Peace, Justice, Care of Earth: The Vision of John McConnell, Founder of Earth Day
a biography
a biography
Peace is not the absence of war;
that's an armistice or truce or cease fire when nations prepare for the next war. Peace is an honest understanding of another person's point of view.
Justice is not an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth;
that's legalized revenge.
Justice is an equitable sharing
of resources.
Without peace and justice,
the environmental movement is
a one-legged stool.
─ John McConnell
that's an armistice or truce or cease fire when nations prepare for the next war. Peace is an honest understanding of another person's point of view.
Justice is not an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth;
that's legalized revenge.
Justice is an equitable sharing
of resources.
Without peace and justice,
the environmental movement is
a one-legged stool.
─ John McConnell
copyright 2007 by Robert M. Weir
foreword by George Gallup, Jr.
soft cover: $17.95 US+$5.00 shipping & handling
hard cover: $27.95 US+$5.00 shipping & handling
Click here to purchase
foreword by George Gallup, Jr.
soft cover: $17.95 US+$5.00 shipping & handling
hard cover: $27.95 US+$5.00 shipping & handling
Click here to purchase
Please look at human history and the sad record of hate, violence, and war. Look at the present state of the world. People who ignore history repeat its mistakes. Our addiction to war has resulted in billions for bombs and pennies for peace. Our indifference about the obvious need to replace energy from oil with solar and wind energy has resulted in global warming. To avoid total catastrophe and the end of the human adventure, we must have a Global Earth Trustee Peace Blitz that will devote more money and human power to saving Planet Earth than we devote to waging war. Tap the power of your faith, do what you can, and expect a miracle.
─ John McConnell essay, 2005, at age 90
─ John McConnell essay, 2005, at age 90
Praise for John McConnell:
- John McConnell was well known at the United Nations as someone courageous with ideas, a diplomat for Earth. And he never gave up.
─ Robert Muller, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General - John McConnell is totally dedicated and committed to the concept of peace building through the environment.
─ John MacDonald, U.S. Ambassador - John McConnell is an idealist, a visionary, a peacemaker. Those are the people needed for today, for our future.
─ George Gallup, Jr., pollster
The Earth Day Story
The creation of Earth Day is most often credited to Senator Gaylord Nelson. In actuality, that honor rightly belongs to visionary John McConnell who established Earth Day on the vernal equinox ("Nature's global holiday"), created the Earth Flag, and was instrumental in environmental and peace activities at the United Nations in the 1960s through 1980s. Nelson, more accurately, created what he originally called an Environmental Teach In, but he later "adopted" the Earth Day name for that event. Both McConnell's Earth Day and Nelson's Environmental Teach-In originated in 1970.
The creation of Earth Day is most often credited to Senator Gaylord Nelson. In actuality, that honor rightly belongs to visionary John McConnell who established Earth Day on the vernal equinox ("Nature's global holiday"), created the Earth Flag, and was instrumental in environmental and peace activities at the United Nations in the 1960s through 1980s. Nelson, more accurately, created what he originally called an Environmental Teach In, but he later "adopted" the Earth Day name for that event. Both McConnell's Earth Day and Nelson's Environmental Teach-In originated in 1970.
copyright 2007 by Robert M. Weir
foreword by George Gallup, Jr.
published 2007 by Press On Publishing, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
soft cover: ISBN 978-0-9717491-2-2
$17.95 US + $5.00 shipping & handling
hard cover: ISBN 978-0-9717491-3-9
$27.95 + $5.00 shipping & handling
originally published as Star of Hope in 2006
by Swan Books, New York, New York, USA
Click here to purchase
foreword by George Gallup, Jr.
published 2007 by Press On Publishing, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
soft cover: ISBN 978-0-9717491-2-2
$17.95 US + $5.00 shipping & handling
hard cover: ISBN 978-0-9717491-3-9
$27.95 + $5.00 shipping & handling
originally published as Star of Hope in 2006
by Swan Books, New York, New York, USA
Click here to purchase
Anna and John McConnell with the Earth Flag at their home in Denver, Colorado
John McConnell's visions and accomplishments:
- Star of Hope, to promote U.S. and USSR joint space missions (1957, during the Cold War)
- Minute for Peace, campaign for global peace prayers (1963)
- Earth Flag, still the only flag for all the world's people (1969)
- Earth Day, to celebrate "Nature's global holiday" on the vernal equinox (1970)
- Earth Day Proclamation, signed by 36 world leaders and celebrities including Mikhail Gorbachev, Yassir Arafat, and Oscar Arias (1970)
- Earth Trustee Agenda, a pledge for people to "do what you can" to care for Earth (1971)
- Earth Society Foundation, a United Nations NGO (1976)
- Earth Charter, to prepare for "a worldwide Bi-millennium Celebration" more than 20 years hence (1977)
- Earth Magna Charta, a document to "generate the greatest cooperation and greatest good on our planet" (1995)