The Social Contract
by Audrey Yoeckel
copyright 9/12/2001
I keep hearing about how the attack on America is going to change us forever. I disagree. Rather, I believe it will renew us. Once upon a time, we were a people who held the words of President Roosevelt, "We have nothing to fear but fear itself" before us as a banner.
Over the past 30 years we have become a nation afraid. We have built our gated communities, hardened our laws and denied individual differences out of fear. We have circumvented our constitutional rights out of fear. We have created a society oppressed by fear. We have handed over the reigns of a nation in the name of safety.
Those who would destroy us have seen our fear and believe we are weak. They see all our braggadocio and bluster not as power but the behavior of a nation that is ruled by its fears. Reluctance to stand up to bullies has led us to lose every confrontation. We cut our human intelligence (information gathering) to a minimum because we were afraid Americans might get hurt. We have done much to avoid risk while actually creating greater risk by allowing ourselves to appear weak.
The fact is, there is not now, has never been and never will be a safe haven. The sooner we realize that, the sweeter our lives will be. We will then be able to see the world as it is and not as fear creates it.
I am praying that the destruction of the World Trade Center will be a wake-up call to all who agree that to allow our representatives in the world of nations to cheapen who we are and make us look weak in the eyes of our enemies will also bring about our destruction.
It is time to take a stand. There is much we, as citizens of the global community, can do.
It starts with the social contract. Years ago, the social contract was strong. Everyone knew that only within it's confines, could individual freedom exist. Today, we no longer have a social contract.
A social contract is a moral code of behavior. It is a commitment to create by word and action a sound and stable community.
I would invite you to review this new contract, think about it, and if it means anything to you, sign it and pass it on:
---The New Social Contract---
1. We realize that it is our duty to stand up for all citizens of the world whose rights and freedoms are being denied.
2. We realize that we have a responsibility as individuals to do what we know is right regardless of concerns for personal safety.
3. We know that we must train the children by setting an example of behavior in line with that moral code, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you", which we believe will benefit the world community as a whole.
4. We accept that others will have different notions of what constitutes morality and will defend their right to express it as long as it does not impede or abuse the rights of others. We acknowledge that diversity among individuals within the community is to be defended as it is that diversity which strengthens and enlivens the community as a whole.
5. We affirm that the violation of another's rights is a threat to the whole and will assiduously avoid behavior that would violate those rights.
6. We will not support any law determined to be an attempt to violate the rights of others. We will not support any legislator who expresses an intention of creating such a law. We will not align ourselves with other people or nations who express by behavior or law a desire to violate the rights of others.
7. We recognize it is our duty to society to abide by the social contract and what happens beyond its purview is in God's hands.
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Signed by:
1.Audrey Yoeckel 9/12/2001
2.Christy Weber 9/15/01
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When the number of signatures reaches 20, copy and paste the entire contract to a new e-mail delete the names, sign and pass it on to all your contacts. Please send the old e-mail to:
contract@peacockchronicle.com
Hard copy prints to:
RR1 Box 89k-112
Aspermont, Texas 79502
God bless you.
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