Make the Dream of the American Revolution Come True!

27 Aug 2008

LPAC is now accepting and soliciting signatures for this petition. Please send your Name, Address, Phone number and Affiliation to lpacpetition@gmail.com

July 29, 2008 (LPAC)--The following was written by Helga Zepp-LaRouche, chairwoman of the Bueso, in Germany. It has been translated into English from German.

A print quality (PDF) version of this petiton is available here.

Make the Dream of the American Revolution Come True!

- Resolution -

To All the Nations of the United Nations and the Presidential Candidates in the American election campaign,

Agreed to at an EIR Seminar held July 26 in Wiesbaden, Germany, attended by parliamentarians, economists, and legal experts from France, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Austria, the U.S.A., Niger, Zimbabwe, Jordan, and Germany.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness-- That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed; that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness,'' -- so reads the American Declaration of Independence of 1776.

And Martin Luther King reminded the world on August 28, 1963 in his famous "I have a Dream'' speech: "When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise, that all men, yes black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned.''

But the American Revolution and the establishment of a republic in the New World was not only a "beacon of hope and temple of liberty'' for America alone, but it represented a perspective for a future in which imperialism and colonialism would eventually be overcome, for the entire world. The plan of John Quincy Adams, for an international "community of principle'' of fully sovereign republics, which would notwithstanding, be bound together by the common aims of mankind, was the noble fulfillment of the idea of the international law of the people, as it was established by the Peace of Westphalia. Unfortunately, today it is obvious that America has kept this promise over recent years just as little for the international community, as King complained it did for the citizens of color in his time. But a unique opportunity, and perhaps also the last chance, currently presents itself, with the American presidential campaign, to infuse the ideals of the American Revolution, of John Quincy Adams, Lincoln, FDR, and Martin Luther King, with new life.

Never in its entire history has humanity been threatened by greater dangers than now. We are experiencing the end phase of a systemic crash of the global financial system, whose hyperinflationary effects have already led to hunger riots in more than 40 nations, and are massively threatening the living standards of the majority of the population in the so-called industrialized nations as well. The system of unrestrained free trade associated with globalization has utterly failed, and threatens to plunge the world into a state of chaos which threatens the lives of many millions, if not billions of people.

While, during the 1950s and 60s, the idea of UN Development Decades still prevailed--that is, the perspective that the underdevelopment of the developing countries would be overcome in each decade, step by step, in order to reach, as soon as possible, the level of the industrialized nations--sometime in the middle of the 1960s a paradigm shift set in, in which the talk was no longer about overcoming underdevelopment, through the construction of infrastructure, industry, and agriculture, but of "overpopulation,'' "appropriate technology,'' and "sustainable development.'' Instead of producing harvests for the welfare of their own populations, the developing countries had to produce, more and more, so-called "cash crops'' for export, in order to pay off their foreign debt, which had been constantly increased through the conditionality of the IMF.

In the industrialized nations, this paradigm shift led increasingly away from production, toward speculation. Through so-called "outsourcing'' to the countries with low-wage production, the productive small and medium-sized industries and the highly skilled jobs in the industrialized nations were destroyed in many places, while the real income in the low-wage countries could not once cover the real cost from the standpoint of physical economy. Through this policy of free trade, important capacities in industry and agriculture have been destroyed over the last 40 years. A small section of the population in all countries became downright obscenely rich; the small and medium-sized industry was destroyed in many places, while about 80 percent of the population in all countries became ever poorer. The situation escalated more and more, to the point against which Gandhi had written in reference to the British colonial masters: "Wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity, worship without sacrifice and politics without principles.''

The model of globalization and free trade has been proven a failure, which has been demonstrated, not the least, by the apparently final collapse of the Doha round of the WTO trade negotiations in Geneva. Therefore it is of the greatest urgency that we again put on the agenda the ideas which had been proposed earlier, for example, by the Non-Aligned Movement at the Sri Lanka Conference in 1976 in the so-called Colombo Resolution, that is, the demand for a new just world economic order, which affords all people and all nations on this planet a humane life in freedom, and the pursuit of happiness, as it is demanded in the Declaration of Independence.

The upcoming General Assembly of the United Nations, which begins this year on Sept. 26 in New York, is perhaps the last opportunity to put the interests of humanity as a whole, and not that of a few speculators, on the agenda. If courageous leaders of several nations comport themselves like those outstanding personalities such as former Foreign Minister of Guyana Fred Wills did in 1976, or the former President of Mexico, Lopez Portillo, did in 1982, then the reconstruction of the world economy after the crash of the system can be set in motion in sufficient time.

What mankind needs today, are individuals who have the vision and the love for the idea of the international community, to put the question of a new, just world economic order on the agenda. This resolution is a call to leading representatives of all nations, to work toward this goal. And the more forces appeal to the three presidential candidates who still find themselves in the race, to honor the promise of the American Constitution and Declaration of Independence for all nations on this planet, the greater the chance that America can return to the positive role which it played in the times of Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Quincy Adams, Abraham Lincoln, and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Signers:

Helga Zepp-LaRouche

http://www.larouchepac.com/

http://www.rense.com/general83/class.htm

http://www.shout.net/~bigred/Football2.html

http://ming.tv/flemming2.php/__show_article/_a000010-000923.htm

http://www.rense.com/general83/bac.htm

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/oxygen-0731.html

Befriending the Media

Some of the greatest Animal Rights activists used to be hunters. Some of the most powerful members of our movement used to work in the meat industry. Most of us used to eat meat. We changed our ways because somebody showed us a different way of looking at things, not because they insulted us. That must be top of mind as we write letters. If we insult and alienate somebody who may have eventually, even years down the line, become a supporter, we vent our anger at the expense of the animals.

If you are writing a complaint to a show or publication whose stories you have enjoyed in the past, do not lose the opportunity to pay a compliment. Then, gently point out the current problem, making sure you tackle the issue, not the person or organization. Try to do it in a friendly manner. It is human nature to care more about pleasing a friend who has been wronged than an adversary. The reader of your letter is only human.

The reader of your letter is also busy. Keep notes short. Do not get sidetracked from your main point; save other points for future notes.

Use your spell-checker. Rightly or wrongly, people who can spell are assumed to be more intelligent, more educated, and are taken more seriously.

This page is headed "Email Etiquette" because email is preferable to standard mail when communicating with major media. The media function in real time. By the time the US post delivers your letter to the editor or station, the topic about which you are writing will be yesterday's news.

When writing a letter to the editor, always include your full name, address, and daytime telephone number. Most papers will call you, before printing, to confirm that it was you who sent the letter.

Never borrow phrases from DawnWatch alerts for use in your letters. And do not include sample letters if you forward DawnWatch alerts. While legislators, wishing to appease strong lobby groups, count the number of responses they receive in favor of pieces of legislation, the media wish to please their viewers and readers, not lobbyists.  Some leading editors have stated that they avoid publishing letters that are clearly part of campaign. If you are tempted to include in your letter a phrase from an alert, you can be sure somebody else was attracted by the same phrase. The letters editor, having seen a phrase more than once, will spot a campaign and might decide to avoid the whole issue. Therefore please send short heartfelt notes written entirely in your own words. 

DawnWatch keeps an eye mostly on major media in huge markets. You will have the most impact with your local media. Please respond to DawnWatch alerts, but consider this a training ground -- a place where you get in the habit of contacting the media. Then practice that habit in your local media world; your ability to influence it will surprise you. 

Of foremost importance: be nice. Though the reputation of the Animal Rights community is improving, there is still some perception of Animal Right's activists as odd and angry. We need to change that perception for the sake of the animals. We must make sure that our letters are always rational, to the point, and preferably concerned rather than outraged. Anger tends to put people on the defensive whereas a friendly argument can get a decent hearing. We will be heard most clearly not when we are shouting loudest, but when we are communicating in such a way that people are willing to listen.

http://www.dawnwatch.com/index.htm

http://larouchepac.com/news/2008/08/08/why-paulson-blundered.html

Who elected George W Bush? We did!!:>(

http://www.boycottbush.net/

Good Reads:

http://www.opensecrets.org/index.php

http://www.appetiteforprofit.com/

http://www.prwatch.org/node/5803

http://www.vegtv.com/AboutUs/michele.htm

http://fora.tv/2007/07/14/Michele_Simon_on_Appetite_For_Profit

http://www.alternet.org/authors/6568

Norbert Rosing's striking images of a wild polar bear coming upon tethered sled dogs in the wilds of Canada's Hudson Bay.

The photographer was sure that he was going to see the end of his dogs when the polar bear wandered in, but......

The Polar Bear returned every night that week to play with the dogs.

Humane Declaration 
   

The public deserves to be told the full truth of who animals are and what is being done to them behind closed doors, as well as the catastrophic impact that the continuing consumption of meat, eggs, and dairy products will have on human health, wildlife and the environment. We will do all we can to uphold this public trust.

As animal advocates committed to compassion and justice, we will refuse to take part in the exploitation of others or to collaborate with those caught up in such injustice. We will do our best to present a clear and uncompromised message to the public, a sincere and respectful message that is free of cynicism and manipulation.
 

Recognizing that progress toward social justice is gradual and depends on more and more people becoming aware of the truth, we will do all we can to insure that each of the steps our culture takes is toward an accurate understanding of the ways animals are being harmed, and away from the false and misleading idea that the production of meat, eggs, and dairy products can be carried out without cruelty, violence, or injustice.
 

Recognizing that fostering cultural transformation requires a variety of creative approaches, we will support a broad range of nonviolent programs and initiatives that eliminate or reduce the use and killing of animals, as well as measures that reduce the level of abuse and agony experienced by animals being exploited for human purposes, provided such measures involve NONE of the following:
 

1. Offering a misleading or incomplete portrait of the confinement, social deprivation, mutilation, reproductive manipulation, indignity and premature death endured by animals being exploited for profit.

2. Minimizing or failing to reveal the full impact on human health, wildlife and our environment from the continuing production and consumption of animal-based foods.

3. Developing, endorsing, certifying and/or promoting any animal products, including those that are labeled as being "humane," "cruelty-free," "cage-free," "free range," "organic," "compassionate," etc.

4. Developing, endorsing, praising, applauding or promoting "new and improved" methods for using and killing animals.

5. Providing individuals or corporations with promotional or public relations benefits that have the effect of making the use and killing animals or the sale of any animal product more profitable or more socially acceptable.

http://www.humanemyth.org/index.htm