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Tue, 28 Feb 1995 08:02:00 PST |
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Hi Roger:
Lets start "Museums Without Borders."
Our mission statement can include stuff like, "By recognizing that our
diversity is our strength...we will us our likemindedness to focus on our
differences...and in doing so, gain an appreciation for our individuality
and uniqueness...while we strive to build bridges of understanding..."
In our strategic planning sessions we can tackle stuff like, "should we
stick to our professional knitting...will we strengthen or weaken ourselves
by expending our intellectual resources outside the natural bounds of our
organization...are we knowledgeable enough to command respect as a credible
voice in the battle of ideas...are we wise enough to know when we don't know..."
Our objectives and action plans should be easy enough to develop.
We need to make sure that when it's necessary to reference the pov of others
that we do so accurately. Taking concepts like "one-ness" and "strength" and
recasting them as "bigness" and "clout" defeats the purpose of a good argument.
Also, our leaning should always be toward right-thinking (right in this case
being an antonym for wrong). Lets leave sophistry to the sophists and
subjunctive theory to those who try to open old wounds in order to release
the grinning ghosts of wrong-thinking. I'd put the shrill cry about
colonization in the latter category. (Lets see, whose empire was it upon
which the sun never set?). I'd also put the puffery of corporate marketing
in the former category (I will admit though, I do enjoy the shrimp on my
barbie, the Koala in my eucalyptus tree, my bush-hat and the big deal people
DownUnder make of the America's Cup).
Lastly, its important that we encourage all members of Museums Without
Borders to enter the water of lively museum debate. Lets encourage people
to dive in rather than using the dainty touch of a toe to test the waters
first. For example, I would enjoy hearing about Australia's involvement in
the decision to drop The Bomb(s) in 1945. I would also enjoy hearing your
thoughts on how the Enola Gay controversy *at* the Smithsonian Institute can
be debated in terms other than those that reflect things USA-like.
Maybe in answer to Eric's request for an example of US hegemony, you can
pick something Australian that will give us all a break and a chance to
learn and expand our horizons.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Rich Jones Governing Board For:
Development Director Carter House Natural Science Museum
Shasta Natural Science Association Redding Arboretum By The River
[log in to unmask] SNSA Environmental Resources Center
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