Chlorophyll

But that's one advantage of having the Four Pillars in place. In other words, if the question posed is, what are we to do about Iran's recent actions, the answer may be in the Four Pillars.

For example, and first of all, one pillar is non-violence. To me this means that a Green President would announce during the campaign that peace making and encouraging non-violence would be a cornerstone of US policy. Troops would be brought home from around the globe as quickly as possible while in consultation with local people to be sure our departure doesn't bring more harmful unintended consequences than are unavoidable. A community which has become dependent on US military income can't be expected to see all the money leave along with the soldiers unless that is what they want.

To me it would also mean a lot more transparent and consistant international policy. Regardless of who you are or which government you lead, you and your government should be subject to radical non-compliance by the global community if you engage in internal political or ethnic repression or human rights abuses. Behind the door negotiations which establish road blocks before people even begin to negotiate are harmful and should not be US policy. If you want to trade missiles for hostages, say so in public knowing that you will be treated with the respect you would get in private.

A second pillar is social justice, which to me means trying to understand the reality of people's lives today and not allow past injustices be cause for eliminating progress on finding ways to live on this globe in peace and justice with one another. Again, behind the door deals which steal from one people and give to another must end and whatever sorts of markets are used, the people must get justice at work, in school, and in the community.

No peoples can feel good about rules and systems forced on them from outside. We should reflect what we believe offers the best opportunity for a peaceful and prosperous future, and should hope that others will want to follow our lead. Instead we allow our corporaions to exploit workers and their environment across the globe and never punish the people who are doing the exploiting. In fact, we elect them to high office.

The third pillar is grassroots democracy. This does not only mean dipping a finger into ink, but also means supporting social systems where they already exist, and finding ways of integrating ourselves into this social society with the understanding that communication and not influence is what we seek. The Green president, with a nation's permission, can send US employees to foreign lands to listen and learn, followed soon thereafter by help. The end of conflict is much sooner found through the drilling of a needed well than the dropping of another tragic bomb.

Finally we have Ecological Wisdom. This means that the United States government could, under the Green President, choose to spend the time and resources of the US military towards things like improving the environment around bases soon to be abandoned. It means finding ways to help folks fight de-forestation and find safe, sane and decentralized sources of energy.

In short, if we become the servant of the rest of the world, we may be able to bring the peace and understanding we all pray for.