Echoes of Silence: Peace. Justice. Beauty.

Nicaragua: Notes from the Frontline #4: Re-inventing the United Nations

Echoes of Silence
One Planet. One People.
Workers, not 'Stars' [Victor Jara]

Nicaragua: Notes from the Frontline #4  

Hey again,

Things are really cooking here in the Global South. A wonderful street muralist is here from Chile. Alejandro 'Mono' Gonzalez. Check out his work with our Movimiento Victor Jara on FB 'Victor Jara Nicaragua' and his own life and times via 'Googly', as we pronounce it here! [Tragically, nobody's even heard of cricket, however.]

So Mono's been staying with Padre Miguel d'Escoto. That - in this context - is the really exciting part. For Padre Miguel is on a crusade to not merely reform, but to re-invent, the United Nations, via a proposal entitled: "Re-inventing the United Nations" [amazingly enough!]. The proposal's key is to ground the functioning of the United Nations and indeed of the individual nations themselves in Mother Earth herself. Running so contrary to the West's cancerous military/industrial 'development', this makes the UN essentially and pro-actively pacifist and anti-imperialist.

Because I'm Mono's taxi-guy, and because Padre Miguel is also nuts about Victor Jara and Beethoven, we've become good pals. So I'm hopeful that I can slide the old 'One Planet, One People World Interactive Flag' into the mix somewhere, together with this 'Peoples Declaration of InterDependence' I cobbled together for the new century(!). Maybe they'll be some small help.

ECHOES of SILENCE

 DECLARE INTER-DEPENDENCE!

One Planet. One People.

Peace. Justice. Beauty.

Notes for a Future

Paul Baker Hernández

In-Dependence within Inter-Dependence

Honour the Fatherland honor Mother Earth.

Honor Mother Earth honour the Fatherland.

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A DECLARATION OF INTER-DEPENDENCE

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Addressed to the United Nations and to All Governments

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We, the Peoples and People of this one exquisite - and exquisitely fragile - planet hold these truths to be self-evident:

Ø That all persons - children, women and men - of every race, calling, creed, color, condition and age are created equal. There are no exceptions.

Ø That they, collectively and individually, are endowed with certain inalienable inalienable rights. Among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.

Ø That the fundamental sources and resources to achieve these rights: Peace without threat, fear, force or weapons, pure air, fresh water, an uncontaminated earth, nourishing food, good health, creative education, a secure home, equitable justice, local and global responsibility, authentic, proportionate, participative representation and worthwhile work - also belong inalienably to them all. For ever.

Ø That this inheritance - these resources truly without price - can never be taken over or away by individuals, classes, corporations and/or states for their own exclusive or majority use, exploitation, profit or control.

Ø Rather, that it is the marvelous gift and responsibility of every human generation to enjoy these resources with respect and delight, in interdependence with all peoples and with the whole multitude of species, both animal and plant, with which we co-inhabit this tiny, fragile, and exquisitely wonderful planet.

Ø And, within that gift, to hand them on, enhanced, to the children of our children's children.

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To make this Declaration reality we call on you to re-allocate at least 1% of all budgets currently dedicated to the military, war, and the arms trade - money, materials and, before all else, the creative lives and expertise of all those involved in any way with war and weapons - to bring fresh water to everyone on Earth. 

And to redress the female/male/racial imbalance at every level, with the greatest urgency.

Ø Not only will these measures help re-green the planet and avert looming wars over water (so much more precious than oil), but also, by beginning the build-down of weapons, they will mark a vital psychological turning point for humanity, especially in the true honoring via increased respect for women, so-called 'minorities', children, and all who have given their lives for others and for peace.

Ø Further, they will improve global health dramatically, by making available vast quantities of material/financial resources and freeing up whole armies of skilled personnel for urgent medical, ecological, educational and other vitally important tasks within the global community

Ø And, finally, they will at last provide, in the wonder of a healed, peace-filled, planet, a truly fitting memorial to all those who gave their lives believing their sacrifice would, at long last, ‘end all wars’.

There are critical moments in every life. We believe this is one such in the life of all humanity and the flora and fauna of the entire planet. We know that you too hold the good of Earth and humanity dear. Now is the time to act, and to act boldly.  We therefore urge you - as truly a matter of life and death - to take action, offering this Declaration of Inter-Dependence to our own nation and to the entire international community; calling for the immediate establishment of an annual Global Inter-Dependence Day; and, above all, insisting that the many millions whose talents and creative lives are swallowed up by war and its instruments be set free to help ensure that every person on Earth has clean water to drink, every minute of every hour of every day.

Thank you.

Echoes of Silence.  www.echoesofsilence-ecosdelsilencio.pbworks.com

Coordinator: Paul Baker Hernandez, contact: paulbaker2004@yahoo.com

(505) 86153180 (cell); (505) 2249 0979 (landline)