In 1987, a small team of Soviet and American scientists and scholars - citizen leaders - cooperated to create the first, historic book, in English and in Russian, released in both countries simultaneously to affirm the obsolescence of war and the oneness of life. From the beginning, these historic "enemies" agreed there would be no blame in the book or on their tour. Traveling across the U.S. in pairs -- a Russian and an American author -- they spoke in homes, boardrooms, schools, and for TV and radio. They had dialogue with students, educators, business people, and newspaper editors. In the U.S.S.R., there was widespread television, newspaper, and magazine coverage of their courageous breakthrough. This small, creative team helped change the minds and hearts of their peoples. Today in the 21st century, their findings and actions are a beacon to all peoples, all conflicts. They agreed:
War is obsolete.
Today's weapons can destroy civilization.
Even small wars are too dangerous. They are
the small sparks ready to ignite the nearby tinderbox.
Enemy stereotypes, common to both sides, are outmoded.
They are the engines that drive war.
Unilateral security and unilateral advantage
must be replaced by
universal security.
Confrontation must give way to cooperation.
"Breakthrough demonstrates that planned initiatives by
unofficial actors in international affairs
can make a difference."
Read a story about the making of the book "Breakthrough: How to Unite To Publish a Book"
published by the American Political Science Association in
PS: Political Science and Politics
by Jerry B. Briscoe
Vol. 21, No. 3 (Summer, 1988), pp. 643-651
"Resist Not Evil" is an important, short article by Breakthrough's American Editor-in-Chief, Stanford University Professor Martin Hellman, for the M. K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence. It reveals a guiding principle for the success of this team, book, and tour.
War is obsolete.