The Common Ground Network for Life and Choice Manual

Appendix 6.2
Facilitator’s Introduction Letter to the Group
Dear Group Member:
Thank you for joining our e-mail dialogue group. My name is Harry Webne-Behrman, and I'll serve as facilitator of
the group over the next month. I'm looking forward to this group for several reasons, and am pleased to have the
opportunity to participate with you and the others in the group. I've previously facilitated dialogue about abortion in
several ways: first as facilitator of the Wisconsin Dialogue Group (1991-92) that was one of the early efforts to
bring together pro-life/pro-choice activists in this way; later as a member of the Steering Committee for the Network
for Life & Choice, assisting both internally and through our conference last year. Professionally, I work as a
mediator, so it is a strong commitment I make to working with people to try to resolve differences constructively, in
a
variety of contexts.
This e-mail dialogue is a unique opportunity for those who are actively involved in considering the abortion issue to
talk freely together about their feelings, and understand more of how they view the world surrounding this complex
issue. Over the years of my involvement, I have found advocates in this dispute to be highly articulate, wellconsidered
and deeply reflective people, deserving of high levels of respect from all of us. In the passion to
advocate, however, activists have frequently found it challenging to listen with respect to the other side...this gets at
an important purpose of this group: to hear, and try to understand, the other side of the debate.
From this understanding, it may be possible to discover areas of common ground that emerge. There may be
insights that discussants have that allow them to transcend our traditional notion of "sides" and develop new
approaches to shared concerns.
But it may be of greatest value simply to have a space where one can safely "be," to hold your beliefs with strong
passion and to have them understood by others with respect. For pro-choice and pro-life advocates to be able to
have
such a space is, in itself, most powerful.
As facilitator, it is my role to help create such a place of welcome in this "cyberspace." I will pose questions that
spark dialogue and exchange, and will help promote understanding where it is elusive. I will remind group
members of the ground rules previously communicated, and will seek clarification when it is unclear whether they
are being followed. Mostly, I will try to keep the pace of communication flowing in a way that meets the needs of
our particular group.
If you have any questions, comments or concerns regarding the dialogue, I encourage you to contact me directly at
this e-mail address: xxxxxxxx. I will make every effort to respond directly to those concerns, or support their
expression by you to other members of the group. In addition, you may contact the Network for assistance.
Thanks, again, for choosing to participate in this unique forum for dialogue. I look forward to our work together
over the weeks ahead.
Harry Webne-Behrman