CHAPTER 11: Transforming Our Society

I HAVE BEEN ASKED if I have any ideas for peaceful solutions tosome of our world and national problems. For one, I think a verylong stride toward world peace would be the establishment of aworld language.
I first ran into the language barrier in Spanish-speaking Mexico,where I could speak to people only through my translated messageand my smile.Then in the Province of Quebec in Canada I ran into itagain. Canada is a bilingual country.The schools in Quebec are conductedin French, and many of the people in Quebec cannot speakEnglish. I had a translated message, and I was offered food and shelterthrough sign language. But there the communication just aboutended. It made me realize anew the great need for a world language.
I think a committee of experts appointed by the United Nationsshould decide as quickly as possible what language would be best.
Once a world language is decided upon it can be taught in all theschools along with the national language, so that very soon every literateperson in the world can talk to every other literate person inthe world. I think this would be the biggest single step we could taketoward world understanding, and a long stride toward world peace.
When we can talk together we will realize that our likenesses are somuch greater than our differences, however great our differencesmay seem.
On Democracy and Society.
I define democracy as control by the people. Slaves are thosewho allow others to control their lives. Insofar as people succeed insolving their problems fairly and efficiently at a grassroots level, theyretain control over their lives. Insofar as they delegate their problemsolving to a higher authority, they lose control over their lives.
We have a goodly amount of individual democracy—for example,the right of a minority of one to continue to speak. And we have a lotof political democracy. We are making progress on social democracy.
If we had social democracy every human being would be evaluatedaccording to merit, not according to groups. We’ve legislated in thatdirection; we need to go a long way still, but we’re getting there.
Where we fall the shortest is in economic democracy. Here wehave not too much control and I’m concerned about this. Remember,if we want to set a good example to the world we must improveourselves. I’ll tell you a sad story:
I was walking through someone’s living room.Two comedians ontelevision were making jokes before a live audience and one of themsaid, “I got a medal from my company.” “Why?” “I found a way tomake their product wear out quicker!” And everybody in that liveaudience laughed.
This is no laughing matter. Raw materials are in short supply;energy is running out. Future generations will look upon us as idiotsfor manufacturing for obsolescence.Yes, everybody knows what weare doing and they even laugh about it. This needs to be remedied,obviously.
The other thing that needs to be remedied is unemployment. Iam terribly concerned about it. Some seven or eight million of ourfellow human beings in this country are unemployed.And what doesthat do to people? They deteriorate psychologically because they arebeing told by society that they are not needed, that there is no placefor them. Unemployment is a terrible thing.We need to remedy thisand we need to remedy it immediately.
I would suggest that after a certain length of time all employableunemployed could apply for community work, funded as welfare isfunded.The work wouldn’t even need to be full time, but they wouldbe earning what they received.
There is no psychologically well person who does not wish to bemeaningfully occupied with something. I understand there are a fewpsychologically sick people—especially those who have been unemployedfor a long time and have terribly deteriorated. But this is nottrue of most people. Most people would actually jump at the chanceto be able to do something.
From a spiritual point of view, the best way to cope with anythingthat is out of harmony, such as communism as it is practicedtoday, is never to fear it—that gives it power. Bring good influencesto bear upon it; make yourself a good example. Never try to overcomeit by adopting its false philosophy. For instance, part of thephilosophy of communist governments is said to be ‘The end justifiesthe means’—which is actually the philosophy of all countries that usewar as a means. Rather, adopt the spiritual philosophy of ‘The meansdetermine the end,’ and remember only a good means can really attaina good end.
We can only change through example. Therefore, if I had thepower to do so in this country I would set a very gentle, good example.
I would establish a Peace Department in our government. Itwould have very useful work to do. It would research peaceful waysof resolving conflicts, war prevention measures and economicadjustments to peace. It would be established with some fanfare andwe would ask every other nation to establish similar departments andcome and work with us for peace. I think many nations would bewilling to do so. Communications among the Peace Departmentswould be a step toward peace in our world.
During the war in Vietnam I asked my correspondents from allover the world the same question: “What country do your fellowcountrymen consider to be the biggest menace to the peace of theworld?” The answer was unanimous. It wasn’t Russia and it wasn’tChina. It was us! I asked, “Why?” The answers varied a bit.The Orientalsanswered, “Because you are the only nation that used thenuclear bomb to kill people, and there is no evidence that you mightnot do so again.” In South America and Latin America they tended tosay, “It’s Vietnam today—it will be us tomorrow.” In Europe andsome other places the answer tended to be, “Your economy worksmost smoothly in a war or war preparation period,” or, “In yourcountry there is big money to be made on war or war preparation.”
I don’t like to report this, it’s a negative thing, but I do think weneed to see that the countries of the world do not always see our kindheart when they look across the sea. Instead they are apprehensiveabout our actions.
I would like to see us not only take all the steps we can in thedirection of disarmament and peace in the world, I would also like tosee us set a better and better example in the world.
Within the last couple of years a number of my foreign friendshave said to me, “Russia signed Salt II, why didn’t you sign it? Are youless interested in disarmament than the Russians?” I couldn’t answerthem. I wish we had signed it. It was a gentle step, not nearlyenough, but we should have signed it, then worked hard for Salt IIIand every agreement that we could get.
On my pilgrimage across Canada I was invited to speak duringthe Youth Choir Concert of the union of Spiritual Communities ofChrist, commonly known as Doukhobors, a pacifist group whichmigrated from Russia in the last century. I said to them, “You have aspecial message to this world, specifically in Russia. Since many ofyou speak Russian, why not send a mission of peace to Russia? Thischoir, for example? You have a unique opportunity to talk to them intheir own language, moreso than the usual delegation that oftencannot communicate with them. This sort of exchange is necessaryin the present historical crisis.”
The United Nations needs to be improved.We people of theworld need to learn to put the welfare of the whole human familyabove the welfare of any group. Starvation and suffering needs to bealleviated.An extensive exchange of people among the nations of theworld would be very helpful.
There are some national problems in connection with peace —work needs to be done on peace among groups. Our number onenational problem, however, is the adjustment of our economy to apeacetime situation.
Community Peace Action.
In this crisis period there should be a community peace committeein every town. Such a group can begin with a handful of concernedpeople.
I have been suggesting that Community Peace Fellowships startwith a Peace Prayer Group for seeking the way of peace. At the firstmeeting consider inner peace. Pray about it and discuss it. If youbecome aware of some inner block which is hampering your spiritualprogress, concentrate between meetings on removing that block. Atthe second meeting consider harmony among individuals. If you realizethat you are out of harmony with some person, do somethingbetween meetings to remedy this. At the third meeting consider harmonyamong groups. Between meetings try to do something as agroup to show friendliness toward or to help some other group. Atthe fourth meeting consider peace among nations. Take actionbetween meetings by commending someone who has done somethinggood for peace. At the next meeting, start all over again.
In some places my literature has been used for their prayergroups, since it deals with peace from a spiritual viewpoint. Read aparagraph, dwell on it in receptive silence, then talk about it. Haveas many prayer meetings as you need to get through the literature.
Anyone who can understand and feel the spiritual truths containedtherein is spiritually ready to work for peace.
Then would come a Peace Study Group.We need to get a clear pictureof what the present world situation is like and what will beneedful to convert it into a peaceful world situation. Certainly allpresent wars must cease. Obviously we need to find a way to laydown our arms together.We need to set up mechanisms to avoidphysical violence in the world where psychological violence stillexists.
After world problems and steps toward their solution becomepretty clear to you, you and your friends are ready to become a PeaceAction Group.You can become a Peace Action Group gradually, actingupon any problem that you have learned to understand. Peace actionshould always take the form of living the way of peace. It can alsotake the form of letter-writing: to legislators about peace legislationyou are interested in, to editors on peace subjects, to friends on whatyou have learned about peace. It can take the form of public meetingswith speakers on peace subjects, distributing peace literature,talking to people about peace, a peace week, a peace fair, a peacewalk, a peace parade, or a peace float. It can take the form of votingfor those who are committed to the way of peace.
You have much more power when you are working for the rightthing than when you are working against the wrong thing. And, ofcourse, if the right thing is established wrong things will fade away oftheir own accord. Grassroots peace work is vitally important. Allwho work for peace belong to a special peace fellowship—whetherwe work together or apart.
Some of the steps toward peace that I talked about when Istarted out have now been taken or at least begun. An extensivepeople-to-people approach is well under way, with studentexchanges and cultural exchanges. Research on peaceful ways ofresolving conflicts is now being done at a number of our colleges,and courses are being taught also by our neighbor, Canada.
I believe it is quite possible for us to obtain an outer peace at thepresent time. Historically speaking, when human beings are facedwith the choice between destruction and change, they are apt tochoose change, and it’s about the only thing that will make themchoose change. So we have the possibility at the present time to takea different direction in the world—the possibility exists!
Little people of the world, let us never feel helpless again. Let usremember that if enough of us ask together even very big things likeworld disarmament and world peace will be granted. Let’s asktogether!