Comments relevant to the Institute's proposal for Congressional hearings on Public Talks:
Professor Roger
Fisher, founder of the Harvard Negotiating Project: “I support (these) recommendations
that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hold hearings on “Public
Talks.” original letter
Mr. Chris Bronk, PhD, James A Baker Institute
for Public Policy, Rice University:“I sincerely hope the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee will hear your concept, as well as others,
as it collaborates with the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Institute for
Peace and other agencies of the foreign affairs community . . . “
original letter
Senator Akaka, Hawaii: "The idea of Public Talks is intriguing and warrants further discussion. Rest assured I will keep your thoughts in mind should the Senate consider legislation related to this issue.”original letter
Huffington Post: "A Truly Original
Foreign Policy Idea: Public Talks" original
article
Gordon Feller, Urban Age Institute: “Public
Talks is an approach to conflict resolution that is entirely different
and far more expansive than anything else in the field.” original letter
Professor Patrick Hatcher, UC Berkeley, Political
Science: “ . . . It is unique in that (the Institute) suggests
using the media to make public a set of terms before, and while, they
are negotiating, hence reaching a larger audience who can use public opinion
for peace.” original letter
Joel Hefley, Republican member of the House from Colorado
(1987- 2007) Chair of the House Ethics Committee:" I know how frustrating
it can be to have the normal diplomatic process break down with no place else
to go . . . I feel that it (Public Talks) should be fully explored. I would
therefore encourage the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign
Affairs Committee to hold hearings to explore the viability of Public Talks." original letter
David Smock, Vice-President of the Center for
Mediation and Conflict Resolution, United States Institute of Peace, a
non-partisan institution established by Congress: “The notion
of Public Talks is a very interesting idea and worthy of further exploration.” original letter
Professor Mirta Mulhare, State University of
New York:“The strategy you suggest would represent an evolutionary
summit, bringing out negotiations into the open and introducing the people
into the process. The possibilities for use are endless.” original letter
Professor E. Phillip Morgan, Monterey Institute for
International Studies: “ . . . your proposal to the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee for a new form of dialogue (“Public Talks”) represents
a serious, innovative departure from past practice by which political conflicts
are represented, defined and treated (or not) in the public arenas of the US
and multilateral organizations.” original letter
About Us
The Institute for Public Dialogue was founded as a nonprofit (501c) in 2008 with a very specific mission statement: To Introduce Public Talks. This organization has one Director and less than ten independent contractors who all work off site.
From the founder and sole funding source of the Institute for Public Dialogue, John Connolly:
Commercial interests:
I acquired www.modernsailing.com in 1995 and still own it, which is one of the largest employers in Sausalito. I write from time to time for Sail Magazine and have a current US Coast Guard license for boats up to 100 gross tons.
I am the founder of this entity that focuses on the oil industry: www.effectiveoilsolutions.com I am also the founder of Sausalito Marine Concepts LLC that is seeking to monetize patents dealing entirely with the oil shipping industry.
The other collaboration with 3D Studios is a patent pending device to save a person who has fallen through the ice with a device we have Trademarked Ice Angel. www.iceangelrescue.com
I am also on the management team, and part owner, of this psychology company http://webpsychcorp.com/management-team.html that is an algorithm driven platform grounded in the Evidence Based school of psychology.
- Recent articles: I have been featured in the following recent stories:
March 31, 2010: Features a patent project that is designed to rescue victims that have fallen through ice. Ice Rescue Device.
December, 2008: Features a patent on a life saving device called the Lifescoop that can retrieve an unconscious victim from the deck of a large ship. Man Overboard! Marin Independent Journal.
Political background:
Beyond this project, I was involved with a consumer issue shortly after moving to California in 1988. It was an automotive insurance campaign (Proposition 103) where I worked part time for about three months. This proposition passed and is now the law of the land in California.
Arising out of the Print Debate project, I testified on “Internet Political Communications” in front of the Federal Election Committee, June 28, 2005.
- The Institute for Public Dialogue: Once Public Talks and the Print Debate are introduced this Institute will have accomplished its objective and will be dissolved. It will play no ongoing role in any future aspect of Public Talks or Print Debate. Before dissolution, the Institute will give away all acquired assets to credible Overseeing Bodies that are committed to bringing these two processes forward. This distribution will be without compensation asked for or accepted including all the germane urls:
The idea for Public Talks began nearly three decades ago and was inspired entirely by Marshall McLuhan. (Well known to everyone over 50 years of age and virtually unknown to anyone under that age,)
Against the backdrop of the “new” phenomenon of terrorism of the 1980s, the concept of Public Talks began with a single question:
“What if there was an established process whereby groups could gain world attention by unilaterally challenging their adversary to respond in kind to a highly structured document that was widely distributed in various newspapers and/or magazines?”
What inspired the question above was McLuhan’s The Medium is the Massage (sic) that ended in a very abrupt and unexpected way that was completely different than the rest of this short book. The last two pages were of a drawing of a book lined study where the boy asks his father a question:
"You see, Dad, Professor McLuhan says that the environment that man creates becomes his medium for defining his role in it. The invention of type created linear, or sequential thought, separating thought from action. Now, with TV and folk singing, thought and action are closer and social involvement is greater. We again live in a village. Get it?"
Public Talks will bring together the thought and action of conflicts between nations and societies in the form of a new communication media. This new form of international dialogue would allow citizens of the “global village” to become more directly engaged in issues that affect their lives and the lives of others.
It is affirmed that no ideological groups contributed to the development of any part of the description of Public Talks.
John Connolly
Sausalito, California
To the Staff at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee:
Today’s many negotiating stalemates give rise to the need for a process that allows one side of a conflict to unilaterally put their historical narrative and larger story in a defined format before the world public.
A new communication platform that focuses the power of world opinion on the precise issues that are preventing agreement between adversaries creates the foundation for a unified policy for foreign affairs:
After private talks fail, the U.S will encourage Public Talks.
