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Purpose
We have begun a letter writing campaign to the MKP—USA Board in order to demonstrate that there is a strong interest and concern within the MKP membership about the climate crisis. If you are a member of MKP, we need your help in generating these letters.
Our Ask/Your Action
Here’s how to submit a letter to all MKP-USA Board members. There are 3 options you can choose from, using the Google Form (on page 4) to create and send your letter.
1) Form Letter: on page 2 is a letter you can copy and paste into the Google Form.
2) Customizable Letter: on page 3 is a list of suggested “Talking Points” from which you can pick and choose and then “cut and paste” into Google Form to create a customized letter.
3) Create your own letter: Type your letter directly into the Google Form. Examples of some personal letters already sent are included in the Appendix, beginning on page 5. They might give you some ideas as you go about creating your own letter.
Also Share: Please copy, paste, and send the link to this page to your MKP brothers.
Background
Earlier this year, Elders for Climate Justice submitted a proposal to the MKP-USA Board urging them to adopt a Statement on Climate. This request was rejected without any reason being given. So, now we need your help to urge the MKP-USA Board to reconsider their decision. We have recently modified the original language, and the current proposal is included in the letter below.
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Dear MKP—USA Board Member,
I am a member of MKP and, as one of your constituents, I urge you to take a stance on the climate crisis. This crisis is an existential threat to our entire world, and is without precedent in the history of human civilization. My want is for the Board of MKP—USA to adopt the following statement on climate:
MKP Climate Statement
As we teach men in the context statement on the weekend, “With our past healed and our missions of service in focus, we accept our individual and shared responsibility for the future of humanity. As New Warriors, we accept responsibility for our own problems and take action with others to create solutions.” Accordingly, MKP-USA proudly and urgently affirms its role as earth steward, and commits as an organization of men to serve the needs of the earth and its human and non-human inhabitants in the midst of our current, complex ecological crisis.
This means:
1. We will educate ourselves about the needs of the planet and her inhabitants, and about the damage that we humans are causing.
2. We pledge to take both individual and collective actions, big and small, to address the crisis humans have created. We will put particular emphasis on minimizing the harm to disadvantaged communities and nonhuman species.
3. We commit to acting as good ancestors, considering the effects on the next seven generations as we make today’s decisions.
4. In MKP we have learned powerful tools: sitting in circles, telling our truths, being aware of our emotions and shadows, setting challenging stretches, and living our missions. With these tools, we will build compassionate and resilient communities essential for navigating the challenging times ahead.
This statement is in alignment with the Mission of MKP: “To create a world where men act on their individual and collective responsibility for the future of humanity by initiating and supporting men on a path of emotional maturity, spiritual awareness, and deepening community.”
It is also in alignment with the Vision of MKP: “…..Where men stand tall and proud to be men, secure in their role and deeply committed to nurturing one another, their families, their communities, and their planet.”
On the NWTA weekend we are told numerous times to honor and to protect Mother Earth. I believe that it is now time for MKP—USA to put this talk into action. A simple first step is to clearly acknowledge the crisis that we are facing by adopting the above climate statement.
With Grave Concern,
(Your Name)
(Your Date and Place of Initiation)
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Potential Talking Points
Purpose:
· MKP take a leadership role in speaking up about the climate crisis
Overview:
· The climate crisis is an existential threat that is unprecedented in the history of mankind
· MKP’s Mission is: “To create a world where men act on their individual and collective responsibility for the future of humanity by initiating and supporting men on a path of emotional maturity, spiritual awareness, and deepening community.”
· A warrior defends the defenseless and speaks for the voiceless. A true warrior comes from a place of love, rather than acting out of fear.
What has been done in the past:
· The MKP Board supported men in their missions when they spoke out on its website about the George Floyd murder. MKP–USA has also taken stands on other social issues including racial injustice, gender discrimination, ending violence, and most recently on cultural appropriations.
· MKP speaks of protecting the earth in the NWTA training, and appoints a position called "Earth Steward"
· Individual and groups of men are currently speaking up. As an example, one MKP circle, the Elders for Climate Justice, has been active and holding climate forums and other events for the past seven years.
What I want from the Board:
· Speak out loudly about what the current and future generations are facing.
· When MKP speaks the truth, often hard truth, we are stronger and more congruent with who we say we are.
Judgments about the MKP Board:
· MKP is coming from a place of fear.
· The Board might not have the courage to speak out loud to what is so obviously happening across the globe
· Men have left MKP because of the Board’s unwillingness to speak openly about the climate crisis
· MKP, which once was a bold, integral, and dynamic organization, has slid into a perceived place of safety.
· MKP once had benefit and purpose for me and may no longer hold that gift.
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(MKP members only)
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Appendix: Examples of personal letters already sent to Board
Letter #1
Dear MKP Board Member,
I have been an MKP guy since 1996 and have ridden the various waves of different challenges facing MKP over those decades. Somehow, we persevere.
The reason I am writing to you now is because of a strong conviction that humans, our earth and the non-humans on earth are facing an existential crisis that is unprecedented in the history of mankind. I am, of course, referencing the Great Unraveling, or what some call collapse.
As warriors, we leave the weekend with a personal mission, part vision, part action. My own has morphed and changed a number of times since my NWTA, just as I am not the same man I was then. Today, I soften the landing from collapse by raising awareness and supporting resilience.
Although we (MKP) speak of protecting the earth a time or two in the training, and we appoint a position called “Earth Steward”; in my judgment we as an organization fall far short of our responsibility and even in our integrity in terms of speaking out loudly about what the future generations, yes, even the currently alive generations are facing.
My want is that MKP as an organization take leadership in this role. I was impressed and gratified that MKP took a stand and made a statement when George Floyd was murdered. I can’t help but wonder why, when our world is facing the biggest challenge that we have ever had to grapple with, that we are silent on this issue. Yes, there are individual men speaking up. There is even one MKP circle, the Elders for Climate Justice, which has been active and holding climate forums and other events for several years. I can’t but help wonder why the organization is not speaking out, and doing so loudly and from a position of men, warriors, defending the defenseless, speaking for the voiceless.
My judgement is that the organization is coming from a place of fear. I recognize that with other important issues over time, when MKP has spoken truth, often hard truth, that some men have chosen to leave. Still, I believe we are stronger and more congruent with who we say we are having made those calls.
I trust that you are hearing my words as intended, as words of counsel and as a warrior who knows that he can speak to those in power and truly have his words be considered.
With gratitude,
Steve Aman, Teaching Bobcat
Letter #2
Dear MKP Board Member,
Firstly, I want to express my gratitude to you and your Board colleagues for all the time and effort you put into doing your best to provide direction to MKP. And I acknowledge that, particularly in this era of increasingly divisive and polarized behavior in our country, making important decisions and taking positions which may not please everyone, and, in fact, may upset a number of individuals, is extremely difficult. With that so stated, I implore you to seriously consider that taking a stand on the Climate Crisis and making it a priority principle in all that MKP does going forward is the right thing to do at this time.
I will not go into the details of all the scientific data (I am quite certain that you are very aware of it) showing the increased presence of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, rising temperatures and seas, melting ice caps, wildfires, floods, droughts, hurricanes, etc. - - all part of/magnified by the climate crisis, which one of our Ph.D. scientist MKP brothers referred to as the “mother of all crises”. Many accurately refer to it as an existential threat, likely the greatest one in the history of Homo sapiens. Its influence is not only on the physical aspects of the planet, it also has significant impacts on political and socioeconomic events such as was migration, political instability, and conflicts. MKP is a very special organization which appropriately confronts every man to be responsible and accountable in all that he does, including explicitly caring for the realm and bearing “individual and collective responsibility for the future of humanity”.
Compelled by fear, sadness and anger regarding the grossly unfair impact of the climate crisis on the poor and marginalized, future generations, all other beings, and our beautiful planet herself, I ask you do the right thing by taking this bold step of explicitly positioning the climate crisis as an essential, bedrock, core principle in all that MKP does, and becoming a leading force in guiding and supporting men in effectively dealing with THE most significant challenge in the relatively short history of Homo sapiens. And, in addition to being the morally correct thing to do, I truly believe that making this decision will draw many men to join MKP and sustain their membership in this amazing organization.
Thank you for your thoughtful time and consideration. I, and my fellow members of Warriors/Elders for Climate Justice, are happy to engage you in conversation at any time.
Yours, in service to humanity( present and future ), all Beings, Mother Earth,
Robert Ryan
Wind
Bullard Farm, MA 1999
Letter #3
Dear MKP Board Member,
In the context presentation that was repeated to us three times at our NWTA, several men were named as our role models: Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Harvey Milk, Mahatma Gandhi, and others. These men were world-changers who had the courage to take a stand on controversial social issues, even if they risked assassination or imprisonment. Recently, the MKP board has refused a request from Elders for Climate Justice to take a stand on climate--perhaps because that issue was deemed too controversial.
I ask that The ManKind Project-USA Board reconsider this decision. If the board persists in refusing to take an official position on climate, I respectfully request that MKP – USA stop citing the list of world-changing individuals in the context statement at the NWTA. I request that the names of King, Mandela, and Gandhi be replaced with the names of pleasant, diplomatic non-controversial men who attend their I-groups regularly and avoid controversy at all costs. In my judgment, citing those major world – changing figures is disrespectful to their legacies if we do not have the courage as an organization to take a stand on existential issues such as climate in the interest of avoiding issues that seem controversial.
King, Mandela, Harvey Milk, and Gandhi took the path of courage and made powerful stands without concern about whether the issues of race, homophobia, and colonialism might be unpopular or offensive to some. I invite MKP-USA to follow the lead of these courageous men we supposedly admire and take a powerful, clear stand on the issue of climate.
Sincerely,
Stephen Simmer
New England