For the safety of billions of lives, to eliminate the threat of war, we, the free thinking peoples of the world, shall consider all people worthy of life, and all who are different from us, to be worthy of a peaceful existence. 1. Harm None - For the preservation of all that we place value in, it is only reasonable to respect and preserve that which is of value to others. Our only safeguard from the manipulations of tyrants, or the misdeeds of the unrighteous, is to agree that all violence, all damage, all Harm, is a crime. 2. Preserve the Peace - It is our duty, as free thinking people, to protect those who cannot protect themselves. In the event that a tyrant comes into power, those who value peace above all things must defend the rights of the defenseless. The only time at which military action should be tolerated or allowed, is when the innocent and unprotected are exploited or victimized by forces beyond their control. At the farthest limits of attempted diplomacy, the only time which Harm might be acceptable, is when it averts even greater Harm - this is the right of self defense, and the responsibility of protecting the weak and innocent. 3. Respect for Individuality - No man or woman on this Earth can claim to hold all of the keys to happiness, for all individuals of our species. Thus it stands to reason that no one of us has the right to tell anyone else how to experience their life. Within the realms of self determination, and consensual relations, it is up to the individual to find their own truth in this world, and it can only bring Harm for another individual to exert their will over anyone whose intent is peaceful. 4. Liberty and Freedom - Every person on this planet has the right to find their own happiness, this is the foundation of liberty. Depriving one of their capacity to pursue their own happiness, or infringing on one's capacity to experience peace and self-fulfillment, encompasses all Harm that one might visit upon another. 5. Respectful Restraint - When our own impulses tell us that a Harmful act may bring pleasure, it is our personal responsibility to contain those impulses. One cannot claim their own pleasure as an excuse or justification for causing Harm, for to do so is to accept that you enjoy causing Harm. Obviously an accident, or negligence causing Harm would not be a crime, but to purposefully and deliberately cause Harm, is criminally insane. It is natural to have emotional responses which urge one towards Harmful acts, but within our Humanity we possess the ability to use our reason and willpower to avert such terrible mistakes, and it is our responsibility to do so. 6. Defend Nature - This world is an incredibly tiny place, within a vast and astounding wasteland of lifelessness. It is our greatest responsibility to preserve the vitality of this world, and whenever possible, enhance that vitality. Needless Harm to the natural ecosystems and habitats of this world causes untold Harm to generations of people to come, and thus should be considered an abhorrent and despicable act. This world belongs to each and every one of us, and therefore to Harm this world, is to Harm every other being upon the planet, and every unborn child who might witness or suffer from that damage done. 7. Strive and Grow - Society as a whole, has a responsibility to the individual, to always seek to find better ways. As individuals, we have the solemn responsibility to better ourselves so that today, and tomorrow, may always be better than yesterday. We must grow and adapt, and never remain too attached to the ways of the past, that we cannot safely make it into the future. If we can never be perfect, that means we can always be better, so we must continually work to improve our world, as stewards of this very tiny, and very fragile Earth. Signed, Damon Schmitt -------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have a lot to say about the world. It is my feeling that our political and economic systems which were developed before the widespread use of computers and global media, are woefully ineffective for a modern world such as this. I intend to mobilize and organize the citizens of this world to enact bold, positive change in the world, to create an atmosphere in which we may all prosper, and feel safe. These messages are largely being disseminated in a video format (my camera is terrible, bear with me until I get a new one), and the entire collection (a work in progress, obviously) can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/user/UnityEarthProject?feature=mhee
