Yesterday, I presented the case that our nation - and each one of us - needs to move into "Emergency Mode." Today, let's remember where this nation began.
When they signed The Declaration of Independence, at a time of great crisis, the signers pledged to each other "their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor."
It is important to notice that this pledge was not made in the abstract. The signers made their pledge to real people - people whom they knew. All those shown above were in the same room, at the same time. They watched each other sign. Their pledge was "to each other." Every one of the signers expected to be held accountable by those others, who, of course, made their own, simultaneous and mutual pledges to them.
A good way to describe what the Founding Fathers took upon themselves might be this: "From everyone to whom much is given, much will be required."
Are we serious, today, about the existential threat of global warming? Are we prepared to dedicate ourselves to taking action to confront that threat, to save ourselves, and to save our children, and their children? If we are serious, if we understand that we must, in fact, move into "Emergency Mode," can we expect to accomplish that, and to do what we must do, without making a comparable pledge?
I think we know the answer, don't we?
A movie, Youth v. Gov, available on Netflix, provides one example of what making such a pledge might mean. I recommend it.
If we are serious, we need to meet with others, whom we trust - friends; courageous friends. We need to be together, in the same room, at the same time. We need to pledge - to ourselves and to each other - our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.
This is always true. We need to change our lives if we want to change the world.
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