Welcome To The Chronicles Of Don Thornton - Peace, Love and Unity Blog

It's All About Love, Featuring: You, God, Humanity and Me!

2011-03-17T09:04:00.000-05:00

Thornton & Associates Marketing is a Division of B.U.I.L.D., Management, LLC and is founded by Donald E. Thornton. Visit www.DonaldThornton.com for Projects, History, News and Events.

Don's Graphic Design and Marketing Career

2011-02-21T23:35:00.001-05:00

The Urban Guardians Movement, Green Tech Ventures, Build Management and Women's World Peace Charities were founded by Don Thornton. Visit http://www.donaldthornton.com/ , http://www.donthornton.net/ , http://greentechventures.us/ , http://www.guardianstars.ning.com/ and http://www.womensworldpeace.com/ for News and Events.

New playlist

2011-02-21T12:18:00.001-05:00

video playlist

I Am Working With The Jackson Family Foundation

2010-02-17T13:48:00.018-05:00

Hey Everybody,

Just a Brief Update. I Am Doing a Bunch of Art Direction, Web Development and Marketing Direction on Behalf of the Newly Formed Jackson Family Foundation, (Michael Jackson's Family). Visit: www.jacksonfansnetwork.ning.com and/or www.jacksonfamilyfoundation.us to see my work!

I will Keep You Posted.

Peace Out, "Don"
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The Urban Guardians Movement & Women's World Peace Charities were founded by Don Thornton. Visit www.UrbanGuardians.org and www.WomensWorldPeace.com for News & Events.

Don Return's To Work

2008-09-01T08:08:00.027-05:00

Hello Everybody!

I had somewhat dropped out of the loop for the last several months because my dear mother, Mary Lou Thornton passed away at the top of the year, January 4, 2008. I was very devastated and really did not care to work on anything untill just recently over the last 2 or 3 months. My mom loved my art and always encouraged me to pursue my charitable works as well.

Therefore, I regrouped, in her and my dad's memory and have been working very hard on my charitable and philanthropic projects ever since. I wanted to resurface after a long period away from my business, my family and my friends so as not to get too alianated from the great works that lay ahead.

I have been updating and revising my Urban Guardians Partnership, my Guardian Stars Coalition and Urban Guardian Awards as well. Hopefully 2009 will be a very productive year for us all.

I have also began to develop a line of “Barack Obama Theme” "Commemorative Art" and "Collectable Memorabilia". I hope to help inspire more recognition and appreciation for the historical and record breaking legacy of President Barack Obama.

As an artist for over 30 years now, I hope to capture elements of the strength and power of Obama's spirit in some of the images and products I am creating. As an African American proud of my Black heritage, I hope to honor the historic rise to political power and global popularity of this new political prodigy and in my opinion, already one of America's best Presidents of the United States.

As a lifetime Democrat, I am honored to be the Founder, Art Director and Marketing Director of this prestigious assignment. I have created several pieces and hope to create even more original art work and graphics to help illustrate, chronicle and usher in a whole new era of REAL CHANGE. Yes We Can and Yes We Are the Ones that We Have Been Waiting For!

I am in full production, moving forward and in the process of helping to commemorate the life and times of the World's first African American United States President, Barack Obama!

God Bless America, Stay Focused & Stay in the Light!

Peace, Love & Unity!

"Don"

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The Urban Guardians Movement & Women's World Peace Charities were founded by Don Thornton. Visit www.UrbanGuardians.org and www.WomensWorldPeace.com for News & Events.

The Chronicles Of Don Thornton: Biography

2007-03-24T18:53:00.002-05:00

Don's Past, Present & Future Works, Charitable History & Vision

Donald E. Thornton was born in Akron, OH, July 29, 1955. Don is Founder & Chair of B.U.I.L.D. Management LLC a recently formed company with an emphasis on creating Commercial & Residential Developments that benefit under served and disadvantaged Urban Markets. B.U.I.L.D. is an acronym for “Businesses United In Land Development”.

Don is also Founder of the "Urban Guardians Movement” and it’s “At Risk Youth Initiative" which was created to help benefit “Youth at Risk Programs”. The “Initiative” is a philanthropic fundraising campaign designed to annually raise a minimum of $100 million dollars on behalf of established “Urban Youth at Risk Programs.

Don graduated in the upper 10% of his class with a 3.8 GPA from Akron Central-Hower High School in 1973 where he earned a full scholarship to play basketball at Fairmont State College in Fairmont, West VA. He transferred to Defiance College in Defiance, OH where he was 2-time, 1st Team All-Conference, 1st Team All District, “Team” MVP and also went on to become Honorable Mention All-American NAIA in 1976.

Don was a very gifted college fine art major where he won several awards and took "Best of Show" during an all campus “Fine Arts Competition” as a freshman. After college, Don continued his art career during which time he worked for several graphic design studios in Akron, Ohio.

He moved to California in 1990 to further pursue his graphic arts career during which time he created several charitable events. He founded “Don't Give Up! Incorporated” in November of 1993, of which during its existence was a very popular Los Angeles Human Crisis Organization.

Don and his staff rallied support for many causes. The Mission of “Don't Give Up!” was to "Rally Support for Youth At Risk, Promote AIDS Awareness, Advocate World Peace and Rally Support on behalf of all victims of Human Crisis". Don't Give Up! Inc., successfully produced and/or CO-produced several California based human crisis events, human crisis awareness rallies and charitable fundraisers during the 90's.

Don launched a 4-year collaboration with the United States Postal Service back in 1994 when he conceived his "Let's Stamp Out AIDS!" slogan and campaign. The slogan was adopted by and involved several California United States Post Masters.With the production of various Los Angeles Harbor Cruises and other events CO-created by his staff and volunteers, he was able to rally participation by LA Children's AIDS Center, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Caring For Babies With AIDS, The Elton John Foundation, The Magic Johnson Foundation and The Elizabeth Taylor Foundation.

Don developed AIDS awareness collaborations with the support and participation of Mr. David Magdale, who was former Director of the Los Angeles Children's Hospital, Children's AIDS Center during the middle 1990’s.

Don's “Don't Give Up!” charity produced projects with the participation and/or support of Charles R. Drew University of Medicine & Science, UCLA Community Outreach Department, Cal State Dominguez Hills, Tri-City Institute Drug Detox Center, Human Resource Programs, the P.O.W.E.R.S. Women's Network & Mentoring Program, One Child Our Village Foundation, Jammin’ For Kid's Sake and various LA Churches and non-profits.

During it’s existence, “Don't Give Up! Incorporated” frequently involved the entertainment industry and garnered the endorsement and/or support of several well known celebrities, such as the Whispers, Andréa & Sandra Crouch, Stevie Wonder, George & Corinne Duke, Kiki Shepherd from Kiki Live In Hollywood, Lou Rawls II, Fayard Nicholas of the famous Nicholas Brothers and popular “Main Ingredient” lead singer, Cuba Gooding Sr, father of Oscar Award Winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr..

Currently Don is focused on increasing his support for disadvantaged “Youth At Risk” by way of his new “Urban Guardians Youth Partnership” that he founded with a National team of marketing and PR associates. Don and his associates are designing a series of high-profile events, such as the greatly anticipated "Urban Guardian Awards" slated for February, 2010 in Dallas, Texas.

Visit: http://www.guardianstars.ning.com/ to access Don and his Guardian Star Coalition's Web Blog, Social Network, Current Projects and their related News and Updates.

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The Urban Guardians Movement and Women's World Peace Charities were founded by Don Thornton. Visit http://www.urbanguardians.org/ and http://www.womensworldpeace.com/ for News & Events.

Tarkanian Basketball Academy Luncheon

2007-03-22T22:02:00.000-05:00

NBA Stars Treated To "Labor Day" Lunch By Urban Guardians
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The Urban Guardians Movement and Women's World Peace Charities were founded by Don Thornton. Visit http://www.urbanguardians.org/ and http://www.womensworldpeace.com/ for News & Events.

Plans Under Way for Urban Guardian Awards

2007-03-22T10:50:00.004-05:00

I don't know anybody in America who remembers the catastrophic devastation of hurricane Katrina who would not still want to do all that they can to help New Orleans recover. We should be way past the point of human blame and finger pointing within a situation that only God and Nature could produce.

Granted, the ball was dropped in terms of response time, for real, and the recovery period and appropriations of the $6 billion dollars has been a big disappointment. All this means that New Orleans still needs our help.

I am very excited to be working with some very gifted and powerfully connected humanitarians, marketing people and event coordinators from coast to coast who all look forward to doing our finest work.

In the weeks, months and years ahead, we hope to develop an annual awards benefit gala called the "Urban Guardian Awards of which can help rally support for at risk youth while honoring those across the nation who are doing the most work to help our youth. Please stay tuned....
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The Urban Guardians Movement and Women's World Peace Charities were founded by Don Thornton. Visit http://www.urbanguardians.org/ and http://www.womensworldpeace.com/ for News & Events.

My Personal Favorite Philosophies On Life

2007-03-20T18:02:00.000-05:00

What Are Don's Philosophies On God, Life, Women & Children?

Everybody has a philosophy or two that they remind themselves of when they need to be reminded of a saying to get them through a situation or a challenge. Some philosophies are just to remind us how we think we should be living or how to cope with indecision.

One of my primary philosophies in life has to deal with each of us being responsible for making our own selves worthy of God's blessings, love and support. Reminiscent of the old esoteric saying of, "Physician Heal Thyself" but much closer to something like, "Make Thyself Worthy Of God".

In essence, being worthy to me means to simply behave ourselves and promote "Peace, Love & Unity" as a sure way to "Eternal Life". This is my preferred behavior as opposed to promoting "War, Hate & Chaos" during this brief, fragile and sometimes very dark earth experience.

One of my philosophies and belief is that; "Conflict is unacceptable to God and we must Co-Create a World of Peace, Love & Unity in order to justify a reason why God should sustain our existence".

There are several philosophies and sayings that stand out in my mind. Some are ancient; some are original from my own imagination and some are familiar Biblical passages. Here are a few that I really like and have attempted to align with:

(1) Do Unto Others, As You Would Have Others Do Unto You.

(2) What Goes Around, Comes Around.

(3) If You Contribute To The Master's Plan, You Become Necessary To The Plan.

(4) The Needs Of The Many Outweigh The Needs Of The Few.

(5) Its Impossible That I'm Possible, But Since God Is All In All, I Am That I Am.

My personal Mantra, Slogan and Battle Cry that will probably stay with me as long as I live is; "Women & Children First!" That is the most important thing we need to learn as men in particular. There are none more important to mankind and to our future than our woman and children, of all cultures, all races and all colors.

All men must simply learn to stop, (just stop) being so preoccupied with our quest for power, domination, ego, vanity and wealth and learn how to simply put "Women & Children First" in order to be worthy of God's true love, his full sustenance and total endorsement. When we learn that, we will then realise how ridiculous and unacceptable war and conflict is in the more rarefied state of existence.

We are all sons and daughters of the most high. We are all divine extensions of God's perfect imagination and we all originate from the exact same point of creation at the very core of God's imagination. We all share the exact same life force that animated Jesus, Krishna, Buddha, Mohammad and all the great world redeemers and Avatars of the past. The Holy Spirit that we all share continues to animate them in their current spiritual forms and also animates us in our current form.

The only difference is that these great Avatars and World redeemers, along with the Angels, certain Holy Men and Holy Women have simply graduated from God's various schools of divinity and earned their places in the heavenly spheres. We are all souls pointing toward the same destination but are just at different levels of spiritual evolution.

All the great World Religions have one underlying theme in common. That one similarity and common denominator is that "Peace, Love & Unity" are the tickets to Paradise. We just need to acknowledge them, embrace them, promote them and recognize them as 3 sure fired paths directly to "Heaven", the "Kingdom Within".

As you already know, (cause the Bible tells you so), the "Kingdom of Heaven is Within". It exists within each of us, it always has and it always will. We simply need to still our minds long enough to reconnect with that part of our inherent nature that has always been accessible to us and connected to God. Just remember, when God creates each of us, it all comes with the package.

War, Hate & Chaos are the polar opposites of Peace, Love & Unity and will take us directly to another state of existence that is the polar opposite of Paradise. When we allow ourselves to be controlled by our base lower nature, we then allow ourselves to succumb to our worst behavior and then begin to spiral downhill into lower conditions of animal-like behavior, conflict, war, death and darkness.

With divine freedom of choice as our birthright, we all can choose a negative path to self destruction or we can choose a positive path to self construction. Which do you choose?

I thought I would ask everybody what are your personal views, mantras, credos and philosophies on life in general? What are your standard philosophies as they pertain to God and his divinity? What are your standard philosophies and views as they pertain to Women, Men, Children and Life in general?

Let me know your general thoughts, theories and perceptions as they relate to any one of these categories and I will respond to you as soon as possible. Feel free to ask me any questions about my perceptions of spiritual topics of interest to you as well. We can't learn from each other unless we communicate with each other.

We are all students in the "School of Life" that are taught by various teachers and masters. As the old saying goes; "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear". If we are patient and studious, we all eventually evolve into teachers for others who need to be educated as well.

Therefore we are simultaneously both "Students & Teachers" during this incredible journey through life. We are all just trying to graduate with passing grades that are acceptable to the omnipotent Teacher, the Creator; God.

My favorite musical group of all times, Earth, Wind & Fire says it best in the opening lyrics of their classic hit entitled; "Devotion", as follows:

"Thru devotion, blessed are the children. Praise the teacher, that
brings true love to many. Your devotion, opens all life's treasures and
deliverance, from the fruits of evil. So our mission, to bring a melody, Ringin'
voices sing sweet harmony"...

Thanks for taking time out to read my Post. I look forward to hearing your thoughts, ideas and comments very soon!

Take Care, Stay In The Light & Promote Peace, Love & Unity!

"Don"

PS: "Women & Children First!"
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The Urban Guardians Movement and Women's World Peace Charities were founded by Don Thornton. Visit http://www.urbanguardians.org/ and http://www.womensworldpeace.com/ for News & Events.

Urban Guardians For At Risk Youth Movement

2007-03-20T15:30:00.000-05:00

Let's Raise The Bar On Economic Development, Job Creation & Education For The International Urban World & It's At Risk Youth

I would like to take a moment to commend Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Ted Turner, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Cosby, former President Bill Clinton and countless other conscious celebrities and philanthropic icons for their charitable work, unselfish commitment and their breathtaking generosity over the years. These are some of the great "Light Bearers" and our true "Urban Guardians" of the world as far as I'm concerned.

They have set incredible standards and have inspired the likes of Madonna, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Will & Jada Smith, Tyra Banks, Magic Johnson, LeBron James, Jay-Z, Russell Simmons, P-Diddy and Usher among several other Celebrity Philanthropists. These are just a few of the world's true "Champions of Philanthropy" and perhaps some of the most visible. They also represent the Old and New School wave of increase in extreme giving and philanthropy that has swept the planet over the last decade in particular. The world really needs you right now so keep up the good work!

Anyone who has been paying close attention to the dramatic increase in charitable giving over the last year in particular would have to be amazed at the massive volume of dollar amounts that these incredible philanthropist have been able to commit to various global charities and foundations lately. It staggers the imagination.

Oprah Winfrey financed and just recently opened her $40,000,000 (40 million dollar) school in Africa back in December of 2006 with a beautiful gesture of love and compassion for the disadvantaged young girls of the Motherland. The maverick Sports & Entertainment industry legend Ted Turner pledged another $1 billion dollars to the United Nations Foundation, on top of his previous $1 billion he donated to the UN back in the late 90's. Former President Bill Clinton raised over $7.2 billion dollars for charity over a 3-day period during his annual Clinton Global Initiative.

If that's not enough, the number 1 and number 2 richest men in the world actually teamed up on a massive groundbreaking partnership when Warren Buffet donated over $30 billion dollars to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation last year to be managed and appropriated by Bill & Melinda through their already epic multi billion dollar foundation. Bill & Melinda Gates are right now literally giving away hundreds of millions of dollars every other week!

These are absolutely staggering numbers by anybodies standards. All such illuminated souls must be commended for their generosity, social awareness and great sense of corporate responsibility. Personally, I can't say enough about people who operate at this level of consciousness and economic proficiency. My only desire as it pertains to such an elite anointed philanthropic circle, as the above referenced, is that I may one day be able to help them impact the World at some level of benefit to mankind as they all have and continue to do.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, I hope any of you who may be made aware of my humble works and my vision to benefit "Urban Youth at Risk" may consider taking a close look at my "Urban Guardians for at Risk Youth" movement and my "Women's World Peace Charities - WWPC" as possible considerations for your support.

Feel free to make a secure online donation to WWPC c/o the National Heritage Foundation right HERE if you like. Also, please forgive me for my shameless plug but you never know who just might read this article one day.

Although not yet Global machines, I do plan to establish "Urban Guardian Partnerships" and "Women's World Peace Chapters" around the world as soon as we perfect the models here in the US over the next few years. It's going to take some hard work, time and money but their both well worth the effort.

Since the concept of an "Urban Community" is not just unique to America alone, the need to favorably impact all Urban markets is a great Global responsibility for all of those who are in power to improve these difficult conditions. The reality of the "Urban Ghetto Factor" and the symptoms of all disadvantaged, impoverished Urban environments affect all cultures the world over.

When you couple these factors with certain areas having to contend with being in the midst of various war-torn regions and infested havens for terrorists, we are talking about situations that are totally unacceptable for children in particular. We have no choice but to increase efforts to do all we can to rescue these innocent victims of man's lower dark nature the world over.

Back here in America, the US Ghettos with their drug dealers, gang bangers, drive-by shootings, academic dilemmas, health care issues and overall crime, not only costs us billions of tax payers dollars, but we have allowed our younger generation to suffer for lack of our total support.

I just think it's time to systematically impact the world with a brand new army of "Peace, Love & Unity" under the banners of the "Urban Guardians for at Risk Youth" movement along with the "Women's World Peace Charities" and simply raise the economic bar to help support those programs that are in the trenches making a difference while we still can. If we only had access to just 1% of the current 500 billion dollar military budget that's been spent on an ill-advised war in the Middle East, imagine what type of impact we could make on improving the global condition.

That’s why I’m spearheading a new initiative to raise one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000) to officially join the "Army of Reason" and help make dynamic changes for the better. Together we can raise the bar along with my dedicated colleagues, friends and associates nationwide to Co-create a brand new chapter in the humanities on behalf of all "Youth at Risk" the world over. It's time for some all new movements that can truly compliment all the rest. What do you think?

Please visit our websites at: www.UrbanGuardians.org and www.WomensWorldPeace.com for further details with regard to these brand new charitable movements. Also, feel free to e-mail me at donthornton@sbcglobal.net to discuss our hundred million dollar initiative and our long-term plans to impact the philanthropic and charitable markets in the US and abroad.

Please make any comments below and I will respond as soon as possible to all serious inquiries.

Looking forward to Co-creating history!

Take Care & God Bless!

"Don"
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The Urban Guardians Movement and Women's World Peace Charities were founded by Don Thornton. Visit http://www.urbanguardians.org/ and http://www.womensworldpeace.com/ for News & Events.

Building Partnerships To Employ The Poor

2007-03-20T13:55:00.000-05:00

Turn Up The Heat On Urban Economic Growth & Development

In the richest country in the world, it is amazing that we still have major pockets across the nation of extreme poverty, disenfranchisement and unemployment. What's up with that? Aren't we the promised land of "Milk & Honey"? What's really going on with the great American Dream of comfort, wealth and prosperity?

Isn't it fascinating that only about 5% of the U.S. population controls about 90% of the economy? Which means that only about 10% of the economy is left to fight over among 95% of the population. Each year the list of billionaires living in the U.S. gets larger and larger as the gulf between the haves and the have-nots continues to increase. What needs to be done to help balance the great disparity between the upper and lower class? Three things that can help raise the bar and benefit the poor immediately come to mind:

(1) Improve Academic Performance and Educational Reform Benefiting Urban Markets.

(2) Improve & Increase Community Reinvestment Practices for the Urban Markets.

(3) Improve & Diversify Collaborative Partnerships with Developers & Political Leaders.

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The Urban Guardians Movement and Women's World Peace Charities were founded by Don Thornton. Visit http://www.urbanguardians.org/ and http://www.womensworldpeace.com/ for News & Events.

Stamp Out AIDS! Part II

2007-03-20T08:42:00.000-05:00

STAMPAIDS 2020 - Tour De' Force: A New Concept To Battle AIDS

STAMPAIDS 2020 is a play on the word STAMPEDE which takes my original 1994 concept of "Stamp Out AIDS!" a step further. (See previous posting). It is an original concept I conceived in California to symbolically harness the "Power of a Stampede" and rout our human energy towards increased awareness. I have been planning to fully develop the concept for several years now.

I want to help Co-create a much more aggressive mindset to battle AIDS with a major mass media approach in dealing with the AIDS crisis. Basically it would be a very intense Public Service Announcement Campaign coupled with an annual Live Concert Series designed to put even greater emphasis on "AIDS Awareness", "Safe Sex" and "Youth Abstinence". It would include much of what's already going on in the media but would be much more dramatic in it's symbolism.

I plan to partner up again with the US Postal Service while requesting their participation as a proposed Communications Sponsor. The TV / PSA commercials would target the younger global audiences in combination with the Music Concert Series and would include "A-List" celebrity participation.

E-mail me at donthornton@sbcglobal.net if you would like to help me Co-create such a project. The goal is to help "Stamp Out AIDS" by the year 2020. Are you interested?

The Global Fund and the United Nations have recently teamed up with a very ambitious collaboration to help raise money and AIDS awareness with their own version of a US postal campaign interestingly enough entitled the “Stamp Out AIDS Partnership”. Visit their websites for more information on how you can participate at;

..........The Global Fund - Stamp Out AIDS Partnership
..........The United Nations Foundation - Stamp Out AIDS Partnership

Although I would like to think that my original “Let’s Stamp Out AIDS” concept and AIDS Awareness ideas have somehow made their way into the US Postal, Global Fund and United Nations "Think Tanks", I actually had nothing to do with this new UN/Global Fund Campaign directly. Nevertheless, I do emphatically commend them all for taking corporate and civic responsibility in addressing the issue so dynamically. They are stepping up to the plate and I wholeheartedly encourage the general public to support their campaign.

Nevertheless and with all due respect, I would still love to see the US Postal Service reinstate the original "Red Ribbon" AIDS Awareness Stamp. The "Red Ribbon" is still the most recognisable symbol of the AIDS Awareness Movement. I would like to see them reinstate the stamp but this time however, they need a hot slogan / battle cry. I think it would have a much greater impact on the marketplace along with much stronger sales potential by using my original slogan, "Let's Stamp Out AIDS!" battle cry that I conceived in 1994 attached to the "Red Ribbon" stamp.

Low sales is what originally took the stamp off the market in the first place back in the middle 90's. Reinstating it now in these much more sympathetic days and time, along with my original slogan will make it a much more marketable sales item for the US Postal Service. What do you think?

In closing, what more can we do as a human family to step up the fight, educate the masses and dramatically increase support for all AIDS Awareness movements and victims? What more can we do to help eventually "Stamp Out AIDS" altogether? Please give me some strong feedback on this very important issue.

Stay In The Light!

“Don”
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The Urban Guardians Movement and Women's World Peace Charities were founded by Don Thornton. Visit http://www.urbanguardians.org/ and http://www.womensworldpeace.com/ for News & Events.

Stamp Out AIDS! Part I

2007-03-20T08:39:00.000-05:00

With The AIDS Pandemic Still A Massive Problem, What More Can We Do To Help?

Don't you find it a bit frustrating that in this incredible age of extreme science, advanced technology and medical sophistication that we have not yet come up with a total cure for HIV/AIDS? Don't you sometimes feel that with all the AIDS Awareness movements, the billions of dollars being spent on AIDS research, education and treatment along with all the free condoms, seminars and workshops, that we should be making a much bigger impact on eliminating AIDS than we have?

Everybody knows by now that the HIV/AIDS pandemic is a deadly, near apocalyptic disease that truly confronts mankind at the very core of our ability to exist. We have now reached a time in the evolution of mankind when it is safe to say that the very act of creating life has now become a real gamble of "Life or Death". The very act of pro-creation has now become a deadly game of Russian Roulettes!

What other creature in nature is at such a high level of risk purely from performing the act of procreating itself? Could there be some underlying spiritual message surrounding this deadly disease? Could this be a possible curse that mankind has earned because of his abstract and sometimes profane sexual behavior? Could God be simply trying to tell mankind something about our lifestyles and behavior but we refuse to listen to the greater message? I don't have the answer but I do have a lot of questions because I still want to help defeat any enemy of life.

Back in November of 1993 in South Central LA, in California, I founded my first tax-exempt, non-profit "Human Crisis Organization" called "Don't Give Up! Incorporated" to address several human dilemmas. That following month on Wednesday, December 1, 1993, on World AIDS Day, the US Postal AIDS Awareness Stamp went on sale.

I have been fortunate not to have contracted the AIDS disease but am very much aware of it's reality. As a straight African-American male I was always concerned about AIDS especially when so many of my people of color were suddenly becoming infected at an alarming rate. When one of my Board Member's son was diagnosed with full-blown AIDS, I created the "Gift for Life Project in Support of Children with AIDS" as a project of my Don't Give Up! charity.

I negotiated a partnership with the US Postal Service who then authorized my non-profit, permission to use their AIDS Awareness Stamp as a part of my proposed "Let's Stamp Out AIDS!" campaign slogan. It amazed me that the US postal Service could have that beautiful Red Ribbon, AIDS Awareness Stamp with no slogan or battle cry attached to the stamp for such a formidable enemy as AIDS.

Needless to say, my slogan was very well received and was the battle cry for several years of AIDS Awareness Promotions in partnership with the US postal Service throughout the middle and late 90's up and down the West Coast. See an example of my movement HERE.

We produced AIDS Awareness Concerts, Fashion Shows, Harbor Cruises for Children with AIDS and a Walkathon at Hollywood Park in an effort to help spread the message. I tried to make the concept a National Campaign but could never get the proper funding to take it nationwide. When we were close to negotiating sponsorship at a much higher level, the US Postal Service suddenly discontinued the AIDS Awareness Stamp.

Although discontinuing the stamp had nothing to do directly with us, it did however directly affect our ability to sustain our "Let's Stamp Out AIDS!" movement by 1997. I officially discontinued my AIDS Awareness projects back in 1998 after permanently moving back home to Akron, Ohio.

When I started the "Let's Stamp Out AIDS!" campaign back in the early 90's, there were a little over 20 million HIV/AIDS cases worldwide. It's been almost 10 years ago since the US Postal Service discontinued the original AIDS Awareness stamp at which time the number of HIV/AIDS cases had grown up to over 30 million by 1997. It is now at a staggering 40 million known cases worldwide!

How many cases are unknown or unlisted? What's the number going to be up to by the year 2020? Where is the anger, the passion and the real fury to battle this disease? The bottom line is that we need to really turn the marketing, promotional and awareness heat up on the AIDS battle at all costs!

Who wants to help me Co-develop some of my marketing concepts to battle AIDS? If your interested, just e-mail me at: donthornton@sbcglobal.net and let's talk.

May God Bless You & Stay In The Light!

"Don"
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The Urban Guardians Movement and Women's World Peace Charities were founded by Don Thornton. Visit http://www.urbanguardians.org/ and http://www.womensworldpeace.com/ for News & Updates.

Healing The World By Way Of The Arts

2007-03-19T19:06:00.000-05:00

Visual & Performing Arts Are The Key To Reaching Urban Youth

I can't say enough about the Visual & Performing Arts. They kept me off the streets...

The Urban Guardians Movement & Women's World Peace Charities were founded by Don Thornton. Please Visit www.UrbanGuardians.org and www.WomensWorldPeace.com for News & Updates.

Learning To Listen To Women On Real Peace

2007-03-19T14:20:00.000-05:00

Think It's Time To Hear What Women Have To Say About Peace?

As a fine artist and graphic designer, I have had the privilege of working with some of the most gifted, conscious and productive women in the world. All of these warm souls I have worked with have either started their own non-profits and/or are totally committed to some type of charity or foundation. All of them want World Peace and all of them are well aware of the fact that war is nothing more than an over the top, male testosterone fueled form of politically sanctioned and federally funded group madness. In other words, War is joint cooperative poltical insanity.

Women also know that they are not the authors of war but are nevertheless sucked up into the madness of war and conflict along with the children because mankind feels it's their patriotic duty to tolerate the madness of war as unavoidable and a necessary condition in order to bring peace and freedom. Only men can somehow deduce that they must make war, usurp kingdoms, kill and destroy each other in order to alledgedly free another culture, establish democracy and preserve that cultures life.

I have learned that women can't believe that mankind has the ability to convince himself that war, death and murder is totally acceptable to God as long as we are fighting for freedom, equality, land, diamonds, gold, oil or any other convenient cause or trumped up charges. It's all OK as long as it's against another leader in order to control that leader's politics or it's resources.

Whether it's on the streets of Baghdad, the streets of Compton or on the streets of Watts, any excuse will do for man to do battle with another man. Apparently men just love the thrill of the fight and perpetual conflict as a way of expressing his validity, his courage or his masculine potency. I guess the Super Bowl, the World Series and the NBA Playoffs are not deadly enough to satisfy our thirst for conflict and total devastation. I guess the sports and entertainment world is stepping up to the plate with some fresh new commercial violence in the form of "Extreme No Holds Barred Fighting". Boxing and wrestling alone were just not bloody enough to suit the publics taste as the war in the middle east continues to rage on years beyond 911.

Couldn't we keep a lot more people alive if we just started to listen to what our women have to say about avoiding war, avoiding deadly conflict and building real peace? It would be a heck of a lot cheaper to finance real peace initiatives than to continue financing an ill-advised war that’s already cost the US a half a trillion dollars, 3,600 US lives, a staggering 70,000 Middle East civilian lives with numbers and death tolls still climbing.

The sad part is that there is no real exit strategy in sight from the Democratic nor the Republican perspective. Granted, the Democratics are much more focused on getting out with some great "Exit Theories". However, no sure fire plan that can guarantee a seamless return home of our brave young troops in the near foreseeable future is a possibility right now because we are in too deep.

Seven years ago UN Security Council Resolution 1325 was passed unanimously on October 31st, 2000. Resolution (S/RES/1325) was the first and only resolution ever passed by the Security Council that specifically addresses the impact of war on women, and women's contributions to conflict resolution and sustainable peace.

When the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 was passed back in 2000, it was designed to take a much more committed approach to comprehensively involving Women in the "World Peace Building Process". It was created as a much more powerful vehicle to actively position Women into real stations of power and authority on behalf of dealing with a real "World Peace Process". October 31st, 2007 will be the seventh anniversary. What happened? Where's the beef? Where's the real net results of UN Resolution 1325 in terms of statistical relevance?

There was a lot of media hype and big fanfare surrounding UN Resolution 1325 as if mankind somehow finally realized that Women do not really endorse wars at all, they do not sustain wars nor do they support the net results of a war that causes the senseless deaths and loss of their biological sons and daughters. Women have sadly known for ages that all Wars, Killing, Death, Bombing and Destruction have always been the work of man 99.9% of the time. They just wish men would grow up and stop playing "King of the Hill" or international "Schoolyard Bully" and just kiss and make up.

The fact is, Women know how to avoid wars and Men don't. You would have thought that UN Resolution 1325 was the dawning of a whole age of Peace, Love & Unity but somehow just became a symbol more so than an actual reality.

So whatever really happened to the great UN Resolution 1325? Was it just a placebo resolution designed to pacify organizations like NOW, the Jane Fonda's and other outspoken female anti-war leaders? Was it just a big publicity campaign with no real bite designed to create the illusion of a real peace initiative? Was it just a noble and fancy "Paper Tiger" with no real claws? Maybe it just came along at the wrong time before 911 and had to be somewhat back-burnered after 911.

Whatever happened, it's time for mankind the world over to wake up and finally accept the fact that women are much more adept at the "Art of Peace" than men. On the flip side men are still much more adept and still pride themselves at being the masters of the "Art of War" but who needs it?

Are women just simply better at getting along with other life forms in general? Are women more respectful of life because they actually are the "Life Bearers" of the human family? Do women actually hold the key to world peace but man is just too stubborn, egotistical and arrogant to compromise his position of power, domination and control?

Clearly most Women have somehow mastered the ability to coexist without having to kill or mortally wound their neighbors to prove some ridiculous point inspired by anger, greed, fear, envy or lust. Could the men learn a thing or two from the women about real world anger management?

Is anybody more imaginative for conceiving a reason to fight or declare war than man? Let's not forget that just about every Warlord's universal favorite cause for war usually involves some gross misinterpretation of some aspect of just about all of the great world religions and spiritual doctrines. Nobody abstracts and profanes Holy Scriptures and sacred doctrines more than mankind does when he tries to justify or validate his reasoning to declare war. Man historically promotes an uncompromising commitment to win a war at all cost even if he knows he can't win and will loose thousands of lives in the process.

Do you think from the beginning of civilization that man has had it all wrong all along and women just may be the ones who have it all right all along when it comes to cohabiting in peace?

Is it time to simply listen to the women of the world and follow their lead? Especially since they are much better at this World Peace thing than men are. What do you really think? What does your higher consciousness tell you at this very moment? What is that part of your higher nature which is directly connected to God who provides our life force really telling you at this very moment?

Does Peace, Love & Unity ring a bell? I hope so because if they don't, then perhaps the end is near, but not if we can help it.

I have been working for several years on "Non-Political" Peace related projects and would love to hear from anybody else who is also trying to help build Peace. Let me know your personal thoughts and views about women's roles in the "World Peace Building" process in particular.

Also please visit our www.WomensWorldPeace.com website. Make any suggestions or comments you may have regarding our Mission and the topic of World Peace right here in this Web Blog below. If you would like to support our peace efforts, feel free to make a secure on-line donation at our Women's World Peace Charities donation page c/o the National Heritage Foundation HERE.

Thank You for your valuable time and consideration.

Stay In The Light & Help Make World Peace Marketable!

"Don"
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The Urban Guardians Movement and Women's World Peace Charities were founded by Don Thornton. Visit http://www.urbanguardians.org/ and http://www.womensworldpeace.com/ for News & Events.

Be An Urban Guardian For At Risk Youth

2007-03-19T12:28:00.000-05:00

We Must Increase Our Efforts To Help Secure All Youth At Risk

You don't have to be a nuclear scientist to determine that the youth of the world today are up against some very unique challenges that have put them at risk all over the world. Whether it's some local gang bangers turf-war in South Central LA, some deadly war-torn area of the middle east, some refugee camp in Africa or some hurricane-torn area of the Gulf Coast, our youth of the world today are at tremendous risk on a daily basis, year-round.

Those of us who are in position to do something about it need to turn up the volume on our efforts to keep pace with the ongoing youth crisis. Statistics demonstrate that it may get a whole lot worse than better if we don't become much more imaginative with our solutions.

Over the years, I have been blessed as a graphic designer who is capable of designing anything within the graphics universe. For almost 20 years I have dedicated large portions of my time, talent and labor to the humanities from coast to coast because I believe that it is our obligation in life to try and benefit others less fortunate than those of us who are.

Right now I believe that the youth of the world today need all the help that they can get when you consider that the majority of their problems are traceable to something that we as the adults have created or could have at least prevented. Children don't start wars, organize gangs, manufacture and distribute drugs, make guns, alcohol and cigarettes.

Adults do these things and in the process they directly and negatively impact our youth at every level in society. It's time to increase our efforts to reverse the trend, save the children and secure our youth. We can all help improve conditions together if we simply prioritize a commitment.

I invite you to support my efforts to help raise awareness, raise money and raise consciousness as it pertains to all the collateral damage that we as adults have directly impacted on our youth the world over. Most of us don't feel like we have done anything wrong or purposefully hurt the youth. That may be true but the greatest problem is that most of us have not done anything right to help secure and benefit the youth as well. Which is your position? Which person are you?

Let me know what you think about this situation and if you think that we as adults have dropped the ball on securing our youth. Let me know what your views are on the "Urban Youth Crisis" here in the United States. Let me know what your views are about young victims of war-torn areas and natural catastrophe the world over and how we can help to develop "non-political" methods of support.

Please check out my websites and youth related projects at www.UrbanGuardians.org and www.WomensWorldPeace.com to see what my fantastic associates and I are trying to do to help positively impact the "Urban & Global Youth Crisis".

Looking forward to hearing your comments!

Sincerely,

Don

Welcome To My Peace, Love & Unity Blog

2007-03-17T22:52:00.000-05:00

Hello My Kindred Friends, My Family & All Conscious Souls,

Welcome to the home page of my official personal "Web Blog". I hope you enjoy my writings, my personal thoughts and my basic ideas on World Peace, Love & Unity. I'm going to really take some serious time to try and post the most interesting comments about my views on "World Peace Building", my efforts to "Help Save The Children" and any positive new ideas and updates I can make regarding my charitable works, my future plans, my personal life journey and my philosophical thoughts on God and Life in general. I want to also use my Web Blog to help promote our universal and "Divine" responsibility to try and respect, love one another and fully appreciate each other as human beings.

I hope you may take some time out to communicate with me and share your unique vision and your personal perceptions of your life's journey as well. Although my overall mission in life is to "Help Build World Peace, Love & Unity", we can still talk about anything and everything that is of interest or of any great relevance to you.

My background in life has been mostly a kaleidoscope of Charitable Work, Fine Arts, Marketing and Graphic Design. I love my Mom, my Sisters, my entire family, my friends, basketball, good humor, intelligent women, artistic women and most of all I love God. My eternal slogan and personal Mantra I will embrace for the rest of my life is; "Women & Children First!"

That's it. Nothing more complex than that. Mine is a very simple and uncomplicated mission. That's all that really matters to me now that I have matured, become much wiser and grown spiritually within.

My total philosophy and the whole purpose of my life's mission are to serve God just by putting "Women & Children First". When all of mankind can finally learn that simple truth, and can finally live up to it's great potential, there will be no desire nor will there be any need to promote "War, Hate & Conflict". There is only room to promote "Peace, Love & Unity" once you understand what's real and why you need to put "Women & Children First".

All of my kindred brothers and male souls the world over need to simply connect with your higher nature, disarm your mind, put down your material weapons and endorse this simple path to an "Earthly State of Peace". Along your journey, you will lose your "Ego". This may not be the path to divinity or the promised land but it is definitely one sure path that is ultimately a very reliable ticket to World Peace, Love & Unity.

In these lower, dark, negative, days and times of "War, Hate & Chaos, brought to life by Ego, Fear, Vanity and Greed, you need to trust my word on this one and "Put Women & Children First" on your priority list. Do this from this point forward and you will never go wrong in this life and beyond. That's the absolute bottom line. Think about it.

In closing, thanks for checking out my Blog! I hope to hear from you very soon and very often in the near future!

Let's All Stay Focused, Stay Positive & Stay In The Light!

"Don"

PS: Feel free to post a thought, message or "COMMENT" below.