From the Civic Preparedness discussion list.
------------------------------
Dear friends:
This is a group with no leader by design, we all lead by example. I am concerned by some of the examples that we are setting. The following, part preaching and part praying, is offered as a way to help us succeed. Please take it as that. In the past I have offended some of our participants when I have given similar messages. I have kept my piece but can no more.
First let's find a center. While there is not such thing as true consensus, I think it is safe to say that most of us that have gathered here on civicprep (145 of us and many recent leavers and joiners), on the conference calls, and elsewhere in cyberspace, are trying, in one way or another, to promote community preparedness. We are trying to fill the leadership void on this issue. I think that it is also safe to postulate that: if our leaders were doing more, then we would have less concern.
However, national leaders are clearly not taking charge of Y2K preparedness. The Red Cross and FEMA seem unwilling to make any concerted public relations blitz, the official White House "long holiday weekend" version has gravely disappointed us all.
While we are truly a diverse group, I think that we share one primary concern - to get people to take Y2K seriously enough to prepare. We are trying to do that through outreach, awareness, information sharing, working with the media, sending messages to leaders, etc. Our biggest challenge is being taken seriously. Some of us have unfortunately been ridiculed and marginalized in the past and we can expect more of this in the future.
Along the way to achieving our goals, we need to consider what people need to hear, how they hear it, and how they will perceive us and our efforts. Our continuing efforts will be contrasted with national efforts. The media will ask - why are we so far apart? We may be considered alarmists - they are going to cause people to panic! It could get even worse.
I do not want to criticize anyone here. But this has to be said. We need to get focused, maintain credibility, and avoid acting like anything close to the labels of fruitcakes, kooks or scare mongers that may be used against us. Many of us (me included) do not want to be painted with this brush and are concerned about guilt by association.
The point that I am leading up to here is this: Y2K is a big enough risk based on what we know and have on the record. At this late date, we don't need to get bogged down with other issues. While this list is open to any and all opinions and will remain a bastion of free speech and free
information sharing, I would ask that we try to refrain from becoming embroiled in sensational and unsubstantiated stories or in other public concern issues. I ask that we not seek to find fault and conspiracy at every turn.
We need to look like, sound like, and act like, the group of dedicated and responsible people that we are. We are serious people who are seriously concerned and are taking serious actions. We will fail horribly if we look, sound, or act like chicken littles, conspiracy theorists, or any other type of negative image that you can imagine.
All I want is for us to be successful. I do not want to be divisive, I want us to stay together. I know from experience that we lose participants when our message becomes shrill or panicked or voluminous. If we are to be successful we need to stick together and stay focused. If we can't we can't but we need to try.
BTW, although tempted, I will not quit, shut-up, or disengage. However, if embarrassed by those I associate with -- I will disassociate. I don't want that, I want to see us focus and "work the problem".
Respectfully,
Steve Davis
http://www.DavisLogic.com/
-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), November 19, 1999