Occupy Communication

Looking back over 2011, it seems as if our country has seen a lot of protesting. More to the point, our country has been the subject of much protesting. We have seen thousands of people raising their voices against what they view as a federal government that has gotten far bigger than it either needs to be or should be. And then there are those who are speaking out against the fact the government has not played enough of a role in curbing the social and economic inequality that seems to have gripped our nation. Lots of angry people, all with valid perspectives, passion and comfortable in the certainty of their arguments. Either way, the various groups are doing all they can to be heard, in part, because they feel no one is listening. What's a country to do?

I do not see this situation as being hopeless or impossible to address. Despite their differences, one of the handicaps shared by both camps of concerned citizens is that neither seems to have the right kind of advocate in the halls of power: Congress or the White House. By "right kind," I mean leaders who are willing to try and rise above the raw emotion of their constituents; leaders who are compassionate and are capable of working toward the greater good of the nation rather than their own self interests. Such leaders could strive to dissect the dissatisfaction being expressed by those they represent, encapsulate what people are articulating, identify those main points that are similar in tone or substance, and then begin seeking ways to transform those points into action plans. I understand such a process is not as easy as it may sound just as I am aware that such selfless actions by elected officials are not carried out over night. But the good news is our country possesses the capability - the technology - to carry out such a massive communication effort.

Through such mechanisms as facebook, twitter, you tube and even good old fashion television, a series of townhall forums could be organized and hosted by leaders of both political parties. Such efforts could be their time to put on their listening caps rather than using comments from voters as a springboard to make campaign speeches. Conservatively, I estimate such a collective effort would attract millions of participants. Rather than simply react or try and address what is said to them, the host leaders could dialog with the participating citizens as well take extensive notes to accurately capture all that is said. Implementing such a communication process would enable all who care to regain or occupy much-needed communication and begin addressing our nation's concerns in a more inclusive way.