DEAR GLENN AND DEAR ALL I FEEL UPSET..I CAN'T IMAGINE A WORLD WITHOUT PEACE. I SPEND ALL MY LIFE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE THAT WORK IN A SAFE PROJECT OF PEACE BUT NOT IN PEOPLE THAT PUT IN RISK THE PEACE ITSELF, TOLERANCE AND HARMONY IS NOT EASY TO PUT IN PRACTICE MY DEARS..?. BREATH THE DIVINE LIGHT OF THE CREATION AND CREATIVITY THAT UNITE ALL OF US. BLESSINGS SUSANA. From: gmartin@xxxxxxxxxxx To: gha-peace@xxxxxxxxxxxxx CC: cookcomm@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; peace-from-harmony@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; gha@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [gha-peace] Re: Following resignation Date: Sun, 29 Jun 2014 15:51:21 +0000 Dear María Cristina, It is pretty bad. Leo appears to be a really vicious person, who hides his egoism behind a rhetoric of love and harmony. I think we should start our own GHA (by whatever name) so that we are not constantly assaulted by Leo’s brutality. In peace and hope, Glen Dr. Glen T. Martin President, World Constitution and Parliament Association (WCPA) www.worldparliament-gov.org President, Institute on World Problems (IOWP) www.worldproblems.net Professor, Philosophy and Peace Studies, Radford University www.radford.edu/gmartin Laureate, GUSI Peace Prize International From: gha-peace-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:gha-peace-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of María Cristina Azcona Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2014 6:11 PM To: gha-peace@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Cc: cookcomm@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; peace-from-harmony@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; gha@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [gha-peace] Re: Following resignation Hi Lida, Bruce and Glenn I am with you . Please dont go. María Cristina Azcona @macazcona María Cristina Azcona 2014-06-28 18:38 GMT-03:00 Lida Sherafatmand <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>: Thanks for your email Bruce. As for me, I've resigned from the board for several reasons: - First of all Leo rudely refused my offer for mediation. - Second he disregarded the fact that I have done a lot for the promotion of the ABC Book, and GHA as a board. - Thirdly he accuses me of not keeping my word to try to give a copy of ABC of Harmony book to library in Malta, Paris and London..while I have already informed him that Malta library is done, they have a copy. Paris I have NOT been to yet (and sending the book by normal post does not work with these libraries...it has to be done in person and with appointment). In London my exhibition has only started now I went to London just for 48 hours basically to set up the works. I have to go again end of next week. - Fourthy he accuses me of not having sent 30 dollar which I had said I can send for the second book, while this is due to emergency expenses that appeared in my life, and since he said very clearly that 30 dollar is what he considers 'moral' support I did not think it was that urgent to send it right away since the articles if this book are still being prepared...so I took my time to send it. - Fifthly he says he does not trust my ability to mediate, BEFORE accepting to give the mediation a try. - Sixthly: I do not feel SAFE enough to express slightest disagreement with Leo, because he will immediately lash out anger and find some form of threat to stop me from disagreeing with him. It happened once last year, when we were discussing the prize for King Abdullah. I had not even disagreed with his idea, but brought forward a few points to consider, he immediately sent me an email of threat to stop somehow my exhibition through Julia's contact back then. I was shocked and thought I had done something really wrong... but I see anytime any member says anything which does not OBEY immediately to Leo's idea, he immediately panics and gets super angry. This is a superiority attitude which does not allow safety and respect for other people to disagree with him... and it is totally against peace practice in 21st century where we consider disagreements to be a natural part of human interaction but that they should not lead to belittling and demonizing the other entity. I ask you please not to include my email anymore in the discussions either, as I have other committments and obligations in my personal life to attend to and concentrate on. I was ready to give time for the mediation between Bruce and Leo, but Leo has refused. Bruce is now trying it himself to approach Leo which I do hope can succeed. As for myself: I simply do not feel I belong to a board where I must FEAR expressing any form of disagreement with the ideas of the 'leader' because he will demonize me or threaten me in some way. That is a dictatorial attitude, not a democratic one. A founder must create SAFETY for its members to express their disagreements with his ideas, so he can develop himself further and stronger. If he just wants to order and we must follow or fear being belittled and demonized, then this is not a place I belong to. I have done all I could in my potential to contribute to GHA, but I've resigned now, and would like my resignation to be followed through please. I still appreciate and respect Leo as a person of course, and if he ever wishes to dialogue with me, he is welcome to write me. But attacking and belittling emails I have no time for. I have other priorities to attend to. I do not follow Leo as my leader...because I have no chance to ever disagree with him...and also if I do not realize his expectations he gets all resentful and rude. Sorry dear Leo, I cannot continue to be on your board with this attitude of yours. I wish you all the best, but I am no longer a member of your board, and I shall no longer display the logo of GHA on any exhibitions as I already said. You were not seeing and appreciating all that promotion I was doing for GHA anyway while I was a member...so it should not make a big difference to you now that I am not a member anymore. Good luck also for the second book which you are preparing.I shall NOT send 30 dollars after all this. I recommend you to show the effectiveness of your theory through your practice with people, rather than fighting for it as a book on the bookshelves of libraries. Thanks everyone Kindly leave out my email address. I have a lot to prepare for my London event travel soon, and other obligations in Malta and personal life too. I declare in all seriousness: I have nothing 'against' GHA members at all, but I do not approve of the attitude of the leader Leo, and thus choose not to represent his work anymore. I hope he does not consider me a 'militarist' for not accepting to follow him, if he does that it just goes to prove further a superiority dictatorial attitude where the leader leaves no space for people not to approve of his actions. I have had always shown tremendous care towards Leo and appreciation for his efforts, but it is not reciprocal. A one-sided board where one commands and EXPECTS only does not work for me. So I respectfully disengage from working with Leo. I expect no one to promote my art for example...because I respect the fact that I am not an absolute perfect being who has to be admired and followed without any criticism at all. If people criticise my work, I let them express what they think, I think about it, then respect those persons still as dignified people, even if I might not agree with their views. Unfortunately Leo is not making a distinction between: disagreement between friends and a war which is out of hatred...that is a terrible mistake in my view to mix up disagreement between friends, and militarist war out hatred. Also Leo acts with me as if I 'owe' him the world, just because he introduced me to Ms Julia from Roerich Museum...which is absurd... The Roerich museum wanted to exhibit my works due to the fact that I was working on Roerich since 2003 and they appreciated to see an artist from another country which is not Eastern Europe working on Roerich, especially through painting and writing. Besides that I had already thanked him for the first introduction, and did all the tremendous amount of promotion. Well all that is past now. I repeat I have no time to be on the board of GHA anymore, so kindly remove my address... and I wish you all the good things in life. I'm simply and respectfully disengaging from accompanying Leo and the type of leadership which he is conducting. He is not open to accept criticism and not ready to practice 'dialogical rationality' which permits to see and understand the other's point of view besides one's point of view only. Thanks in advance for removing me from further discussion. All the very best wishes to Leo and all members Sorry not to be able to accompany you beyond this point. Every person has his own path in this life...sometimes we can accompany certain people from close, sometimes we cannot accompany from close... that is also being respectful to the fact that each person has his own path. Leo has his leadership style which does not fit my ways of working. So I disengage from being under his leadership. If the GHA group email cannot remove my address for technical reasons, I shall put a filter in my email option which will remove emails from GHA. So do not be surprised if you do not receive anything from me on this email please. Putting filter now on the collective email, as I have seriously other important engagements. With respect, Lida -------------------------------------------- En date de : Sam 28.6.14, cookcomm@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <cookcomm@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> a écrit : Objet: Re: [gha-peace] Re : [gha] mediation between Leo and Bruce À: "Bruce Cook, AuthorMe.com" <cookcomm@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "lidasherafatmand@xxxxxxxxx" <lidasherafatmand@xxxxxxxxx>, "peace-from-harmony@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <peace-from-harmony@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Cc: "gha@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <gha@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "gha-peace@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <gha-peace@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Date: Samedi 28 juin 2014, 21h02 Dear members, I will do my best to write you all from my cell phone at a forest campsite where I am tenting with my family. Lest I be unfair, please accept my apologies for the following. First, I apologize for suggesting that gha begin to operate in a manner consistent with standard academic rigor, similar to credible academic organizations and research institutions worldwide. For details see my email to Lida in her generous attempt to meditate, below . (Sorry, I tried to copy and paste the main part, but could not do this on my cell phone.) Second I humbly apologize for any personal criticism of Leo as a person, for I still regard him as a friend and colleague in peace. He is our founder and surely deserves our respect. Further, I apologize for suggesting that his actions might be immature and predictable. I appeal to Leo and everyone to speak up and take this issue seriously in an attempt to make gha successful and well respected in academic circles. My purpose in this dialogue had always been to improve gha, which I love. Yours in Peace, Bruce Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android From: Bruce Cook, AuthorMe.com <cookcomm@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>; To: lidasherafatmand@xxxxxxxxx <lidasherafatmand@xxxxxxxxx>; Subject: Re: [gha-peace] Re : [gha] mediation between Leo and Bruce Sent: Wed, Jun 25, 2014 1:23:50 PM Dear Lida, Thank you again for offering to mediate. I pray that you can accomplish this. (Please let me know you have received this message, as I am uncertain on your address.) My disagreement with Leo was simply that he should cease using personal attacks as a method to intimidate members. (His personal attack on me was a perfect example of this, although he has attacked many others.) Considering the ensuring discussion, I would also like to see GHA adopt a provision that major decisions be handled formally by a selected group of members, not by one individual. Also, it would be desirable to have a code of conduct providing that email communications of all members avoid expressions of rage and avoid undermining the character of any member. I would be surprised if anyone in the membership would differ from these suggestions. They are, simply, standard operating procedure for credible organizations. I also ask, humbly, that Leo restore my former positions as GHA Vice-President and GHA-USA President. While he is certainly angry, all I have done is propose that the organization follow the peaceful provisions cited above. (Also, it's true that I have disagreed with his theory, but that should certainly be acceptable in an organization which approaches the truth with normal academic rigor.) Please let me know if you can suggest revisions which might make this more workable. Thank you again, I can't tell you how important this is to me, for I join the other members in wanting GHA to be a peaceful and effective force for peace and harmony. Blessings, Bruce On Wednesday, June 25, 2014 2:58 AM, Lida Sherafatmand <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: Dear bruce That's fantastic! :-) Please write me from your point of view, what is it that you are disagreeing about with Leo... Then I will ask the same question also to Leo. Once I have the point of view of both of you, I be able to help hopefully... Thanks so much for your good will Lida Lida Sherafatmand, Painter and poet, www.lidsher.com GHA Board Vice-president, President, GHA Female Contest: "Muse of Harmony" http://www.peacefromharmony.org/?cat=en_c&key=474 The ABC of Harmony coauthor http://www.peacefromharmony.org/?cat=en_c&key=478 Paris and Malta -------------------------------------------- En date de : Mar 24.6.14, Bruce L Cook <cookcomm@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> a écrit : Objet: [gha] mediation between Leo and Bruce À: gha-peace@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, gha@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Date: Mardi 24 juin 2014, 15h03 Dear Lida, I thank you for your wonderful idea. It's my hope to do whatever I can to help heal the wounds. Please let me know what I can do. Blessings Bruce Sent using CloudMagic On Tue, Jun 24, 2014 at 3:48 AM, Lida Sherafatmand <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: Dear Leo, Bruce, Martin, Saleem, Hedva, and all members I think we all agree that GHA has come along a long way, and I think we all appreciate the hard work of Leo and the contribution all members including Bruce. One idea suggestion to resolve the Leo-Bruce blockage, is mediation between the two, since their personal communication seems not meet each's points. perhaps simply due to the different use of the English language. If Leo and Bruce both agree, I would like to offer to 'mediate' between the two. If you agree to have mediation, you can send me on this common list your 'clashing disagreements' and I see if I can help both of you hear each other better. Having trained in conflict resolution, and having much appreciation for the work of GHA, it would be a pleasure for me to help resolve this conflictual situation between Leo and Bruce. Now it's up to you of course.. I'm available for mediation help if you decide to give it a chance. However I still suggest allow a little time to pass for the emotion of anger to calm down. Sending you warmest greetings Lida Lida Sherafatmand, Painter and poet, www.lidsher.com GHA Board Vice-president, President, GHA Female Contest: "Muse of Harmony" http://www.peacefromharmony.org/?cat=en_c&key=474 The ABC of Harmony coauthor http://www.peacefromharmony.org/?cat=en_c&key=478 Paris and Malta -------------------------------------------- En date de : Mar 24.6.14, Hedva Bachrach <hedgad@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> a écrit : Objet: [gha] hedva À: gha@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Date: Mardi 24 juin 2014, 8h04 I'm usually an observer of GHa messages. Unfortunately, because of medical problems with family at home I am unable to participate more, which i'd like very much. But seeing the latest developments, I would like to comment. 1. We are different people from different countries and a variety of cultures. This is our way of upbringing. So, if there are differences of opinion, they should be treated with respect to each other and coming to a common decision, in the way of democracy. 2. There must be codes of honor installed in the GHA. The GHA is a wonderful organization which tries to eliminate conflicts in the world. Therefore it must, first and foremost, not let conflicts rise in its own circle. This is a must. So I would suggest to think about such codes of honorable behavior, with regard to variety of opinions. The winning opinion should be taken by the majority, and also respectfully thinking of the founder of this organization, but not by slander and hurting each other. Not in this kind of organization, if the GHA behaves like this, who would behave above it??? in this world. 3. There are many corrupt politics in this world, they do not belong to one state only. Every country has good and bad in it. So, we must concentrate on the good in people and try to raise their moral codes, in every country.. The GHA is expanding and it is good. But no country with bad politics is worse than the other. They all have their share in anti human behavior. So let us pay attention to change and elevating moral values, and not only to faults. Yours, With respect Dr. Hedva Rabinson Bachrach Israel