When we fully recognize the thefts, lies and villainy of bullies and parasites, we must resist and restrain them. And if we’ve in any way served their ends—through silence, complicity, or imitation—we must stop, awaken, and stand with those who care.
To accomplish this, we must fully recognize, specify, implement and defend the rights and obligations of those who were once victims—once enslaved, once forced to subsidize the few. In other words: us.
We who were taken from—robbed of our time, labor and worth—must become more than just survivors. We must unite: an accepted, willfully embraced family with a shared union, a beloved community, building a society whose core value is mutual care rather than mortal combat.
Communism? Fascism? Socialism? Eugenics? Fantasy? Madness? Cults? Utopia? It isn’t hard to list failed efforts that purported to free the enslaved and build an equitable and just society. They are abundant.
But the list of societies built for the few at the expense of many is far longer. Hundreds of millions have suffered and died for the pleasure of a few—far more than from efforts to build fairness for all.
Both have failed. But like seeds in spring, those that land in fertile soil—mutual care—will grow and thrive.
The enslaved have always been the source of abundance. Their hands built the world the bullies claim as their own creation. The slaves’ daily genius and willingness have created all the technology, medicine, science, justice and wealth that exist, though much of it is exploited and hoarded by their “masters”—who also claim credit.
But mutual care does not advance with mere hoping or slogans. There must be a clear understanding of what qualifies and what fails, what must be protected and what must be expended—to make it substantive, real and lasting.
But to reach it, we need an equally solid foundation of rights and obligations. One cannot succeed without the other.