Perry L. Gardner: Private Journal #5
Wednesday, March 2, 1988
My mind is jumping around from thing to thing.
Bonnie is off to see Bruce about the Lesbian outreach idea—getting UUFH space rental subsidy for HERA.
The meeting on building usage Monday night pointed up a dilemma to me. The policy sounds reasonable on paper, but there seem to be hidden agendas, if I heard people right. We still didn’t get to discuss the fee schedules and custodian fees, which I see as a problem area. We went ‘round and ‘round on superficial items, but never dared to go into in-depth discussion of core issues, like how open are we to support of the lesbian community. If we have too many demands on building usage, we may need a rationing system with priorities—so much time for money makers, and so much time for Fellowship activities, and so much time for Social outreach. I think we need much more thought and discussion about the UU mission.
Hazel Henderson will be in Soho on May 8, and I would like to meet her and hear what she has to say in the workshop on Response to Globalization. Is confrontation really giving way to mutualism? I don’t see it. It is a hope, but not a reality. I am intrigued by the concept that old by-words, growth and industrial progress, are giving way to new slogans, quality of life, human potential, ecological balance, and global citizenship—All from the Learning Alliance. I wonder if there is a similar Alliance on Long Island?
It would be great if we could get Hazel Henderson to a forum or workshop at UUFH. To me, this is what LIAC should be for, to pool our resources and people for holding exciting programs. It feels like we live in an unprogressive backwater devoid of intellectual growth. All of a sudden my feelings for the UUFH are diminished—it is not living up to my expectations—my needs are not being met. But it is the only place I know with any potential.
We need a bit of that Yellow Springs Ohio Fellowship spirit as was described in the March/April World. How about a study/rap group with an intellectual focus—economics, politics, etc. The UU World group was a start on that idea—maybe it could go farther.