We The People of the 21st century, sharing in common one Planet, one Species, one Home, DO DECLARE the following Rights for ourselves and the following Responsibilities to one another:
THESE RIGHTS:
THIS ABOVE ALL, the Right to Self-Determination in Terms of Identity, Belief, Vocation, Location, Travel, Companionship, Relationship, and Expression, assuming that practice of said Right does not violate another Citizen’s Rights as given below
The Right to be Recognized, Protected, and Respected as Fellow Citizens Under Law, regardless of Gender, Sex, Orientation, Age, Creed, Ethnicity, or Social or Economic Caste
The Right to Remain Free from Forced Slavery, and Indentured Servitude
The Right to Remain Safe from Rape, Torture, Genocide, Assault, and Murder
The Right to Remain Safe from Theft, Fraud, and Seizure of Property (physical or intellectual) without Due Process of Law or Trade
The Right to Education, Information, and Knowledge
The Right to Petition, Express, Vote, Protest, and Abstain in Social and Governmental Discourse
The Right to Unfouled Air, Unfouled Water, Unfouled Food, and Unfouled Living Space
The Right – as Consenting Adults – to Love Who We Will, and to Be Loved As We Will
The Right to Protection from Unlawful and Intentional Corporate, Religious, or Secretarian Predation
The Right to Retain Our Personal Information or Property from Sale or Discovery unless We Choose to Share it through Fair and Open Trade
The Right to Remain Free from Forced Incarceration, Relocation, Violence, Seizure, Discrimination or Persecution by Government, Clerical, or Legal Bodies, until and unless We have been Found Guilty of specific criminal activity through the Due and Fair Process of Law
And the Right to be Treated Fairly, With Justice, and Without Vindictive Cruelty or Ethnic/ Religious/ Cultural/ Sexual Persecution if We have been found thus Guilty.
THESE RESPONSIBILITIES:
THIS ABOVE ALL, the Responsibility to Recognize and Respect the Rights, Safety, and Property of other Citizens
The Responsibility to Contribute in Constant, Meaningful and Measurable Ways to Our Shared Society, whether through Art, Nurture, Labor, Invention, Knowledge, Service, Financial Support, or Combinations of the Above
The Responsibility to be Honest, Ethical, Compassionate, Honorable, and Fair in our Actions, Commerce, Behavior, and all Aspects of Our Employment with Ourselves and Other Citizens
The Responsibility to be Civil, Truthful, Knowledgeable, and Respectful in Our Discourse, Debates, and Disagreements
The Responsibility to remain Informed about Our Culture, History, and Politics
The Responsibility to Nurture, not Abuse, Children, the Helpless, Animals, and the Infirm
The Responsibility to Recognize the Consequences of our Actions upon the Environment We Share
The Responsibility to Clean Up Our Messes, in all forms they might occur
The Responsibility to Provide for Ourselves to the Best of Our Current Abilities
The Responsibility to Hold Ourselves Accountable for Our Behavior
The Responsibility to Be Held Accountable for any Injuries we might cause to Others
The Responsibility to Make Restitution for Our Actions if and when we Cause Injuries to Others
The Responsibility to Nurture, Protect, and Aid – especially in times of War, Disaster, Violence, or Civil Distress – Our Fellow Citizens
The Responsibility to Avoid Behaviors, Actions or Substances that Present Hazards to the Lives and Property of Others
The Responsibility to be Humane and Respectful, whenever possible, to Our Fellow Animal Beings
The Responsibility to Limit Our Impact upon Our Shared Environment whenever possible, and to Rebuild, Restore, or Otherwise Sustain that Environment to the Best of Our Current Abilities
The Responsibility to Live Up to My Potential as a Valuable and Ethical Citizen
And the Responsibility to Uphold the Health of Our Society, Sustain its Infrastructures, and Protect it and Our Fellow Citizens for Current and future Generations.
In short and simple terms:
WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE OURSELVES
AND THE RESPONSIBILTY TO NOT MAKE THAT SOMEONE ELSE’S PROBLEM.
We’re all in this together.
Our World.
Our Future.
Our Home.
Please pass this on.
Sure, it’s a Dream.
But that’s the way histories change.
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Copyright (c) 2011 Satyros Phil Brucato. Permission granted to circulate, with attribution, for non-profit purposes. Permission explicitly denied for reprinting for profit without express consent of the Author.