We are neighbors. Some of us share a faith and some of us do not, but all of us will share the same street, the same building or the same congregation on the day something goes wrong. We would rather decide now, while everything is calm, how we will treat each other then. This is our promise to one another.
- We will protect human life above property, convenience and pride.
- We will tell the truth, including the truth about what we do not know.
- We will protect children and the vulnerable first, and leave no one unchecked.
- We will share burdens, so that no household carries a crisis alone.
- We will not exploit scarcity: no gouging, no hoarding at the expense of others, no profiting from fear.
- We will respect property while practicing generosity: what is offered is offered freely, and what is not offered is not taken.
- We will resolve disputes peacefully, bringing in people both sides trust before tempers decide.
- We will accept only accountable leadership, chosen openly and answerable to the people it serves.
- We will distribute whatever we hold in common transparently, with records anyone may see.
- We will hold our leaders to the same rules as everyone else, with no exceptions for position, family or friendship.
- We will welcome legitimate authorities and responders, cooperate with them, and never stand in their place.
- We will preserve due process and dignity: no one is judged, punished or excluded without a fair hearing.
- We will each contribute according to ability, and receive according to need without shame.
- We will preserve families and relationships, keeping households together and reconciling quickly when we fail each other.
- We will work toward the restoration of normal civic life, treating every emergency arrangement as temporary.
Anything we organize among ourselves is accountable, transparent and temporary, and it stands down when the ordinary institutions are working again.
Agreed by
Household, street or congregation:
Signatures:
Date:
Where this covenant is kept: