A show of solidarity

When the Earth Charter was conceived at the 1992 Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit, it was with the intent of emphasizing interdependence between people and nations in an effort to address environmental concerns and sustainability.

Since, the resulting document — the Earth Charter Initiative — has become what many believe to be the “most inputed document on the planet,” said Ventura-based Bob Dodge, a family physician and president of the Ventura chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility.

“The Earth Charter itself was commissioned by the United Nations,” said Dodge. “Many people look at it as a sort of a blueprint for the future. What are things that threaten the future of the planet?”

After contributions more than 1,000 people from around the world, yearly summits began popping up throughout the U.S. It is now traditional that in the seventh year of such meetings, various national chapters meet during the second Saturday of October, often with “link ups” between cities.

According to Dodge, this year 21 cities, as well as three other countries — Senegal, India and Canada — will participate.

Dodge found the EC’s focus on the general health of the world to be in keeping with his own values. President of PSR since 1985, Dodge has been concerned with the health impact of war, nuclear proliferation and global warming. These concerns led him and others to found Citizens for Peaceful Resolutions in March 2002.

The specific focus on “the medical consequences of nuclear war and nuclear weapons” branched from a troubling paradigm shift that CPR founders noticed in the wake of Sept. 11.

“Our government released the Nuclear Posture Review, a fundamental shift in nuclear weapons policy,” said Dodge.

It was to the members of CPR a complete about-face on nuclear policy, stating that pre-emptive nuclear strikes were warranted against countries believed to be in possession of nuclear arms.

CPR also objected to the “evolution of the Axis of Evil,” a philosophy that defined Russia, China, Iraq, Iran, Syria and North Korea as the places “where all the evil in the world lies,” Dodge said.

With support from various members of the community — including some members of the local government and school board — CPR was formed in part to battle the “with us or against us” rhetoric the group felt was being espoused by the presidential administration.

“We started saying, ‘That’s what the war’s been fought for, to allow people to speak their minds and not be labeled as unpatriotic,’ ” Dodge said. “We started CPR to educate. Our mission is to work on identifying the critical issues of our time, and to build a peaceful, just and sustainable society.”

To that end, CPR decided to enhance the annual Earth Charter Summit with an awards ceremony to honor community members who “best embody the Earth Charter’s core values.” Past recipients have included Yvon Chouinard, environmentalist and founder of the Patagonia clothing company.

This year’s recipients include Michael Takeda and his mother, Helen Sachiko Takeda, a survivor of the Hiroshima bombings. Each year, Michael participates in the Hiroshima Day Vigil that CPR hosts at the government center, an event held to ensure “that never again will these particular weapons be used,” said Dodge.

“Even the country of Japan feels that when the survivors [of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings] die, the memory will be gone and that history will repeat itself.”

Community activists Norman and Betty Eagle will also be honored for their work to protest the war and militarism.

“They’re wonderfully eloquent people,” said Dodge. “Norm is a vet. People who’ve been there and done that and can say war doesn’t work — it adds that much additional credibility to [the anti-war movement].”

In addition, Rachel Morris and Elzbet Diaz de Leon will receive a joint award for Ecological Integrity, due to their organization, Ventura Climate Care Options Organized Locally (VCCool); Jean Harris will be recognized for lifelong involvement, specifically for her efforts to preserve Ormond Beach in Oxnard; Alice Linsmeier will receive the award for Social and Economic Justice due to her activism in immigrant rights and for her work as a leader in the New Sanctuary Movement; singer Perla Batalla will be honored with the Earth Charter and the Arts award; Javier Gómez’s teaching career and cultural preservation efforts will be recognized with the Youth Education and Outreach award, and the Youth Activist honor will go to Lauren Saltoun Weiner and Lauren Elizabeth Steinbaum for their work to found the Ventura High School Peacers.