i hold these truths to be self evident:
- that all beings were created equal, each with their own niche
- that the last 10,000 years of history have been characterized by a growing populace that favors one species over others, and this tyranny has been expressed through exploitation and destruction of all life forms
- that this mentality could only be perpetuated through the accumulation of material goods, especially food and land, the hoarding of which created a comfort buffer asserting the illusion of independence from other living things
- that the quest to maintain control over nature, made possible through settled agriculture, gave rise to a ruling class distinguished by people who hoarded vs those who did not; those who sought control vs those who lived with humility and respect for the many forces of nature
- that this distinct ruling class, with a concentration of hoarded wealth, has over the past several hundred years stripped other peoples of their cultures and dignity, forcibly removed peoples from their ancestral land, imposed an economy that demands transgression of religious beliefs grounded in interdependence, and exploited people along with the land
- that these injustices continue today, and with the very rare exception, each of us is complicit in upholding this broken system
- that each and every one of us is traumatized mentally, emotionally and spiritually by this illusion of separation; by the abuse and exploitation, whether we are perceived as oppressor or victim
- that true freedom is not and never can be coupled with exploitation of people or the planet
- that as long as we seek power over we cannot have power with
- that the only path to halting the certain self-destruction of the human race - of our hearts, minds, and bodies - is freedom from this illusion of separation
- that this path is based in respect and love for ourselves, for other people, and for all life on earth
- that our true freedom is not an assertion of independence, but one of interdependence
- that none of us will be free until all of us are free.
