[Imc-lasvegas] Last Night's meeting

[Jason]

Hello everyone,

As I stood in front of one of The Pride Factory TVs at about 6:40 p.m. 
on Feb. 2, 2005, watching Bush talk about freedom and war in the same 
sentence, asking myself how I can best confront the harmful changes in 
our system that are about to take place, I hear Steve's voice boom loud 
in my direction yelling, "Jason Halprin is a fascist dictator..."  I 
hadn't even turned my back to look at him yet, and the verbal abuse had 
already begun.

Soon, others began to arrive and we started to sit around for the 
meeting.  The first hour-and-fifteen minutes was dreadfully 
uncomfortable.  I spent this time mostly waiting for the police to 
arrive and trying to convince the others present to hang in there, 
ignore the abuse because Steve will be taken care of soon.  This was the 
wrong way to handle this and I appologize to everyone for suggesting 
that we sit through that abuse.  Nobody should have to be subjected to 
abuse like that, ever, and my suggestion to 'hang in there' was 
shortsighted and dangerous.

At first, I thought that all we need to do is wait for the police, let 
the manager of the Pride Factory and the police deal with Steve, and 
continue on with our meeting.  Steve threatened to be at every meeting 
we hold, and so I figured that he would eventually be 86'd from The 
Pride Factory and our IMC general meeting problems with Steve would be 
solved.  But, I didn't take into account the fact that one day we might 
change meeting places or that Steve might hang around outside The Pride 
Factory waiting to "liberate the group from Jason's fascist dictatorship."

Steve's behavior is becoming more abusive as time goes on and he 
continues to disrespect our group consensus process.  It is for this 
reason that I will no longer be attending meetings if Steve Hampton is 
present.  If Steve is at a meeting, I will leave.  I will be willing to 
meet in another location if others also want to do this, but I am not 
willing to put myself in potential harms way during a meeting.

Genelle does a great job describing the verbal to physical abuse 
pattern, so I don't need to go into detail about that here.  I do feel, 
however, that Steve Hampton's presence at meetings that I attend has the 
potential to bring harm to myself and possibly others.

I'm thoroughly shaken up from this, frightened, extremely concerned for 
other group members, nervous, finding it difficult to concentrate on the 
important work I need to do, disappointed in myself, insecure about the 
correct actions to take, embarrassed and ashamed at my inability to deal 
with this, and worried.  I feel angry that I'm spending time on myself 
and my problems when others around the world suffer from my comfort even 
now.  I'm not sure how to avoid another situation like this from 
happening in the future and am sensing futility in trying to do so.

I appologize for unloading this on everyone, but when I leave a meeting 
in which Steve Hampton is present, I want you all to know why.

Jason Halprin