What do these disparate public figures have in common?
They're all part of The ONE Campaign to end global poverty.
This is not a political movement, although it is an effort to convince political leaders that we all need to get serious about preventing poor people from starving to death.
We have the capacity to help the world's desperately poor out of the anguish that so many endure. How do we do it?
First, we all commit ourselves to the basic ONE Campaign declaration:
“WE BELIEVE that in the best American tradition of helping others help themselves, now is the time to join with other countries in a historic pact for compassion and justice to help the poorest people of the world overcome AIDS and extreme poverty. WE RECOGNIZE that a pact including such measures as fair trade, debt relief, fighting corruption and directing additional resources for basic needs – education, health, clean water, food, and care for orphans – would transform the futures and hopes of an entire generation in the poorest countries, at a cost equal to just one percent more of the US budget. WE COMMIT ourselves - one person, one voice, one vote at a time - to make a better, safer world for all.”Second, we join millions of others in signing an email to President Bush that you can find on The ONE Campaign web site. It reads as follows:
Dear President Bush,In the Old Testament, God instituted Jubilee Years in which creditors forgave the indebtedness of all who owed them money.
Because:
* ONE billion people around the world live on less than ONE dollar a day;
* The US government spends less than ONE percent on overcoming global AIDS and poverty;
* Citizens are uniting as ONE across political and religious divides to support action to overcome the emergency of global AIDS and extreme poverty.
At the G8 leaders meeting on July 6th we urge you to:
* Help the poorest people of the world fight poverty, AIDS and hunger at a cost equal to just ONE percent more of the US budget on a clear timetable;
* Cancel 100% of the debts owed by the poorest countries;
* Reform trade rules so poor countries can earn sustainable incomes.
We urge you to lead an historic deal with other nations to help Africa and the poorest nations overcome global AIDS and extreme poverty. Together as ONE, we can Make Poverty History this July.
Sincerely,
You, Your Email Address, Postal Code, and Country
What a spark to economic development and goodwill declaring a Jubilee would be today! In purely selfish terms, it clearly would be beneficial to America and establish a firm foundation for the US economy in the future, fostering the creation for US goods and services in places that currently can't afford them because of their debt.
But beyond selfish considerations, it's just right. We can set generations free of poverty by the actions in The ONE Campaign program. That's why people like those listed above and millions of others have endorsed its aims.
So, please click The ONE Campaign link right now and start playing your part in ending global poverty. You'll be glad that you did!
[To learn more about The ONE Campaign, clock here.]
UPDATE: Tod Bolsinger and Rob Asghar have both linked to this post. Tod became a signer himself. I hope that you will do the same!
7 comments:
Is it just an American thing? - Rachel (cre8d)
Rachel: As I understand it, all the leaders of the G8 meeting in July are going to be asked to make commitments like the ones we're asking President Bush to make. So, I hope that people in New Zealand everywhere will get involved. If you go to The ONE Campaign web site, you'll find info, including background on all the different international groups that are involved.
But this campaign is, first of all, about getting developed nations to forgive the debts of other countries as a first step toward addressing poverty!
Mark
Mark:
Good idea in theory, complicated in practice.
Is the campaign referring to Third World debt held by foreign central banks, or by private banks (the latter of which debt governments can't unilaterally forgive)? Has it taken into account the severe negative effect debt write-offs tend to have on the cost of future borrowing? Is it aware that past instances of debt forgiveness have only encouraged the borrowers to ring up a fresh round of debt?
There are many ways to help the Third World achieve a modern standard of living, including removing tariff barriers and agriculture subsidies (the latter of which enrich European and, to a lesser extent, American farmers at the expense of African peasants), and microcredit programs that make investment capital available directly to the common people rather than governments. However, the ONE campaign appears to suffer from the same statist thinking that has largely kept the Third World as stagnant as it has been for the past century.
Rachel - ONE is only the American branch of the global movement Make Poverty History. Most countries are already involved, and several have already made the commitment ONE is seeking.
Thomas - a good place to learn what ONE is actually proposing, which includes changes in subsidies, tariff barriers and some very deep thinking about debt forgiveness is Jeff Sachs' book "The End of Poverty." There is a large website on the Millennium Development Goals with more detail than any non-economist has time or brain to absorb. The "more of the same" assumptions some people are making about ONE don't really work here IMHO.
Thank you, Thomas and Anonymous, for your thoughtful comments. I will need to read the Sachs' book.
Mark,
Just got an email from a pastoral friend in Edinburgh. The G8 conference will be in Gleneagles nearby. They are looking for 1M people to come and support the One Campaign goals. His prayer was for a peaceful statement made as folks from around the world gather. Many Christian organizations in the UK will be present and organzing this event.
It is truly a worldwide request.
Craig:
Thanks for that comment. We need to keep this in the forefront of our prayers.
God bless!
Mark
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