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Liberty is also a progressive value that Progressive Future holds.

Generally, liberty is defined not in a strict libertarian sense, but rather as the right to self-determination and autonomy in one’s life, work, family and decisionmaking.  Liberty is an essential value to our vision of a progressive future because we believe that the liberty of the individual is important to and inextricably linked to our definitions of the values of community, security and fairness.   To be sure, the rational, empowered, free, autonomous individual who has agency in her life is just one member of the community; but in turn, the best and most progressive communities will exist in health, wellness and sustainability if they are compromised of rational, empowered, free and autonomous individuals acting together as their brothers and sisters’ keepers.  The free individual is essential to the health of the community insofar and only as long as the free individual actively participates in public life.  This is positive liberty.  As progressives we embrace liberty in all its dimensions.  We reject authoritarian government; we embrace a government of free, engaged individuals rallying to the support of the community by making it secure and fair.

As a person who is working to reduce the saturation of posessive forms in society I do not own progressive values. Progressive values I believe in are peace and sustenance for all. As human beings there are some glaring problens that are in society that violate human potential: war and hunger. What human beings truly posess are the possibilities to grow and gain in the spectrum of humanity. These fierce problems derive from the corruption of honest desires. Safety is the goal war mongerors misconstrue to pick a battle. Satisfaction and contentment are the goals executives mistake greed for. We do pursue hapiness the matter of humanity is how wise we are in pursuit. There are ways to us being content and satisfied together.

Fear leads to rash decisions to seek for safety in hate when safety and peace live in love. Greed leads in ignorance of a greater environment to seek for contentment and satisfaction in isolation when the greatest satisfaction and the best contentment and sustenance come from compassion and kindness. The best for all is the best for all. The greatest for every individual is the greatest for every individual.  Love and Compassion and Kindness are progressive values which are vital components of a progressive future. They too are linked with liberty, community, security and fairness. How they are linked I think is a good question.

For a document that discusses principles including "I.Repect and Care for the Community of Life", "II. Ecological Integrity", "III. Social and Economic Justice" and "IV. Democracy, Nonviolence and Peace" I strongly recommend the Earth Charter as a guide to progressive values. The Earth Charter is a document which came out of the World Commission on Environment and Development's call for a "universal declaration" and "new charter to "set norms" for sustainable development in 1987. This effort which was affiliated with the United Nations was extended over the following 13 years and from feedback of over 5,000 individuals, the Earth Charter "came to consensus on the Earth Charter in March, 2000, at a meeting held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. The Earth Charter was formally launched later that year, in ceremonies at The Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands." The Earth Charter is encouraged to be adopted by organizations to promote sustainability.

The Earth Charter:

http://www.earthcharterinaction.org/2000/10/the_earth_charter.html

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