Ethics and democracy are the foundation of social justice. With this in mind, we must find ways to ensure their continuous improvement. Possible ways to do this are presented at http://www.globalpublic.org. Suggestions for improving the solutions presented are welcome.

A short introduction to the solutions is presented below.

The continuous improvement of democracy is an old idea. Almost 2600 years ago, the Greeks conducted many small experiments with democracy, at local levels, and advanced the successful ones. This is a form of “survival of the fittest” for systems of social justice. What is preventing the public, in all nations, to once again enable the continuous improvement of democracy by conducting local experiments?

The proposal for improving ethics and democracy uses an old idea: random selection. The cofounder of western thought, Aristotle, promoted random selection as the safeguard of democracy for good reasons. It reduces the undue influence of extreme wealth and fame.

The use of random selection for social justice began at the same time as its use for individual justice. Roughly 2600 years ago, in Athens, individual justice was achieved through public jury trials using randomly selected, screened jurors. At the same time, social justice was achieved using randomly selected, screened officials. This experiment in government, using a combination of random selection and elections, was called “democracy”.

Despite any imperfections, randomly selected and screened jurors are still trusted to make fair decisions—-sometimes in life or death cases. We still trust this idea for individual justice, but not for social justice. Why not? What went wrong?

The screening process was likely its greatest flaw. However, if the challenge is to find a fair screening process, then we should look for ways to meet this challenge.

Why even use a screening process? Random selection without screening can produce negative results. However, some argue that it would bring society’s social problems directly into the public spotlight—-with a cross section of society gathered into one room. Others would argue that lack of screening would produce unwise decision-making and harm society.

Can a reasonable, practical screening process be found? How about randomly selecting county-level officials from volunteers who have served at least two terms as publicly elected city council members? Randomly select state officials from people who have served at the county level. This system would help to reduce the undue influence of wealth, fame, and mass media over the selection of government officials.

The hypothesis of this new experiment in democracy is that it will produce equal—-if not better—-results than the current systems, which have become ineffective and corrupted due to the new power of mass media. The social problems we have today are results of this corruption.

Random selection of representatives to develop a globally endorsed “global ethic” is also proposed.

All are welcome to offer their suggestions on improving these proposed solutions.

A downloadable 9-page pdf file containing the website’s text is available at the website. No donations are asked for. We only ask for your suggestions.

We all know about the world’s many problems. Now, we must begin focusing on finding non-violent, legal, socially acceptable solutions.

Social change begins with dialogue.

Good luck to all.

Ross

The crippling blindness in all these anti-Israel tirades is revealed by a very simple pair of questions:

If anti-Israel “terror groups”/”resistance fighters” (however you prefer to call them) were to 100% cease and desist all violence against Israel, would Israel stop its attacks against its neighbors?

CONVERSELY…

If Israel were to 100% cease and desist all attacks against its neighbors, would anti-Israel “terror groups” or “resistance fighters” (however you prefer to call them) stop their violence against Israel?

I know the answer to the first question is unblinkingly “Yes”.

I’d like to think the answer to the second would be, “Yes” as well, but the rhetoric of these groups suggests otherwise. I see no evidence that Israel makes attacks on its neighbors out of the blue or without provocation, yet I see a horrific pattern of terrorist attacks by outspoken enemies of Israel _without_ clear and specific provocation.

One may try to argue that Israel’s occupation of land blah blah blah is provocation enough, but please, if this is indeed a true injustice, bring it to the UN. Bring it to the world court. Utilize a mature and sensible strategy to claim what is supposedly yours. Even outright war, where equally proud uniformed soldiers fight uniformed soldiers is more respectable than what we see. Instead, we see the continual targeting of innocent Israelies, a method that will never secure any progress, but terrorism is only a measure of ensuring future instability, hatred, and perpetuation of the conflict. Anti-Israeli groups are not fighting for any goal that the modern world can understand; they are fighting for a Middle East that does not include Israel.

The rational world recognizes that on the one hand we have a group of people who attack their neighbors targeting suspected criminals, murderers, and terrorists. On the other hand, we have a group of people who attack their neigbors targeting anyone at all regardless of direct culpability. Neither group is free of blame, neither side has clean hands, but the relative barbarism of the latter compared to the former makes it clear to me which side I can have no pity for.

Isreal can kidnap anybody they want to.
Isreal can say:
We just arrested a terrorist’s Kid
We just arrested a terrorist’s woman
We just arrested a terrorist’s man

Isreal can take your land territory. Isreal can have Nuclear. Basically Isreal can do what ever they want to and get away with it. US and EU wouldn’t say anything.

MY Opion:
Middle East countries can fight which each other all you want to. But all middle east country should join together as one to fight with Isreal.

For example:
EU (form to to deal with the US in Economic and Japan)
NATO
Warsaw ( communist country)
OPEC (Keep the oil price in place)

UNITED MIDDLE EAST (deal with ISREAL and economic)

Just a though…
Peace

How do we redeem Israel, US, and the ‘Muslim Word’? What we have suceeded in is pushing the rupture even deeper. This seems to be an inherent problem with modernity… to draw exact borders… to break people into clearly identifiable catagories… I was reading on partition of India and then the process of relocation of people…. apart from religion how caste and class factors played a major role in shaping identities over the time and how nationalism and religion subsumed other struggles in the society.

Presently i find myself being pushed to identify with a camp though i don’t see myslef fitting well in either…. the western civilization and muslim civilization… for me both have virtues and serious flaws…. I cannot choose one or the other… that takes away my criticality. I benefit from having been schooled into both and love growing out of either with all the accompanying pain…. Why is the EMPIRE so dumb… what are we letting them to do to us!

Israel, instead of being fascist… should have been the apex of wisdom for the headstart many jews had in education, philosophy and sciences… why o why do we hear such lousy retrograde excuses for occupation and genocide from them????

My main thing is that Israel has either the first or second best special forces on the planet, and pound for pound are the hardest and greatest fighters on earth with the best intelligence service ever.

Why can’t Knesset use the abundant military skill it’s military has in covert operations, and/or money to bribe informants instead of killing children hiding from Israeli bombs and bullets?

Israel absolutely DOES have the right to exist, and the right to defend itself against any AGGRESSORS – that’s the key word ‘AGGRESSORS’. Children aren’t aggressors.

If Israel could put a bullet in the head of every Hezbollah member, without killing innocents, the world wouldn’t have a thing to say.

Israel does have the skill to do the right thing, AND has the funding to do it… but doesn’t :-/

I do not condone hisbollah methods, but I do think that the state of Israel has become a monster state, totally out of control.

Muslims: What three goodwill gestures would you like to see from Israel?
Please rate your suggestions according to 1) how much good they would generate and 2) how likely you think they are to ever happen.

My answer:

1 Declare itself a secular state… with no special privilages for Jews only.

2 Leave occupied territories immediately or incorporate them as equal citizens with equal rights and dignity. Let there be elections where all have a vote and communal parties based on Jewish or Islamic right are banned from contesting. In other cases, West Bank and Gaza must be merged with bigger dominions around where their autonomy is ensured. They cannot be kept in a concentration camp for ever.

3 Release all prisoners and start diplomatic dialogue with all the neighbours and resolve griviances amicably. Be a partner in the development of the region… especially technology and education.

4. Host a major international cultural festival where various countries of the region are able to express their values through arts and performance. Stop anti Arab and anti Muslim propaganda. You just need to look through their newspapers to see the hate they are fed on.

1 I think Muslim countries would follow after some trust is built by recognising Israel as a secular democracy. And work towards making their own countries more receptive to other faiths.

2 Allow Jews to travel in the region freely.

3 Educate their children about the common history of all semetic people and shared legacy of belief in Biblical prophets. Eliminate hate statements about Jews.

4 Cooperate in all progressive efforts and help integrate Israel into the region by establishing trade relations.

I think the problem with Israel is that it makes itself evidently a colonial implant by working under US command which due to its screwed up policy is stuck in so many wars in the region. Can Israels foreign policy be one nation specific for ever? Can it simply exist on force and hate? Do such nations survive for long?

Power is not the only measure of good life… it is to do with how you are seen especially by your neighbours. Does it ever cross your imagination, instead of building a warlike nation, you actually had friendly relations with your ‘backward’ neighbourhood. That like decent nations you could also have cultural exchanges? That you would be party to development of your poorer neighbourhood. But instead you are a nuclear threat! You are hated for occupying lands and then not being able to or simply not having the will to negotiate peace.

Which decent country goes to a full blown war with its neighbour because militia from that country kidnapped its two soldiers? What explains this over reaction? Is hostility the only language you understand? Is the only way you can survive in the region by ensuring that nobody else exists? Doesn’t this sound psychopathological?

If the attack was disproportionate then why does it appear as if Israel is the loser? The fact is that a conventional army was deployed against cowards that use human shields and who fight without uniforms. Israel shown immense constrains which is regrettable. People who are prepared to act as human shields must go down with the fighting. That is a rule of war.

The war was stopped due to international pressure and not because of the skills or bravery of the terrorists. Do not claim victory just yet because people are prepared to believe your lies and the media loves controversy…

These Muslim (cowards and terrorists) who also kill people for having the “wrong” name have no interest other than in the money they get paid to fight as terrorists. We are not so naive as to think they do it for the love of their “god” as they are quick to point out. When the money dries up these cowards will creep back into their holes.

The God of the Crusaders, the Jews and of the Christian will wipe these despicable cowards off the face of the earth with the mighty army of believers who are accustomed to years of persecution and attacks. Just look at the legacy of Christian martyrs through the ages to see that we are not scared to die. We too are willing to fight to death as men and not like the Muslim cowards. Do not underestimate us. When these Muslims (cowards and terrorists) least expect it we will rise in their midst as a mighty army of warriors that will show no mercy.

Muslims, your blood too will flow and your back will be broken and you will go down to hell and never rise again. Do consider that you might have gone too far and must carry the consequences.