SEPTEMBER 2004 NEWSLETTER
WORLD BEYOND BORDERS
NEWSLETTER
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This is the official newsletter of World
Beyond Borders (www.worldbeyondborders.org).
It reports site news and world events that affect
our quest for a united Earth. To subscribe, go to
www.worldbeyondborders.org/tinc?key=zeckXWXA&RegistrationFormID=4819
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Volume 2, Issue 9
September 6, 2004
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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1. Quote of the Month
2. What's New at World Beyond Borders
3. Reflections on the Olympics
4. Reader Letters
5. What You Can Do
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1. QUOTE OF THE MONTH
"Let us plant dates even though those who plant them will never eat them. We must live by the love of what we will never see. This is the secret discipline. It is a refusal to let the creative act be dissolved away in immediate sense experience, and a stubborn commitment to the future of our grandchildren. Such disciplined love is what has given prophets, revolutionaries, and saints the courage to die for the future they envisaged. They make their own bodies the seed of their highest hope." --Ruben Alves, Tomorrow's Child
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2. WHAT'S NEW AT WORLD BEYOND BORDERS
It's hard to believe, but this issue of World Beyond Borders marks our one-year anniversary. In this time, we have become one of the most comprehensive global government sites on the web. We have, with your help, distributed literature at the World Social Forum in Mumbai, India, as well as at smaller events. This newsletter reaches over 120 subscribers.
We can, however, do even better in our second year. We need people to help us with publicity and fundraising. If you would like to do this -- on your own or, more likely, with a team -- please email Jane Shevtsov, jane@worldbeyondborders.org. You will, of course, decide your type of involvement and how much time you're willing to commit.
This month, we welcome Tony Galli to World Beyond Borders. Tony, who will be writing and working on our projects, is from Connecticut and has a background in psychology and music. His first World Beyond Borders article is listed below.
We now have a bookstore called Beyond Borders Books. We are a powells.com affiliate and receive a commission on any purchases you make from them -- either books we list or those you find using the search box on our site. This month, we're listing four books: How to Think About War and Peace by Mortimer Adler, Manifesto for a New World Order by George Monbiot, One World: the Ethics of Globalization by Peter Singer, and Bringing the Biosphere Home by Mitchell Thomashow. Just go to www.worldbeyondborders.org/bookstore and check it out.
And now, the new articles:
Why Global Government?
*"Thoughts on Global Unity" by Tony Galli. Galli argues that global unity does not necessarily mean that everyone is, or must be, exactly the same. The health of nations, and of the world, requires cooperation by individuals and groups, rather than the implementation of command and conquer that has enslaved us for too long.
www.worldbeyondborders.org/thoughtsglobalunity.htm
How Might We Get There?
*"The Parliament of the World's Religions, Barcelona Spain (July 2004)" by Phil Wetzel, Executive Director of PAX 2100. Phil Wetzel speaks about his experience at the Parliament of World's Religions in Barcelona this summer. Phil talks about this year's Parliamentary theme of celebration of diversity and the "Golden Rule", as the guiding principle of the world's religions and the first step towards peace.
www.worldbeyondborders.org/pwr_pwetzel.htm
*"Reflections on the Parliament of the World's Religions" by Barbara Wetzel. Phil Wetzel's mother describes the atmosphere of Barcelona and all the memorable events that made this years Parliament of World's Religions such a big success.
www.worldbeyondborders.org/pwr_bwetzel.htm
Please send article ideas or submissions to Jane Shevtsov,
jane@worldbeyondborders.org.
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3. REFLECTIONS ON THE OLYMPICS
by Jane Shevtsov
For somebody who doesn't follow sports at all, I spent an inordinate amount of time last month watching the Olympics. The individual events like diving and gymnastics particularly caught my attention. The most remarkable part of the two-week extravaganza, however, was the opening ceremony. There's just something compelling about the dances, the flame and the procession of scores of flags.
The Olympic Movement was founded to promote peace through sport. This year, I saw one hopeful sign and one deeply disappointing one. For the second time since Sydney, North and South Korea marched under a single flag. The teams trained together. While these gestures are, for the time being, purely symbolic, they carry a promise of unity.
That same day, a deeply disappointing moment came when the TV commentator announced that judo champ Arash Miresmaeili of Iran would withdraw from the games rather than wrestle an opponent from Israel -- because the Iranian government does not recognize Israel. Whatever one thinks of Israeli policies, this act fundamentally contradicts the spirit of common humanity that is the ideal both of the Olympic Movement and of World Beyond Borders. It is a sign of how far we have to go.
I have only two suggestions for how the Olympic Games could be improved. If the purpose of the games is to showcase great athletic talent and promote peace, why not allow international teams? Such an innovation would focus attention on individual excellence instead of promoting nationalism, as the Olympics all too frequently do. The other suggestion is simple. In front of the parade of nations, with its multiple flags, one person should carry a flag for planet Earth.
For more information:
*International Olympic Committee, "Two Koreas March Together", August 13, 2004, http://www.olympic.org/uk/news/olympic_news/full_story_uk.asp?id=986
*Yahoo! Sports, Alan Baldwin, "Judo: Tehran Defiant as Israel Urges Penalty", August 16, 2004, http://sports.yahoo.com/oly/news?slug=reu-judoirandc&prov=reuters&type=lgns
*Yahoo! Sports, Douglas Hamilton, "Olympics Hit By Crisis Over Iran-Israel Contest", August 15, 2004, http://sports.yahoo.com/oly/judo/news?slug=reu-iranjudoscandal&prov=reuters&type=lgns
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4. READER LETTERS
This new newsletter feature will publish letters from readers. We encourage you to express your thoughts and communicate with each other. You can send letters to news@worldbeyondborders.org.
Mike Schwager of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA writes, "When I was eight years old, I remember looking out the window of my home in Bayside, New York, seeing a projection from my mind's eye that appeared in the sky. It was an Earth encircled by people of different races, holding hands together. I immediately recognized somewhere in my consciousness that I was envisioning the coming together of the tribes of humanity into a unity of fellowship.
"More than thirty years later, living in Manhattan and walking to work on a Soho street, I looked up at the sky again and this time was struck by a vision of a world coming together in a grand harmony of mutual understanding, where a great dialogue amongst the different peoples, genders, ethnicities and religions would lead to a world in metamorphosis - from division to unity. It appeared to me that this next "level" in humankind did not mean a "meltdown" of our rich cultural differences into one "pot" - but rather where new psychic space would be created for the emergence of a new world culture and organization while the richness of our diversity as different cultures and peoples would still be honored.
"This vision was something that had great power for me. It was not as if I had "conjured" it up - but rather it was more as if it had appeared from "divine mind" and so consequently there was no "ego" attached to it.
"Then, as if the Universe issues a confirmation of something that is divinely and rightly timed, several hours later I found myself entering a New York City taxicab. As I sat in my seat of the cab, there glued onto the cushioned board in front of me, which divided the driver from the passengers, was a large piece of paper that had a picture drawn on it. It was the picture of the planet earth. And above it read the words, "World Culture."
"Amen."
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5. WHAT YOU CAN DO
*Volunteer to help us with outreach. This is not grunt work -- you'll get to really be creative. We need minds, not just bodies.
*Buy something from our bookstore. It's at
www.worldbeyondborders.org/bookstore.
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We want your stories! Email Jane Shevtsov at
jane@worldbeyondborders.org.
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