{"id":288,"date":"2009-08-02T11:44:19","date_gmt":"2009-08-02T16:44:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/emu.edu\/blog\/restorative-justice\/?p=288"},"modified":"2010-05-27T07:52:24","modified_gmt":"2010-05-27T12:52:24","slug":"restorative-beer-summit-and-a-new-subscription-link","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/restorative-justice\/2009\/08\/02\/restorative-beer-summit-and-a-new-subscription-link\/","title":{"rendered":"Restorative “beer summit?” – and a new subscription link"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thanks to Brian Gumm, our web guru at CJP, you can now subscribe to this blog via email or RSS feed. \u00a0If you sign up for email notice you will received an email notice when a new entry is posted. \u00a0You’ll find the sign-up links in the right column.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Several people or articles have described the “beer summit” between Professor Gates and Officer Crowley at the White House, facilitated by President Obama, as restorative justice or or a restorative approach. \u00a0It is interesting to reflect on this in light of Catherine Bargen’s observations about terminology in an earlier blog entry (“Is there justice in restorative?”).<\/p>\n

Certainly it seems to have been consistent with a restorative approach or practice. The methodology was respectful dialogue, apparently with President Obama serving as facilitator. \u00a0Clearly it helped to humanize the “other,” providing a space to hear one another’s perspective, and to in doing so to develop some empathy for one another as a person and in their roles. \u00a0As any good restorative practice should, it seems to some extent to have addressed the future; at least participants talked about looking ahead and plan at least one further meeting.<\/p>\n

How much the justice issues were addressed we don’t know. \u00a0Did they explicitly address the harms? Did they talk about all about accountability and obligations? \u00a0This isn’t clear, at least from the reports I’ve seen.<\/p>\n

So it’s probably best categorized as a restorative practice rather than restorative justice, but what we call it isn’t really important at this point. \u00a0What is crucial is that these men have modeled a process and some values that are terribly important. \u00a0In doing so, they have contributed significantly to the kind of dialogue this country needs on race and policing.<\/p>\n

As the fields of restorative justice, conflict transformation and trauma work all emphasize, conflict is an opportunity. Out of hurt can come growth. \u00a0(A poster idea: Conflict is opportunity – don’t waste it.)<\/p>\n

At his news conference, Officer Crowley did suggest that at the next meeting perhaps they wouldn’t drink alcohol in order to avoid the impression that beer is an essential ingredient to such dialogues. Good point.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Thanks to Brian Gumm, our web guru at CJP, you can now subscribe to this blog via email or RSS feed. \u00a0If you sign up for email notice you will received an email notice when a new entry is posted. \u00a0You’ll find the sign-up links in the right column. Several people or articles have described....<\/p>

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