Call for Submissions

I invite you and your friends to submit and/or nominate an entry for the 3rd Carnival of Citizens to be hosted here at SportiveThoughts on January 7; deadline for entries will be January 5. The theme for this Carnival will be "Reconciliation."

In the public sphere, we often find ourselves making comments that others find disparaging and sometimes insulting. The goal of the Carnival of Citizens, as told by its founder, Richard Chappell, is "to foster genuine dialogue between bloggers of diverse perspectives, to bring us one step closer to the ideal of a healthier, more deliberative, democracy." How can this goal be realized without a sense of having repaired the insensitivity of our former transgressions?

Click below to keep reading, or click here to submit an entry!

A favorite concept of mine, reconciliation calls us to observe the way we have acted and spoken with regards to others and to strive to reforge a positive relationship in our social, political, moral, personal and religious lives. Thus, (and I believe this is important to realize for the growth of this Carnival) no aspect of our life is without need of reconciliation, or to put it positively, our lives are sorely wanting the means by which we may foster healthy, learning and loving relations. But there are questions, which I call on you to answer.

Is reconciliation solely religious? Or can a kind of social justice, too, achieve a means to reconcile poor with rich, criminal with the law-abiding? If religious alone, why, and from what religious perspective or attitude can reconciliation be achieved? Can divergent perspectives or attitudes be reconciled, or at least, find grounds for peaceful dialogue? When one apologizes, what allows you to accept and move on? What allows one to apologize? Do apologies even serve to reconcile conflicting parties? Can they? Should they? What else can?

And so on; there is no shortage of questions. I expect no shortage of answers. I know it's the holiday season, but I see no better time to think of how you may bridge differences (or justify burning bridges) and find ways to open (or close) personal and public discourse to the inclusion of rivals. I am very happy to be hosting the Carnival of Citizens, and eagerly look forward to reading all of your entries (I mean it--I want to hear from you on this topic); remember to visit the current Carnival at Siris and the inaugural Carnival of Citizens at Philosophy, et cetera.

I wish a very happy and safe holiday and New Year to all!

PS: I both articles dealing with theoretical issues of reconciliation as well as examples, anecdotes, confessions, etc. are welcome submissions!