America is changing. The changes over the next twenty years will be both wondrous and frightening. Mr. Jefferson's Challenge will serve as a forum for open and honest discussion of these changes. Mr. Jefferson's Challenge will focus primarily on political and social reform and revolution, and nothing will be taboo. The dialog will not be tailored to any corporate interest, political movement, or other constituency.
Mr. Jefferson's Challenge was created in honor of Thomas Jefferson, Founding Father and author of the Declaration of Independence. Mr. Jefferson targeted his call for revolution in the Declaration to the King of England and the American colonists. Nevertheless, his words transcend culture and time. He asserted that "...Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That...it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government...." This is the spirit of Mr. Jefferson's Challenge. The Publishers believe that the responsibility for American government and culture resides ultimately with the American People. For too long, we have avoided our responsibility by relying on government and other civic institutions to solve our problems. The People alone represent America's reservoir of democracy and hope for the future.
The Publishers have no doubt that, as circulation grows, Mr. Jefferson's Challenge will generate controversy. We are prepared to meet all criticism. We, nonetheless, believe that innovative solutions to America's problems must be proposed, and publicly advanced, by bold citizens with character. Radical positions today may represent the hope for tomorrow, especially in times of political and social crises. There may soon come a time when the American People, out of fear and confusion, consider alternatives that might otherwise appear extreme. In such a crisis, the People may turn to responsible citizens with vision, especially if those citizens had been publicly exploring new options for some time. With active participation from our readers, Mr. Jefferson's Challenge will help facilitate this exploration.
Although the Publishers of Mr. Jefferson's Challenge wish to avoid constraints on the newsletter's content, we will enforce some basic ground rules. We will repudiate calls for violent social upheaval, and political alternatives based on hatred and division. Furthermore, the emphasis of Mr. Jefferson's Challenge is exploring plausible solutions; the newsletter is not designed for self-pity and civic loathing. These ground rules are described below:
1. Mr. Jefferson's Challenge is yours free of charge. The Publishers will assume all costs of publication and circulation. You may subscribe for regular delivery by U.S. Mail or review our Home Page on the Internet. Your involvement, however, is not free. We ask that you put forth all reasonable effort to affect constructive change in America.
2. Mr. Jefferson's Challenge will never advocate violence against other Americans. We will explore extreme political views, but violence in the political arena is always destructive. Although we believe America is on the eve of its second great Revolution, we are working hard to help guide that Revolution away from violence and anarchy.
3. Mr. Jefferson's Challenge will not serve those who harbor fear and hatred of individuals with a particular skin color, religion, or similar personal trait. America's leaders often classify the People to better serve and define their own political power and goals. In doing so, some leaders have helped turn citizen against citizen. Mr. Jefferson's Challenge will not contribute to this. Mr. Jefferson's Challenge is a "bottom-up" investigation of issues; we will emphasize the citizen's role in solving America's problems. Unity of the American citizenry is an integral component of this philosophy.
4. Mr. Jefferson's Challenge provides a vehicle for self-expression and problem-solving, but the emphasis is on problem-solving. Sometimes criticism alone of government or other civic institutions is constructive. Most of the time, however, criticism should be tempered with alternative perspectives and recommendations. It is simple to formulate intelligent arguments against complex social phenomena. It is far more difficult to formulate and advance structures to replace them.
5. Mr. Jefferson's Challenge and its Publishers will maintain and respect your anonymity. Whether you are simply a subscriber or you contribute articles or other comments, you alone control your identity with respect to this newsletter. If you choose to be included on our subscription list, we vow never to release that list or your personal information to anyone. If you contribute comments or other writings for publication to Mr. Jefferson's Challenge, we will publish your writings anonymously or specify you as the author, solely at your discretion. If government representatives or anyone else seek the identities of citizens associated with Mr. Jefferson's Challenge, the Publishers will resist such action by every means possible.
Mr. Jefferson's Challenge will initially publish bimonthly. We very much need your thoughts and suggestions at these early stages of publication. Please write or e-mail us with your comments, advice, and articles. Mr. Jefferson's Challenge is a newsletter of vision and ideas. If you wish to contribute an article or other comments for publication, but you consider your writing skills weak, the Editors will help you prepare your text for publication.
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