Economic Justice and Peace Starts by Honoring the Original Earth Day!
EQUINOX EARTH DAY March 2024 MISSION STATEMENT and ENDORSEMENT REQUEST
Greetings! We are an ad hoc group bringing to the fore for 2024 the earth rights principles and policies of the original Earth Day which has been celebrated every year since 1970 on the March equinox.
Earth Day founder John McConnell understood that the foundation for an economics and culture of peace can be found in perennial wisdom teachings that tell us how to build stable, peaceful, flourishing societies. He often used the phrase “earth rights” to describe these teachings. He also drew much inspiration from the 19th century political economics of Henry George whose masterwork was Progress and Poverty.
Our intention is to build worldwide movements that address gross wealth inequality, hunger, homelessness, wage slavery, environmental destruction, war and other major social problems via earth rights public finance policies; thus removing tax burdens from labor, basic necessities, and needed production and shifting the tax base to the “unearned income” from land, natural resources and other commons. The power to tax is the power to create or destroy. There are many examples of the positive effects of the earth rights public finance approach. (Read the Earth Rights Manifesto https://valediction.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/An-Earth-Rights-ManifestoIntro-9.22.23.23.pdf)
We are encouraging people around the world to focus on the economics and culture of peace by holding gatherings, events and celebrations on the day of the equinox (either the 19th or 20th of March depending on location) that will put forth earth rights principles and policies.
Note that every year since 1971 the Peace Bell has been rung at the United Nations at the exact moment of equinox. This ceremony, which has included a minute of silent reflection or prayer along with music and short speeches, was initiated by the Earth Society Foundation founded by John McConnell and Margaret Mead
The year 2024 March Equinox events will launch movements for earth rights principles and policies that will build an economics and culture of peace. These actions will be coordinated, supported and guided to maximize effective policy implementation. Our vision is to put in place the fundamentals of an economic system that is fair, regenerative, protective of earth and highly decentralized.
Please join us! Your first step is to complete the Equinox Earth Day Endorsement and Event Registration form. When we receive this form you then will be included in our network and we will give you support and suggestions for your Special Equinox Earth Day Event.
From the Equinox Earth Day Team: Mary Carlin, Johnanne Winchester, Robert Weir, John Mundy, Wendell Fitzgerald, Elizabeth Gould, Ginger Metraux , Emer O’Siochru, Charles Avila, Ibrahima Drame, Margaret Valta, Wendy Rockwell, Diane Perlman, Alanna Hartzok
We hereby invite you to formally endorse this Equinox Earth Day 2024 Mission Statement by simply writing EED Yes! Please add my name to your endorsement list and email to equinoxearthday@gmail.com