The Common Ground Network for Life and Choice Manual

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• Working together to remove the conditions that lead to abortion. The New Way statement has been widely circulated and has attracted new recruits to the common ground effort. Working together on teen pregnancy prevention. The idea of promoting a common ground approach to teen pregnancy prevention during this recent time of renewed tension was to demonstrate concretely the positive potential of galvanizing pro-life, pro-choice and other differing constituencies to come together around a shared community concern. Building on the work of the 1996 Teen Pregnancy Forum, community activists from a range of agencies and programs gathered in a meeting in April. They arrived at a commitment to work collaboratively on: (1) involving the schools in providing information to teens and parents, in offering opportunities for community service by youth, and in providing parenting education; (2) holding "It's your day" meetings for various sectors of the Buffalo community (churches, businesses, etc.) to engage them on the issue of teen pregnancy and youth development; (3) improving access to information about programs and activities for youth; (4) connecting youth initiatives to the existing structure of volunteer Block Clubs. The New Way message got through. The presence of this alternative citizen movement was featured in national news stories on the Buffalo abortion conflict in the Jim Lehrer News Hour, NPR's All Things Considered, and the New York Times. In the local media, common ground became part of the ongoing story, offering the Buffalo community an alternative future to unremitting tension and polarization. As it turned out, Operation Rescue's Save America events garnered a very small turnout with negligible local participation. One federal law enforcement official, after hearing about BCCG’s activities, expressed his belief that providing activists with more peaceful and positive alternatives to express their beliefs and concerns diverted energy from the confrontational tactics so many people feared. A lasting commitment. For seven years BCCG has stood for common ground in the abortion conflict in a city where that issue has been a flash point. BCCG has also offered the community its wisdom and experience with constructive approaches to conflict on a wider range of issues. They have responded to crises; but they have also been an impetus for finding concrete solutions to pressing local problems. That there can be common ground between those opposed over abortion is an idea become reality in Buffalo. (Summer 1999)
Appendix 5.2 A Case Study: Quad Cities Common Ground The beginnings. Quad Cities Common Ground began with an ad hoc group of key prochoice and pro-life activists who came together in the spring of 1995 to confront the reality that two organizations had announced plans to open clinics – the first in many years in this metropolitan area located on the Iowa-Illinois border. These community activists feared not only violent confrontation, but also destruction of the ties of friendship and collegiality that had enabled them to join in addressing many community problems over the years. After they met several times, they contacted the Common Ground Network for Life and Choice to help them clarify their goals, reach a deeper level of trust and common purpose, and lead training and a community dialogue. During two staff trips to Iowa, we trained forty facilitators and led fortyfive community members through an all day dialogue workshop. There was also a lunch for news editors, and press conference for the local print and electronic media. We collaborated with the local group to sponsor these events and, in the process, expanded the numbers and skills of common ground activists and created a strong, public identity for common ground. An ongoing presence. Since this first event, the group has utilized its own skilled local facilitator from a local community mediation center, who attended the dialogue training we provided. The mediation center has “housed” the common ground effort while the Network has provided support and advice as needed. Members of QCCG include the social action director for the Catholic Diocese and other pro-life activists, along with the directors of the two reproductive health organizations that are planning to operate abortion clinics in the Davenport area. A broad spectrum of religious traditions and professional affiliations are represented. The group has weathered litigation, protests and counter-protests – activities in which many of them have participated in their advocate roles. The groundbreaking for the Planned Parenthood facility in late summer 1998 has kept the controversy in the forefront. Some in the group peacefully picket the construction site and others will be involved in management of the new clinic. But, throughout this time, they have continuously injected their commitment to mutual respect and civility through their conduct on the sidewalk, at public hearings, during joint appearances on radio and TV, in local speaking engagements, and while taking part in frequent print media interviews. The group now has an Adoption Task force that began with a community dialogue on adoption last year. Meetings over the period of a year have led to action plans focusing on education and information. Another initiative is a joint pro-life/pro-choice examination of the nature of the counseling given to women in clinics and in pro-life pregnancy support centers. A broader impact. QCCG has garnered significant national exposure. During the summer of 1977 Davenport Diocesan staff member, Dan Ebener invited clinic director Marilyn
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The Common Ground Network for Life
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Common Ground Concepts Appendix 1.1
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over abortion. The Network came int
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together out of a mutual commitment
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About the Authors Mary Jacksteit wa
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others are “wrong.” Debate tend
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other people with the same label, d
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etween people related to one anothe
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Appendix 1.1 THE COMMON GROUND DIAL
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• Dialogue questions, not “topi
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Appendix 1.3 The Search for Common
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CHAPTER TWO: GETTING STARTED People
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eferred interested people to the lo
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4. Offer and accept views without a
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CHAPTER THREE: PLANNING FOR DIALOGU
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Another type of workshop might have
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Dialogue Workshop. Based on experie
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hour training session for workshop
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First Small Group Dialogue After th
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may be particularly concerned that
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Appendix 3.1 WORKSHOP PLANNING MEET
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Appendix 3.2 Dialogue Workshop Mate
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9:00 am Check-in, Welcome, Large gr
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Appendix 3.4 Sample letter to small
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Appendix 3.6 COMMON GROUND DIALOGUE
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Session Time: 30 minutes.
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Page 65 and 66: Appendix 3.10 Exploring Stereotypes
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