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modified: 08/Oct/2002

Howard Zinn:
I like your "vision" statement very much. I agree that a succinct description of what a good society would look like - something realistically grounded and achievable -- is a necessary educational tool. I hope your statement gets wide circulation. I have often been asked to describe my "ideal society" and yours is as good as I've seen.

Introduction

Welcome to Toward Peace! This project aims to promote a world that is peaceful, caring, and democratic so that individuals, families, and communities can become more fully human, joyous, and creative.

Since we are based in the United States, we focus on this country. People in other countries may find material that is relevant to their situation, however. Regardless, given the impact of the United States throughout the world, all people are entitled to some voice concerning how this country operates, especially since the perspective of an outsider often provides special insight.

When completed, the first chapter, Why?, will present an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the United States and conclude with a summary about why there is a need and an opportunity for major social change.

The second chapter, A Vision of a Peaceful Society, describes this country as it could be within thirty years if the American people united to make it happen. Rooted in proposals that already have at least substantial public support, this vision presents goals that are achievable and practical.

Significant improvements in social conditions in this country and in our relations with the rest of the world will almost certainly require the exercise of massive “people power.” Toward that end, widespread agreement is needed concerning longer-term goals. Ad hoc coalitions that form around single issues tend to disintegrate once those issues are won or lost. Forming a broad, effective, ongoing coalition could greatly increase the impact of existing organizations. Sustaining such coalitions will require acceptance of clear, longer-term, comprehensive objectives. This vision statement is an effort to contribute to such clarity, understanding, and agreement, if only as a catalyst.

We do not assume that this vision statement, or some future draft, will provide the focus for a national movement. A more traditional political platform will probably serve that function. By presenting a narrative description written in the present tense, we merely hope to offer an educational tool that a broad cross-section of the general public will find interesting, readable, and convincing.

We therefore encourage others to submit for publication their own vision statements of no more than 5,000 words. If and when a number of alternatives are published, we will ask readers to indicate their degree of support for each. These responses could indicate the viability of each alternative vision.

At some point, supporters of a particular vision statement could promote that statement (perhaps working within existing political organizations rather than starting a new one). Such efforts could include any number of educational methods, including study groups, workshops, public forums, distributing literature, Internet outreach, circulating petitions, a National Summit, etc.

If and when readers want to form a group to develop feedback and/or explore how to promote this project, we'll be glad to assist in any way that we can.

Readers can use the Submit Comment form to offer public feedback on this project. These comments will be automatically published on the Public Comments page. As feasible, responses to this feedback will be published on the Dialogue with Readers page.

Private feedback not for publication and submissions of alternative vision statements can be sent to Wade Hudson at whudson@igc.org. Upon request, readers can receive A Vision for a Peaceful World as an attachment (please specify preferred format).

Suggestions for amendments to A Vision for a Peaceful World are particularly welcome. Please bear in mind that, most likely, the length of this vision statement will not be expanded considerably. So suggested deletions and ways to summarize certain points will be helpful, as well as suggestions concerning elements that need footnotes for clarification.

Also, please suggest links to supporting documents similar to those that we've already embedded (we plan to add more steadily).

The Strategy chapter will present a wide variety of thoughts about how the American people can proceed to make our country more peaceful, caring, and democratic.

Analysis will present commentary on some of the theoretical issues involved in the other chapters.

A complete list of the footnotes and references that are embedded in Toward Peace can be found at Resources.

No more than once a week on average, the author, Wade Hudson, forwards to subscribers items of interest and/or sends original pieces with "FROM WADE" as a prefix in the Subject line. If want to receive these email messages, the FROM WADE page contains instructions.

For more information concerning Wade Hudson, you can read his Curriculum Vitae.

We appreciate your attention and hope that you will contribute to a more peaceful, democratic, and caring world as best you can.

--Wade Hudson and Brandon Faloona

copyleft 2002