A Plea for Direct Democracy

ACTIVE HUMANISM
Suggested by Lee Gottlieb, June 1998

What is Active Humanism, and what
is its connection to True Democracy?

A successful True Democracy can be maintained only by a people possessing a positive, realistic philosophy of life, as oppossed to the negative, superstitious beliefs held by most followers of organized religions.
Active Humanism is such a philosophy. It's a belief based upon reason and common sense. It's a belief the only life for Earth people is here and now on planet Earth and that it should be one of society's prime functions to educate each and every citizen with the knowledge and skills necessary for each to effectively help administer and maintain an efficient and just society.
It's a belief that only the active, unified, physical effort of the majority of a nation's common citizens can make it possible to transform their nation into a friendlier, more positive, social environment than the hostile societies produced by hierarchical systems such as monarchies, dictatorships, or pseudo-representative democracies like the United States of America.

Who are Active Humanists
and what are their objectives?

Anyone who believes there must be a better and fairer way to run the affairs of a people, and is willing to join with other people to actively search for that way may be considered a potential Active Humanist.
Potential Active Humanists include idealistic people who dream of a better world; trusting people who are confused by leaders who say one thing, but do another; poor people who are surrounded by a material glut they can't share; minority people weary of discrimination and prejudice; female people who know males fear to have their females equal, and thinking people-especially thinking Americans—who understand their leaders have been responsible for the deaths of millions of innocent people, and the degradation of planet Earth.
For the moment, Active Humanists are only a small group of ordinary working Americans who are fearful of the direction their political leaders take them, and who believe there is a better way to structure a social system than the corrupt representative democracy currently used in the U.S. The purpose of the philosophyis to gather enough support to form a new political party dedicated to the ideals and principles of direct democracy.

ACTIVE HUMANIST CREED
A philosophy for mature people

Active Humanism is a personal belief based upon logic and self-determination.
It's a belief change is the essence of life, and change, growth, evolution, and true progress are one and the same; a belief active energy lies at the core of change, and the controlled and directed use of human energy combined with conscious reason will produce positive physical and intellectual change.
It's a belief in the Principle of the Greater-Force, a belief cooperation between lots of people is the only way to fuse the Greater-Force, and consideration for the needs of one another the only way to retain it.
It's a belief in the collective responsibility of society to ensure the welfare of each and every citizen, not merely rich citizens, white citizens, aggressive citizens, or male citizens; a belief part of this responsibility is to guarantee each citizen access to the needs of survival and a fair share of society's good things.
It's a belief welfare is what a human society and government should be all about, for provision of the common welfare is why people have grouped together since the beginnings of time.
It's a belief people are born, live, and die just as other living forms; a belief life-after-death has never been proven to exist, and it's foolish to base human behavior on the "faith" it does when it's more likely it doesn't. And because people have only this one opportunity to enjoy the good things of planet Earth and contribute to the species' welfare, it's a belief it is in society's best interest to ensure every citizen be given the opportunity to develop and become all he or she can become.
Active Humanism's sole relationship to supernaturalism is the belief that if there is a Creator, he, she, or it has endowed the human species with the computerbrain as its major means of survival, and will offer no additional assistance to help an individual, or the species, to survive. Not ever!
It's a belief the current selfish use of the computerbrain for private wealth and power is destructive and can end only in disaster for the species and the planet; a belief the species must learn to use the computerbrain effectively for the common good or perish from this Earth; a belief the good life for all is here on planet Earth, if people actively, and intelligently, cooperate to secure it for all.
It's a belief that only when such a philosophy is held by the majority of a society's commoners, can the society be transformed into a more equitable place for all.