Table of Contents

Introduction

Part l: Building Blocks of My “America Evolving” Philosophy

Chapter 1. Arlington National Cemetery, Dad, and Mom

During the Korean War,  Lieutenant Commander Benjamin H. Fisher, USN served aboard the aircraft carrier USS Princeton as a Naval Intelligence Officer and the Strike Officer of Task Force 77, the U. S. Naval force operating in the waters off Korea.  On May 1, 1951 Dad helped plan and execute a daring raid by AD Sky Raider fighter bombers of Striker Fighter Squadron 195 (VFA 195) to disable the heavily defended and strategically important Hwcheon Dam in North Korea using MK -13 aerial torpedoes. LCDR Fisher flew in the last plane and took the bomb damage assessment photos of this successful mission. The squadron has been known ever since as the “Dambusters.”

Chapter 2. Witness to History

Rich witnessed the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 from the gallery of the U. S. Senate, when he was a high school student.  Later, as a law student, he interviewed for a position with the Watergate Special Prosecutor on the eve of the “Saturday Night Massacre,” where President Nixon ordered the FBI to seal the Office of the Watergate Special Prosecutor and fired the Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney General, and the Watergate Special Prosecutor.

Chapter 3. Georgetown University Law Center and the Administrative Office of the U. S. Courts

Studying law at night and working for the “AO” by day, Rich published a law journal article that was used as the basis of the U. S. Supreme Court decision that guaranteed the right to trial by jury of fewer than twelve persons in civil cases.

Chapter 4. Remembering Judge and FBI Director William S. Sessions

Rich had the honor of serving as the first Federal Judicial Law Clerk to this great American jurist and public servant.

Chapter 5. Attorney for the United States

Rich’s first appearance in Federal Court was a very humbling experience.

Chapter 6. Representing “Marie:” the Civil Rights Case Depicted in the Netflix Film Series “Unbelievable.” 

The case inspired Pulitzer Prize Award-Winning journalism, improvements in the way police departments nation wide investigate crimes of sexual assault, an NPR podcast, and a book.

Chapter 7. Civil Rights and Motown: A VISTA Volunteer in Detroit, Michigan 1968 – 1969

Rich served as a VISTA Volunteer in Detroit, Michigan during this time of civil rights fervor and exciting Motown music. Rich’s experience included meeting Presidential Candidate Richard Nixon, as he toured the VISTA office during a campaign stop in Detroit in 1968.

Part ll. Citizen Leadership Skills

Chapter 8. Active Listening

In conflict resolution until Active Listening happens, nothing is possible; once it happens, everything is possible.

Chapter 9. Dialogue

Stepping out of our partisan “bubbles” to really listen to one another, reflect, and respond.

Chapter 10. Divergent Thinking and Convergent Thinking – Creative Problem-Solving Tools

Expanding possibilities and fostering consensus.

Chapter 11. Sample Creative Problem-Solving Workshop Agenda

Combining a number of creative problem-soling techniques into an orchestrated workshop agenda.

Chapter 12. Win Win Conflict Resolution

Skills to  create genuine satisfaction for parties in the presence of conflict.

Chapter 13. Partnering

The project management team building process that has saved the construction industry billions of dollars by helping project teams complete projects on schedule and on budget in an atmosphere of teamwork and trust.

Rich facilitated a Partnering Session for a project in support of the Dambusters Naval aircraft carrier fighter squadron at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan.

Chapter 14. Collaborative Citizen Team Building and Problem-Solving

Using “Thought Leaders” and other skills to help conflicted organizations resolve disputes and create successful collaborative relationships.

Part lll. Applying Citizen Leadership Skills to Resolve Public Policy Issues

Chapter 15.  Community – Police Relationship Issues

Applying the Citizen Leadership Skills to resolve differences and create successful community - police relationships.

Chapter 16. Conclusion: America Evolving: the Best is Yet to Come

The American future looks bright because the Best is Yet to Come!

About Rich Fisher, JD