Humanist Invocation given by Dianne Post at Maricopa Board of Supervisors meeting

The Humanist Minute at the September 21, 2014 meeting consisted of reading an invocation given by HSGP member Dianne Post at the September 10, 2014 meeting of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors meeting.  The invocation is published here to allow both those who missed it and those who heard it to read it for themselves and reflect on Dianne's words.

My name is Dianne Post.  I've been a resident of Maricopa County since 1980.  I'm speaking as a humanist.

I ask you not to bow your heads but instead to open your eyes.

Look at the world as it is but imagine what it could be if we all brought our good hearts to work every day.

The word "invocation" has several meanings:

First one:  the act or process of petitioning for help or support.

Today I petition for support for our democracy: a democracy that includes all people regardless of their individual characteristics or choices.

A democracy that does not elevate one person, one ideology or one belief over another.  A participatory democracy that stands for human rights and social justice.

Second meaning:  calling upon for authority or justification.

Today I call upon the authority of evidence, facts and reason as justification for the decisions made by this governmental body.

Decisions that will benefit all of the people of this county, not just the rich, not just the vocal, not just the powerful - but all of us.

Third meaning of invocation is:  a formula for conjuring.

Today I conjure up the best of what's in all our hearts, kindness and concern for others, acceptance and understanding, the ability to think for ourselves using reason and knowledge.

The last meaning is:  an act of legal or moral implementation.

Implementation is, of course, the most important aspect of any "invocation".

What do we want to implement?

We want to lead meaningful lives.

We want to be free from dogma and fear.

We want to have compassion for our fellow citizens.

We want to leave the world a better place than we found it.

We owe it to ourselves and all with whom we sure this fragile planet now and in the future to make our lives the best we can.

Let us embrace a code of ethics driven by a sincere thirst for justice.  A code that does not depend on threat or punishment but can only be found within ourselves by understanding the connections to our mutual well-being.

A friend of mine, Olivia Free-woman said "the table of peace will be set with justice."  May we have both in our hearts this day and every day.