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Showing posts with label citizen ambassadorship. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Citizen Ambassadors, Citizen Activists And True Democracy

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The following article extract comes to us courtesy of Truthout.org, an organization labeled by many as being "Progressive" (now a pejorative term when spoken by conservatives and Republicans) news source. And yes, I read The Liberty Digest, too (they tend to be called "right-wing" or "ultra-conservative" by many of those folks whom others are calling Progressives and Liberals. I read as much as I can, and I make my own decisions after gleaning insights from the full spectrum of politicized and cause-based media.

I am what some people would call an "Independent Thinker." It even gets lonely. By our nature, we really can't have a club, except to beat each other with. And for goodness' sake, stop calling Independent Thinkers, Non-Joiners, Sideliners And Revolutionaries "Anarchists" -- we are anything but Anarchists.

Please read the article excerpt which follows, then hit the "BACK" button on your browser, and come back. We aren't finished with this discussion. It concerns all of Human Civilization internationally.

Sunday 1 January 2012

Populism Isn't Dead, It's Marching: What 19th Century Farmers Can Teach Occupiers About How to Keep Going

Ashley Sanders, War Is A Crime.org: "Not so long ago, Americans witnessed the beginning of a mass democratic uprising.... They did it to reject debt. They did it to fight foreclosures. They did it to topple a world where the 1 percent determined life for the other 99. And they did all of it against incredible odds, with a self-respect that stymied critics. The year? 1877. The people? Dirt-poor farmers who would come to be known as Populists."
Read the Article

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THE INTERNATIONALIST PAGE COMMENTARY:

To have any type of democracy flourish, certain preconditions should exist, and should be sustained and vigorously defended. Any tear in the fabric of democratic principles invites unconscionable abuses and contortions of the very concept of "people working, through informed argument, compelling conversation and majority agreement, with tolerance and provision for those who may disagree, to operate in a synergistic manner which benefits as great a percentage of the participants as possible without any unnecessary restriction of essential freedoms." This is my ideal for a functioning democracy.

1) Free exchange of information, news and ideas through unrestricted communication across all demographic and geographical borders;

2) A reasonable standard of education for all. Education is crucial, and is too often neglected around budget season. Simply put, NO EDUCATION = NO DEMOCRACY;

3) A safe, accessible forum for direct voting on all issues of concern for all participants, and a vigorous turnout for these votes. No gerrymandering, electoral colleges, no delegation to 'greater minds' -- simply a direct, uncontrived vote, with an honest, audited, public count;

4) Limited laws, made by vote, which are based on the need for cooperative effort, or to prevent significant physical dangers to the entire population -- not laws for the purpose of creating jobs, granting privileges, regulating morality, and to keep politicians and other potentially parasitic intermediaries busy;

5) Equal treatment under those limited laws -- it would certainly help if each voting participant imagined himself or herself being prosecuted or persecuted as a lawbreaker, as opposed to the notion of controlling the behavior, beliefs and practices of others to conform to their own beliefs...laws should be made to protect and not to restrict or constrain;

And last, every world citizen should have the right to question authority, orders, demands, perceived abuses, pirating of democracy, and other potential cracks in the foundation of true democracy. Democracy cannot be be forced upon people. Democracy cannot be bought. Democracy does not equate to somnambulistic conformity.

Every citizen must be an activist, and an informed participant to deserve and to create a democracy. Democracy is a difficult form of civilization -- it requires relentless work, transparency and a great deal of open communication.

How many true democracies do you think that we have in our world today? Hmmm....I wonder.

Remember this, too. Democracy disintegrates if it is neglected. It requires vigilance; but I believe the benefits are truly worth the effort.

Douglas E Castle for THE INTERNATIONALIST PAGE

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Citizen Ambassadorship Begins With Education: Youth +Truth = Action

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The Internationalist Page Blog is a vigorous and enthusiastic supporter of iEARN, which sponsors citizen ambassadorship amongst youth, interactive education between different countries and cultures. Some further information about this Internationalist and educational organization, as well as some of the many interesting, innovative programs which it provides and maintains:

iEARN (International Education and Resource Network) is the world's largest non-profit global network that enables young people to use the Internet and other new technologies to engage in collaborative educational projects that both enhance learning and make a difference in the world. Established in 1988 as a pioneering online program among schools in the the Soviet Union and the United States, iEARN is now active in more than 26,000 schools and youth organizations in 130 countries. Its website is located at http://www.iearn.org.

Citizen ambassadorship begins with education, and education should begin as early as possible in a child's emotional, intellectual and physical development. We dramatically increase the probability of technical and social breakthroughs by immersing our children in a supervised environment of multiculturalism as early as possible.

iEARN projects are designed and facilitated by educators and students worldwide, and result in a range of collaborative final "products." I believe that participation by teachers and their classes in some of these exciting and socially unifying projects should be an addition to every academic curriculum. As this world becomes more and more of an international village, it has become increasingly important for children worldwide to find out about their areas of commonality and differences with their peers globally.

If you are a teacher, youth program director, camp director or an educational activist, I would suggest that you join iEARN in at least one of its many, varied projects under the auspices of its Collaboration Centre.

International education is a good, healthy thing. It promotes both peace and opportunities at greater prosperity. It may sound trite, but our children will eventually take over the keys to the operation of government, society and civilization. The earlier that they are able to perceive persons, cultures, value systems, customs and news events globally, the more effective they can be as custodians of the planet.

For more information about getting started in iEARN projects Click here.

Douglas E. Castle for The Internationalist Page Blog, The Global Futurist Blog, and for iEARN.

p.s. Please take a moment and visit our TwitterLinks Hubspot Blog to select from among a variety of interesting , topically-oriented Twitter forums to follow. We have something for everyone. Choose to follow as many as you'd like.

Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Transnational Movement Changing The Worldscape

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Transnationalism refers to a socio-political movement (with economic consequences) toward disregarding sovereign borders and political differences in order to collaboratively and cooperatively focus on working toward goals and solving common-to-all problems which simply transcend geography or entrenched governmental policies and inculcated xenophobia. Transnationalism is a major step in uniting the world citizenry for causes which require cooperation beyond national borders.

The parties to benefit will ultimately be the global populace and Humankind as a whole. The parties who are feeling increasingly threatened are governments and their agencies, who have a proven obsession and insecurity with respect to seizing and keeping power. No politician wants to be rendered irrelevant. No professionally-schooled career ambassador or other representative feels fully at ease with the prospect of have mere civilians represent their own interests on their own terms.

Expect governments to continue to fight transnationalism, even as its notion and visbility become increasingly prominent and influential. Nobody likes to surrender control of any commodity, including communications access and the ability to create legislation which prefers some, and discriminates against others. This promises to be a fascinating phenomenon to observe... the unfolding of transnationalism.

Following is an excerpt from an article which appeared int a Truthout.org newsletter which speaks about this grassroots movement as it applies to one particular aspect of Human concern.

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Transnational Peoples Movements Form to Respond to Transnational Injustice

Matthew Cappiello and Kevin Zeese, Truthout: "Transnational citizens' movements are developing to respond to transnational political and economic elites. Some of the most famous American voices for peace and justice have signed a solidarity statement with top Egyptian activists, in order to affirm common goals and principles required to bring real change on both sides of the globe."

Read the Article

Expect Transnationalists to invoke the wrath of legislators and governmental policymakers who are heavily invested in a divided, terrritorialized world, where they have been profiting by holding the information and communication garden hose and crimping it at will, and by controlling supply as demand expands.

Douglas E Castle [http://aboutDouglasCastle.blogspot.com]

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

The U.N. - Becoming Obsolete? Irrelevant?

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The United Nations has been changing its composition (membership), its group of 'controlling' or most influential countries, its focus (more health, environment, sustainability and education issues than resolution of member disputes), its methods (i.e., resembling government, it spends a great deal of time on semantics, political correctness and making somewhat unenforceable proclamations and sanctions), and with a decreasing thrall over its membership.

The UN has been called many things, among them: a "toothless tiger," a "bully pulpit," a "house of rhetoric with little precipitous action," and "an anachronism". Despite fear-fueled discussions about a UN military to enforce the purported agenda of the New World Order at odds against sovereign member states (and creating a question of conflicted loyalties between UN Peacekeeping troops and the individual soldiers, each patriots of their respective countries, but being required to enforce the directives of a "higher authority"), each country still makes its own decisions.

I believe that the UN might indeed be becoming irrelevant directly, and becoming more the puppet of the many NGOs which have cropped up around which act like lobbyists on the US' Capitol Hill. These Non-Governmental Organizations* are increasing in number, financing and influence.

* Some information regarding NGOs follows, courtesy of Wikipedia:

Non-governmental organization, or NGO, is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations (UN), and is normally used to refer to organisations that do not form part of the government and are not conventional for-profit business. In the cases in which NGOs are funded totally or partially by governments, the NGO maintains its non-governmental status by excluding government representatives from membership in the organization. The term is usually applied only to organizations that pursue some wider social political aspects, but that are not overtly political organizations such as political parties. Unlike the term "intergovernmental organization", the term "non-governmental organization" has no generally agreed legal definition. In many jurisdictions, these types of organization are called "civil society organizations" or referred to by other names. ####

For additional information on NGOs, here are some additional highly-informative websites:
http://www.ngo.org/
http://www.ngo-monitor.org/index.php
http://www.wango.org/resources.aspx?section=ngodir
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In addition to the growth in the influence and power of NGOs, which are not unlike cause-based nations unto themselves, the two other threats to the UN's relevance and potency are the 1) proliferation of global social media (the immediate and viral flow of information across the globe at a grassroots level), and 2) the increase in citizen ambassadorship, where citizens, as individuals and as operators of their own businesses conduct communications and commerce with minimal intermediation and intervention by their respective governments.

In summary, the three principal factors contributing to the UN's potential decline in relevance are these:

Growth in the power, influence and role playing of the increasing number of NGOs;

Growth in the proliferation and utilization of rapid-fire social media for grassroots, unofficial (and uncensored) communication of observations and ideas;

Growth in the role of citizen ambassadors as independent arbiters of their own relationships and policies as they relate to generating income (profit motive) and accumulating wealth - for example as a citizen ambassador, I become more concerned with peaceful relationships between my home country and the countries where my joint venture partners, distributors, manufacturers, suppliers and customers reside. In effect, as we become increasingly internationalized through the reduction of barriers to entry (it's far cheaper to import, export and co-venture globally than ever before, with the advent of telecommuting, VoIP [Skype is a sensation] and inexpensive but enhanced collaborative media platforms integrating screen sharing-and web conferencing... Go To Meeting, anyone?).

Actionable Items:

1) Keep abreast of the activities of the NGOs -- these are advanced 'telegraph signals' of where the UN is heading. The NGO agenda is a predictor of UN focus and activity;

2) Keep abreast of developments involving large international and multinational companies, as they become more like nations beyond geographical borders;

3) Keep up-to-date on all advances in communications and conferencing technology, as well as in social media proliferation and the emerging spate of applications.

Possibilities:

This might be a very good time to consider becoming involved in international and transnational partnerships, and in becoming attached to one or more suitable NGOs. In fact, it might not be a bad time to consider chartering an NGO with other like-minded individuals. There is tremendous power in judiciously managed and positioned not-for-profit entities.

Douglas E Castle

http://aboutDouglasCastle.blogspot.com

http://BusinessAndProjectPlanning.blogspot.com

http://TheGlobalFuturist.blogspot.com
http://InfoSphereBusinessAlerts.blogspot.com

Monday, July 18, 2011

The UN, Global Business And Citizen Ambassadorship

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The UN Security Council is one of most politically influencial bodies in the international community. Its pronouncements and policies have a profound effect on relationships among many countries, as well as effects on the respective economies and internal political stability of those countries which it cites or sanctions. This is a Global Community Business News Update regarding the progress, to date, of the UN Security Council Reform Movement, and some brief conjecture about the future of the UN itself.

The membership of the Council has been hotly contested, as have many of its decisions and pronouncements, principally because its exclusive membership (some very powerful nations, both economically and militarily) it is not viewed by the vast majority of the nations which are "mere" members as being fairly representative of those member nations as a whole. Many of these nations feel as if they were merely impotent witnesses to proceedings (and occasionally theatrics) completely beyond their control.

This is analogous to a situation in which a large, publicly held corporation is run by a "bully pulpit" board of directors whose interests and policy decisions are strictly self-serving, and not representative of the sentiment of the shareholders as a collective group.

The Internationalist Page blog as well as TNNWC view the developments described below (courtesy of the UN NEWSWIRE) as being powerfully positive, pro-internationalism and potentially stimulating for global business.

TNNWC's International Connections Service (ICS) is extensively involved in providing services to small- to medium-sized entrepreneurial companies who have wisely chosen to enter the global marketplace -- exporters, importers, co-venturers and strategic investors. We will be keeping our readers and Clients apprised of how this ongoing movement might be leveraged to their ultimate advantage.

While we hope that these bold petitioners have the tenacity to be stay the course in order to be fairly represented (i.e., by a Council that truly tends to the interests and exists for the betterment of all participants), there is little in the way of substantive progress to report as of this date, due in large part to the Council's focus on crisis management with respect to the ongoing and expanding threat of terrorism.

While the issue of terrorism is certainly one to be taken seriously, it is seriously detracting from the focus of the reform effort and its sponsors. For your reference, a link to the original article from the UN Wire follows under my signature, below.

On the positive side of the movement toward reform, the U.S.'s increasingly obvious disenchantment with and mistrust of Pakistan (since the Killing of Osama Bin Laden at his rather conspicuous operating headquarters right inside of Pakistan) will likely strengthen India's voice -- as well as the U.S.'s ability to hear it in connection with both India-US relations, and with respect to the India-UN relations.

It is my thinking that with the rapid expansion and acceptance of social media communications from individual persons to large groups throughout the entire world (call it citizen news reporting, if you wish), and with the expansion of international trade through a combination of growing e-commerce sites and increasing multinational co-ventures which are encouraging unofficial but highly active person-to-person citizen and corporate ambassadorship, the UN stands a good chance of allowing itself to become irrelevent, if not extinct, within the frame of these next three to five years if it is unable to truly show exceptional value to all of its participants and to the court of international public opinion.

Imagine the threat of it: individual persons and companies representing themselves -- not by UN proxy, but directly, without limitation and distortion of the truth. This is being seen, and will continue to be seen by many governmental regimes and international bodies as being a threat (think of recent examples of international Blackberry bans, and internet censorship attempts by challenged and troubled despots in countries where rebellions have become increasingly bold and vociferous) to their ensconsed elite (i.e., the ruling class, the party in power, or the ambassadors, lobbyists and other traders in information and influence).

I believe that the UN, as if it were a nation unto itself, runs the same risk of being bypassed as an information broker and a decision-making body.

It would seem that international politics are giving way to interpersonal relationships.

Somehow, I do not see that as a negative thing. Many of us prefer a straight story from the source rather than a self-serving distortion or representation by an unfair, dishonest or ethically compromised broker with a hidden agenda.

Faithfully,

Douglas E Castle
http://TheGlobalFuturist.blogspot.com
http://TheInternationalistPage.blogspot.com
http://www.TNNWC.com

July 1, 2011 | News covering the UN and the world

Plan for Security Council reform gains momentum

The governments of more than 100 countries reportedly have already lent their support to a plan that, in principle, would reform the UN Security Council by expanding the number of permanent seats. Japan, Brazil, Germany and India are lobbying widely for permanent membership on the powerful body. Google/The Associated Press (6/30)

Dilemmas of Sovereignty and Intervention (richardfalk.wordpress.com)
UNAMI likely to be extended another year; Ban Ki Moon committed to Iraq's CH VII exit (currencynewshound.wordpress.com)
'Stand Up and Take Action!' with Skype, Ustream and the UN Millennium Campaign (share.skype.com)
UNICEF hails Security Council Resolution protecting schools and hospitals from attacks (lexdih.wordpress.com)
You: Pakistan slams UN report containing 'unwarranted' information on country's situation (nation.com.pk)
Grand corruption (dailykos.com)
'Ask Brazil, South Africa and India to help stop the bloodshed in Syria' (kafila.org)

Saturday, June 25, 2011

"Political Posturing Versus Honesty - Domestic And International Sabotage."

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"Citizen Ambassadorship, enhanced with social media technology and increased international trade possibilities, may be the only way to hold a crumbling world together, and restore de-civilization to peace and prosperity. The prospects for the New Millenium lie in the trembling hands of small businesses, entrepreneurs and idealists willing to take a tremendous risk for the benefit of all of Humanity." - DC

In the ritual of politics, the art of deceit (either through lying, omission or conflictory action) is, apparently a necessity. Politicians want to announce what they they believe their respective constituencies want to hear ("on the record"), but their actions tell much more about what they truly desire. I have discussed this type of two-faced conduct more than once in The Internationalist Page Blog, and with numerous other blogs which I author through the TNNWC Blogosphere.

An Illustrative case-in-point follows: An entire legislative body vociferously condemns a president's participation in a military incursion, claiming an "abuse of a certain 'War Powers Act' " -- even citing that the president's action is unlawful as well as distasteful.

Ironically, after condemning the president's action by an overwhelming majority, the same representitives of the populace agreed to continue funding the 'allegedly legal' activity. This would seem to be tacit support of a military action that this same hypocritical pack of self-righteous and pedantic prevaricators had just condemned in the most severe terms.

An excerpt from a New York Times article follows. Please read it, and come back here [ I'll be waiting impatiently...and come back soon because you know how much I worry]:

Breaking News Alert
The New York Times
Friday, June 24, 2011 -- 2:51 PM EDT
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House Spurns Obama on Libya but Does Not Cut Funds

The House of Representatives dealt a symbolic blow to President Obama on Friday by resoundingly failing to approve a bill authorizing the contentious military operations in Libya. But the House stopped short of a total desertion of a war-time president by also rejecting a measure to limit financing to support the military operations.

Read More:
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/24/house-takes-up-a-rebuke-to-obamas-libya-policy/?hp&emc=na
####

Entrepreneurs, conducting their businesses globally (refer to TNNWC's International Connections Service - "ICS") have no need to posture, position and lie. They are truly the world's future "citizen ambassadors." And their greatest thrust will be in the areas of a) honest commerce, and b) the spirit of cameraderie. Some helpful links follow:

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

THE CASE FOR CITIZEN AMBASSADORS

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Dear Friends:

The U.S. government has been fighting a moral battle within its own ranks about many things:

1. What to do about a flagging domestic and worldwide economy...hearing petitions for bailouts from industry groups and institutions and trying to determine what action to take; this involves a great deal of time, a fight against legislative inertia, a fear regarding public opinion, a propensity to yield to the pressures which all too often precede putting a bandage on a cancer, and numerous other Hobson's choices in the interest of polishing a pile of compost. Sadly, many of these decisions will result in even greater problems for the country's future, including continued inefficiencies, inflation and the creation of a "corporate welfare state."

2. What to do about the detainees at the Guantanamo Bay prison facility, many of whom have been held without formal charges or any form of "due process" since the terrorist attacks on the United States of 9/11. Many of these individuals may well be completely innocent of any offense, but they were unfortunate to get caught in the net of braod fear and paranoia that possesses a country under attack. Part of the government believes that these people have been denied any type of rights, recourse or remedies -- they have been captive for more than six years without being formally charged and without an opportunity to present their case -- while another branch of the government insists on keeping these "detainees" (calling them "prisoners" might entitle them to certain constitutional and civil rights) locked away while appealling the decision of the other branch (in this case, the judiciary) that these people be treated as people, and released immediately. The detainees are the ultimate victims in a battle between two branches of the same goverment which are unable to reach an agreement. And the years go on...

Governments cannot solve many problems. When they attempt to intervene, the "cures" prescribed are often worse than the diseases. When proper decisions are made in a rarity of cases, these decisions or their implementation comes far too late -- not unlike liberating the prisoners in a concentration camp after they have been malnourished too long to survive.

As citizens of our respective countries, and as citizens of the Internationalist Community, we are unfettered by the mindset, malaise and politics which keep governments from "fixing" the problems of peoples and commerce.

We are called upon as Citizen Ambassadors to create change and to solve problems as individuals, in cooperation with other individuals, and to form teams which transcend geological barriers and isolationist traditions in order to implement solutions. We need to be partners. We need to become team participants. We need to organize and to implement with humanitarian and entrepreneurial efficiency.

We cannot leave our salvation to highly compromised governmental bodies which move at a glacial pace and ultimately shoot at flies with cannons.

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle, Internationalist

Monday, December 01, 2008

A MATTER OF TRUST

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My Dear Friends:

Trust is a key ingredient in establishing any relationship, whether that relationship is between family members, neighbors, or partners in any business endeavor. Competence is, of course, important in choosing a person to engage with. But trust is the catalyst that simultaneously cements a good relationship while liberating each partner to do his or her portion of the work with focus and without the distractions of fear.

In this time of faceless international relationships created through internet communications, conveying trustworthiness and good faith are critical from the very outset of a first email.

Having said all of this, please read the correspondence which follows...I receive several just like it (from various senders, in various countries, and with clients who have died in various plane crashes) in my email every single day. They are presumptuous, ridiculous spam. Worse, they increase the inherent subconscious element of suspicion and distrust that so many people have for others in different countries.

In our roles as Citizen Ambassadors, we are being hampered in our efforts by this type of idiocy.

Do not let it dissuade you from conducting friendship and commerce worldwide. Make it a part of your mission to identify these moronic and malevolent solicitations for what they are...litter on the Internationalist landscape.

Let us all endeavor to be trustworthy, and to encourage and reward trustworthiness.

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle

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Dear friend,I assume you and your family are in good health.My name is Mohammed Romaric and I am the Foreign Operations Manager in one of the banks here in Burkina Faso. This being a small world in which it can be difficult to make new acquaintances, and because it is virtually impossible to know who is trustworthy and who can be believed, I have decided to place my trust in you after much fasting and prayer. It is only because of this that I have decided to confide in you and to share with you this confidential business.In my bank there resides an overdue and unclaimed sum of thirteen million two hundred thousand United States dollars ($13,200,000.00). When the account holder suddenly passed away in a private jet crash , he left no beneficiaries who would be entitled to the receipt of these funds. For this purposes, i have found it expedient to extradite these funds to a trustworthy individual with capacities to act as foreign business partners. Thus i humbly request your assistance to claim this fund. On the transfer of this fund in your account, you will take 32% {US$4,224,000.00} as your share from the total fund, 5% {US$660,000.00}, will be shared to Charitable Organizations, Motherless Babies homes, disabled helpless people in both our country as the balance will be for me. Please if you are really sure you can handle this project, contact me immediately I am looking forward to read from you soonest. Yours faithfully, Mohammed Romaric

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Sunday, April 06, 2008

JOHN DONNE: Meditation XVII - Will You Lead?

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To My Dear Friends All Over The World:

The following is a brief reminder, in a troubled time. We are capable of being so much more than we settle for. I offer this excerpt from a sermon by John Donne just to demonstrate what Internationalism truly means, and why it must work if we are to survive, as well as to evolve spiritually.

"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were: any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee. Neither can we call this a begging of misery, or a borrowing of misery, as though we were not miserable enough of ourselves, but must fetch in more from the next house, in taking upon us the misery of our neighbours. Truly it were an excusable covetousness if we did, for affliction is a treasure, and scarce any man hath enough of it. No man hath affliction enough that is not matured and ripened by and made fit for God by that affliction. If a man carry treasure in bullion, or in a wedge of gold, and have none coined into current money, his treasure will not defray him as he travels. Tribulation is treasure in the nature of it, but it is not current money in the use of it, except we get nearer and nearer our home, heaven, by it. Another man may be sick too, and sick to death, and this affliction may lie in his bowels, as gold in a mine, and be of no use to him; but this bell, that tells me of his affliction, digs out and applies that gold to me: if by this consideration of another's danger I take mine own into contemplation, and so secure myself, by making my recourse to my God, who is our only security."

As for my feelings regarding leadership, they were recently set forth in a post to the INTERNAL ENERGY PLUS Yahoo! Group:

We live in a world comprised of suffering (or blind) followers, as well as some very poorly-equipped, ill-motivated "leaders". The greatest crisis in our world is not nuclear, economic, environmental, educational, healthcare or any one of these things, important though they are.

The greatest crisis is the lack of genuine, capable and committed leaders -- those persons having the ability: to unite all people; to inform people; to hear people and be responsive; to be protective, but not overbearing; to apply the highest legal and ethical standards (without exception) to themselves; to permit assembly, discourse, debate and dissent; to be firm but compassionate; to broker alliances; to offer right-minded incentives for the achievement of desirable acts and ends; to ask questions and to take good advice; to award merit as well as loyalty; to delegate decisionmaking, but to coordinate the decisionmaking process and to be at the center of it; to occasionally laugh at themselves; to admit and correct mistakes; to gauge their success by the happiness and prosperity of the people whom they serve, and not by their own personal financial or other gain; to love the people whom they lead; to be financially responsible, but to view education, health and charity as investments in the future; to be prepared to give their lives, if need be, for their charges; to govern by and for the benefit of all of their constituencies; to constantly re-examine their own true motivations and influences, for the measure of their own integrity and continued worthiness to lead; in sum, to be exemplary Human Beings.

If you possess the attributes described above, you are not only equipped to lead, but you are obligated to assume the mantle of leadership.

Think about it. Act on it. Change things for the better. Lead. A world cries out for role models, mentors, educators, guidance and leadership. Some must lead. Are you one of those who must?

Always,

Douglas Castle
The Internationalist

Pages

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Citizen Ambassadors, Citizen Activists And True Democracy

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Citizen Ambassadorship Begins With Education: Youth +Truth = Action

Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Transnational Movement Changing The Worldscape

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

The U.N. - Becoming Obsolete? Irrelevant?

Monday, July 18, 2011

The UN, Global Business And Citizen Ambassadorship

Plan for Security Council reform gains momentum

Saturday, June 25, 2011

"Political Posturing Versus Honesty - Domestic And International Sabotage."

Related Links

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

THE CASE FOR CITIZEN AMBASSADORS

Monday, December 01, 2008

A MATTER OF TRUST

Sunday, April 06, 2008

JOHN DONNE: Meditation XVII - Will You Lead?

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Tuesday, April 24, 2012

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Thursday, February 23, 2012

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Wednesday, October 05, 2011

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Wednesday, September 14, 2011

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Monday, July 18, 2011

Plan for Security Council reform gains momentum

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Saturday, June 25, 2011

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Tuesday, December 09, 2008

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