Freedom: without freedom one cannot make one’s own choices. Even in the free West most people live imprisoned in their own minds by convention, religion, ignorance and laziness.
Independent thought: Thinking for yourself is nature’s greatest gift. be autonomous, listen to others, be brave enough to change one’s mind given better arguments and evidence.
Dignity of the individual: respect for others, consideration and tolerance.
Friendship: those who are sociopaths are without anchors or perspective on life.
Love: salve to the soul and a joy for all those who experience it.
Creativity: Doing something, anything, that leaves the world a better place.
Respect for the planet: it is our home and it is becoming stressed. We owe it to future generations to start to do something serious to protect it and thus ourselves.
These are just words. Meanwhile, we are in a life or death struggle with Islamic terrorists. There’s a war going on, haven’t you heard?
But Charlie – those values are the very values we are fighting the terrorists for.
Freedom I buy, but the rest sounds like Obama giving his stump speech. Until the terrorists are defeated we have no time for so-called green issues.
You don’t seem to realize that we are under daily threat in a war against religious crazies.
So am I, religious crazies,Moslem and Christian. We have to marginalize both and get back to grown-up common sense.