Rural America deserves to be heard! Are you listening to Positions or Interests?  

Most people think of deliberation as something juries do after hearing all the evidence. Just as juries do, each of us makes decisions that affect the lives of our families, our co-workers, and those with whom we share this planet. We weigh carefully the costs and consequences of buying a house or starting a new project at work and we usually discuss those decisions with others who will be affected. Don’t community issues deserve the same consideration?  

Deliberative dialogue is more than casual discussion. It is not a gripe session. It is different from town hall meetings, community input sessions, forums, public hearings, facilitation or debate.   

The goal of public deliberation is thoughtful conversation, where sound decisions are made together about what action is best for the public as a whole, because the experts are those who live in the community. 

Deliberation is based on our individual values – those things we hold dear that bring us to hold the positions we do on a wide range of subjects.