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A Global Call To Action From Founder of Earth Day


A Global Call To Action


by John McConnell, Founder of Earth Day, June 4, 2003

We are now in the greatest global crisis in human history. It is imperative the whole human family mobilize for a moral equivalent of World War II.

In our past wars we forgot our differences and joined in heroic efforts to kill our enemies. Killing will no longer stop killing. Now we must join in an all-out effort to eliminate the causes of war.

All people who receive this message are urged to quickly choose what they will do. Think about it, talk about it -- and then act.

Human greed, injustice and folly have almost ruined our planet. The most powerful institutions (global corporations and rich governments) have usually put financial profit first. The resulting violence and environmental damage has been disastrous.

The human family has a long record of war, using violence to settle differences. But now new devilish weapons are available worldwide and can be used by the weak as well as the strong. The fact that America is the strongest country in the world no longer matters.

The only solution is to eliminate the causes of violence. Killing the guilty will only trigger more acts of violence by others who hate America.

We must now all think and act as responsible caretakers and trustees of our planet -- seeking fair benefits for all people. This will foster mutual understanding and eliminate the causes of violence and war. Every individual and institution should now think and act as a Trustee of Earth. This will appeal to every creed and culture. It provides a way for you to tap the best in your thinking and in your faith.

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We must recognize and praise the cases where Ben Laden has aided his people. There is evil in some of his actions -- and evil in some of our actions. But the way to peace is to find common ground -- items we can praise and support. Do this with prayer and faith he will respond in like manner.

Press, Radio, TV and Internet play a vital role. Actions, good or bad, begin in the mind. Those able to command media attention have a special obligation to speak out about the crisis and its obvious solution -- the Earth Trustee vision and agenda. See: http://www.EarthSite.org

Pope John Paul II, Billy Graham, Pat Robertson, the Dalai Lama, the UN Secretary General and ALL world leaders should act now, urging that everyone oppose violence with nonviolence -- Martin Luther King's effective solution. Leaders in other areas of public trust should do the same. Those who believe in the power of prayer can prove the power of their faith by their Earth Trustee actions.

When people think and act as Earth Trustees they will show a reverence for life -- and for holy places. Earth Day helped move toward conciliation when it had Shimon Perez of Israel ring the United Nations Peace Bell -- and persuaded Yaser Arafat of Palestine to add his name to the Earth Day Proclamation. Jerusalem is a holy place to Christian, Muslim and Jew and its role in history is important to people of every religion.

Earth Day and its Earth Trustee agenda, puts The Golden Rule to work -- do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Here is a chance for people of all religions to show their ethical values by being Earth Trustees and practicing reverence for life in word and deed.

Mass media has a sacred obligation as the eyes and ears of the public to: -- Feature solutions as well as problems -- Headline cases of peaceful progress in the human adventure that replace hate, fear, greed and lust. -- Give recognition and attention to people and projects that eliminate pollution and poverty and foster peace, justice and the care of Earth.

Every radio and TV station should program a daily "Minute for Peace." A voice would state, "In this minute for peace let us join our hearts and minds, each in our own way, with faith and commitment to peaceful actions today and every day." This would be followed by appropriate music or sounds of nature.

On Earth Day at the United Nations there is a global "Minute for Peace," signaled by the ringing of the Peace Bell at the moment Spring begins.

With the media's cooperation, each year's Earth Day -- on nature's historic annual event, the March Equinox, will provide a great global holiday with world wide participation by people of every creed and culture. This will inspire actions for Earth's rejuvenation -- with peace, justice and prosperity for all.

Spread the word. We can change this global crisis into a new beginning for Planet Earth.

John McConnell
4924 E. Kentucky Circle
Denver, CO 80246

TrusteeOne@aol.com

http://www.EarthSite.org

The Earth Trustee idea of the original Earth Day (March 21, 1970) provides the key: Every individual and institution must now seek to eliminate pollution, poverty and injustice by Earth Trustee choices in ecology, economics and ethics. Thousands of group projects are already helping people and planet. Their impact can increase dramatically by uniting in a global Earth Trustee Campaign with one common cause -- the rejuvenation of Earth.


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