDING THE KIND OF WORLD WE WANT ARE THE PARAMETERS
OF THE NATURAL WORLD AND OUR IMAGINATION.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE BOMBARDED BY DOOMSDAY STORIES,
APOCALYPTIC STORIES THAT LEAVE US HOPELESS AND HELPLESS.
BUT WE CAN TELL EACH OTHER NEW STORIES ABOUT A WORLD WHERE
THINGS ACTUALLY WORK OUT OKAY.
WE CAN ONLY BUILD FUTURES WE ENVISION.
AND ONCE WE HAVE A DREAM, WE CAN PLAN THE STEPS TO REALIZE IT.
CYNICISM IS EASY.
IMAGINING THESE HOPEFUL STORIES IS AN ACT OF IMMENSE COURAGE
AND RESISTANCE.
NOW, HOPKINS DONE IT.
HE'S HEAD OF THE TRANSITION TOWN MOVEMENT,
WHICH IS ALL OVER THE WORLD NOW.
AND WHAT HE DID WITH SOME MEMBERS OF HIS OWN COMMUNITY IS
-- WHAT HE DID WITH MEMBERS OF HIS OWN COMMUNITY IS SAY,
"WHAT KIND OF TOWN WOULD WE LIKE TO LIVE IN
AND LET'S START WORKING ON IT."
AND THE FIRST THING THEY DID WAS FROM 3:00 TO 6:00 EVERY DAY,
THEY CLOSED OFF THE STREETS AFTER SCHOOL
IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO ALL THE KIDS COULD GO OUT AND PLAY AND THE NEIGHBORS
STARTED GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH EACH OTHER.
AND THE CHILDREN WERE OUT PLAYING BALL AND HIDE-AND-SEEK
INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT DEVICES.
A GOOD QUESTION CREATES UNSTOPPABLE MOMENTUM.
HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF A QUESTION I LIKE RIGHT NOW.
WHAT IF LINCOLN DECIDED TO BECOME A TRANSITION TOWN?
AND SOME OF US ARE ALREADY ENVISIONING THAT.
DEALING WITH GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE IS AN ETHICS PROBLEM.
IT REQUIRES NEW VALUES AND NEW WAYS OF THINKING.
IF WE DO NOT EXPAND OUR MORAL IMAGINATIONS,
WE WILL DESTROY OURSELVES.
HEALING WILL INVOLVE REWEAVING THE MOST SACRED AND PRIMAL
OF CONNECTIONS.
INTERCONNECTION CAN BE SEEN AS A SPIRITUAL BELIEF
ESPECIALLY IN BUDDHISM.
AS THICH NHAT HANH SAYS, "WE INTER-ARE."
BUT IT'S ALSO A SCIENTIFIC FACT.
JEREMY RIFKIN WRITES, "WE ARE LEARNING THAT THE EARTH
FUNCTIONS LIKE AN INVISIBLE ORGANISM.
WE ARE THE VARIOUS CELLS OF ONE LIVING BEING.
THOSE WHO WORK TO SAVE THE EARTH ARE ITS ANTIBODIES.
WE'RE ALL CONNECTED NOW, WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT.
COVID HAS TAUGHT US THAT.
A BAT BITES A PANGOLIN IN WUHAN AND THE WHOLE WORLD
GOES INTO FREE FALL.
AT CORE A STRONG SENSE FOR OUR INTERCONNECTION
IS A SURVIVAL STRATEGY."
GREGORY BATESON SAID, "THE UNIT OF SURVIVAL IS THE ORGANISM
AND HIS OR HER ENVIRONMENT.
IN OUR GREAT HOMINID JOURNEY, NOBODY REALLY KNOWS
WHAT TIME IT IS.
WE COULD BE AT ITS END OR AT THE BEGINNING OF A GREAT
AND GLORIOUS TURNING TOWARDS RECONNECTION AND HOLD-NESS.
TO BUILD A WORLD THAT WORKS, WE NEED A GIANT LEAP FORWARD
IN OUR COLLECTIVE MORAL IMAGINATION.
AMERICA IS IN A CRUCIBLE MOMENT.
IF WE CAN KEEP FEAR FROM STOPPING US,
WE CAN STEP INTO A NEW WORLD.
WE ARE NOT WITHOUT RESOURCES.
WE HAVE OUR INTELLIGENCE, HUMOR, AND COMPASSION,
OUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS AND OUR ANCESTRY OF RESILIENT SURVIVORS.
WE CAN BE RESTORED."
SO LET US SAVE AND SAVOR THE WORLD TOGETHER.
I THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
I WISH YOU WELL ON YOUR JOURNEY.
I WISH YOU VITALITY AND HOPE.
AND LONG AND HAPPY LIVES.
LET'S CHANGE THE WORLD TOGETHER.
THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU.
>> IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR MARY,
PLEASE SUBMIT QUESTIONS VIA TEXT AGAIN AT ENT918 TO 22333.
OR BY GOING TO POLLEV.COM/ENT918.
MARY, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
YOUR MESSAGE OF HOPE ESPECIALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC
WAS WONDERFUL.
>> THANK YOU.
>> YOU SPOKE SO HOPEFULLY AND LOVINGLY ABOUT
YOUR GRANDCHILDREN.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THEM OR THEIR PEERS?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK CHILDREN MAKE GREAT ACTIVISTS.
THEY REALLY WANT TO BE HELPFUL AND THEY LOVE TO BE OF USE.
EVERYBODY WHO KNOWS A 3-YEAR-OLD KNOWS HOW MUCH THEY WANT TO HAVE
A TOY LAWNMOWER TO GO OUT AND HELP DAD OR MOM MOW THE YARD.
MY OWN EXPERIENCES CHILDREN MAKE WONDERFUL TESTIFIERS.
WHEN WE'VE GONE TO SEE THE GOVERNOR IN A MEETING TO ASK HIM
FOR SOMETHING, WE ALWAYS TAKE A BABY ALONG.
OUR YOUNGEST ACTIVIST WAS A 2-YEAR-OLD WE CALLED BABY BOB,
AND BABY BOB WAS IN OUR VIDEOS.
HE WENT WITH US.
THIS SUMMER DURING COVID, I WAS TALKING, MY GRANDSON,
ONE OF MY GRANDSONS LIVES IN CANADA, AND HE'S TEN.
AND I WAS TALKING TO HIM ABOUT WRITING A STORY TOGETHER.
AND I SAID, "LET'S TAKE TURNS WRITING A LINE.
I'LL WRITE THE FIRST LINE, AND YOU WRITE THE SECOND.
AND WE'LL JUST WRITE A STORY WHILE WE VISIT TODAY."
SO I START OUT WITH A LINE THAT, OF COURSE,
I STOLE FROM CHARLES DICKENS BUT I THOUGHT IT'S A GENERATIVE LINE
FOR A STORY.
I GO, "IT WAS THE BEST OF TIMES, IT WAS THE WORST OF TIMES.
A POOR BOY LIVED IN A LITTLE HUT IN A POOR PART OF LONDON,
AND ANOTHER BOY WAS THE SON OF A KING AND LIVED IN A PALACE."
AND SO NOW IT'S YOUR TURN FOR THE NEXT SENTENCE.
AND MY GRANDSON SAID, "AND THE POOR BOY
FOUND A CURE FOR COVID."
IT WAS VERY TOUCHING, BECAUSE IT SHOWS HOW MUCH HE WOULD LIKE TO
HAVE BEEN THAT HERO AND HOW THAT'S WHAT A HEROIC
10-YEAR-OLD BOY WOULD DO, FIND A CURE FOR COVID.
>> WOW.
THAT'S AMAZING.
MARY, THE STORIES YOU REGALED US WITH THIS EVENING MAKE IT JUST
RAISE SO MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE THINGS YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED.
MAYBE IT'S THE PIPELINE, BUT WHAT DO YOU FEEL IS
YOUR GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IN THIS ACTIVISM?
>> WELL, I'LL TELL YOU, I THINK THE GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT
FOR ANYONE IS BEING ABLE TO GET ALONG WITH ALL THE PEOPLE
IN NEBRASKA, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO GET ALONG WITH
DIVERSE FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
YOU KNOW, ANYBODY WHO IS A PARENT KNOWS
ONE OF YOUR GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS IS IF
YOU RAISE CHILDREN THAT END UP LIKING YOU.
BUT IN TERMS OF JUST SPECIFICALLY ACTIVISM,
I WOULD SAY I FEEL MY GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT HAS BEEN BEING
A MEMBER OF THIS BELOVED COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE LIKE ME
WHO WANT TO MAKE LINCOLN AND THE STATE A BETTER PLACE.
AND JUST -- THERE ARE NO PEOPLE MORE INTERESTING OR FUN
TO HANG OUT WITH THAN ACTIVISTS.
AND BECAUSE OF THE WORK I'VE CHOSEN TO DO ALL MY LIFE,
I'VE HAD THE LIFE-LONG EXPERIENCE OF BEING AROUND
PEOPLE LIKE THAT.
AND SO IT'S WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE FOR ME.
>> THANK YOU.
AND NOW QUESTION FROM OUR ONLINE POLL.
IN THESE DIFFICULT TIMES, MARY, HOW DO WE DEAL WITH
THE DESPAIR WE FEEL?
>> WELL, OF COURSE, I JUST GAVE A SPEECH ABOUT THAT,
DIDN'T I, IN A WAY.
I SAID THAT THE ANECDOTE TO DESPAIR IS ACTION.
BUT I THINK IT'S A GOOD QUESTION BECAUSE I'M GOING TO PUT ON MY
PSYCHOLOGIST HAT FOR A MINUTE AND SAY THAT FIRST OF ALL,
WE CAN'T DEAL WITH OUR DESPAIR BY NUMBING OURSELVES OUT.
WE CAN'T ENTERTAIN IT AWAY.
WE CAN'T DRINK IT AWAY.
WE CAN'T FACETIME IT AWAY.
ULTIMATELY, THE HEALTHY WAY TO DEAL WITH DESPAIR IS TO SIT WITH
IT AND TO FACE IT, AND TO FEEL IT IN OUR BODIES AND THEN TO
SHARE OUR GRIEF WITH PEOPLE WHO CAN LISTEN TO US AND WHO CAN
SHARE THEIR GRIEF WITH US.
AND THERE'S A TREMENDOUS POWER IN TALKING AND LISTENING TO
OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT YOUR GRIEF.
NOT NECESSARILY FOR A LONG TIME, LIKE ONE OF THE TRICKS I LEARNED
AT JOANNA MACY'S WORKSHOPS IS IF YOU SIT DOWN WITH ANOTHER PERSON
AND LOOK IN THEIR EYES FOR FIVE MINUTES,
AND THEN YOU DROP DOWN INTO YOUR HEART,
AND YOU TELL THEM HOW YOU'RE FEELING IN YOUR HEART,
AND THEY DO NOTHING BUT LISTEN, AND THEN YOU LISTEN TO THEM
WHILE THEY DO THE SAME THING, YOU'VE SPENT TEN MINUTES TALKING
ABOUT YOUR DEEPEST FEELINGS.
AND THEN YOU CAN MOVE ON TO THE WEATHER OR WHAT'S FOR DINNER
OR WHATEVER.
BUT YOU'VE DONE SOME HONEST FACING OF YOUR GRIEF AND
IT'S TREMENDOUSLY HELPFUL RATHER THAN JUST SMASHING IT DOWN.
IN FACT, IF YOU FACE IT, THEN YOU HAVE HOPEFULLY THE ENERGY
FOR SOME VITALITY.
WHAT GIVES ME THE MOST ENERGY RIGHT NOW IS THE NATURAL WORLD
CONNECTION TO OTHER PEOPLE, AND HEARING STORIES OF HOPE.
AND SO I'M READING STORIES OF HOPE.
I'M WORKING WITH PEOPLE WHENEVER I CAN THAT ARE
TELLING STORIES OF HOPE.
AND LIKE RIGHT NOW I WAS SAYING IN THE SPEECH
I HAVE A REALLY INTERESTING QUESTION.
WHAT IF SOME OF US IN THIS COMMUNITY DECIDED TO MAKE
LINCOLN A TRANSITION TOWN WHERE PLAY WAS CREATIVE AND WONDERFUL
FOR CHILDREN, WHERE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WORKED TO FOSTER THE
IMAGINATION, WHERE WORK WAS MEANINGFUL FOR ADULTS,
WHERE WE'RE EATING LOCAL FOOD AND USING LOCAL ENERGY,
WHERE WE LIVED IN A GREEN AND VERDANT TOWN WHERE PEOPLE
TALKED TO EACH OTHER?
THAT WOULD BE A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO LIVE.
AND I THINK IT'S WITHIN OUR REACH.
SO I LIKE MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION
AFTER I FACED MY OWN GRIEF.
>> THAT'S MY VISION OF LINCOLN.
THANKS FOR DESCRIBING IT SO ELOQUENTLY.
WE TALK A LOT ABOUT THE NEW NORMAL.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OR HOPE THE NEW NORMAL LOOKS LIKE?
MAYBE YOU ALREADY DESCRIBED PART OF IT.
>> WELL, I LIKE THE LANGSTON HUGHES' QUOTE
"IN DREAMS BEGIN RESPONSIBILITY."
AND I THINK THE NEW NORMAL WILL REQUIRE A GREAT DEAL OF
CREATIVE IMAGINATION AND WORKING TOGETHER.
THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF INERTIA IN THIS COUNTRY
AND THERE IS ALSO A GREAT DEAL OF RESISTANCE TO CHANGE.
WE'VE SEEN IT WITH THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT OVER AND OVER
AGAIN THROUGH THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY.
AND WE'RE ALREADY SEEING IT THIS SUMMER WHERE BLACK LIVES MATTERS
WAS A VERY POPULAR MOVEMENT WITH MASSIVE SUPPORT.
AND AS THERE IS AGITATION FROM THE RIGHT,
SUGGESTING THAT PEOPLE INVOLVED ARE RIOTERS AND MOBSTERS,
THAT SUPPORT IS FALLING AWAY.
AND SO IT TAKES A GREAT DEAL OF COURAGE AND ENERGY AND
IMAGINATION TO SAY, "I'M GOING TO STEP UP AND WORK FOR MY
VISION OF WHAT A GOOD WORLD WOULD LOOK LIKE."
I MEAN, FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF MY IDEAS ABOUT A WORLD IS WE WOULD
SPEND MUCH LESS TIME ON DEVICES
AND MORE TIME WORKING TOGETHER FOR CHANGE.
AND MORE TIME ENJOYING EACH OTHER.
I DON'T THINK THE NEW WORLD I WANT TO LIVE IN IS LESS JOYFUL
THAN THE OLD WORLD.
I THINK IT'S MORE JOYFUL.
I THINK THERE'S MORE COMMUNAL ACTIVITY.
THERE'S MORE LOCAL EVENTS EVERYTHING FROM MUSIC AND ART TO
FESTIVALS AND POETRY READINGS AND THE FARMERS ARE AGAIN
WORKING AT FARMING IN A WAY THAT THEY TRULY ENJOY.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BED AT NIGHT WONDERING IF
THEY'RE GOING TO GO BROKE.
SO I CAN SEE A NEW NORMAL THAT IS A REALLY FLOURISHING WORLD.
THE WORST NEW NORMAL FOR ME WOULD BE A SORT OF
EVISCERATED PATHETIC VERSION OF THE OLD NORMAL,
JUST COMING BACK WITH LESS OF EVERYTHING AS OPPOSED TO
MOVING INTO A NEW STORY OF WHAT OUR LIVES COULD BE.
>> NEXT QUESTION WITH APOLOGIES FOR READING IT FROM A DEVICE
ALTHOUGH IT'S JUST A TOOL, RIGHT,
FROM ONE OF THOSE LIVE PEOPLE IN YOUR AUDIENCE TONIGHT.
WHAT DO YOU ADMIRE OR WORRY ABOUT IN THE YOUNG GENERATION'S
ACTIVISM IN TODAY'S WORLD?
>> I WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE AND ACTIVISM.
WHEN OUR GROUP STARTED, WE HAD A TOTALLY BIMODAL DISTRIBUTION OF
MEMBERS BECAUSE PEOPLE THAT ARE RAISING CHILDREN LIKE BETWEEN,
SAY, 35 AND 50 OR 55, THEY'RE TOO BUSY TO BE ACTIVISTS
A LOT OF TIMES.
THEY'VE GOT LITTLE KIDS.
THEY'VE WORKING.
THEY'RE TRYING TO ARRANGE EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, INSURANCE,
AND HOUSE PAYMENTS AND CAR PAYMENTS.
PEOPLE IN THEIR 20s HAVE SOMETIMES A LOT OF ENERGY
FOR SOCIAL CHANGE.
SO DO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
AND PEOPLE AGAIN MY AGE WHO ARE RETIRED OR MOVING TOWARDS
RETIREMENT, WE HAVE A LOT OF ENERGY, TOO,
BECAUSE WE'RE THINKING ABOUT OUR GRANDCHILDREN.
WE'RE THINKING ABOUT HOW WE WANT MORE THAN SEVEN GENERATIONS
OF FUTURE PEOPLE TO BE HAPPY.
SO OUR GROUP WAS A BEAUTIFUL CONFLUENCE OF YOUNG PEOPLE
WHO AMONG OTHER THINGS REALLY UNDERSTOOD THE USE OF
SOCIAL MEDIA AND GETTING TOGETHER CROWDS AND FLASH MOBS
AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
AND THEN OLDER PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO HAD SOME ACCESS TO RESOURCES
THAT A LOT OF YOUNGER --LIKE A BIG ENOUGH HOUSE I COULD HAVE
A LOT OF PEOPLE OVER AND COOK A BIG MEAL,
OR A FEW PHONE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE IN POWER I COULD CALL
AND TALK TO ABOUT THINGS ON BEHALF OF OUR GROUP.
SO I THINK THAT MY OWN EXPERIENCE OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE
I KNOW, THAT'S NOT A RANDOM SAMPLING,
IS THEY'RE DEEPLY IDEALISTIC AND ENGAGED.
THIS MORNING I MET WITH UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
AND WE DID AN EXERCISE WHERE WE ALL IMAGINED A WORLD
IN 20 YEARS THAT WORKED.
AND THEN EACH STUDENT STEPPED INTO THAT WORLD
AND IMAGINED IT AND TALKED ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD BE.
AND EVERY STUDENT, THEIR IDEAS FOR THE KIND OF WORLD
THEY WANTED TO LIVE IN, WERE SO BEAUTIFUL.
I HOPE THEY WORK FOR THAT WORLD.
>> THANK YOU.
MAYBE YOU SHARED THIS WITH THOSE HONOR STUDENTS TODAY, MARY,
BUT WHAT THREE SKILLS DO YOU THINK ARE MOST IMPORTANT
FOR BEING AN ACTIVIST?
>> I THINK THE WORLD HAS A PLACE FOR EVERY HUMAN GIFT.
I THINK FOR EXAMPLE ONE OF THE SKILLS IS BEING ABLE TO
THINK ABOUT A LONG GAME.
AND TO REALLY BE FOCUSED ON GOOD PROCESS ALL THE TIME.
AND NOT BE VERY FOCUSED ON OUTCOME.
BECAUSE IN MANY SITUATIONS WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER OUTCOME.
ANOTHER SKILL I THINK IS REALLY GOOD IS JUST BEING A WARM LOVING
PERSON WHO CAN SHOW UP AND BE KIND TO EVERYBODY
AND BE POSITIVE ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE.
BUT WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE.
WE HAVE SOME INTROVERTS THAT ARE EXCELLENT AT DOING
CERTAIN THINGS.
I'M TERRIBLE AT CERTAIN THINGS.
I'M GLAD IN OUR GROUP THERE IS SOMEBODY WHO CAN HANDLE
SPREADSHEETS AND ENERGY STATISTICS FOR L.E.S.,
FOR EXAMPLE.
SO I DON'T THINK IT'S LIKE WHAT ARE THE THREE MOST
IMPORTANT SKILLS.
I THINK IT'S A MATTER OF EACH PERSON SAYING WHAT IS IT
THAT I HAVE TO OFFER?
AND THAT'S WHAT I'LL GIVE TO
WHATEVER CAUSE I'M MOST DEVOTED TO.
>> THANK YOU.
AS DR. McMAHON TOLD US EARLIER, THE THOMPSON FORUM THIS YEAR
IS ABOUT LEADERSHIP AND HOPE.
WHAT COMES TO MIND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT
THOSE CHARACTERISTICS?
>> THIS COUNTRY IS FULL OF WONDERFUL LEADERS
AND OF COURSE JOHN LEWIS WE JUST LOST.
THERE'S BEEN SO MANY AND I'M THINKING MOSTLY RIGHT AT THIS
MOMENT OF LEADERS FROM THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
AND BLACK MOVEMENT.
BUT THERE'S BEEN WONDERFUL LABOR LEADERS OVER TIME.
I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR THE EARLY WOMEN SUFFRAGETTES WHO
WERE LOCKED UP AND SPIT ON AND CALLED ALL KINDS OF NAMES AND
ACCUSED OF TRYING TO DESTROY THE FAMILY AND BEING SEXLESS OR
BEING MONSTERS, AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A LONG THREAD
IN THIS COUNTRY OF PEOPLE LIKE WALT WHITMAN FOR EXAMPLE WHO
DURING THE CIVIL WAR WORKED IN HOSPITALS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
TAKING CARE OF WOUNDED SOLDIERS AND WORKED VERY HARD
TO PROMOTE CARE FOR WOUNDED SOLDIERS.
HARRIET BEECHER STOWE WHO WROTE "UNCLE TOM'S CABIN."
THERE'S WONDERFUL WRITERS, THERE'S ALL THESE MUSICIANS,
THERE'S ARTISTS, THERE'S POLITICAL LEADERS,
AND THERE'S COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS,
SO THERE IS SO MANY WAYS PEOPLE CAN BE A REALLY GOOD LEADER.
MY FAVORITE WORLD LEADERS RIGHT NOW ARE JOANNA MACY WHO I THINK
HAS MADE AN ENORMOUS DIFFERENCE IN THE WAY PEOPLE ALL OVER
THE WORLD THINK ABOUT MOTHER EARTH.
I ALSO AM EXTREMELY FOND OF THICH NHAT HAHN AND
HIS TEACHINGS ABOUT INNER BEING AND INNER PEACE
AND OUTER PEACE BEING VERY CONNECTED.
I REALLY LIKE THE PRESIDENT OF NEW ZEALAND.
I CAN'T REMEMBER HER NAME RIGHT NOW BUT SHE HAS BEEN
SUCH A BREATH OF FRESH AIR IN LEADERSHIP.
WHENEVER SHE SPEAKS I JUST THINK,
"OH, WHAT A WONDERFUL LEADER.
WHAT AN EMPATHIC, KIND, VISIONARY PERSON SHE IS."
>> WONDERFUL.
MANY OF OUR VIEWERS THIS EVENING ARE ASKING ABOUT A RECIPE FOR
THAT DEEP-DISH PIE, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT
FOR THAT, MARY.
>> I COULDN'T BAKE A PIE LIKE THAT.
THAT'S NOT ONE OF MY SKILLS.
>> PIES AND SPREADSHEETS, RIGHT?
TELL US SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS YOU'VE LEARNED
WHILE DOING YOUR WORK HERE IN NEBRASKA.
>> WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS I REALLY LIKE ABOUT NEBRASKANS
IS THERE ARE HUMBLE PEOPLE.
LIKE FOR EXAMPLE ONE OF THE JOKES WE HAVE IS
WHENEVER ACTIVISTS GET IN THE CAR WE ALL COMPETE TO SIT
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BACK SEAT.
"OH, I LIKE THE MIDDLE OF THE BACK SEAT.
YOU SIT IN THE FRONT SEAT."
AND YOU KNOW, WE DON'T REALLY LIKE A BIG FUSS
BEING MADE OVER US.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN REALLY BEAUTIFUL
FOR ME TO SEE IS ALL THE REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS,
ALL THE PEOPLE WHO CAME FROM VERY DIFFERENT PLACES AND
DECIDED THEY LIKED EACH OTHER AND COULD GET ALONG
AND WORK TOGETHER.
AND NOW, FOR EXAMPLE, I KNOW QUITE A FEW PEOPLE IN WESTERN
COMMUNITIES THAT I CALL MY FRIENDS THAT I WOULD NEVER
HAVE MET IF WE HADN'T WORKED TOGETHER ON THE PIPELINE
SO THAT'S BEEN REALLY NICE.
ANOTHER THING ABOUT NEBRASKA, THEY'RE NOT A PRETENTIOUS PEOPLE
IN ANY WAY.
MOST PEOPLE USE SIMPLE LANGUAGE.
THEY USE A LOT OF HUMOR AND STORIES.
AND IT'S A PLACE WHERE IF YOU ASK SOMEONE FOR HELP,
IT'S ALMOST NEVER YOU GET TOLD NO.
IF YOU ASK SOMEONE FOR HELP IN NEBRASKA,
NO MATTER WHAT KIND OF HELP YOU ASK, THEY'RE LIKELY TO SAY SURE,
I'LL GIVE YOU SOME HELP.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO LIVE.
>> MARY, ONE OF THE THINGS WE SAY MOST ON THIS CAMPUS IS
THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE NEBRASKA.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST REASONS IS BECAUSE YOU'RE HERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU ALL FRIENDS WHO CAME TONIGHT.
THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU.
>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING TONIGHT'S
E.N. THOMPSON FORUM AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, MARY.
I HOPE TO SEE YOU THREE WEEKS FROM TONIGHT ON SEPTEMBER 22nd
WHEN WE HOST WORLD-RENOWNED PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN, SPEAKER,
AND PULITZER-PRIZE WINNING BEST-SELLING AUTHOR
DORIS KEARNS GOODWIN VIA LIVE STREAM.
HAVE A NICE EVENING AND STAY SAFE.
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