The people are divided. They choose discord and disharmony over unity and understanding. We see conflict in every town, city, and State and strife in nearly every neighborhood, resulting in national and international discontent. 

Children disrespect their parents. Parents loathe their leaders, and the public hates the State. Bullets and drugs are killing teenagers, while protesters are removing police. Those who disagree with the people in power believe that this situation is destroying our planet. 

But that result is NOT inevitable. 

LET'S RETHINK THIS. 

A Roadmap to Peace 

A Delaware Corporation, Malian Manuscript Foundation Inc. is a 501 (C) (3) not-for profit charity with principal offices in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, dedicated to the rescue, preservation, translation, digitization, and global dissemination of scholarly works written in the 12th through 16th centuries, in Mali, northwest Africa. Contributions to the Foundation are deductible under Sec.170 of the IRS Code. 

The Foundation's primary purpose is to increase awareness globally of the Ancient Manuscripts of Mali through film, mass media, social media, and advertising to digitize these Manuscripts and preserve them for posterity in climate-controlled libraries in Mali. The digitized Manuscripts will also be translated into many languages and shared around the world.

Malian Manuscript Foundation has an exclusive alliance with Sabatier Film Group, LLC, which produced the Award-Winning documentary film entitled "333" about the history of Mali, its ancient Manuscripts, and a group of scholars known as the "Ambassadors of Peace." The title "333" is derived from Mali's most famous city, Timbuktu, known as the city of 333 Saints for the 333 Sufi Saints buried there. 

"333" previewed at The United Nations to three separate ovations, where women were brought to tears and men offered their services pro bono. After that presentation, "333" screened to select audiences in Europe and North America, all to positive acclaim. "333" provides viewers with a thorough history of Mali, its Ancient Manuscripts, and the "Ambassadors of Peace." 

The Foundation received offers to screen "333" to Ambassadors' wives at the United Nations in New York City, from the former President of Afghanistan in Kabul and leaders of the Vatican in Rome.

Photo by David West for Malian Manuscript Foundation ©2012

"333" brings to light a Muslim society that is moderate, scholarly, and loving. We learn about the Greater Jihad, where each Jihadist, male or female, strives to become harmonious with himself, his God, and all of humanity. This Jihadist's lifetime pursuit is to purify themselves by persistently purging evil thoughts and actions. 

We also discover that a Fatwa is a legal ruling routinely used to end wars -- but not to start them. We get a picture different from that routinely reported in the media or propagandized by devious Muslim leaders. 

Nearly one million Manuscripts were written in Mali during the 12th through 16th centuries. These Manuscripts covered almost every science and subject then in existence, including Astronomy, Architecture, Biology, Chemistry, Ethics, Geography, History, Islamic Law, Jurisprudence, Medicine, Music, Animal Rights, Children's Rights, Women's Rights, and most important, Mali's centuries-old tenets for the peaceful resolution of conflict through dialogue.

During these centuries, Mali was one of the wealthiest nations in the world, controlling two-thirds of the global gold supply and the trade in goods ranging from salt to slaves. Most of the international trade taking place at that time was in Timbuktu, and its University of Sankoré was the global center of Islamic learning.

Timbuktu was a bustling city of education, art, and culture where 25,000 students came annually from across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and South Asia to gain an unrivaled education. Many of these scholars stayed on to write their Manuscripts, estimated to total nearly one million in aggregate. Our partner, the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, holds a sizable collection of digitized Ancient Malian Manuscripts, including one written roughly 900 years ago that tracks the trajectory of the stars in our heavens and others that fully address the peaceful resolution of conflict. 

The wisdom from these manuscripts has been passed down from generation to generation by the "Ambassadors of Peace," who, daily before sunrise for nearly one thousand years, have sat in a forum called the "Circle of Knowledge," imparting Manuscript wisdom to their followers.

To become an Ambassador of Peace, the would-be candidates, whether male or female, must commit before reaching their 5th birthday to study under the guidance of a solitary teacher for thirty-five years. By the time these aspirants have reached the age of 10, they speak several languages and must recite the Koran by memory. And before 

reaching the age of 40, these scholars must have mastered jurisprudence. Then, each apprentice must go out into the streets as a beggar to master humility. And then, finally, but only if they are in total harmony with God, they will become "Ambassadors of Peace."

Photo by David West for Malian Manuscript Foundation © 2012

The film explores the Ambassadors' views on the true tenants of Islam and their centuries-old tradition of peacefully resolving conflict through dialogue, tolerance,

understanding, and forgiveness --- crucial elements for preventing and ending hostile confrontations and essential to the path to peace. 

The Ambassadors and other Islamic scholars in the documentary make it explicitly clear that killing, whether of one's self or others, lies in direct opposition to God's Laws and the teachings of the Koran. According to the Ancient Manuscripts and the Koran - as emphasized in "333" - the killing of one's self or others is punishable in "Hellfire" and "does not lead anyone to Paradise."

Please view our brief trailer for "333" attached to this article and be sure to check out the Malian Manuscript Foundation Website, where you can learn more. 

Principal goals of "333" include the elimination of hatred and the mitigation of terrorism worldwide by establishing the TRUE tenets of Islam. The Koran, as the film shows, stipulates that Muslims revere Jews and Christians as people of the book and that all prophets after Abraham came from his seed. 

We seek to mount a worldwide promotional campaign designed to enlighten everyone everywhere about the true tenets of Islam and what it means to be a Muslim. This effort will directly oppose what is repeatedly propagandized by evil-doers who have altered the Koran and what is commonly reported in the media, triggering loathing and controversy. 

Malian Manuscript Foundation seeks sponsorship and supporters to achieve the following objectives: 

1. Mitigate global terrorism in this 21st Century;
2. Create a peaceful dialogue aimed at establishing sustained harmony and tolerance amongst Jews, Christians, Muslims, and others, worldwide; 3. Present a global roadmap to peace; 
3. Stimulate youngsters around the world to pursue a superior level of education and furnish them with a high moral compass; 
4. Illustrate to the world that in a traditional Muslim society, girls and women can and do accomplish anything that men can; and 
5. Disrupt recruitment activities by terrorist organizations globally. 7. Teach people to listen to others.

I don't consider myself to be very extreme on either side of the political ledger but, if I were to categorize myself, it would probably be slightly to the conservative side. I uphold as good the classical liberal values of tolerance, compassion, forgiveness, freedom of speech (even unpopular speech) and equality of opportunity.

With that off my chest, a major issue I have rethought and tend to disagree with most of my conservative friends on is the idea of Universal Basic Income.

They mostly see it as just another leftist attempt to buy votes and foster dependency on government. I do agree that that's a danger but, if implemented with a mindset of citizen empowerment it could serve as a vehicle to assist in the "pursuit of Happiness" enshrined in the Declaration as a right endowed to us not just by our government but by our Creator.

Not being boxed in by orthodoxy (or perhaps thinking outside that box), here are 12 points I envision Universal Basic Income working and some of its potential positive side benefits.

1. Create an Agency for Citizen Empowerment (ACE) that would deposit an annual amount of $20,000 (tax free) into the ACE account of every adult American citizen (aged 18 and above) on the person's birthday. This would, it seems, to me save a bundle on monthly administrative costs and help ensure a nice birthday present for the recipients. More than that though, $1000 a month simply isn't enough of a social safety net. Americans should know that even if everything in their lives goes south they won't end up homeless. It really is time to end homelessness in America. Though obviously an expensive proposition, it could be paid for by transferring the current costs of major programs like Social Security, Medicare and Unemployment under its umbrella, as well as by eliminating all tax deductions (a source of so much government lobbying and corruption) and replacing it with a graduated flat tax that ensures the rich pay a greater percentage of their income to the federal government than the middle class and poor. Add to that some sort of affirmative taxation on information traded over the internet and you could be looking at an affordable program that directly helps more people, reduces government corruption and simplifies both the tax code and government bureaucracy.

2. Only those who are not receiving government subsidies for health insurance, housing or food and who aren't in bankruptcy would have complete freedom regarding how to spend it. In short, persons in need of government subsidies, would have their ACE checks used to pay for them with leftover amounts subject to government scrutiny. Whereas under current systems, Americans too often lose money if they improve their financial circumstances, the ACE approach would utilize the unambiguous incentive of financial freedom to encourage people to get off the public dole. Beyond creating a true and secure social safety net for Americans, the money should be seen as an investment in the passions and dreams of the country's people. Those dreams could involve things as diverse as job training, education (including paying off college debt), adopting a child or starting a business.

3. ACE recipients would be entitled to inexpensive financial management and entrepreneurship services. ACE would be paradigm shift away from a goal of helping Americans survive poverty toward one of helping them achieve their dreams. In the end, the entire nation would benefit.

4. Corporations would pay ACE fees (formerly Social Security taxes) based on the machines and robots they employ, not the human beings hire. It's counterproductive to full employment and wage growth to tax companies for providing jobs to Americans while providing tax incentives to replace them with machines.

5.  ACE accounts would reduce income inequality and drive up wages because individuals and unions would be in a stronger negotiating position with companies and corporations.

6. Besides providing recipients the freedom to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams (creating wealth and jobs), it would also give them freedom to pursue their artistic and charitable passions benefiting society in incalculable ways.

7. Without the constant threat of potential poverty, people will be less stressed and healthier - reducing the nation's medical costs.

8. ACE payments are present and future focused, unlike backward-looking calls for reparations that divide Americans into groups competing for victimhood status. Arguing over who is entitled to reparations is a bitter recipe for endless fighting and resentment.

9. ACE payments would total $40,000 a year for a married couple. That sounds pretty pro-family to me. It would allow one spouse the choice to stay home to care for or children or an ailing family member. That would also further drive up worker wages since fewer people competing for jobs would further increase employee bargaining power. At the same time, it would provide a means of escape for spouses trapped in abusive relationships.

10. ACE payments would only be distributed to American citizens. The program should not be the magnet that brings people to America. Immigrants should, of course, be welcomed to our country but making ACE checks available to non-citizens would greatly reduce both their affordability and political support.

11. With Medicate being rolled into ACE, a more future-focused Pedicare program could be established. This would provide parents with a $20,000 annual fund to be used exclusively for a child's healthcare (from the womb to 18 years of age) and pre-K through high school education. The fund would be used to purchase healthcare insurance for the child and to pay tuition to accredited public, charter or private schools. This is both pro-choice and pro-life in that it would help ensure that the choice to have an abortion isn't based on financial pressures. It would also allow parents to extricate their kids from failing schools by empowering them with reasonable choices in deciding how and where their children are educated. To make it clear that this plan is pro-child and not anti-teacher, I'd also Pedicare-backed schools should establish a minimum wage for full-time teachers of $60,000 a year (which, I understand, is the current average teacher salary).

12. Finally, Pedicare-approved schools would be encouraged to innovate while meeting national academic and curriculum requirements. Besides meeting the basic reading, writing and Arithmetic standards, the overall K-12 curriculum would include a healthy focus on the arts, physical and health education, personal empowerment (i.e. courses in basic self-care skills, personal finance, and entrepreneurship), world cultures and languages, respect for others and an honest-but-patriotic presentation of American history and the Constitution. I’d also strongly suggest programs to encourage positive interactions with police that could, hopefully, avoid unnecessary future tragedies.

There you go. I prefer to think of these ideas as more innovative than disruptive since innovation implies building on what is good about America and improving upon it while disruption, in my mind, implies a certain smug and unappealing disdain for what has been created and accomplished by others. In any event, I hope and believe the proposals presented here offer an imaginative yet balanced starting point for discussion.

John W. Kennedy writes Beliefnet’s Faith, Media & Culture blog and is the Founder of The Creative Universe Entertainment™