Organization: Green Innovations Inc
To: greenleap@yahoogroups.com
Priority: normal
From: "Philip Sutton" <Philip.Sutton@green-innovations.asn.au>
Date sent: Thu, 10 Nov 2005 15:21:08 +1100
Subject: [greenleap] The new heroes - and encouraging more?
Dear Greenleapers,
I've got a serious proposition that I'd like to float with you.
I've got huge amount of personal encouragement and revived hope from some
recent actions by a few very public-spirited and very courageous people.
For example:
- John Stanhope, Labor ACT Chief Minister, who enabled the public to
see and debate the proposed terror-related laws in Australia
- Petro Georgio and his Liberal Party colleagues who stood up against
the inhumane mandatory detention system and forced a change of laws
- Malcolm Fraser (ex-liberal Prime Minister) and John Valder
(ex-Liberal Party President) who keep speaking out on human rights and
democratic governance
- the Labour pollies in the UK who just crossed the floor to block
Prime Minister Bair's extreme curtailment of people's civil
liberties
- Lawrence Wilkerson in the US who was Colin Powell's Chief of Staff
who has blown the whistle on the dictatorial practices of Dick
Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld and the mis-governance of the Bush
administration.
There are many other less well known people who have shown equal or
greater courage in defence of a decent society.
But given the huge momentum behind the move to a fortress world and the
terrorisation of politics and society and the momentum to block the
achievement of sustainability, we are going to need even more such heroes.
One way to encourage such behaviour could be to have an award system for
people who show exemplary political or civic courage and to give the
nominees and award winners and the notion of political or civic courage in
support of a decent society as much publicity as we can.
If this idea appeals to you, could you consider whether you can spare some
time to join with others to help organise such an award system? Drop me
an email if you can help or would at any rate like to be kept in the loop
on this idea.
Cheers, Philip
Philip Sutton
Director, Strategy
Green Innovations Inc.
195 Wingrove Street
Fairfield (Melbourne) VIC 3078
AUSTRALIA
Manager of the Greenleap info list
Tel & fax: +61 3 9486-4799
Email: <Philip.Sutton@green-innovations.asn.au>
http://www.green-innovations.asn.au/
Victorian Registered Association Number: A0026828M