John McConnell - Founder of Earth Day Speaks for Earth
One Humanity: One Goal
The Way to a Peaceful, Prosperous Future.
The reason for poverty, pollution and war is that civilization lacks an adequate, agreed upon, well defined goal. As a result adversaries lack a suitable basis for peaceful resolutions of conflict. Controversy too often focuses on differences, neglecting areas of honest accord. Peace efforts then stall in spite of international laws and United Nations agreements and resolutions. We need a global goal with strong global appeal.
EARTH TRUSTEE SOLUTION
The needed goal that all can accept is: THE REJUVENATION OF OUR PLANET WITH FAIR BENEFITS FOR EVERYONE; a change of attitude and conduct world-wide from fear and despair to hope and action by persuading every concerned individual to act, in their own way, as a responsible trustee of Earth. This can be accomplished by a moral equivalent of war, a Peace Blitz for a Better World.
To succeed, leaders and laymen are asked to avoid the historic mistakes of humanity's past. We need a vision of the future that will provide a world without war, the end of poverty, a stake in Earth's natural bounty by everyone, including the disinherited poor, the realization of human potential -- physical, mental, spiritual -- in a world of freedom and order.
To achieve this we should look below the surface at the root causes of civilization's sickness. In the past individuals identified with and were most loyal to their clan, nation, religion or business. The narrow view of competing groups often led to conflict and sometimes war. Today, through the eyes of our astronauts and cosmonauts we have stepped back and viewed our planet from afar with new eyes. We are aware that one fragile planet is our home, the home of one human family. Our future requires a common purpose.
Now we have a chance to see in our diversity a unity which will enable us to fairly adjust our differences with new solutions -- unseen in the past. In all decisions we must now consider how they affect the nurture and protection of Earth and the rights of individuals to the use of our planet. Seeing the whole picture will help us make the right choices.
For example: A major global trouble spot has been the Mid-East land hallowed by Christian, Jewish and Muslim history. Historic boundaries of nations, claims and counter claims, are now transcended by a larger more fundamental claim: the claim of every person to his or her inheritance -- a fair stake in the land and natural bounty of their planet. When we place loyalty to planet and respect for the planetary rights of all people above loyalty to nation, new possibilities quickly appear. What a great thing it would be to see Jewish, Christian and Muslim Centers in Jerusalem seeking homesteads for homeless constituents in friendly communities throughout the Mid-East.
Another basic mistake in history is the development and establishment of unfair, inefficient systems of money and credit. We have a planet with assets in the trillions of dollars -- much of it in developing countries. Once we see that money is not wealth -- wealth is land, raw materials, technology, factories, people with skills, etc. -- we might avoid the folly of war prosperity, followed by peace depression -- with more money for money manipulators than producers and workers.
By a change in monetary policies to fair, free credit -- based on adequate assets, and by making money an honest medium of exchange backed by assets and available in the measure needed for stable exchange of goods and services, we could soon bring prosperity to our whole planet.
To take advantage of the incredible opportunities we now have - end of the cold war, amazing new technology and communications, a vital necessity is to tap the spiritual and emotional resources of our religious faith ... in ways that will not compromise our separate creeds and beliefs. Love of God, love of people, love of Earth, honesty, fairness and truth are to be found in every major religion. I may totally reject the creeds of other religions where they relate to a future life and at the same time approve their actions that heal and help people and planet. A deeply held
shared goal aids communication and promotes more openness to each others point of view -- often resulting in a basic unity that helps resolve many differences, with accommodation or separation where needed. Love of God means love of neighbor and nature.
Once the primary universal goal of Earth Trusteeship is established and affirmed by leaders and world public opinion, controversy will more constructively sort out differences and areas of agreement. This will increase understanding and bring better definitions of issues -- how they relate, provide direction, or help achieve global goals. Then, with the aid of an enlightened, responsible mass media, world public opinion, a powerful force, will promote good will, peace, justice and Earth's rejuvenation.
Now is the time to mobilize our faith and our institutions in a Campaign for Earth. Now is the time, especially, for a new sense of purpose and responsibility by public media. Let them sponsor a Media Blitz for Earth's rejuvenation, with features and headlines for the many solutions that are working and need attention.
EARTH MINUTES
To aid inner commitment and inspire practical actions we are urging all radio and TV stations worldwide to program daily Earth Minutes at 0300, 1100, and 1900 GMT (Convert to local time in each time zone). These minutes without words will have locally produced music, views of Earth from Space, nature, children. When you hear Earth Minute announced you can link your thought, your prayer, with others all over the world. At other times reports and features will be about Earth care solutions, planned or in progress. This can provide a new sense of Earth Trustee identity that will tap the best of our personal religious convictions, diminish fear, hate, greed and lust and assure an era of peaceful progress in the coming millennium.
We ask radio, TV stations and newspapers to start an Earth Trustee Media Blitz. We have the raw materials, the technology, instant global communications -- and there are people ready and willing around the world.
All that is needed is to get their attention. The whole picture here presented can then bring the needed Earth Trustee choices in words and actions -- and peaceful progress will prevail.
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