Dear Congressman Raskin,

You and I met briefly shortly after you were first elected to represent our Maryland District. You have proven yourself above expectations on multiple fronts (Jan 6 trials, wrestling with cancer, and persevering after the unimaginable loss of your son).

I have no doubt you will morally support any event recognizing this December 10 recognizing the value of 75^th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).  Our Rockville Rotary group is organizing an event at Montgomery College on or around that day.  We invite you to be the keynote speaker - and make the case that the protection of human rights globally is key to our own nation's freedoms, security, and continued prosperity.

I’ve advocated for the protection of human rights over the past 40 years and it is clear that relying on governments won’t work.  But now most rights can be achieved...if purchased.  If humanity works together with business to achieve the UNs 17 Sustainable Development Goals. 

In late June Bank of America’s Chair & CEO Brian Moynihan was discussing the state of the economy and the U.S. financial system during a conversation hosted by the City Club of Cleveland.

City Club Cleveland Bank America CEO  C-Span Program ID:  529044-1  https://www.c-span.org/video/?529044-1/bank-america-ceo-remarks-city-club-cleveland

He stressed that sustainable capitalism requires a greater purpose than just profit.  Profit for profits sake is no longer unsustainable.  And profitable business sustainability will require meeting the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.  He an annual cost of approximately “$6 trillion”.  And governments are too debt burdened to fund them.  And charity is insufficient.  He said businesses need to step up and prioritize the balancing of short-term gains with long term interests globally – if they are serious about making future profits.

As you may know, Rotary International is the largest volunteer organization in the world.  With 1.4 million volunteers, in over 46,000 clubs, in over 200 nations.  Our commitment to the global eradication of Polio was near...then set back by several trends.  It is clear a comprehensive approach is needed...for multiple reasons.

But global trends in multiple areas (peace, environment, economics, health, justice...) appear worsening. And outside of the 17 SDGs we see no serious means of addressing any of them soon.  Hidden from the news is the daily death toll of approximately 15,000 children under the age of five!  And for every death about 10 more will live on with permanent mental and/or physical disabilities.   These easily preventable deaths and disabilities are a prime driver of global instability, given that just the fear of losing a child is the most terrifying of all human experiences.

In 1980 President Carter’s US bipartisan Presidential Commission unanimously warned that unless humanity ended the worst aspects of widespread hunger and poverty by the year 2000...we would be experiencing various human threats – many we are experiencing today!  After WW II the UDHR was intended to prevent war, genocide, the future use of WMD...by addressing root causes related to violations of human rights.  

We hope the December 10 time frame is far enough out that you could commit to a date to speak to the links between the protection of human rights globally and our own freedom, security and prosperity here. 

In just ten years last century our nation put a man on the moon while participating in the global eradication of smallpox (which killed more people in 70 years of the last century than all the wars, revolutions, genocides, and murders in 100 years of that century).  The world today has more capacity than ever to ensure at least two of the most freedom for most people.  Freedom from want and freedom from fear. 

I look forward to working with one of your staff to schedule a date that works for you on or around Dec 10th, so we can schedule a proper venue at Montgomery College.

If you or our staff have any questions or concerns, please contact me by phone or email.

Thank you for considering this request!

Chuck