GASi President

The deaths of two GASi members, Julie Howley and Sarah Kalai, crystallised a sense of grief and loss, which has sat with me in corona retreat. A collective, group, experience becomes more graspable, in individual losses.

Something similar occurred through the death of George Floyd.  An individual act of brutal killing gave form to the reality of the endemic suffering of people of colour, which is an integral aspect of the social order which I inhabit. For a while, more and more individual stories of racism are published; those who are telling them are able to believe that, in this moment, they may be heard.

Such moments are familiar in groups – when an individual is able to articulate an experience, which is both theirs, personally, and at the same time, illuminates the condition of the whole group.

When the truth is painful, there is a tendency to locate it in an individual, or sub-group. Outpourings of feeling are a necessary stage in acknowledging an individual’s experience.  On the other hand, these outpourings can also serve to lock up the process of recognition, just when it threatens to disturb all of the relationships in the large group. When leaders publicly express their sympathy for victims, they appear to be addressing the victims themselves, but often the effect of such statements is to reassure the rest of the world that they will not have to share in the suffering, beyond ‘feeling sorry’.

Some GASi members are unreconciled with the upcoming online symposium. I hear expressions of reluctance to devote a weekend to another online engagement, on top of all those that we all currently join.  I want to encourage, or persuade, you, dear reader, to attend.  Ironically, the fact that we have been driven online means that this symposium can be joined by many new participants, who would otherwise be prevented by distance and cost.  We believe that this is going to enrich the Small and Large groups, and the discussion of presentations.

We are designing the programme so as to allow participants to join groups that work for their timezone and there will be spaces in the timetable where they can improvise their own meetings. Very importantly, by registering, you are helping to support GASi through the difficulties caused by global lockdown.

We are creating a video, with messages from those who intend to participate, about why they will join the symposium.  Here is a first draft: Reasons for Joining

Please make your own very brief video, for inclusion and send it.  If you would like to do so, write to me, at gasipresident@gmail.com and I will send you instructions.

Thanks a lot

David 
gasipresident@gmail.com