Here’s a video I filmed of a courageous young man, who took a stand last year, publicly refusing orders to deploy in the face of his First Sergeant. Just released publicly on the VisionForce initiative, www.StandWithHonor.com. Watch his story!

For time immemorial, we’ve honored those who are willing to go to war, risk their lives and kill others to fight for their country, for their life and liberty.

At the same time, history honors great soldiers of conscience, who risked their lives to stand for something peacefully: Gandhi, Galileo, King, Jesus, the unknown protestor in Tienanmen Square, Iranian protestor Neda, the list goes on…

Yet every day, soldiers who dare to defy orders from their superiors, when it conflicts with their conscience, are shamed, imprisoned, dishonored and even killed for disobeying orders.

This Saturday, I’m taking a stand to honor soldiers who dare to follow the orders of their conscience first, especially those who are standing for peace, and I invite you to join me and spread the word.

I’ll be speaking at the National Assembly to Honor Freedom of Conscience in Austin, Texas, about an hour outside of Fort Hood in Killeen, TX, the largest US military base in the world. For more information, click here.

Around the world, every day, women are treated as less than human – as if they are animals, who should not think for themselves or live from their own inner guidance.

Check out this remarkable story.

From the story,

The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, feared by many Saudis, is made up of several thousand religious policemen charged with duties such as enforcing dress codes, prayer times and segregation of the sexes. Under Saudi law, women face many restrictions, including a strict dress code and a ban on driving. Women also need to have a man’s permission to travel.

It’s time the world makes a distinction between goodness and greatness. And it’s time we all rise to greatness.

Then let your voice be hear below.

Listen as she speaks up for women, and calls Muslims to stand.

As Gaza plunges into darkness, Israeli and Palestinian fighters-turned-visionary-peace-activists speak out.

I just returned from the theatre, after having watched Lions For Lambs… forget what the film critics say, as this was not meant to entertain the masses. It’s a clarion call to all those, and especially the young, who feel inside that they can be more, do more at this time of mounting global crises. It’s a call to all those who’ve learned, or are being conditioned, to compromise. It’s a call to all who would have their voice be heard. It’s a call to those who would live the fullest expression of human life with mind, body and spirit. It’s a call to all those, and especially Americans, who would dare to own the title “visionary,” in a day and age when the most “enlightened” of us are so afraid of looking egotistic or narcissistic. Do we dare to be the change now?

The film left me questioning my choice to be so “practical” for the last five years, building VisionForce as a business. Funny, my business advisers would say I’ve been anything but practical, and that I’ve been far too idealistic. It seems that either path might have been much more effective than the middle road. Had I gone for profit, and built the business to be much more financially successful, we might have the muscle to reach many more people now. Had I been in revolutionary action mode at the expense of the finances, we might have already reached so many more people.

So, what, I wonder, does it look like for me to STAND FORWARD and be the change at the next level? And what does it look like for you?

I just read this article about a visionary Iraqi woman who has taken a stand for women in her country and the world over. Very inspiring. She sees change happening by starting a youth movement. Change… is gonna come.