Top Ten Steps to Achieving World Peace

Since I began to write mostly about what we need to do to establish a peaceful society, I’ve tried to balance my message with ideas for ending poverty. That’s because I believe we‘ll never end conflict on this planet until no one is forced to wallow in a state of destitution. Thus, my list of steps to reach the goal of world peace consists of the ways we can make our economy function for everyone currently experiencing financial devastation, rather than just those who fear physical and political insecurity.


1) Implement a system of full employment, so even the lowest-paid full-time worker on the planet is able to earn at least twice the cost of all the basic goods and services necessary to enjoy a dignified existence.

2) Implement a worldwide system of fair wages and anti-pollution rules, so no employer or region can undercut another by denying workers or residents access to essential goods and services, and no entity can win a labor contract by fouling the planet we all depend upon for survival.

3) Establish an educational system in which everyone can learn at their own pace to the extent of their individual capabilities.

4) Provide adequate health care for everyone, according to individual need, with no restrictions of discrimination based on health status or the cost of services received.

5) Provide decent basic housing for everyone.

6) Provide healthful, nutritious food for everyone.

7) Provide "green" transportation and utilities for everyone.

8) Balance employment opportunities with basic services for the young, the old, and disabled people, so everyone has access to all they need in exchange for contributing what they can, no matter their limitations.

9) Establish a system in which every individual enjoys full civil rights balanced with community responsibility.

10) Establish a system in which every resident participates in the process and success of their community.

The essays in The World I Imagine not only discuss
each of the 10 steps to achieving world peace,
they contain extensive cross references to show
how improving one area will have
positive effects in several other arenas.

This list includes some of the most vital issues that must be addressed in order to end poverty, but there are countless other details I have yet to discuss. That’s why I plan to continue writing on this subject for as long as I can--or need to. And while I’m grateful for the opportunity to write here, I hope this is only the beginning. I’ll continue to look for more outlets for my columns. In time, I’d like to syndicate. It can happen!


Meanwhile, to everyone who asks about the impact this work can have, I have a simple answer. The first step toward making things change for the better is to share positive ideas. I hope my efforts will spark others to share their own creative ideas for ending poverty and building peace. We all need to "think outside the box," because the same old ways of doing things simply are not working. In fact, those same old ways are the reason so many problems exist in the first place.

Can one person have an impact? Just think about two people who ignored the "nay sayers" and did the right thing: Mohandas K. (Mahatma) Gandhi got the English to leave India and established a "home rule" government, while Mother Teresa transformed the way many people treat the poor and sick in India and around the world. Citizens of the subcontinent still have a long way to go to control poverty and conflict, but at least they have many role models to inspire them to take the best course to strive for a prosperous and peaceful future.

In the U.S., people as diverse as Al Gore and Ed Begley Jr. have pushed "green" living for years. Only recently have more people accepted their message as the only hope for the future of the planet. There are still those who can’t see the pollution for the profits, so we must keep talking about both the necessity and the practicality of "being green."

As a child, I was inspired by the Christophers, an organization founded in 1945 by Father James G. Keller "to encourage people of all ages, and from all walks of life, to use their God-given talents to make a positive difference in the world." Their motto is: "It’s better to light one candle than to curse the darkness."

These words encouraged me through years of fighting not only illness, but the people who continued to deny my basic rights and needs because of my disability, even as I tried to use my gifts to help others. Now I’m finding a handful of people who not only care about me but encourage me to continue this work--not only for myself, but hopefully, for the future of all of human society and the planet we call Home!

　

　
The World I Imagine: A creative manual for ending poverty and building peace and my historical mystery novel, Lion’s Pride, are available through your local bookstore. They are featured at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and most online bookstores around the world. Both are available for Kindle readers.
　
COMMENTS: The purpose of this blog is to share positive ideas for making changes that will help everyone, not just a narrow group of people. I’d love to hear more ideas for imprinting positive effects over a wide range of areas in our society.

Identifying Issue Number One

　
If a pollster called and asked what you consider the most important political issue in the country today, how would you respond? Would you say it’s the economy? The war on terrorism? What about health care?

No matter which issue you choose, your answer would probably be correct. Not merely because it’s your opinion, which is what the pollster expects to hear, but because each of these areas and many more represent extremely difficult problems which must be solved if we are to have a well-functioning society. The problem is, these are merely symptoms. What we really need to do is focus on those steps that would lead us to truly effective solutions to the entire range of our economic and social problems.

 

Now, what would you say if the pollster asked you which problems are so important they must be addressed first? Which are the issues that, if we could turn them around in a short time, would begin to have positive effects on most of the rest of our social and economic calamities?

 

I’d say there are two areas: education and employment. Notice, I didn’t say unemployment. I’m talking positive here. Unemployment is the problem; employment is the solution.

 

In fact, I would venture to say that these issues are so vital that if we could address both areas simultaneously, everything else would fall into place. Not without a whole lot of effort on the part of every citizen, of course, but just imagine:

 

• What if every single person were educated to the limits of his or her abilities and interests?
• What if everyone made learning a lifetime habit?
• And what if every person were able to work at a job that was both interesting and fulfilling?
• Most importantly, what would happen if every single person on the planet who is at all capable of doing some measure of work earned at least twice as much as it costs to purchase all the necessary goods and services required to enjoy a dignified existence--so that even the lowest-paid person has at least some extra money to spend beyond their basic needs?

 

The World I Imagine: A creative manual for ending poverty and building peace is a collection of essays discussing how providing universal job training, education, and employment would provide the tools necessary to solve most of the other economic and social problems in our society.

 

If we could resolve the issues of education and employment at the same time, then society would have enough resources available so that solutions to almost every other problem would be within reach. All that would be needed would be to apply common sense and the combined effort of every member of society. It’s as simple as that!

 

For instance, a lot of people say the economy is the biggest problem we face these days. They cite the housing crisis, lack of access to health care, and other gaps in the delivery of basic goods and services to millions of people in this country and billions around the world.
 

But imagine what our society would be like if everyone earned at least a little more than it takes to pay for their basic needs, including health care (as opposed to the insurance system that enriches for-profit businesses while denying care to many people who actually need it), housing, food, basic transportation, and especially job training and education.
 

In that case, everyone would be able to participate in a universal saving program in which everyone invested a small percentage of their salary for a preset length of time. Such a plan would not only ensure that everyone could build personal wealth but would provide a static economic base to strengthen businesses, in this country and around the world. Costs would stabilize, thus putting a brake on the scourge of inflation.
 

If everyone received a good basic financial education and were assured of continuous employment as long as they’re able to work, few people, if any, would spend themselves into the deep holes in which so many people find themselves today. There would be few, if any, foreclosures. Business could rely on a strong and steady market for goods and services, depending more on the quality of their products and services rather than the vagaries of shifting economic sands.
 

The elimination of the conditions that perpetuate poverty--inadequate job training, education, underemployment, and unemployment--would also lead to a marked reduction in crime, which would lower costs for everyone and eliminate much of the stress we now experience in our everyday lives. And the natural reduction of stress that results from a thriving economy would reduce health problems for most people, which would be a big step toward reducing currently out-of-control costs of medical care.
 

Of course, I could list many other areas in which the resolution of these basic issues would affect a host of problems that many people rarely think about but are a sad fact of life in our system. In fact, I’ve done exactly that in the columns collected in my book, The World I Imagine: A creative manual for ending poverty and building peace, and I'll continue to do so in future columns and articles.
 

I’ve often had the pleasure of discussing these issues in radio interviews, and I hope to have more chances to discuss these issues whenever public forums are available. Perhaps something I say will help people to focus on finding and applying more win-win-win solutions to the root causes of our problems, instead of just "picking at the scabs."

　

The World I Imagine: A creative manual for ending poverty and building peace and my historical mystery novel, Lion’s Pride, are available through your local bookstore. They are featured at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and most online bookstores around the world. Both are available for Kindle readers.



Death Penalty Alternatives Meeting, Casa Grande, AZ:

DEATH PENALTY ALTERNATIVES FOR ARIZONA
PINAL COUNTY CHAPTER
CASA GRANDE, AZ
Monday, February 18, 2013
7:00 p.m.
Val Vista RV Park Clubhouse
16680 W. Val Vista Blvd.

The newly formed Pinal County chapter of Death Penalty Alternatives for Arizona will meet at 7:00 p.m. on the third Monday of each month, beginning on Monday, February 18, at the clubhouse at Val Vista RV Park, 16680 W. Val Vista Blvd. For more information, go to:

facebook.com/pages/Death-Penalty-Alternatives-for-Arizona/178240200928

　

PERSONAL:

I must take this opportunity to share a few ideas I discussed in my essay collection, The World I Imagine: A creative manual for ending poverty and building peace. Chapter 10 consists of five essays detailing what it would be like if "True Justice" were practiced in our society, including applying alternatives to the death penalty. In the essay on "Ultimate Crimes," I explain why the only reason states practice execution is revenge.

Throughout the book, I explain why the only way we can look forward to a future without war and violence will be to end poverty, as well as the practice of putting people to death. Reaching those goals requires that we understand the complicated relationships between social issues and the solutions we apply to each problem.

We must make sure everything we do protects and reinforces the right of every person to education and employment to the fullest extent of their abilities and interests, and that nothing we do as a society endangers the health and safety of anyone in the world. It sounds complicated, but if we approach the problem by respecting these basic principles, we can accomplish miracles!

Join me in a vow to use our blessings, skills, and talents to build a society in which governments do not kill for revenge, a society without poverty or war in which everyone is able to enjoy at least the basic benefits of prosperity and peace.

Meanwhile, send out your positive thoughts and, for those who are believers, prayers for all the suffering souls all around the world!
 

Immigration and poverty: Why Congress must reform our immigration laws now

Whenever I write about the need for immigration reform, someone inevitably posts the statement:

What part of “illegal” don’t you understand?

My response is another question:

What part of “poverty” don’t you understand?

It’s no accident first-world nations have serious immigration problems. Their own policies caused the problem in the first place. For centuries, European nations stole resources from their colonies, then left native populations in poverty with few resources to build a vital economy.

Historically, European nations milked considerable resources from poor countries around the world. Foreign occupiers in third-world countries forced natives to do the hardest jobs: felling trees in thick forests, farming, mining, reaping riches and shipping them to world markets. With few exceptions, profits went to European coffers.

European expatriates established privileged societies, relying on native servants for the smallest chores. They called exploited nations “colonies.” It’s no coincidence that most natives in these far-flung lands were dark-skinned.

Pale-skinned occupiers justified disreputable policies by claiming superiority based on superficial details:

● their light skin made them superior to people of color;
● Christianity was the “true religion,” the religion of “peace”;
● theirs was the “one true God”;
● European languages were easier to understand than those of native populations;
● European culture was “civilized”; native cultures were “savage.”

Occupiers controlled subject natives by:

● suppressing native languages, cultures, and religions;
● controlling native education;
● limiting native employment opportunities, pay, and benefits.

These policies doomed most native people to a life of poverty. Finally, with the dawn of the 20th century, the winds of independence--spawned on the American continent and blowing across Europe throughout the 1800s--began to infect the colonies. Native leaders marshaled their countrymen to wage decades-long struggles against colonialism.

Though most of these campaigns were eventually successful, as Mohandas Gandhi warned his fellow Indians, gaining freedom was just the first step. Overcoming poverty is a harder and longer battle. Moreover, they had to deal with anger against their departing white occupiers and traditional rivalries, such as the conflict between Hindus and Muslims.

With negative emotions clouding judgment, people at every social level had difficulty learning the high art of self-government, no easy trick to master. They had to establish an effective educational system to train down-trodden citizens for jobs they’d previously been barred from. They had to develop skills and raise capital to build businesses, small and large, to employ workers yearning to improve their economic status. And they had to build a political system that serves citizens at every social level while dealing with other countries in the international arena.

Success at self-government and building a new economy proved a more daunting task than exiling their old masters. Some countries have done better than others. India, for example, has developed thriving 21st century industries, from manufacturing electronic products to operating call centers for first-world corporations.

Though it’s one of the more successful of former European colonies, India’s economy is hampered by a huge population wallowing in abject poverty, and Hindu India has long been locked in a virtual struggle with neighboring Muslim Pakistan over the region of Kashmir. The traditionally Indian territory has a Muslim majority but a significant Hindu population.

Gaining independence doesn’t automatically confer peace or prosperity on any political entity, no matter how long they’ve enjoyed independence. That’s why inhabitants of former colonies often relocate to a country where they have a better chance of improving their economic condition. Many move to Europe, but more view America as a place of greater opportunities.

Unfortunately, U.S. immigration authorities often set higher immigration quotas for countries where citizens enjoy greater educational and economic advantages at home. That means people from poorer countries find it harder to obtain legal permission to immigrate here. Since most who “yearn to breathe free” have trouble entering the U.S. legally, many people manage to come in “under the radar.” They don’t do this to break the law but so they can feed their families.

The long-term solution would be for wealthy nations to take a proactive approach to ending poverty throughout the world, especially in countries that were historically plundered by greedy colonizers. In the short run, ending the expensive war on illegal immigration would save billions in enforcement costs, and putting everyone to work would enhance market capital and raise tax revenues.

These steps would go a long way toward ending the current economic crisis. That’s why passing humane immigration laws would be a win-win step for all concerned.