What is, We The People, version 4.0 ?
A: Consider this BIG PICTURE view about being a divided nation. During our first 250 years as The United States of America, we’ve been grossly divided at least 3
times! That is one reason why we call ourselves the “American Experiment,” because staying
united is difficult! At the conclusion of each of these big divides, We The People evolved to
become a new version, a more perfect union. We celebrate the heritage of preserving our
unity. If America were a piece of software, consider then that We The People (version 1.0) was
invented in 1776 at our Declaration of Independence. This was the great divide from King
George III of England. Consider that We The People, version 2.0 was re-invented from the ashes of our 1865 Civil War.
And version 3.0, 1920’s, when nearly half of our population fought for the right to vote (white
women’s suffrage). Each new version was painful, time consuming, hard work, hard fought, often with slow
progress, but eventually each of the divides became solid building blocks. Today, we Americans
in the 2020’s, are re-inventing version 4.0.* Admittedly, today’s re-inventing does look chaotic,
feel clumsy & painful and is even terrifying for some of us! After all, we’ve never done version
4.0 before, and no one is alive to tell us about 3.0!
*Depending on how one measures the “versions,” perhaps we are on version 44.0!
There is a remarkable difference between today’s version 4.0 and the prior versions.
| Version | Improvement | Included … |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0 – 1776 | Who is included in We | White, male, land-owning |
| 2.0 – 1865 | Who is included in We | Formerly enslaved |
| 3.0 – 1920 | Who is included in We | White women |
| 4.0 – 2020 | How to be We | Constructive disagreement, and more |
We may appear to be divided today. But, we have a history of moving through divides, not a
history of staying divided. On the other side of each divide, has been a stronger version of We
The People.
It’s going to take some work! If we are version 4.0, then we had better start “fighting” for it.
Which is why we need a non-violent militia like no other, fighting-to-understand, with new
tools of constructive disagreement. Essentially, we must learn how to be We4.0.The American Experiment seems to make a leap, from version 1.0 forward, when enough of us
become aware that a core American Value is failing. Specifically, disparities in the American
Values of having equal opportunity, and of being able to reap what we sow.
Satisfy your own curiosity by exploring the history of version 1.0 (1776), 2.0 (Civil War), and 3.0
(Suffrage) to find that each had a failure of a core American Value. Each value failure had
stewed for decades. Some people believe that our divide in the 2020’s originated at the
Vietnam War, or longer ago. Regardless of where the divide began, while we suffer through this
perfect storm, it is very difficult to see the emergence of something good, the emergence of
version 4.0!
Consider it a tour-of-duty. To act like a 4.0 citizen is going to require more of our time. All are
welcome. We don’t need all the people, all the time. We need a fraction of the people, for a
fraction of the time. Like our other militias (Army, Navy, Airforce, Marines, Coast Guard, Space
Force) the Fight-to-Understand is a tour-of-duty for We4.0.
Isn’t that thrilling?! – That We can be version 4.0!
Versions 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 were about who to include as We The People. 4.0 is about how to be We The People.
WE ALSO PROMISE:
- That Fighting To Understand is NOT a disguise for socialism. FTU is no more a vehicle for socialism than the intent of our founders: we the people . . . . equal under the law . . . pursuing the inalienable rights of life, liberty and happiness.
- That Fighting To Understand is NOT a disguised return to “Christian roots.” FTU is rooted in basic human values of inclusive goodwill, which we believe do include Christian values, Jewish values, Muslim values, Hindu values, Buddhist values, Quaker values, etc. The 7 ground rules here are intended to be a foundation from which we can rebuild these shared values.
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