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by Michael Toms. The Declaration of Independence is a spiritual document meant for all people everywhere, not just for Americans. The United States of America, as I as well as many others perceive it, is out of touch with its original vision. But I also know that out of death, resurrection is possible -- it is my hope and prayer, that this nation be reborn with its 'first principles' once again the guiding force.
Life, Liberty, & Happiness
by Michael Toms
 The
United States of America, as I as well as many others perceive it, is out of
touch with its original vision. But I also know that out of death, resurrection
is possible -- it is my hope and prayer, that this nation be reborn with its
"first principles" once again the guiding force.
When Jefferson wrote that all men have the inalienable right to "life,
liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness," by the right to "life" he meant the
individual right to have food, clothing, a home, and work; by the right to
"liberty" he meant the right to think and speak freely as well as to hold
religious convictions of any persuasion without fear of persecution; by the
right to "the pursuit of happiness" he meant every citizen's right to find
meaning and purpose, and thereby a deep and abiding joy. All these rights were
to be "inalienable," that is to say they "cannot be taken away." The Declaration
of Independence is a spiritual document meant for all people everywhere, not
just for Americans.
America has lost the connection to its founding roots. It is floundering in a
rising sea of Chaos caused in part by corpocracy, and increasingly creates the
cancerous growth of an endless stream of irrelevant product choices and mindless
distractions while engulfing and devouring individual liberties. Our government
is being controlled by corporate interests through lobbying, Political Action
Committees, and heavy campaign contributions. Federal agencies, whose
responsibilities are to serve the public, often act to benefit the companies
they are supposed to oversee. Former government officials find executive
positions with defense contractors or become lobbyists, reaping great financial
wealth, because of their taxpayer-subsidized previous employment. This, in a
much abbreviated version, is America's corpocracy.
With five percent of the world's population, we are consuming upwards of 40%
of the world's resources because of our addiction to consumerism. This penchant
for economic growth is supported by the sacrifice of the eco-system, including
the ozone layer; the rape of natural resources; the obliteration of indigenous
cultures; the monopolization of products and services in the name of the free
market which ironically requires exorbitant capital to enter into and engage
with the control of the communications media by a few behemoth corporations; the
absence of ethics in the applications of capitalist principles where "the bottom
line" and quarterly dividends outweigh human values; and the on-going purchase
of political largesse by corporate interests at the expense of the people's
"life, liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." In short, we Americans are aboard
a rudderless ship led by a crazed captain (the corpocracy), whose sole guiding
principle is economic expediency without regard to the implications for future
generations. It is a rampant tyranny of the future. It calls to mind Jefferson's
eloquent statement, "I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility
against every form of tyranny over the mind of man."
I recognize in myself the need to speak out and to reveal the fact that the
emperor has no clothes, that the foxes are in the hen house, and that the whole
enterprise is a house of cards, begging for a recovery of meaning and purpose, a
return to the spiritual underpinnings of American democratic ideals as set forth
in 1776 in the Declaration of Independence and later in the Constitution and the
Bill of Rights. It is time to move beyond blame and judgment, all the while not
ignoring the dangerous erosion of civil liberties and personal freedoms that has
occurred during the past quarter century and continues unabated. Compassion and
kindness are the actions required to overcome the lack of consciousness that has
allowed this erosion to occur. At the same time, the age of leaders is over --
each of us must now avail him- or herself of the leader within. Working together
from the deepest center of our hearts and intelligence, we can transform the
present malaise and perhaps, in the end, realize the true attainment of a
government and a nation created of, by, and for the people.
These are perilous times. The tragic events of 9-11 have given us an
opportunity to recover our bearings, to revisit the founding principles of this
nation, which were inspired by the Native peoples of this land. It is time to
recover those principles and to create a world that works for all. President
Lincoln expressed these guiding principles very eloquently at the dedication of
the Gettysburg national cemetery: "That we here highly resolve that these dead
shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new
birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the
people, shall not perish from this earth."
Since its inception as a nation, America has served as a beacon of freedom
and democracy to oppressed people throughout the world, inspiring a steady
stream of immigrants to come to its shores. So, in the last analysis, the
present reality turns us back on ourselves to what each of us as an individual
can do to make a difference in our life. As I change, the world changes. At the
same time as I work on myself, I must do everything I can to effect a difference
in my sphere of influence. We're all interrelated in mysterious ways. Whatever
inner wisdom I may discover needs to manifest through my external actions. The
times require an activist spirituality that engages the challenges we face in
the world.
Besides the communication and broadcast work I do, here's how I am addressing
the deteriorating American dream and the challenges of the post-9-11 world.
Specifically, I
- stay politically active in my local community in a variety of different
ways -- for example, I helped start the local community radio station in
Mendocino County, served on the county-wide Self-Esteem and Personal
Responsibility Commission, and have supported creative activities for young
people;
- stay abreast of legislative activities affecting my community, state, and
nation and write, where appropriate, to my local, state, and federal
legislators regularly (personal letters are demonstrably more effective than
e-mails or faxes);
- speak out, in both personal and public situations, wherever and whenever
appropriate, hopefully without being a bore;
- scan and read various publications such as The New York Times, The Nation,
The Wall Street Journal, In These Times, Business Week, Z Magazine, Fortune
Small Business, The Progressive, Bottom Line/Business, The Washington
Spectator, FAST Company, Business Ethics, The Christian Science Monitor, Utne
Reader, Yes! and The Sun;
- financially contribute to various organizations working to positively
affect America and the planet;
- write letters to the editors of various publications on behalf of
important issues;
- critique the blatantly negative stories as well as praise the media when
they report a positive story;
 This
article was excerpted from A Time for Choices, ?2002, by Michael Toms.
Reprinted with permission of the publisher, New Society Publishers.
http://www.newsociety.com
Info/Order this book.
About the Author
Michael
Toms is the co-founder, executive producer, and principal host of New Dimensions
Radio - heard on more than 350 stations in the U.S. He has spent 30 years
covering social change and global transformation issues. The Board Chairman
Emeritus of the California Institute of Integral Studies, Toms is the author of
many books on business, work, Buddhism and social issues.
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