Page 316 - Mike Ratner CC - WISR Complete Dissertation - v6

“I am more interested in solving problems as opposed to discussing them. Although I

enjoyed the discussion, we were coming from different points of view probably because of

different backgrounds that didn’t seem to me to end in a conclusion; which is what I look

for.” (P10MTRM)

“But through all the discussion, which in my mind focused more on the history of race,

rather than solving problems it seems like we, there was nothing that was bringing us

together, which I regretted. I hoped that after three sessions, that’s why I came to the last

dialogue, I was hoping that we had gotten to a point where we could discuss something in

the modern time and focus on solutions.” (P10MTRM)

“I think that we talked in the first session about possible economic possibilities and ways

that we could work together. I don’t think that there were any people interested in that,

which was interesting. You know, ways to generate money for down payments, ways to

generate some kind of political force by joining with someone who had some ability. I

made a couple of offers that there were properties that could be bought, or things that we

could do, or people that could join us in what we were trying to do. So it didn’t seem that

we wanted to accomplish one specific thing.” (P04FW)

“Well, you know, we were just talking. We ought to be doing more than talking. What are

we trying to accomplish?” (P06FAA)

Engaging facilitator. One or more facilitators assisted each dialogue breakout group. The

facilitators were tasked with guiding the participants through a prescribed process for civic

dialogue and keeping time limits, as previously explained. The participant’s perspective about

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