C.T. Lawrence Butler
C.T. Lawrence Butler, (born Lawrence Alan Butler, October 5, 1953), is the co-founder of Food Not Bombs, and author of On Conflict and Consensus, Food Not Bombs: How to Feed the Hungry and Build Community, and Consensus for Cities. He is an American trainer in values-based consensus decisionmaking.
Early Years
Butler’s father was an administrator for the military defense contractor Thiokol. Due to this position, the family moved from Long Island, where Butler was born, to Tremonton, Utah, then to Newark, Delaware. Butler has an older brother and sister, and a younger brother. These actions introduced C.T. to two concepts - nonviolent direct action and consensus decisionmaking.
Consensus Work
*On Conflict and Consensus
In 1987, when he could find no written guides to consensus decisionmaking, C.T. Butler co-wrote On Conflict and Consensus, based on his experiences with activist groups, Quaker meetings and intentional communities. The book introduced a new model of consensus, then called Formal Consensus, which addressed problems of previous practices. As of 2011, On Conflict and Consensus sold over 10,000 copies.
*Consensus for Cities, IndyMedia Convergence
Butler wrote Consensus for Cities in 2009. It describes an affinity group/spokescouncil model for making consensus decisions with up to 100,000 people. This model was adopted by the Indymedia Convergence at the 2010 World Social Forum in Dakar, Senegal.
*Values-Based Consensus, Consensus: Body and Soul, Fiopa Collective
In July, 2011, Butler and partner Wren Tuatha introduced two enhanced methodologies for understanding Butler’s model of consensus. Renaming the model Values-Based Consensus Decisionmaking, they held the first Social Technology Toolbox Summer Camp, a 10 day, holistic emersion. The camp was the launch of their new concept, Consensus: Body and Soul, which integrates the structure of Butler’s model (levels one through three) with the new assumptions, or paradigm shifts, a practitioner enters when understanding consensus deeply. Butler and Tuatha formed Fiopa Consensus Collective in October, 2011.
ACT UP
Butler was recruited by the organization ACT UP Maine to teach nonviolence trainings in preparation for nonviolent direct actions. Within ACT UP, he belonged to an affinity group and participated in actions.
The Occupy Wall Street Movement
Butler became involved in the Occupy movement on October 7, 2011, at Occupy Baltimore in Maryland. Occupy Baltimore activists embraced his offer of consensus and facilitation training. When he addressed the group’s General Assembly, stating, “I’ve been waiting for this (movement) for thirty years!” his words were tweeted from the crowd. A Boston Phoenix reporter present covered Butler’s statement, “I'm an anarchist - I don't want power over any of you.”<ref name="Phoenix"/>
Personal life
C.T. Butler lives at Heathcote Community in Maryland with his partner, writer Wren Tuatha. He was previously in relationship with Tess Ouellette, with whom he has a son, Tim Wolf, a student at UC Santa Barbara. He was later in relationship with Diana Bradley, helping to raise her daughter and son, Eryn Trimmer, one of the RNC-8.
Butler identifies as polyamorous, and was an activist in the early polyamory movement in the 1990s.
Having been arrested over fifty times in non-violent direct action and beaten unconscious by police four times, Butler now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.<ref name="FNB"/>
Early Years
Butler’s father was an administrator for the military defense contractor Thiokol. Due to this position, the family moved from Long Island, where Butler was born, to Tremonton, Utah, then to Newark, Delaware. Butler has an older brother and sister, and a younger brother. These actions introduced C.T. to two concepts - nonviolent direct action and consensus decisionmaking.
Consensus Work
*On Conflict and Consensus
In 1987, when he could find no written guides to consensus decisionmaking, C.T. Butler co-wrote On Conflict and Consensus, based on his experiences with activist groups, Quaker meetings and intentional communities. The book introduced a new model of consensus, then called Formal Consensus, which addressed problems of previous practices. As of 2011, On Conflict and Consensus sold over 10,000 copies.
*Consensus for Cities, IndyMedia Convergence
Butler wrote Consensus for Cities in 2009. It describes an affinity group/spokescouncil model for making consensus decisions with up to 100,000 people. This model was adopted by the Indymedia Convergence at the 2010 World Social Forum in Dakar, Senegal.
*Values-Based Consensus, Consensus: Body and Soul, Fiopa Collective
In July, 2011, Butler and partner Wren Tuatha introduced two enhanced methodologies for understanding Butler’s model of consensus. Renaming the model Values-Based Consensus Decisionmaking, they held the first Social Technology Toolbox Summer Camp, a 10 day, holistic emersion. The camp was the launch of their new concept, Consensus: Body and Soul, which integrates the structure of Butler’s model (levels one through three) with the new assumptions, or paradigm shifts, a practitioner enters when understanding consensus deeply. Butler and Tuatha formed Fiopa Consensus Collective in October, 2011.
ACT UP
Butler was recruited by the organization ACT UP Maine to teach nonviolence trainings in preparation for nonviolent direct actions. Within ACT UP, he belonged to an affinity group and participated in actions.
The Occupy Wall Street Movement
Butler became involved in the Occupy movement on October 7, 2011, at Occupy Baltimore in Maryland. Occupy Baltimore activists embraced his offer of consensus and facilitation training. When he addressed the group’s General Assembly, stating, “I’ve been waiting for this (movement) for thirty years!” his words were tweeted from the crowd. A Boston Phoenix reporter present covered Butler’s statement, “I'm an anarchist - I don't want power over any of you.”<ref name="Phoenix"/>
Personal life
C.T. Butler lives at Heathcote Community in Maryland with his partner, writer Wren Tuatha. He was previously in relationship with Tess Ouellette, with whom he has a son, Tim Wolf, a student at UC Santa Barbara. He was later in relationship with Diana Bradley, helping to raise her daughter and son, Eryn Trimmer, one of the RNC-8.
Butler identifies as polyamorous, and was an activist in the early polyamory movement in the 1990s.
Having been arrested over fifty times in non-violent direct action and beaten unconscious by police four times, Butler now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.<ref name="FNB"/>
Comments