Sisters learning to "Speak Your Peace'

Watch television news, look at photographs from Roseburg during the President's visit, listen to testimony at public meetings, read letters to the editor, or scan your Facebook page. It won't take long to find recurrent examples of the uptick in negative civil discourse issues locally, statewide, and nationally.

Over the course of the past few years here in Sisters, people have been distressed over bullying of and by public officials, rude comments and hurtful accusations made publicly in Nugget letters to the editor. Lawsuits are threatened in place of working toward compromise. Headlines in The Bulletin label happenings in Sisters as hostile and litigious, a reputation that is distressing many in the community. There has developed a sense of helplessness and hopelessness among a number of ordinary citizens as to what can be done to change the polarization and rancor over so many issues.

The Sisters City Council and interested citizens heard a presentation last Thursday on a program called Speak Your Peace: A Civility Project (SYP), thanks to Councilor Amy Burgstahler, who brought the program to the Council's attention.

Begun 12 years ago in Minnesota by the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation, SYP is a community resource for building civic engagement. The program provides nine tools of civility to employ when discussing community issues.

The purpose of the project is to teach and remind people how to communicate in a more respectful and effective way. It is not a campaign to end disagreements. Rather, the goal is to improve public discourse by simply reminding everyone of the very basic principles of respect. By elevating the level of communication and avoiding personal attacks and general stubbornness, unhealthy debate can be avoided.

When a community decides to adopt the SYP program, there is every attempt made to get as many organizations, businesses, civic groups, schools, and governmental bodies as possible to sign a resolution accepting the nine tools of civility.

Trainings and materials are provided to help the program succeed.

The introductory presentation last Thursday was given by Sisters resident Lisa Dobey, executive director of the St. Charles Foundation. She served for 13 years as the CEO of the Tahoe-Truckee Community Foundation, where they reportedly utilized the SYP with great success.

Dobey emphasized that a community dialog that is abusive and contemptuous, charged with personal attacks, a negative tone, and full of vitriol, will tear a town apart with mistrust and polarization. People feel uncomfortable to volunteer and hesitate to speak their minds for fear of ridicule and retaliation. Businesses and visitors begin to dwindle, investments in the city decrease, and the economic vitality of the community falters.

By changing attitudes and communication styles, practicing respect and civility, and advocating for the community and not tearing it down, citizens will again feel safe to engage in community activities, run for public office, and enjoy living where everyone feels heard and respected.

The goal is not to silence the naysayers, who Dobey believes are acting out of fear and frustration that they aren't being heard. Instead, as the community incorporates the nine tools for practicing civility, citizens take it upon themselves to convey, "I want to hear what you have to say, but the way you are saying it makes it difficult for me to hear

you."

Dobey also believes that local newspapers can set standards of civility for letters to the editor.

Dobey pointed out that SYP "doesn't solve all the problems of a community, but it moves you forward... It is not an inoculation that protects you forever. It is more like eating a healthy diet for life."

Council will discuss the project further and decide if this would be a good undertaking for Sisters. To share your thoughts, contact any of the councilors on their City email, found on the City website, www.ci.sisters.or.us. More information is available at www.dsaspeakyourpeace.org.