1986- It's A Possibility Part 2 - John Denver

George Leonard has observed that our existence has always tempted the human race with extremes.  (I like to substitute the word "choices".)

Today, we are a world culture standing on a razor's edge, between catastrophe and transformation.  How's that for a choice?  Catastrophe - not just a loss of life, but the potential for the end of all life on this planet - or transformation - peace throughout the world, and the end of hunger, the end of world terrorism, security and posterity for everyone.

"Of course", you might say, "but it's not that easy.  There are so many problems, what can I do?" In my mind there are not so many problems.  There are, however, many symptoms which are expressions of one major problem, the life I mentioned earlier.  And the solution is not really so complex or difficult.  It's in the choices that you and I make every moment of our lives.  The way we live, how we treat our neighbors, how we spend our money, whether or not we truly take responsibility for ourselves and our society and our country and our world.  It is possible to recognize that the products of fear and separation in all their forms and with all the problems and difficulties they present, seen from different perspectives are the perfect set of circumstances, the perfect opportunity, the perfect steps within which we can begin to express in real terms connectedness and wholeness, and if you will, Oneness.  Let's experiment, let's take a risk.  It would seem a much safer bet than the risk we're taking now. 

We live in a world that already has enough nuclear weapons to create six thousand World War II's, and we're still spending close to a trillion dollars a year on armaments. We live in a world which allows thirteen to eighteen million of us to starve every year, thirty-five thousand every day.  

We live in a world in which young people feel there is no future, no opportunity to live a full, productive and gratifying life.  Consequently, they turn away from their homes and families, education and responsibility, and move more to alcohol and drugs and violence and the mindless crap that fills most of our television and movie screens.  These are not the problems, these are the symptoms of a greater problem.  We're more interested in entertaining ourselves than in educating ourselves.  We're more interested in defending ourselves than in learning more about each other.   

We live in a country representing a free, democratic and capitalist system, where  less than half of those qualified take time  to vote, where over one-eighth of our population lives in poverty, where we are losing over forty thousand small family businesses every year, where our government is incapable of operating without a deficit, and is unable to pay the interest on the deficit that now exists, where we cannot assist a small number of our farmers through one year of drought (pray it doesn't last three or four years...) and where our highest elected officials lie to us and condone illegal activities to affect their policies.  

Does any of this sound like an expression of Wholeness?  Connectedness?   Of Harmony and Balance? 

Not to me it doesn't! It sounds sick.  It sounds like a cancer that is eating us alive, that if not caught and turned around, will inevitably consume us, not only destroy us, but all of human history in the process:  Our art and technology, our knowledge and understanding, our dreams and our visions, our brilliant success and our dismal failures, our past and our future. 

What can be done? What kind of preventative measures can be undertaken to not only heal this cancer, but begin to draw out the poison of fear and distrust, of insecurity and separations which are its source?

Here's one idea. Our old and dear friend and Grandfather, Buckminster Fuller, talked about investing in livingry rather than weaponry.  

The Presidential Commission on World and Domestic Hunger set up by President Carter, and on which I was privileged to serve, said in our financial report that we not only have the where-with-all to end hunger on our planet, but that in doing so we would accomplish more in the service of peace in the world, and national security for our country, than is possible with all the weapons you can imagine.

This is what I suggest.  Let's take one percent of our defense budget, ...and invest in livingry.  Let's take half of that and invest it in jobs for the poverty stricken, our Native Americans!  Let's help those farmers all across our great land and those small family businesses.  Give them a year's grace from foreclosure, give them another chance. 

Let's create a real "Hands Across America", not just a symbolic gesture but something of on-going value that comes out of our on-going commitment to make a fundamental difference and achieve real results, even it it's only cleaning up the litter that lines our trails, sidewalks, and roadways everywhere.  I'm sure there are millions of good ideas that could be implemented with a billion and a half dollars invested here at home.

Now then, let's take half of one percent and invest it out there in the world.  Let's make some real headway on getting children immunized against the six basic diseases, which still afflict so many. 

Let's strengthen some of the projects  already under way in Africa which are transforming that continent, making even the most cynical eye begin to see the possibility of feeding not only itself, but all of western Europe.  Let's assist our neighbors south of the border and all over the world in creating an environment where it's more valuable to invest in their future by investing their time and energy in their own country, and not by becoming illegal aliens somewhere else.  Again, there must be millions of good ideas that reflect living as a world community (which is what we are) and which would be furthered by the judicious investment of a billion and a half dollars.

Now this is the kicker.  I believe that if we in the United States could take that kind of initiative, demonstrate that kind of leadership and our commitment as people to see it through, [that others]... would be willing to do the same thing.  We are no longer talking about three billion dollars, but six billion.  I am convinced that one year's investment would bring about such incredible results, the second year it would be possible to delegate two percent of our defense budget, and then year after year it would increase to five and ten percent. 

In this way working together and achieving real results, the focus - now directed on the machinery of war and the necessity of keeping alive the sense of separation, fear and insecurity in our lives - would begin to soften.  A new bond would be created involving all people and all nations.  

• We CAN end hunger.  
• We CAN rid the world of nuclear weapons and the rhetoric of war.  
• We CAN begin to live the reality of the family of humankind on this planet.  
• It's a possibility.  

We must remember that we have created some extraordinary tools to work with.  Technologies and systems and artifacts that are there to serve us, not to ruin our lives.  We must take responsibility for making them work for all of us, with a global consciousness that reflects our humanity and not our insanity.  It's a possibility!

You and me. It's a possibility!

One world. It's a possibility!

Peace on Earth. It's a possibility!

The following song, "It's a Possibility", was written for and is dedicated to all the people who make up the community of Private Voluntary Organizations.  

John Denver, Windstar Journal, Winter 1986