Our Sign In the Window
Last month Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney gave a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos. It made one long for the days of eloquence in American speech-giving. Regardless, here’s an excerpt:
"Every morning, this shopkeeper places a sign in his window: 'Workers of the world, unite!' He doesn't believe it. No one does. But he places the sign anyway to avoid trouble, to signal compliance, to get along... The system's power comes not from its truth, but from everyone's willingness to perform as if it were true. And its fragility comes from the same source: when even one person stops performing—when the greengrocer removes his sign—the illusion begins to crack. Friends, it is time for companies and countries to take their signs down."
Several years ago, there was a big kerfuffle in Southeast Portland when a gang that included the least liked person you know showed up at a Hispanic church to harangue and threaten folks as they were leaving service. That really fired Janet up. She showed up at that church the next week, ready to rumble, but more so to create a safety corridor. It was then that she got this sign.
I disapproved. We only have so much room for grief in a business like ours and I’m in charge of producing it. I felt infringed upon. Nonetheless, as is true whenever it matters, Janet persisted and the sign was posted in our window. There was a bit of a stink.
A few hitherto good customers quit us cold. I whined about it online and we picked up a handful of sympathetic new customers. I did note however that this nascent handful spent quite a bit less than our intolerant ex-patrons.
Nonetheless, these slogans have become magical thinking. The sign needs to go.
These disgruntled few didn’t necessarily disagree with most of the sign’s declarations, usually just “Women Are In Charge Of Their Bodies.” What they really disagreed with is that we willfully and inappropriately chose to brand ourselves as people opposed to the tenets of their tribe.
Why Am I Talking About This?
We were recently rocked. Carlos has been working at BT for over a decade. He’s our ‘family member’ that knits us all together. We love Carlos. He has a job for life. Carlos is a father and a family man. Thirty years ago, Carlos learned to wade when his parents risked all to create a better life. A few weeks ago, ICE hauled Carlos’ elder father out of his car on his way home from work. There was no warrant, no probable cause. They weren’t even looking for him. He was j ust driving while brown, heading home from work. The agency began shipping Carlos’ dad to various states on a path to deportation. There was no way to find him. No way to help. Again, there was no warrant, no criminal record. Just 30 years of paying taxes into a system that will never offer him a return on the investment. (You can view his family’s Gofundme account here. Please consider donating.)
Sure, we’ve all been upset with the news and the images. It’s adds perspective though when it strikes home. It’s real.
Shared Values
I am reminded of a story shared by Dr. Philip Robert (“The Natural Step”) using the imagery of a Great Oak to illustrate how human systems can find alignment amidst chaos. It is a lesson in moving from the complexity of individual perspectives to the simplicity of shared principles.
Imagine our community as a massive, ancient oak tree.
The Leaves: The Level of Diversity
At the very tips of the branches are the leaves. As individuals we are like leaves at the end of the branches. As the wind blows and the sun shines we flutter and shimmer. We occur in context of our differences.
The Twigs and Branches: The Level of Exchange
As we travel and move into the twigs and branches we form the means of exchange. Here we work on How but often get hung up on Why. It is our task to keep making our way to find that which we share. Sometimes it’s easy. Sometimes not.
The Trunk: The Level of Shared Values
Finally, the trunk. Here we find common ground on issues like safety, dignity, care of children and elderly, pursuit of happiness, etc. We meet the meaning and purpose of life in this state of human evolution when we climb behind the eyes of they with whom you most disagree and find the truth of their perspective. But… that’s just me.
I Want a New Sign
In Our Community
We use values as touchstones for communication.
We lean into empathy in order to gain greater perspective
We use the ridiculous as fodder for humor
We are okay with silence; often preferring it
We value the insights of those with whom we disagree.
We want you to own us. We want to be your place to meet, associated with your fondest memories. In almost seventeen years we have raised families, lost dear friends and seen it all.
If I get a chance to have dinner with my boys, my sister, even Janet… it’s a darned special occasion. It’s an event. I wish we had an Experience Concierge to float around and dig for ways to make every visit a lifetime memory.
Politics - Not
Courtesy of AniPixels
Politics is currently the pig in the gunnysack, and as it meaninglessly squeals and squirms, it gets all the attention. This is rant is apolitical. We rely on the true tenet that in community life, economic life, none of us can do for ourselves. Those who fundamentally understand our mutuality will endeavor to ensure all links in the chain are thriving.
The customers complain what the baker charges; the baker bemoans the miller while the miller can’t believe what they pay the farmer; and all of them complain about the truck driver. Yet, if one link of that chain breaks, they all fail.
Societally speaking, it doesn’t look like things will be running smoothly anytime soon. Things – whatever ‘things’ are – could get wobbly before they get better. It even seems kind of likely.
Our Goal
We want to be this neighborhood’s sanctuary. We surround you with competent linguists with whom to communicate and express your wishes. There are no scripts; only standards. There are talented people you seldom see creating a great meal for you, every time. Everybody else are simply your team of experience concierges.
Your Role
If you want to join your neighbors as a co-owner of Bethany’s Table, all you need to do is show up. The Public House went down. The sushi shop closed. The truth is that we need to be busy all the time in order to succeed. It’s kind of not feasible to hit all the marks and not get paid premium pricing. It seems like we charge plenty and have rebuilt the menu to be more inclusive. Our special events and private dining sustain us. Radii Pi is getting its footing. The bar is rip-roaring. All we need is you.
