"When I circled the moon and looked back at the Earth, my outlook on life and viewpoint of the Earth changed. You don't see Los Angels, or Boston, or even New York. You don't see boundaries or people, no Whites or Blacks, Christians, Jews or Muslims. The Earth looks completely uninhabited and yet you know that on Spaceship Earth there lives over six billion astronauts - all seeking the same things from life. We are all the crew of Spaceship Earth. Just like Apollo, the crew must work and learn together and manage the resources of this world with new imagination. The future is up to you."
- Jim Lovell, Apollo 13 Commander.
Obviously on the Wrong Planet
Suppose you could connect foreign policy to human psychology. Suppose you could say that nations are like people, react like people, are subject to the same physical forces as individuals.
Lester Pearson - Nobel Lecture
December 11, 1957
The choice, however, is as clear now for nations as it was once for the individual: peace or extinction. The life of states cannot, any more than the life of individuals, be conditioned by the force and the will of a unit, however powerful, but by the consensus of a group, which must one day include all states. Today the predatory state, or the predatory group of states, with power of total destruction, is no more to be tolerated than the predatory individual.
How can psychological and physical conditions NOT apply to large numbers of humans equally as they do to one human?
If this is the case, then we can look to our own individual experience to predict the results of geopolitical policy.
The tide has turned.
Now I'm curious about the long-term future of the planet, our race. I'm curious about how KosNFXians feel about where we're headed and how we might presume to direct this course.
We have the historical thread to examine, which presents as evolving toward "rule of law," from Hammurabi to International Criminal Court. We--humans--appear to strive to resist injustice.
But we also demonstrate a prolonged inability to pass hard-earned wisdom on to succeeding generations. Twentieth century institutional violence (WWI, WWII) was staggering. Efforts motivated by first-hand experience of horrible devastation and suffering resulted in the successful creation of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Yet now the Bush administration has acted out humanity's most recent betrayal of our basic trust in leadership. Where DO we look for direction? What direction will we head? And what have we learned?
The evolved body of human ethics and law, assaulted by the intransigence, insulted by the dismissive arrogance of current US leadership, needs renewal of vows. A recommitment to the vision of US founders: those "unalienable" human rights of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" incline us toward "a decent respect for the opinions of mankind," to the rule of reason, the rule of law.
This time, not just white guys. We have come a long-ass way. We (mostly) know we mean ALL humans by now when we examine these ideals--the ideals our country was founded upon, ideals that still serve to uplift the inner dream of what our children's lives and their children's lives can and will be.
Yes, we know globalization has its problems. We know the UN Security Council needs a serious valve-job. We know that there are elements of the (barely-see-that-far-around-the-bend) Christian Right that believe II Timothy foretells global cooperation as herald of the Anti-Christ. (Best to let that argument go unengaged imho.)
What do we do?
Let's wind the clock back to look at one telling example. If we treated 9.11 as a criminal act, engaged the international community in resolution.
Forget invading Afghanistan. Work collaboratively with all other countries, especially Muslim and Arab. Determine WHY and then cooperatively pursue and capture participants for trial and punishment in international criminal tribunal.
As an old man's time nears its end sometimes regret brings forth a clarity of understanding. The recent Scowcroft interview, or McNamara's call for nuclear disarmament indicates that an alternative geopolitical view of mutual global trust is within our grasp.
I believe that the strategy of America as global hegemon has been as-of-now retired in disgrace.
The neocon "ends" of global dominance, justifying any means necessary, has led to America's abject humiliation.
Our experience here in this material universe is more than an ideological pendulum swinging back and forth.
If you believe we embark upon a daring visionary voyage, first imagining then creating the world we want future generations to inhabit, it will be so.
We inspire future generations by our example as we inspire and encourage each other. Use the best of what we have been given to create a just and sustainable world based upon human collaboration and cooperation. DailyKos can and does model this. (More and more!)
Seeking to reduce suffering, to solve problems creatively and peacefully, to respect all life and to value truth--truth and above all the transformational spirit residing, resounding within each of us: love.
GLOBAL ETHICS FOR THE THIRD MILLENNIUM:
a series of interviews with outstanding personalities
Interviews by Patricia Morales
Globus Institute, Tilburg University, The Netherlands
Steven Rockefeller: The Earth Charter
Interview by Patricia Morales
Q. What are the major challenges for the Third Millennium, with respect to caring for the Earth and humanity?
A. The Earth Charter offers a concise overview of the challenges that humanity faces in the next millennium. The four General Principles in the Earth Charter are a good summary of the goals and ideals that humanity should strive to achieve:
Respect for the Earth and life in all its diversity.
Care for the community of life with understanding and compassion.
Build free, just, participatory, sustainable, and peaceful societies.
Secure the Earth's bounty and beauty for present and future generations.