When All Hell Breaks Loose (12 page)

When things get out of control, the Rainbows have their own formal security force called
Shanti-Sena
(which means "peace doers" in Sanskrit) formed of individuals with much experience in the art of mediation. However, everyone is encouraged and expected to
be
Shanti-Sena. In other words, self-governance of human appetites and desires and a basic altruistic outlook for fellow Rainbow folks eliminates a lot of unnecessary drama in the first place. They work to deal with the cause rather than the effect of an issue. The motivation is for an individual or group gathered around an incident to focus upon and work toward a peaceful resolution for all.

Many other groups work for the common good of the Rainbow Family Tribe, including the Legal Liaison group, dedicated to modern legal matters; All Ways Free, the Family newspaper that compiles essays, stories, letters, poems, and art; Co-Operations, who conduct most of the day-to-day business; Supply, which takes in all food and materials donated to the many kitchens; Front Gate, the group that greets several thousand attendees with the common mantra, "Welcome home"; Bus Village, for those who come in campers or live-in buses or vans either part time or year-round; Kid Village, a place for children to find other children as well as for nursing moms and pregnant women, or those who need a babysitter; and the Trading Circle, where various crafts are traded for other goods—no money allowed.

Whew! And after the gathering is over, the amazing clean-up party commences, in which the camp is drawn inward from the perimeters to one central camp. Campsites and kitchens are dismantled, compost pits and latrines are filled and covered, logs, rocks, and branches are scattered, campsites are strewn with grass and leaves, fire pits are put out and cleaned, hard-packed ground is broken up with a pick and shovel, bare spots are reseeded, and potential erosion areas are shored up. All traces of the Rainbow Family presence are removed and the site is returned to its natural state.

The Art of Consensus Decision-Making

"I
F YOU GET TO THINKIN' YOU'RE A PERSON OF SOME INFLUENCE, TRY ORDERIN' SOMEBODY ELSE'S DOG AROUND
."

—O
LD COUNTRY SAYING

 

True consensus decision-making revolves around an environment of trust where everyone suffers or gains alike from the decision. It's ancient in its design and hearkens back to our early ancestors who lived in small tribes or clans. In many tribes of many cultures, the head man or woman was the one who set the example by working the hardest and giving the most back to the clan out of altruistic generosity. Those leaders were "elected" and followed for their natural talents, honesty, and leadership abilities—not for how much money they could raise from self-serving donors.

While decisions will not always meet with everyone's complete agreement, many decisions can be made acceptable so that everyone is at least willing to go along with the choice. In essence, a single person's proposal will naturally change as it becomes everyone's consensus. Consensus decisions are based upon a willingness to drop individual "will" in support of the larger family or scheme of things. The individual agrees to get out of the way of the process for the greater good of the whole.

All participants should pay attention and gently watch the process unfold. It's the duty of all to raise objections to a consensus that is not in the best interest of the family. Don't take things personally if someone raises an objection to your point of view. It's not the person raising a concern that blocks the consensus, but the concern itself, once all participants recognize it as everyone's concern.

Consensus decisions enable the group to take advantage of all of the members' ideas, which in combination can create a higher-quality, better-thought-out decision, in comparison to hiding behind an unexplained vote or a single-person decision. As everyone present is a conscious part of a consensus decision, all are more inclined to own and honor the decisions made and act upon them for the betterment of the whole. Beware of people who actively try to find a decision that is acceptable to everyone, thereby dominating a group's discussion by trying to make everyone else go along with them. Watch also for individuals who attempt to cow you and others into saying you accept a decision, even when you don't.

The consensus decision-making model is most effective when pooling knowledge is desirable, and when the total acceptance of a decision is necessary to effectively implement a plan. Thus, consensus decision-making may
not
always be appropriate for the situation at hand. Often other kinds of decisions will need to be made based upon single individuals with the most pertinent experience or by a group vote. However, when a consensus-based decision is likely to produce the best result, people will need to know how it works.

Steps Taken to Assist in Reaching a Consensus Decision

"W
E, THE PEOPLE
. . ."

—P
REAMBLE TO THE
C
ONSTITUTION OF THE
U
NITED
S
TATES OF
A
MERICA

 

To be a part of a consensus decision, everyone concerned must:

Be informed about the issue at hand
. The more information everyone has regarding the topic of discussion, the more able they will be to make educated decisions. Ignorance is not bliss.

Be willing to listen to others' ideas and try to understand their position, viewing differences of opinion as helpful rather than harmful
. The art of listening is just that, and it must be consciously practiced. Remind yourself that a group-friendly, altruistic goal is what consensus decision-making is all about. Be willing to shut up and truly hear people for what they have to say. After all, someone else's opinion, a view that you never considered, might save your life.

Be able to describe your position, without arguing, so that others may understand your view
. As simply as possible, describe your point of view. Imagine you're instructing a skill to a child: keep your words concise, simple, and short. Hold in check the ego's love of being right and trying to convince everyone how great you and your point of view are. Don't try to change people's minds. The wisdom or otherwise of your stated position will speak for itself and people will change their own minds or not.

Be rational
. Remember Spock on
Star Trek
? Supercharged emotions will be common under stress, but they will kill altruistic group decision-making. If you can afford to do so, wait until emotionally charged people have a chance to chill out and settle down. Be like the hawk rather than the mouse, seeing all things from high up, the big picture fully exposed.

Be part of the process from the beginning
. You are making decisions that will affect the health and safety of loved ones. Pay attention, don't interrupt, leave your ego at the door, and participate from start to finish. If there are unresolved disagreements you consider important, steer clear of the temptation to back down and change your mind just to avoid conflict. Giving in to the pressure of the group will likely make you pout and feel resentful in the future. This pent-up bitterness might later consciously or otherwise sabotage the decision to the peril of all concerned. At the same time, don't be stubborn and use the rationale of what I just wrote to be a jackass and attempt to selfishly get your own way. Use balance in all things. For heaven's sake, drop the petty bullshit and get along! You're still alive, so be grateful and do whatever you can to pull your own weight and reduce survival stress and friction within your family, city, state, and nation.