To the editor:

Do the statements below represent your values?

Warfare and weapons should not be the way we solve our political and economic differences. Violence must be our last resort and entered into only with broad international support.

All humans have the same inherent human rights and the same basic needs.

Human life is dependent on the earth’s ecosystems, therefore a healthy relationship with the environment must be a primary concern in human actions.

Effective democracy is founded on the actions and collective will of the people being governed.

Societies have a responsibility to take care of each other, particularly their children, disabled and elderly.

If we believe these things, thenwe can cut our military budget, end arms sales, decommission many of our foreign bases and apply more resources towards negotiation and diplomacy.

We can support the United Nations and the International Criminal Court in their work to apply a universal standard of human rights that rises above economic and political pressures and brings international criminals to trial.

We can implement strict standards that ensure environmental health and safety in all of our manufacturing, transportation and consumer decisions. These standards must be developed and applied by scientists and implemented without regard to business pressures.

We can join into the political life of our country as active participants who insist that our vote is provably fair and accurate, while demanding accountability from our representatives. We can end private campaign financing and develop a public communication system that focuses on issues and ideas, fostering community discussion and open public discourse.

We can ensure that all of our citizens have the same educational opportunities from birth to death and that we support all people’s health and well-being through a nationwide basic health plan.

This perilous moment in human history needs to be met with mass popular action. The Obama presidency will not be able to carry us beyond the moneyed powers that brought them to office unless we the people stand forward firmly to say we will not have business as usual. We need urge President Obama to stand with us.

David Iles

Langley