(no subject)
Please... do not think that the discussion we had at the warehouse last night was about just one person!
That is simply not the case.
The have been a number of somewhat disturbing issues that this community has encountered recently which are absolutely not all rooted in a single individual.
Some of the individuals in this community decided to talk about these things last night.
During that meeting, we discussed some possible ways to prevent some events, actual or hypothetical, from happening in the future.
As a result of this meeting, many of us committed to do things that we thought will help!
--
Many of us are already doing incredible things, around here... Mischievia, the North TeXas Burn, is Oct. 4-8 (with work weekends until the event), Burners Without Borders (Canyon Lake cleanup begins this morning, & we will also be continuing with improvements @ Cherrywood Green), and Maker Faire is Oct. 20-21, too!
Flipside's Town Hall will be coming up, soon!
--
But, as I was saying in my previous post:
Reasonableness, Sensitivity, & Self-control sound like excellent guidelines to me...
And I am glad that we were actually able to employ them productively during our discussion at the warehouse, last night.
There were a number of people even committed to carry out a few particular projects!
Such as more year-round participation by larger neighborhood associations, perhaps something like those meta-camp organizations... which are are often referred to as
...villages in Black Rock City...
...or Krewes in New Orleans...
Whatever we call our festivals, they all exist to different degrees of shared virtual & physical space throughout the year, culminating in Burning Flipside.
Newbies in our community could use more interaction, education and training in how to participate. If we're going to have year-round church night, then how much participation can be expected from people naturally functioning in the capacity of Greeter and Ranger Survival Guide & Flipside Flame-like participation, outside of Burning Flipside? Honestly, some of my favorite experiences in my life have been ice-breaker games and all manner of initiations into burner theme camps, villages, projects, etc!
Also, we could all be more conscious of our journalistic, academic & educational integrity. This applies not only to speaking rumors about people be (possibly slander) and when posting online gossip (could be libel). Come on people... remember that we are all publishing into the permanent public record when we blog or participate in email forums!
So, I will start publishing more printed media again, during events & throughout the year.
And I would like to suggest that we hold more workshops to educate people in any number of commonly encountered situations that people could benefit from learning more about...
--
I would like to share some of my experience with people in this community, and some things simply must be participated in, first-hand.
For instance, in the late 80s & early 90s in Austin, I participated in ACT UP demonstrations and direct actions.
http://www.actupny.org/documents/greenbergAU.html
"The inspiration of ACT UP, Larry Kramer, is a playwright by profession. ACT UP demonstrations are theatre outside the bounds of the physical theatrical space. They are theatre in the world, and accomplishing the types of reactions, actions and catharsis that all people in the "conventional theatre" only dream about. We use the same tools, however. Research, intensive pre-production planning, bringing together the actors (demonstrators), rehearsing them and getting to their motivating emotions (anger, fear, loss, love for each other), sets, props, fundraising, publicity -- all this for the single goal of creating a spectacle that will change people's lives and change the world. For the most part, we have been successful."
Our situation is different in some ways, but similar strategy & tactics may be employed effectively.
--
The topic of sexual assault has arisen a number of times in our community, recently... and we are not talking about just one or two people, here! I don't know the exact numbers off the top of my head, but I'll bet you that the statistics go up as the population size go up.
Some of these people, and many others like them may still be found in attendance at any event that you may find in the world... certainly at many parties in Austin, perhaps even Pyropolis, Black Rock City, & other places in the world that have never heard of Burning Man!
NO MATTER WHAT WE DO to improve the safety of our participants... burn events and festivals in general will continue to be "dangerous" places!
This behaviour is not an isolated incident, perpetrated by a single individual.
Unfortunately, sexual assault happens in every city in our world, including Pyropolis & Black Rock City.
In Black Rock City, The Bureau of Erotic Discourse has been helping to educate people about avoiding sexual assault since 2005.
You have probably seen the B.E.D. stickers in the porta-potties, in B.R.C.:
"Ask before Touching.
Ask before taking pictures.
Yes means yes.
No means no.
Silence is not consent.
Respect sexual boundaries.
This is not a petting zoo."
Here are copies of some of their other pertinent informational materials:
Negotiating Sex
How To Get Laid @ Burning Man
Rape @ Burning Man page 1
Rape @ Burning Man page 2
I think that perpetrators of sexual assault should be prosecuted to the fullest extent that the law allows.
And I also believe that one of the best ways for people to prevent future crimes is to encourage people to educate & protect themselves.
Perhaps we could utilize further educational services in our own city of Pyropolis, similar to those that B.E.D. provides in B.R.C.?
I know that there is a section in the Survival Guide that addresses this; but perhaps putting removable flyers in the porta-potties & conducting workshops would be a good idea?
I will even volunteer to assist in the organization of such services for Burning Flipside 2008!
Honestly though, NO MATTER WHAT PRECAUTIONS WE EMPLOY, you can pretty much assume that there *will* be some degree of "predatory" behaviour at *any* event that is as hedonistic as burn events tend to be... so learn to protect yourself, and teach your friends to do the same!
Don't fool yourselves, people... burn events are not fluffy-bunny, rainbow & marshmallow campfire boys & girls camping trips!
Although you may meet friendly folks, you also run the risk of encountering creepy people.
People often encounter actual "predators" at burn events.
There are other dangers, as well ...from "The Lord of The Flies" to "The Heart of Darkness."
We don't do backgound checks on every person that attends our event (not that such a procedure would necessarily discover any potential risk, although it might reveal some obvious dangers).
The LLC & CC are there to help minimize the risks; but they will never be able to ensure your safety, completely.
Read the back of the ticket & the survival guide... take the warnings seriously ...enter at your own risk!
"Trust, but verify (your *own* risk in participation at a burn event, or anywhere else you go)."
Or, as I have said before, "Cover your own ass, unless you want to risk someone having their way with it!"
In communities as diverse as ours, there will often be transgressions of people's boundaries, in one form or another.
Alternative means of conflict resolution are encouraged, as long as they don't involve vigilante action (although "V for Vendetta" is an excellent graphic novel & a decent film, it's not an ideal situation in which to find yourself).
If you believe that someone has betrayed your trust in a criminal way, it may be a decent idea to discuss the matter with trusted counsel (perhaps a close friend, or even an unbiased counselor or therapist).
But please be reassured that the police are available to assist you, 24 hours a day, 365&1/4 days a year.
As we have been reminded all too often, recently... there are situations in which we DO need to contact the authorities for assisstance.
That is simply not the case.
The have been a number of somewhat disturbing issues that this community has encountered recently which are absolutely not all rooted in a single individual.
Some of the individuals in this community decided to talk about these things last night.
During that meeting, we discussed some possible ways to prevent some events, actual or hypothetical, from happening in the future.
As a result of this meeting, many of us committed to do things that we thought will help!
--
Many of us are already doing incredible things, around here... Mischievia, the North TeXas Burn, is Oct. 4-8 (with work weekends until the event), Burners Without Borders (Canyon Lake cleanup begins this morning, & we will also be continuing with improvements @ Cherrywood Green), and Maker Faire is Oct. 20-21, too!
Flipside's Town Hall will be coming up, soon!
--
But, as I was saying in my previous post:
Reasonableness, Sensitivity, & Self-control sound like excellent guidelines to me...
And I am glad that we were actually able to employ them productively during our discussion at the warehouse, last night.
There were a number of people even committed to carry out a few particular projects!
Such as more year-round participation by larger neighborhood associations, perhaps something like those meta-camp organizations... which are are often referred to as
...villages in Black Rock City...
...or Krewes in New Orleans...
Whatever we call our festivals, they all exist to different degrees of shared virtual & physical space throughout the year, culminating in Burning Flipside.
Newbies in our community could use more interaction, education and training in how to participate. If we're going to have year-round church night, then how much participation can be expected from people naturally functioning in the capacity of Greeter and Ranger Survival Guide & Flipside Flame-like participation, outside of Burning Flipside? Honestly, some of my favorite experiences in my life have been ice-breaker games and all manner of initiations into burner theme camps, villages, projects, etc!
Also, we could all be more conscious of our journalistic, academic & educational integrity. This applies not only to speaking rumors about people be (possibly slander) and when posting online gossip (could be libel). Come on people... remember that we are all publishing into the permanent public record when we blog or participate in email forums!
So, I will start publishing more printed media again, during events & throughout the year.
And I would like to suggest that we hold more workshops to educate people in any number of commonly encountered situations that people could benefit from learning more about...
--
I would like to share some of my experience with people in this community, and some things simply must be participated in, first-hand.
For instance, in the late 80s & early 90s in Austin, I participated in ACT UP demonstrations and direct actions.
http://www.actupny.org/documents/greenbergAU.html
"The inspiration of ACT UP, Larry Kramer, is a playwright by profession. ACT UP demonstrations are theatre outside the bounds of the physical theatrical space. They are theatre in the world, and accomplishing the types of reactions, actions and catharsis that all people in the "conventional theatre" only dream about. We use the same tools, however. Research, intensive pre-production planning, bringing together the actors (demonstrators), rehearsing them and getting to their motivating emotions (anger, fear, loss, love for each other), sets, props, fundraising, publicity -- all this for the single goal of creating a spectacle that will change people's lives and change the world. For the most part, we have been successful."
Our situation is different in some ways, but similar strategy & tactics may be employed effectively.
--
The topic of sexual assault has arisen a number of times in our community, recently... and we are not talking about just one or two people, here! I don't know the exact numbers off the top of my head, but I'll bet you that the statistics go up as the population size go up.
Some of these people, and many others like them may still be found in attendance at any event that you may find in the world... certainly at many parties in Austin, perhaps even Pyropolis, Black Rock City, & other places in the world that have never heard of Burning Man!
NO MATTER WHAT WE DO to improve the safety of our participants... burn events and festivals in general will continue to be "dangerous" places!
This behaviour is not an isolated incident, perpetrated by a single individual.
Unfortunately, sexual assault happens in every city in our world, including Pyropolis & Black Rock City.
In Black Rock City, The Bureau of Erotic Discourse has been helping to educate people about avoiding sexual assault since 2005.
You have probably seen the B.E.D. stickers in the porta-potties, in B.R.C.:
"Ask before Touching.
Ask before taking pictures.
Yes means yes.
No means no.
Silence is not consent.
Respect sexual boundaries.
This is not a petting zoo."
Here are copies of some of their other pertinent informational materials:
Negotiating Sex
How To Get Laid @ Burning Man
Rape @ Burning Man page 1
Rape @ Burning Man page 2
I think that perpetrators of sexual assault should be prosecuted to the fullest extent that the law allows.
And I also believe that one of the best ways for people to prevent future crimes is to encourage people to educate & protect themselves.
Perhaps we could utilize further educational services in our own city of Pyropolis, similar to those that B.E.D. provides in B.R.C.?
I know that there is a section in the Survival Guide that addresses this; but perhaps putting removable flyers in the porta-potties & conducting workshops would be a good idea?
I will even volunteer to assist in the organization of such services for Burning Flipside 2008!
Honestly though, NO MATTER WHAT PRECAUTIONS WE EMPLOY, you can pretty much assume that there *will* be some degree of "predatory" behaviour at *any* event that is as hedonistic as burn events tend to be... so learn to protect yourself, and teach your friends to do the same!
Don't fool yourselves, people... burn events are not fluffy-bunny, rainbow & marshmallow campfire boys & girls camping trips!
Although you may meet friendly folks, you also run the risk of encountering creepy people.
People often encounter actual "predators" at burn events.
There are other dangers, as well ...from "The Lord of The Flies" to "The Heart of Darkness."
We don't do backgound checks on every person that attends our event (not that such a procedure would necessarily discover any potential risk, although it might reveal some obvious dangers).
The LLC & CC are there to help minimize the risks; but they will never be able to ensure your safety, completely.
Read the back of the ticket & the survival guide... take the warnings seriously ...enter at your own risk!
"Trust, but verify (your *own* risk in participation at a burn event, or anywhere else you go)."
Or, as I have said before, "Cover your own ass, unless you want to risk someone having their way with it!"
In communities as diverse as ours, there will often be transgressions of people's boundaries, in one form or another.
Alternative means of conflict resolution are encouraged, as long as they don't involve vigilante action (although "V for Vendetta" is an excellent graphic novel & a decent film, it's not an ideal situation in which to find yourself).
If you believe that someone has betrayed your trust in a criminal way, it may be a decent idea to discuss the matter with trusted counsel (perhaps a close friend, or even an unbiased counselor or therapist).
But please be reassured that the police are available to assist you, 24 hours a day, 365&1/4 days a year.
As we have been reminded all too often, recently... there are situations in which we DO need to contact the authorities for assisstance.