Waggle dance for a changing world

Submitted by Mary Keller
Posted 10/29/20

Dear Editor:

Honeybee Democracy is a great book. When a hive swarms, a hundred independent-minded worker bees, scouts, head out to inspect and consider new homes. The scouts return to the swarm to …

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Waggle dance for a changing world

Posted

Dear Editor:

Honeybee Democracy is a great book. When a hive swarms, a hundred independent-minded worker bees, scouts, head out to inspect and consider new homes. The scouts return to the swarm to do their waggle dances. A democratic decision-making process ensues whereby the independent-minded scouts reach a quorum of “decided scouts” at the site of the new location. They return to the swarm with their quorum intelligence. They deliver the message through dancing, making special sounds, and bumping into the swarm to make sure everyone is up to temperature and speed in order for the swarm to take off almost instantaneously.

These lessons speak to me of our community. Park County needs to adapt to changing conditions like a pandemic, drastic budget shortfalls and accelerating natural resource catastrophes that impact agriculture, education and recreation, our lifeblood. We need to consider how to reduce the acceleration of the catastrophe curve for the sake of future generations and to reduce the financial losses that are also accelerating. This is the time to explore options through independent-minded scouts, have a quorum process to evaluate alternatives and then lead the community to the best community development possible. Don’t forget waggle dancing.

I hope our mayor and county commissioners will be cultivating social decision-making workshops and gatherings so that we benefit from honeybee democracy. I’d love to watch this community make the move to community-wide transformation by hearing each other’s ideas about the best way to meet the future. I’m interested in the best information regarding agriculture and adapting for local food security in light of volatility in weather. I am wondering how more student time in the outdoors might be part of education reform.

How do climate assessments help us plan for hunting and fishing refugia? We will be one of the last best places for these income-generating and quality of life benefits, so we ought to be protecting them. Could we develop local solar and wind energy projects that make energy more affordable for everyone?

And I’m thinking about the election. We know where the Wyoming electoral college vote goes this year. The Wyoming hive is a Trump bastion. In contrast, I stand with the coalition of nearly 500 former and current national security leaders, including 22 retired four-star generals and admirals in their recent endorsements of the Biden/Harris ticket. I see their growing movement as the leadership of the scouts, leading from partisanship toward the defense of democracy as our new common ground. Perhaps I’m part of the quorum of hive intelligence for 2020 as many conservatives evaluate the waggle dances and conclude, with The Lincoln Project and others, that the infrastructure of democracy is our first concern.

I’m writing about the need for a peaceful transition of power, especially between election day and inauguration. Wyoming’s U.S. representative, Liz Cheney, said the peaceful transition is “enshrined in our Constitution and fundamental to the survival of our Republic” when Trump declined to say so. A quorum of conservatives are bumping into the swarm to confirm that it’s time to move forward together safely. Because we have independent-minded scouts we will be stronger, and can avoid tragic violence.

Mary Keller

Cody

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