Read
Selections on
Leadership from the book,
World Diplomacy: |
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Other
excerpts from the book
World Diplomacy: |
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Archives
2003: |
Read
previous monthly selections |
January:
(Vol. 2, No. 1) |
Leadership Criterion 3:
Leaders are dedicated to solve the problems of the planet
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February:
(Vol. 2, No. 2)
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Leadership
Criterion 4: Leaders create cooperation and hope.
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March:
(Vol. 2, No. 3) |
Avoiding
Dictatorship in a Free Society Part 1 |
April:
(Vol. 2, No. 4) |
Avoiding
Dictatorship in a Free Society Part 2 |
May:
(Vol. 2, No. 5) |
Art
and Politics |
June:
(Vol. 2, No. 6) |
Living
the Good Life |
July:
(Vol. 2, No. 7) |
Core
Values |
August:
(Vol. 2, No. 8) |
The
Tour de France A
Sporting Model for Diplomacy |
September
(Vol. 2, No. 9) |
Teaching
Teens Part I |
October
(Vol. 2, No. 10) |
Teaching
Teens Part II |
November
(Vol. 2, No. 11) |
Moving
Forward |
December
(Vol. 2, No. 12) |
Worls
Peace in Less Than a Month? |
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©
2004 SNS Press. All rights reserved.
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Peace
on Earth, Goodwill to All
This
holiday season many religious greeting cards will carry this statement
as a heartfelt wish and then it will be quickly forgotten. Religion
and religious faith will comfort many for the rest of the year with
the sense of security that comes from feeling that one is "saved."
In a prosperous nation it is easy to feel saved and secure in one's
faith. In other nations where each day begins and ends with suffering
and insecurity, religious salvation is surviving the struggle to stay
alive.
Do
those who believe in a supreme, just and loving God truly believe that
the divine intelligence would condone the separation of the living into
the "saved" and the "damned?" What a sad, blasphemous
joke that would be what a humiliating irony for a God of creation.
No person in their right mind destroys what they create. Would, then,
a God? The division of people into the "good" and the "sinful"
even contradicts the universal religious concept that life is a journey
of many tests that will eventually lead to the realization of the Golden
Rule, and then to a life dedicated to serve others. That some live their
whole life without ever realizing this is a human failure, but not a
reason for being condemned. Life presents the continuous possibility
for learning from one's mistakes and for working to pay off one's debts
through service.
The
tragic fact of human history is that the main enemies of peace and goodwill
have been religious or political fanatics who felt they were chosen,
and to hell with others if they didn't believe in the same way. The
destroyers of peace have forever been the self-righteous, the intolerant,
the greedy. How can heaven be the reward of a fearful, hellish life
on earth? How can heaven be reserved for the "saved" who stand
idly by while others suffer, or worse, persecute others, isolated in
the well-being of their selfishness, smug in their disdain for the less
fortunate or for others who do not hold their beliefs?
Goodwill,
on the other hand, is the will and determination to do good and improve
life for others without thought of personal reward. Goodwill is the
unobstructed expression of the human soul. It is not just being devoted
to one's religion, but rather it is being devoted to the well-being
of others. It is working to create the environment wherein all people
may fulfill their natural rights and potentials. When a person is able
and willing to express his or her humanness, the result is a life of
goodwill. Goodwill is living a life that does not violate the laws of
nature, but rather, promotes them. These laws related to human society
are evident in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights.
Humanity
is fortunate that there are over 5,000 organizations and millions of
people who are actively working 365 days a year to bring peace through
acts of goodwill. These groups do not profess religious or political
allegiance. They are not motivated simply by faith, but by taking action
for the good of others. They are often going to the most hellish places
to work, not waiting for a God to take them to heaven.
Below
we pay tribute to just a few of these groups who demonstrate goodwill
through their goals and works. They stand as shining examples of the
power of the human "will to good" which is the only possible
saving force in a world victimized by the selfish and self-righteous:
- CARE
works
with poor communities in more than 70 countries around the world to
find lasting solutions to poverty. They look at the big picture of
poverty, and go beyond the symptoms to confront underlying causes.
With a broad range of programs based on empowerment, equity and sustainability,
CARE seeks to tap human potential and leverage the power of individuals
and communities to unleash a vast force for progress.
- The
Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
promote
the humanitarian activities of 178 national organizations among vulnerable
people. By coordinating international disaster relief and encouraging
development support, they seek to prevent and alleviate human suffering.
In a world with increasing isolation, tension and recourse to violence,
it is clear that the Red Cross Red Crescent must champion the individual
and community values which encourage respect for other human beings
and a willingness to work together to find solutions to community
problems. The seven Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross and Red
Crescent are; humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary
service, unity and universality.
- Oxfam
believes that in a world rich in resources, poverty isn't a fact of
life but an injustice which must be overcome. We believe that everyone
is entitled to a life of dignity and opportunity; and we work with
poor communities, local partner organizations, volunteers, and supporters
to make this a reality. Oxfam's goal is a world where every person
is secure, skilled, equal, safe, healthy, heard.
- Natural
Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
is
the nation's most effective environmental action organization. They
use law, science and the support of more than one million members
and online activists to protect the planet's wildlife and wild places
and to ensure a safe and healthy environment for all living things.
- Amnesty
International (AI) is a worldwide movement of people
who campaign for internationally recognized human rights. AI's vision
is of a world in which every person enjoys all of the human rights
enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international
human rights standards. In pursuit of this vision, AI's mission is
to undertake research and action focused on preventing and ending
grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental integrity, freedom
of conscience and expression, and freedom from discrimination, within
the context of its work to promote all human rights. AI is independent
of any government, political ideology, economic interest or religion.
It does not support or oppose any government or political system,
nor does it support or oppose the views of the victims whose rights
it seeks to protect. It is concerned solely with the impartial protection
of human rights.
- Save
the Children
is
a leading nonprofit humanitarian relief and development organization
working in more than 40 countries throughout the developing world
and the United States. Our mission is to create lasting, positive
change in the lives of children in need. Save the Children has been
on the humanitarian front lines since it was founded 70 years ago.
Every day, we see how more women and children in war zones around
the world need protection from violence, rape, family separation,
exploitation and forced military servitude.
- Médecins
Sans Frontières or Doctors Without Borders
delivers emergency aid to victims of armed conflict, epidemics, natural
and man-made disasters, and to others who lack health care due to
social or geographical isolation. They believe that all people have
the right to medical care regardless of race, religion, creed or political
affiliation, and that the needs of these people supersede respect
for national borders.
Our
wish at SNS Press for the new year is that people will take heart and
take part some way in humanitarian works of goodwill as demonstrated
by these groups. May we all work together in our humanness and diversity
to make a world at peace regardless of race, nationality, political
or religious beliefs.
©
2004 Richard Sidy
Some
poems related to this theme:
Making
Friends
Take Heart
To Our Youth
Meteor
Archives
2004
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Read
previous monthly selections
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January:
(Vol. 3, No. 1)
The Four Freedoms |
February:
(Vol. 3, No. 2)
Global Consciousness I |
March:
(Vol. 3, No. 3)
Global Consciousness II |
April:
(Vol. 3, No. 4)
Global Consciousness III |
May:
(Vol. 3, No. 5)
Global Consciousness IV |
June:
(Vol. 3, No. 6)
Global Consciousness V |
July:
(Vol. 3, No. 7)
Global Consciousness VI |
August:
(Vol. 3, No. 8)
Global Consciousness VII |
September:
(Vol. 3, No. 9)
Is "Liberal" a Dirty Word? |
October:
(Vol. 3, No. 10)
Bullies in Our Political Culture |
November:
(Vol. 3, No. 11)
Can Idealism Solve Problems? |
December:
(Vol. 3, No. 12) Peace on Earth, Goodwill |
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