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It's Time to Address Violence as a Nation
Rep Barbara Lee (CA) reintroduced her Department
of Peacebuilding Act in 2015
now HR 1111
to create a
cabinet-level Department and a Secretary of
Peacebuilding.
The MA Campaign provides opportunity for citizens
to exercise their duty, right, and privilege to work for a
culture of peace through support of local
peacebuilding programs, lobby for legislation, engagement
with elected officials.
The legislation will pass from bill to
law under one condition: that a wave
of citizen interest rise up from the
American people and make itself
heard in the halls of Congress.�
~ Dennis Kucinich |
Ask your District Representatives
to Co-Sponsor HR 1111
MA Congressional Delegation:
1st Rep. Richard Neal [D] (413-785-0325)
2nd Rep. James 'Jim' McGovern [D] (508-831-7356)
3rd Rep. Niki Tsongas [D] (978-263-1951)
4th Rep. Joseph Kennedy III [D] (617-332-3333)
5th Rep. Katherine Clark [D] (781-396-2900)
6th Rep. Seth Moulton [D] (978-531-1669)
7th Rep. Michael Capuano [D] (617-621-6208)
8th Rep. Stephen Lynch [D] (617-428-2000)(617-565-8519)
9th Rep. William Keating [D] (617-770-3700)
(Rep. McGovern is a co-sponsor. Thank him!)
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Ask Senator Markey to Introduce a bill in the Senate similar to Lee's bill
which he co-sponsored when a Representative in the House. |
See sample letter; or select talking points for calls to a Legislative Assistant
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AMPLIFY OUR VOICES
It is past time to establish a Department of
Peacebuilding to reduce suffering on a national and
global scale while saving billions of dollars
through violence reduction and increased economic
productivity.
Congresswoman Barbara Lee
Support a US Dept. of Peacebuilding.
Dear Department of Peace Supporters,
Leveraging the power of The Peace Alliance Conference [Wash DC, Oct. 16-20] the
National Department of Peacebuilding Committee will undertake a major lobbying
initiative targeting former co-sponsors of Rep. Barbara Lee's Resolution to
establish a U.S. Department of Peacebuilding.
You can make a difference.
Join other concerned citizens from all around the country to urge those key
Representatives to sign onto the bill once again, reintroduced this year as
HR 1111. Please make calls, especially, to some of the NY Representatives
listed below before, during, and after the Conference as we have recently been
in touch with their staff with the same request.
Pat Simon
Waltham, Massachusetts
Member, National Committee for a Department of Peacebuilding
JOIN US & PARTICIPATE
CALL IN LOBBY DAYS
Oct. 16, 19, 20, 2015
You are The Change
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Create a Department of Peace
Should our government spend over half of our
taxes on war and the military and less than 5% on
the Department of State and other peaceful programs?
If you would like to see your taxes spent on a
Department of Peace, tell your Congressional
representatives to support HR 1111, the bill to
establish a Department of Peace, with a cabinet
level Secretary of Peace.
There are currently 224 signatures. NEW goal - We
need 300 signatures!
PETITION BACKGROUND This petition is an effort to
turn our nation away from its path of perpetual war
and toward other options for conflict resolution. It
is also a response to the increased level of violence
in our own communities, schools, and prisons. I
often feel personally powerless to affect change in
these trends toward greater violence, but this bill
gives me hope for a voice of peace in Washington.
Sign the Petition to Create a Department of Peace
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Restorative Justice Massachusetts! Support SB-71
Why Restorative Justice Matters
- Higher satisfaction rates for victims vs. to those proceeding through tradional court (89% vs. 57%)
- Reduced recidivism for offenders (16% vs. 39%)
- Cost Savings (Initial state and national studies demonstrate that restorative justice is nearly six times more cost-effective than traditional justice methods).
- More options for police/court personnel when responding to crime (a greater breath of victim services).
- More meaningful role for affected community members in addressing crime/harm in their neighborhoods.
I am writing in support of SB 71: An Act Promoting
Restorative Justice Practices, Lead sponsor-Sen. Jamie
Eldridge. The bill is slated for a hearing June 16th, 2015 on
your committee.
This bill would open the door for healthy, efficient,
money-saving restorative justice practices to be used in
our juvenile and adult criminal system.
Restorative justice approaches across the nation are showing
a 50% and higher drop in recidivism, and high satisfaction
rates among victims, offenders, communities, and officials
within the law enforcement and corrections fields.
Report from Sen. Eldridge's office .
Massachusetts stands ready to be a pioneer in an emerging
national trend toward cost-savings and community-healing
through restorative justice. Significant support for this
bill comes from the Massachusetts Major City Police Chiefs,
12 other police chiefs, judges and many community groups
across the state: List of Supporters
We spend on average about $50,000 per year, per inmate,
to keep someone in jail - and there is no single factor
more determinative of incarceration than a prior incarceration.
Restorative justice looks at all crime as a violation of
relationships involving families, communities, relationships
and feelings. It asks: what harm was done to whom? How can
the harm be repaired? Who is responsible for the repair?
It nips criminal activity in the bud more effectively than
incarceration, and provides a more healing and thorough
response to those who have caused harm and those harmed.
Please give your full support to this important bill.
Molly Rowan Leach
Restorative Justice Fellow
The Peace Alliance
MORE ABOUT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
Restorative justice refers to processes derived
from indigenous people to redress wrongdoing and bring
people back into right relationship. It brings together
the people most directly involved and members of the
community to explore what harm occurred and what needs
to be done and by whom to repair the harm to the
greatest extent possible. Harm needs to be repaired
for the person(s) most directly harmed, the community,
and the person who caused the harm. It can be helpful
to frame the repair of harm to the person who caused
the harm in terms of what will assist him or her to
make future choices that meet the need without harming
self or others.
There are many variations on restorative justice
processes that are called by names such as peacemaking
circles, healing circles,community accountability boards
or panels, council process, etc. One good measure of
whether or not they are restorative is their adherence
to the principles and values of restorative practice
(see below).
Restorative Practices
Restorative practices is an umbrella term that refers
to a wide range of activities that derive from restorative
justice. They are all alike in that they adhere to a
basic set of principles and values as expressed in the
5 R's (Relationship, Respect, Responsibility, Repair
and Reintegration) and are generally characterized by
the use of a facilitated, circle talking process. The
use of restorative language by school staff and in
school discipline policies may be considered practices
also, though they don't involve a circle process.
Restorative practices may be used to increase connections
among people and enhance empathy or to resolve conflict
and redress grievances and provide accountability for
wrongdoing. When the practices are used to address the
violation of a law or school rule, it is restorative
justice. What connects all of the practices under the
term "restorative" is that they focus on establishing
or re-establishing harmonious relationships among people.
"I have seen first-hand the positive effect that
restorative justice programs have had on victims,
offenders, and our community.... It affords offenders
an important opportunity to understand...the true impact
of their actions on victims and community."
- Marian T. Ryan, Middlesex County District Attorney
"This legislation helps offenders break out of the
cycle of crime through acts of community service and
offers victims the opportunity to receive an explanation
and apology from the offender."
- Sen Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton)
"The courts are overworked. If all the parties can
get some satisfaction using something less elaborate,
let's go for it. Judges and other court officials
would welcome the change."
- Sen Mike Barrett (D-Lexington)
"As a police officer, I was a skeptic. But I quickly
became a believer. I've seen this process work."
- Chief Robert Bongiorno, Bedford Police Dept.
"Restorative justice is a great resource for
community members interested in resilience and wellbeing
after harm." - Hon. John Cratsley (ret.)
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U.S. Department of Peacebuilding
Re-introduced
Did you see the news? Legislation to establish a
U.S. Department of Peacebuilding was re-introduced
into the U.S. House of Representatives as HR-1111 in February.
Sign the petition to Congress. Let them know you
want their support. More details are below.
Thank you,
Bob Baskin
Tell Congress today that you want them to co-sponsor
the Dept. of Peacebuilding and make peace one of our
nation"s top priorities!
Sign the Petition to Congress
Contact your State Senator to co-sponsor HR-1111,
at this time Senator McGovern is the only signee of
our 9 senators.
Massachusetts Congressional List
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Teaching Peace in a Violent World
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Speaking Peace, 01 Feb 2014
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Tell the President: Support
Dept. of Peacebuilding & Office of
Peacebuilding
We are
calling on the President to support the
establishment of a U.S. Dept. of
Peacebuilding, and interimly, an
Office of Peacebuilding, in his
administration. We all recognize
the challenges of violence are profound
in our culture. It is time for a
full-scale approach to dealing with it.
Join us as we call on the President to
take a big step towards creating a
lasting peace in our nation and world. -
The
Peace Alliance.
Make calls to your Representative to
co-sponsor again. All MA Reps. did, in 2010
Support, plus the Hearing, may bring passage of
HR 1318 this year!
See Districts
for a list of Massachusetts Representatives. |
The Youth Promise Act
The Youth PROMISE Act (H.R. 1318) is
bipartisan legislation that will give our
communities the support and funding they need to
effectively address youth violence issues.
By specifically focusing on violence
prevention and intervention strategies, this
bill ensures we are funding programs that save
lives and give every young person the
opportunity to meet his or her potential.
Beyond the mass shootings that
are justifiably getting so much attention
right now, many of our own neighborhoods
across the nation are essentially war zones,
in which children are faced daily with
horrific levels of homicide and violence, and
suffer the same kind of post-traumatic stress
as our soldiers returning from war.
We believe the Youth PROMISE Act
will help greatly in meeting this challenge,
empowering communities by building on local
strengths to invest in what works to prevent
violence with our youth. The Act makes an
unprecedented investment in evidence-based,
locally designed and run prevention &
intervention practices that engage and divert
at-risk youth proactively.
Our youth deserve to
know that we have their backs.
Please show your support for the Youth PROMISE
Act!
Important:
Youth PROMISE Act - Contact Your Members of
Congress!
Tell
your member of the House of
Representatives and your Senators that
you want this proposed legislation to
become law. Ask them to co-sponsor the
Youth PROMISE Act, H.R. 1318. Fill
out the form below to send a message. Include
your own words for the most impact.
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/696/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=2215
--------------
Department of Peacebuilding
26
Feb 2013
Dear
MA Campaign:
I
am forwarding exciting news – an
announcement from The
Peace Alliance (TPA)
concerning the Feb. 15 introduction of a Department
of Peacebuilding Resolution
by
Rep. Barbara Lee (CA-13)!
It is similar to the Resolution
introduced by Rep.
Dennis Kucinch, in every
Congressional session since 2001; it is
still HR
808, and will soon be
available at http://house.gov/ .
the link in the Action Alert to ask your
Representative (who may be
new to your town or city, following
redistricting!) to co-sponsor the
Resolution. Congressmen
McGovern and Markey are
the only MA Representatives who have
co-sponsored HR
808 at this time.
Thank them!!
For
more peace,
Pat
Simon
The US Department of Peacebuilding
15 Feb 2013 -
California Congresswoman Barbara Lee and
seven co-sponsors introduced bill to
create The Department of Peacebuilding Act
of 2013. The term "peacebuilding" refers
both to activities that target the root
causes of violence as well as the broad
measures used to prevent violent conflict
and create sustainable peace.
Former Actions
The People's Convention
You are
invited to join
THE PEACE ALLIANCE/ CAMPAIGN FOR A U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF PEACE AT
THE
PEOPLE’S CONVENTION
Charlotte,
North Carolina - September 4, 2012
- 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Location is Community Outreach Ministries –
1800 Brewton Drive – Charlotte, NC
During
the National Democratic Party Convention
Cong.
Jim McGovern will be at The People’s
Convention, as will a CA member of The
Peace Alliance Dept. of Peace Legislative
Committee, which consists of 5 State
Coordinators, including Pat Simon.
Now More Than Ever
11th
Anniversary of Department Of Peace
Published
on July
11, 2012 by DJKucinich
"Eleven
years ago today, I introduced legislation
to establish a Cabinet-level Department of
Peace and Non-violence. Since July 11,
2001 our nation has experienced the
tragedy of September 11th, sent thousands
of troops into the Middle East to fight
wars, and continued to witness
heart-breaking events that the bullying
epidemic has caused in our schools such as
deadly school shootings and an increasing
number of suicides among our nations young
people. It is clearer now, more than ever,
that we must embrace a Department of Peace
as a way to address not only violence in
our schools but the violence that exists
in our homes, workplaces and institutions
throughout our communities both nationally
and internationally.
"I believe that the government has a
responsibility to create an organized
approach to address issues of violence in
our society. That is why I have continued
to introduce the Department of Peace and
Nonviolence Act in every Congress since
2001. This legislation seeks to make
non-violence an organizing principle in
our society.
"A cabinet level department would look at
root causes and endeavor to find
preventive solutions that are both dynamic
and comprehensive. H.R. 808 would
establish a Secretary position to advise
the President on peace-building strategies
in times of international conflict. It
would establish a Peace Academy to provide
instruction in peace education, and offer
opportunities for graduates to serve in
programs dedicated to domestic or
international nonviolent conflict
resolution. It would also provide funds to
support and expand domestic programs that
provide training in known best-practices
such as mediation, alternative dispute
resolution techniques, and nonviolent
communication programs in our public
schools and in the public sector
workforce.
"Today, on the eleventh anniversary of the
introduction of the Department of Peace
and Non-violence legislation, I ask that
we challenge the reflexive
war-as-conflict-resolution mindset that
our country has adopted. Isn't it time
that we end our nation's reliance on
weapons and war? Isn't it time that we
make a commitment to more peaceful methods
of conflict resolution? Isn't it time that
we each make our own personal commitment
to living a life of nonviolence?"
See video presentation
'11th Anniversary of
Department of Peace' |
During the 20th Century, over 100 million
people lost their lives to war -- most of whom
were non-combatants. Now, at the dawn of the
21st century, the extent and current speed of
nuclear proliferation makes the achievement of
non-violent alternatives to war the most
urgent need of the human race.
See 'The Campaign for a U.S.
Department of Peace' |
Department
of Peace Campaign Evolution Summary
(A Collaborative Statement Prepared by the DoP
Legislative Action Committee and The Peace
Alliance Staff and Board) |
Congressman McGovern has co-sponsored HR 808
again, Thank you Dennis and Jim!
|
 Youth
Promise Act Benefit in Acton,
MA 19 Sept 2010
We will gather at the Action Jazz
Cafe to talk about what peace looks
like!
- State Sen. Jamie
Eldridge will bring a
Resolution to support the Youth
Promise Act for the MA
Legislature!
- Tina Cherry wil
the describe the Louis D. Brown
Peace Institute's mission of
empowering families impacted by
violence.
- We'll hear about workshops with
prison immates, who are learning
skills in AVP
(Alternative to Violence Project).
And Jazz
musicians will warm our
souls and build peace. See Flyer
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Massachusetts Campaign Projects
The MA Campaign is focusing on the DOP
with Representative Niki Tsongas, 5th
District.
Representative Markey has promised to
write a Dear Colleague letter to the 7
Reps in MA who have not cosigned the
DoP Bill
Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy will
write a Peace Proclamation in time for
this year's International Peace Day.
Perhaps we will ask her to move it up
to Mother's Day.
See this year's agenda for the SPA
Conference in Texas at the PA Web
Site. Click on agenda to get the
fabulous program of the conference.
Very nice, professional and elegant.
[ See Student Peace
Alliance Conference Agenda ]..
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New
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Department of Peacebuilding Act
of 2013
Congresswoman Barbara Lee
introduced
H.R. 808, the “Department of
Peacebuilding Act of 2013” to create a
cabinet-level Secretary and Department
of Peacebuilding. The term
“peacebuilding” refers both to
activities that target the root causes
of violence as well as the broad
measures used to prevent violent
conflict and create sustainable peace.
Thank you Representative McGovern and
Representative Markey for
co-sponsoring H.R. 808. Ask your
Representative to be a
co-sponsor!. See the Districts
section below to contact your
Massachusetts Representative.
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Non Violent Communications
John Kinyon, CNVC certified trainer,
shares what NVC means for him. He will
be one of four trainers at the 2009
New York Intensive Residential
Training in Nonviolent
Communication. [ See
Link ]
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Costa Rica Creates Department of
Peace
On Monday, September 14, the Costa
Rican legislature passed a law [1]
changing the name of the country's
justice ministry to the Ministry of
Justice and Peace, making the
department the first of its kind in
Latin America and only the third in
the world.
Costa Rica's justice ministry was
created to oversee the country's
penitentiary systems and supervise
research on criminal behavior, but had
no responsibility for crime prevention
[2]. A 1998 executive decree addressed
this lapse by creating the National
Directorate for the Prevention of
Crime. The recent legislation takes
crime prevention in a new direction,
replacing the old directorate with the
newly formed Directorate for the
Promotion of Peace and the Peaceful
Coexistence of Citizens.
[ See
Link ].
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Walter Cronkite Discusses the
Merits of the Department of Peace
View the Cronkite/Kuncinich interview
at the 2005 Conference on the merits
of a U.S. Department of Peace
[ See
Link ].
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Youth PROMISE ACT Congressional
Hearing
A Historic Success!
WASHINGTON - 16 July 2009 - Two
national Student Peace Alliance
leaders were present in the
Hearing, and Aaron Voldman,
Director, made a statement in the
Press Conference! This may Pass
before the August recess!
[ See
Link ].
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The Peace Alliance - New
Legislative Initiative - Annual
Mothers' Day Action
The Youth PROMISE Act
The Youth PROMISE Act, introduced
into the U.S. House by Bobby Scott
(D-VA-03) and Congressman Mike
Castle (R-DE) and in the Senate by
Robert Casey (D-PA) and Olympia
Snowe (R-ME), implements the best
policy recommendations from crime
policy makers, researchers,
practitioners, analysts, and law
enforcement officials from across
the political spectrum concerning
evidence and research-based
strategies to reduce gang violence
and crime. The Youth PROMISE Act is
a bold plan for addressing youth
violence in all sectors of society
by delivering funding to programs on
the ground effectively doing the
work of youth violence prevention.
Read this online link The
Peace Alliance
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Actions
|
We are lobbying our Massachusetts congressmen to
support HR-808, the House Resolution 'To
establish a Department of Peacebuilding' filed
by Representative Barbara Lee of California.
View Gov
Track for HR 808.
Click on Show under Co-sponsors to view the
bill's Co-sponsors list Congressional
Representative contact information is available
at the Districts
section on this MADOP web page.
Two (2) Massachusetts representative have
co-sponsored H.R. 808 to date.
| Please send your a message to your
congressman requesting support for a
new U.S. Department of Peacebuilding.
Click here for an example letter that
can be personalized.
Dear Congressman... |
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Youth
PROMISE Act
Our
commitment to our nation's most vulnerable
On
Friday, February 13, 2009, Congressman Bobby
Scott (D-VA-03) and Congressman Mike Castle
(R-DE-AL) re-introduced the Youth
Prison Reduction through Opportunity,
Mentoring, Intervention, Support and
Education, or Youth PROMISE Act.
Companion legislation was also introduced in
the US Senate by Senators Robert Casey (D-PA)
and Olympia Snowe (R-ME). The Peace Alliance
is excited to announce we have officially
decided to include this piece of legislation
as one of the items we are encouraging our
network to support. Learn
more...
ALERT:
The Youth PROMISE Act now has
over 200 co-sponsors! In just the past
six-weeks, there has been a rush of
support that has brought on 119 new
co-sponsors, including 16 Republicans.
How
YOU can help
Two
minute action:
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The Peace Alliance - New
Legislative Initiative - Annual
Mothers' Day Action
The Youth PROMISE Act
The Youth PROMISE Act, introduced
into the U.S. House by Bobby Scott
(D-VA-03) and Congressman Mike
Castle (R-DE) and in the Senate by
Robert Casey (D-PA) and Olympia
Snowe (R-ME), implements the best
policy recommendations from crime
policy makers, researchers,
practitioners, analysts, and law
enforcement officials from across
the political spectrum concerning
evidence and research-based
strategies to reduce gang violence
and crime. The Youth PROMISE Act is
a bold plan for addressing youth
violence in all sectors of society
by delivering funding to programs on
the ground effectively doing the
work of youth violence prevention.
Read this online link The
Peace Alliance
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Communicating with Congress: How
Capitol Hill is Coping with the
Surge in Citizen Advocacy
The Internet and e-mail have made it
easier and cheaper than ever before
for citizens to communicate with
their Members of Congress. In 2004,
Congress received 200 million
communications, four times more than
in 1995 -- the direct result of
Internet-based communications. This
increased citizen participation in
the legislative process has had both
positive and negative effects.
Nearly 80% of congressional staff
surveyed believe that the Internet
has made it easier for constituents
to become involved in public policy.
However, neither the senders nor the
receivers of congressional
communications have learned how to
use the new tools that the Internet
has provided truly effectively. The
suggestions at the following Link
provide a means to effectively
communicate with your Senators and
Representative.
- Project Overview - In 2001,
CMF began work on this project
to improve communications
between citizens and Members of
Congress.
- How Capitol Hill is Coping
with the Surge in Citizen
Advocacy - A report on
congressional staffs' views of
constituent communications based
on focus groups, interviews, and
surveys of 350 House and Senate
Staff in 200 offices.
- Conference on Constituent
Communications: Dispelling Myths
and Discussing Solutions - A
forum in which more than 200
experts and stakeholders from
both sides came together to
share perspectives and discuss
possible solutions.
- How the Internet Has Changed
Citizen Engagement - A report on
citizens' views on communicating
with Congress based on
nationwide telephone and online
surveys of citizens.
- Recommendations for Improving
the Democratic Dialogue - This
report is the culmination of
CMF's nine years of research,
outreach, and study, with
recommendations for all
stakeholders on how to improve
communication between citizens
and Congress.
- Navigating the Rising Tide of
Grassroots Advocacy - CMF offers
educational
presentations for
grassroots/advocacy organizations
on the topic of how to effectively
communicate with Congress.
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06 April
RE: Upstate Gunman Kills 13 at
Citizenship Class, front page, April
4.
Fourteen dead in Binghamton.
Eight dead in North Carolina.
Four police officers gunned down
performing a routine traffic stop In
Oakland.
And this morning, news of three
police officers murdered while
responding to a domestic violence
call in Pittsburg.
When will our country wake up and
realize we have a devastating
national health crisis on our hands
- and it's called violence. It would
appear that Vice President Joseph
Biden agrees. In response to the
tragedy in New York he stated
Americans must find a way to prevent
this kind of bloodshed; "We've got
to figure out a way to deal with
this terrible, terrible violence".
Well Mr. Vice President, there
already is a way - and it's called
the United States Department of
Peace and Non-Violence, H.R. 808,
currently in the House of
Representatives with 67 cosponsors.
The sole purpose of the proposed
department would be to prevent and
reduce violence in all its forms by
using programs and methods proven
effective in transforming conflict
before it erupts into violence.
How many more heartbreaking
headlines do we need to see before
we take a stand and demand that
Congress take a serious look at H.R.
808? I ask you Mr. Biden - will you?
I just sent it and hope to hear back
from them. Regardless of whether or
not they print it, I think it might
be in our campaign's best interest
to use Vice President Biden's
response as an opportunity for a
coordinated national effort to
contact his office. We should act
swiftly if we do intend to do
something. Welcome thoughts and a
sound strategy.
In peace and with a wounded heart,
Kevin Fagan
Brooklyn, NY
Please send your own message today
to Vice President Biden at http://www.whitehouse.gov/ContactUs
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16 January 2009 - Thank you
everyone, we did it!!!
Appoint Secretary of Peace in
Department of Peace and Non-violence
took 2nd place in the Change in
America Competition at Change.org
Visit
The Department of Peace Blog at
Change.org See Link.
|
|
We are lobbying our Massachusetts congressmen to
support HR-808, the House Resolution 'To
establish a Department of Peace and Nonviolence'
filed by Representative Dennis Kucinich of Ohio.
Download the pdf at frwebgate.
Co-sponsors 71
( Search Bill Number on H.R.808,
then select 'Link to Bill Status and Summary
file', then select the 'Cosponsors' link )
|
| Get DoP related news stories in your mail
from Google. Set up a Google Alert at http://www.google.com/alerts.
Set search item to "Department of Peace" and
create the alert. |
Announcements
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Soldiers of Peace
Stories from 14 Countries around
the World, Sunday, Dec 6th, 1:30
p.m.,
at First Parish in Concord, 20
Lexington Road
The Good Soldier follows the
journeys of five combat veterans
from different generations of
American wars as they sign up, go
into battle, and eventually change
their minds about what it means to
be a good soldier. [ See
link ]
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Kick-off Event for the World
March for Peace and Nonviolence
The Peace Abbey, Sharon, MA -
Oct 2, Friday
Please help us celebrate
Gandhi's birthday by honoring the
work of the Peace
Abbey and those who have
chosen nonviolence as a solution
to conflict and a way of life. The
evening celebration will include
an original presentation: "Go Out
in Joy, Led Forth in Peace." This
will be followed by a candle
lighting ceremony to mark the
first day of the World March for
Peace and Nonviolence. We request
that all in attendance bring the
"light of nonviolence" back to
their communities and continue to
raise awareness about the World
March. During the 90 days of the
March, we invite people to come
and light a candle and sign the
World March journal in support of
the goals of peace, nonviolence
and nuclear disarmament. Sign-up
sheets will be available Friday
night and Saturday morning, as
well as by email at
jan.krause-at-verizon.net.
[ See
October Calendar ].
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Walk This Way -- For Peace
On a pleasant evening in
downtown Austin last Saturday,
Sept. 19, about 80 Southwestern
students and community members
gathered to participate in the
third annual Walk for Peace. At
5:30 p.m. participants holding
signs and chanting encouraging
words of peace started the mile
long walk from the state capitol
building on Congress Avenue,
arriving at Austin City Hall on
Cesar Chavez Street at 6 p.m. Once
at City Hall, several speakers
talked to participants about
various forms of peace and
protested against violence of all
kinds. The Hunters and Gatherers,
a local Austin band that has
played on occasion at the Kappa
Sigma House, concluded the event
by putting on a show for the
walkers. [ See
link ].
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A Fathers' Day Festival for
Peace Awareness
at the Acton Jazz Cafe, from
Noon to 8 pm
Sunday, June 21, 2009 - Acton,
MA
[ See
Flyer ].
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Please visit Ana
Campos' great DOP Florida website on
MYSPACE www.myspace.com/DepartmentofPeaceflorida
and
enjoy a great celebration of a
dynamic group working for peace and
nonviolence in America today.
Thank You.
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San Francisco Wants US Department of Peace
17 Mar 2007 - By unanimous vote the San
Francisco Board of Supervisors endorses
legislation to establish a U.S. Department of
Peace and Nonviolence
San Francisco , CA. - San Francisco joined
the Bay Area cities of Berkeley, Oakland, Palo
Alto and San Jose yesterday when its Board of
Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution
endorsing creation of a cabinet-level U.S.
Department of Peace and Nonviolence. By doing
so, this sixth-largest metropolitan area in
the country (encompassing some 5.4 million
residents) joined the ranks of 20 cities
voicing support for HR 808, legislation that
focuses on innovative and proactive approaches
to violence prevention.
"We have to remind elected officials of all
parties that peace is patriotic...." said HR
808 co-sponsor Rep. Barbara Lee after the bill
was reintroduced in Congress on February 5 th.
"If we had a Department of Peace, we'd be
dealing in a real way with gun violence, and
domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse,
and all the awful violence that's taking place
because of the cutbacks of funding and
disinvestment in the American people. In the
words of the great warrior for peace Dr.
Martin Luther King, peace is not just the
absence of tension, it is the presence of
justice. A Department of Peace would embody
that ideal." [ Read
More ]
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News Articles
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Anti-Violence
Advisor 'Thrills' Allies in Field
Lynn Rosenthal is being asked to
counsel Obama and Biden on curbing
violence against women. While some
yawned at news of another White House
advisor without a budget, she is
stirring hope in a hard time for
domestic shelters.
See [ entire article ]
|
Washington Watch
H.R. 808, The Department of Peace Act
Bill would establish a Department of
Peace
Read the Bill and See what People are
Saying.
See [ entire article ]
|
Give U.S. Department of Peace a
chance
Posted on Sun, Apr. 26, 2009
By LEWIS DIUGUID
The Kansas City Star
Barack Obama’s election as president has
breathed life into efforts for a U.S.
Department of Peace and Nonviolence.
Rep. Dennis Kucinich first proposed the
Cabinet-level post in July 2001 — two
months before the Sept. 11, 2001,
terrorist attack. He had seen too much
violence worldwide and wanted to create
a platform in the executive branch to
promote alternative ways to resolve
conflicts.
People too quickly turn to violence and
war. Kucinich says a department of peace
would give people better tools.
“Peace is not some airy, fairy notion,”
said Kucinich, an Ohio Democrat and past
presidential candidate whose bill
embodies the teachings of Martin Luther
King Jr., Mohandas Gandhi and Jesus
Christ. “It’s an active presence of
love, mutuality and understanding.”
The bill had no chance of advancing when
George W. Bush was president,
Republicans controlled Congress, and the
U.S. was newly embroiled in wars in
Afghanistan and Iraq. The wars drag on,
along with billions of dollars wasted on
violence.
Obama gives people long-awaited hope
that this country can do better, said
John Parker, media coordinator with the
Peace Alliance in Washington, D.C. He
sees a resurgence of interest in Peace
Alliance work on Capitol Hill.
Parker said the peace department would
have a $10 billion budget. About 85
percent of the money would go to reduce
violence in the United States, which
annually costs $64.7 billion in lost
productivity.
Wars in the 20th century claimed more
than 100 million lives, an incredible
waste of human talent and potential.
Kucinich said, “Peace is practical;
violence is quite impractical.” He
pointed to gun violence and a series of
mass shootings in workplaces, homes and
even churches.
People are unable to settle differences
peacefully. “This is a very human
condition, but it doesn’t mean it needs
to stay that way,” Kucinich said.
A peace department would give people new
options — particularly with families
under so much financial and social
stress in today’s deteriorating economy.
“We know that violence is learned,”
Kucinich said. “So is nonviolence and
peace. You can teach a new, effective
approach to dealing with conflict.”
Steve Iliff, dean of the school of
professional studies at Avila
University, teaches peace classes and
conflict resolution. His students are
amazed by lessons of peace and
nonviolence, lessons they never knew
existed.
A department of peace would work with
schools and other Cabinet departments.
The legislation would include developing
drug and alcohol treatment policies,
pushing crime prevention and community
policing, working to reduce media
violence, studying the effects of war on
children, embracing conservation and
sustainability, and promoting diversity
and tolerance.
The department would include the
creation of a multinational nonviolent
peace force and seek a reduction of
nuclear arms and other weapons.
Kucinich said: “Violence has enormous
social costs. A department of peace
actually saves money. It’s kind of a
preventative approach in health care. We
have the ability to make choices in our
lives. We need a wider range of
choices.”
The challenge is to get people to see
that peace efforts are not superfluous.
Ira Harritt, program coordinator with
the American Friends Service Committee
locally, said peace had to be
accompanied by people having justice and
opportunity. That would enable them to
thrive.
Kucinich sees a department of peace as a
step forward in humanity’s evolution.
“The health of our society requires
government as an institution to evolve
to meet the changing needs of society,”
Kucinich said. “This is a proposal that
promotes an idea whose time has come.
“It’s really about helping us live a
more joyful life and a life that is less
burdened by violence.”
Imagine that. View
the original article.
Lewis W. Diuguid is a
member of The Star’s Editorial
Board. To reach him, call
816-234-4723 or send e-mail to
Ldiuguid@kcstar.com. |
How Could Anyone...Not Give Peace a
Chance?
|
What is the cabinet level U.S.
Department of Peace and Nonviolence all
about?
(note: this is a two-page .doc file) |
| Read the Bill for the 110th
Congress -
HR 808 at The Peace Alliance web
site |
| Dennis Kucinich speaks for Dept. of
Peace in Washington DC - Video |
 The
Peace Alliance - Campaign to establish
a U.S.
Department of Peace and Nonviolence |
The problem of war has a
solution: giving peace a deadline.
Learn about our Peace in Five Years
(P:5Y) campaign for peace, our overall
strategy, and the six-step process
we've developed for realizing peace. |
The Shift from Domination to
Partnership
Riane
Eisler, author of 'The Real
Wealth of Nations', spoke at the 2009
Department of Peace Campaign National
Conference. The author calls for a
Nordic viewpoint on our economic
model. The salient points in her
Conference message are available at this video link.
Her Conference presentation is
available here. |
Designing a National Peace Academy
We know how to build peace; we just
have to do it, at every level, from
the staggeringly huge to the
infinitely minute.
“The day will come,” said the
extraordinary priest-scientist Pierre
Teilhard de Chardin, “when, after
harnessing space, the winds, the
tides, gravitation, we shall harness
for God the energies of love. And, on
that day, for the second time in the
history of the world, man will have
discovered fire.”
REVERSING THE CYCLE
OF VIOLENCE By Robert C.
Koehler, Tribune Media Services
First-ever U.S.
National Peace Academy Launched
- The goal of the National Peace
Academy is to support and advance a
sustainable culture of peace through
research, education, and real-world
application.
Areas of specialized interest and
practice ranged from domestic violence
and spousal abuse to more global
humanitarian issues, such as the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict,
genocides in Darfur and Rwanda, and
violence-related famines and health
crises in conflict-riddled regions
throughout the world. See NPA
Announcement (pdf)
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Department of Peace - Opinion
CellularDefenseTeam Blog
The Peace Alliance and the Student Peace
Alliance organization supports the creation
of a U.S. Department of Peace and
Non-violence. It is an independent
grassroots politacal movement that operates
autonomously. See [ entire article ]
|
Department of Peace Bill
Business Article by Peggy Campbell, 14 Feb
2009, TheLedger.com
The legislation to establish a U.S.
Department of Peace was reintroduced into
the U.S. House of Representatives Feb. 3
by Congressman Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio,
and 62 congressional co-sponsors. Two
additional co-sponsors signed on after
introduction, bringing the total number of
supporters to 65. It was assigned the same
bill number as in the previous Congress:
HR 808.
This bill has some small-but-exciting
changes. For example, it calls for $10
billion to fund the department, with 85
percent of funds designated to reduce and
prevent violence here in the United
States. See [ entire article ]
|
U.S. Campaign for a Department of Peace
Arn Spector, 21 December 2008, OpEdNews
article
Thanks for publishing this article!
The very first bill to create a Department
of Peace was introduced in 1935 by Senator
Neely of Virgina and has been introduced
in both the Senate and the House multiple
times over the past 80 years. Support for
it has been increasing ever since. It was
then introduced again in 2001 by
Congressman Kucinich just one month before
9-11. There is a rather large and
expanding movement supporting it's
passage. The difference between 1935 and
now, is the instant availabilty to take
action online and in person. Support for
Senator Neely's original bill is now
benefiting from text messaging, e-faxing
letter to Congress, national actions and
volunteers en masse signing petitions,
writing letter and blogs! I bet he would
be amazed! The Peace Alliance is a
nonpartisan, nonprofit supporting the
establishment of a U.S. Department of
Peace and Nonviolence with the passage of
a federal bill currently in Congress
(HR-808). In my opinion, they have been
instrumental in raising public and
politician awareness of not only the
federal bill in Congress but the need to
treat preventing violence at it's root
causes. Bandaids come off and it seems to
me that's all we use to treat the rampant
epidemic of violence in the world and our
communities.
As you kindly mentioned, the website
www.Change.org is holding an online event
through Jan 15th calling for the "Ideas
For Change in America." [ Please add your
vote via the link in Actions above - ed.]
The idea to "Appoint Secretary of Peace in
Department of Peace and Nonviolence" is in
the category of other and currently in 1st
place.
The idea is in second place out of 4,500
ideas.
The support and the hunger for true change
is here.
I really appreciate your attention to the
need for violence prevention
With Appreciation,
Ana Campos
South Florida State Organizer
US Department of Peace and Nonviolence
Campaign
[ See Ana
Spector's
entire article ]
|
The Peace Alliance Announces Creation of
Educational Institute
by Patty Kuderer, National Director of
Communications, 16 Dec 2008, The Peace
Alliance press@thepeacealliance.org
The Peace Alliance Educational Institute
to Focus on Violence Prevention Education
:
WASHINGTON - December 16 - The Peace
Alliance, the nonprofit, nonpartisan
organization leading the growing
grassroots movement active in all 50
states for creation of a U.S. Department
of Peace, announced last week it is in the
process of creating The Peace Alliance
Educational Institute, a 501(c)3 nonprofit
organization focusing on violence
prevention education and research.
We chose the name 'The Peace Alliance
Educational Institute' because we feel it
most accurately describes both the tone
and nature of the work we intend to do
through the new organization, said Peace
Alliance Executive Director Lynn McMullen.
'Institute' demonstrates the serious,
practical, pragmatic and
scientifically-based nature of effective
peacebuilding See [ entire article ]
|
Obama 1 Reality check on the next
commander-in-chief
by Anthony Peyton Porter, date, CHICO News
& Review, newsreview.com
....Obama’s popularity in my kitchen
slipped recently when he started picking
the Clinton gang and other conventional
suits to work for him. It seems a
counterintuitive way to achieve change.
Those polled are hopeful that he’ll find
somebody who actually thinks differently
soon and have adopted a wait-and-see
posture.....
I don’t expect Barack Obama to kill the
Federal Reserve system or the CIA or to
slash military spending or even revoke any
corporate charters, but I think we’ve got
a shot at universal health care, and maybe
sooner or later a Department of Peace, or
at least an innovative appointment or two.
A constitutional convention would clear up
a lot of things, but the thought of
rethinking everything from the ground up
scares some people, and my guess is that’s
the last thing Obama wants to do. That’s
my blah-blah See [ entire article ]
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War and Peace Come Together on a Rainy Day
by Mike Billington, 13 Dec 2008, Charlotte
Sun and Weekly Herald
We like to think we humans are members
of a pretty sophisticated tribe. We really
aren't. There are people out there, loose
in the world, who think murder is an
acceptable form of political persuasion.
Sometimes, that means we have to send
young men and women into battle.
But we also need Peter Duisberg and the
men and women who, like him, are dedicated
to the idea that we can, as humans, be
better than our club-wielding ancestors.
They believe that there are better ways to
end disputes than by sending suicide
bombers into malls and battle fleets to
sea.
Warrior and war protester alike, they each
have the courage it takes to stand up and
do the right thing, even if they don't
always agree what that right thing is.
See [ entire article ]
|
Set up Peace Department
by Sister Gabriella Crowley 28 Nov 2008,
ArgusLeader.com
There is a movement in the United States
to establish a Department of Peace. This
is not a new concept. Throughout the
history of this country, there have been
attempts to create a Department of Peace.
Many people believe this is an attainable
goal.
We can define peace as being a measure of
the ability to address conflict before it
escalates into violence. As a nation we
are unskilled in this area. The answer is
to educate and provide tools to address
the conflict at its root causes. This can
be accomplished by educating Americans on
the prevalence of violence and showing
that we can impact and change it.
See [ entire article ]
|
Students to choose 'asks' for Obama
by Nashrah Rahman, Staff writer, 09 Dec 2008,
The Justice
Brandeis Student Peace Alliance:
SPA wants the new administration to
establish a cabinet-level U.S. Department
of Peace, make the prevention and
reduction of youth violence a priority in
the federal budget and ensure nonviolent
and conflict resolution to the U.S.
military and representatives abroad.
See [ entire article ]
|
Barbara Lee - "Renegade for Peace &
Justice"
by By TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER, 09 Dec 2008, The
Daily Sound
As a Congresswoman, she’s introduced
bills to help people with HIV and AIDS,
and she’s championed the rights of women
and children. And in the halls of
Congress, Lee is known for standing strong
in her beliefs, including one that says we
need a Department of Peace in Washington.
See [ entire article ]
|
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West
Linn students lobby City Council to
back a Department of Peace
by Yuxing Zheng, The Oregonian, 19
Nov 2008
They weren't old enough to vote in
this month's election, but that
didn't stop three West Linn High
School seniors from making an impact
in local government.
Lucas Pinelli, Chelsea Callas and
Kirk Larsen successfully lobbied the
West Linn City Council to pass a
resolution last week calling on the
federal government to create a
Cabinet-level Department of Peace
and Nonviolence to promote
nonviolent conflict resolution
domestically and internationally.
The three are among a handful of
high school students who have pushed
for local governments to adopt
resolutions in support of House Bill
808. The bill calls for
peace-oriented offices, including
peace education and training, arms
control and disarmament, and human
and economic rights. [ read
more ]
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United States Department of Peace
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The United States Department of Peace
(or DoP) is a proposed cabinet-level
department of the executive branch of the
U.S. government. The original idea of a
Peace Department in the United States
dates back to the administration of George
Washington, but has been most recently
reinitiated by Rep. Dennis Kucinich
beginning in 2001 and formed a part of
Kucinich's presidential campaign platform
in 2004. A bill for this purpose, HR 3760,
was previously introduced in the House of
Representatives on September 14, 2005. It
has most recently been re-introduced via
HR 808 on February 5, 2007.
The movement in support of a U.S.
Department of Peace is also an independent
grassroots political movement that
operates autonomously and that has
continued to gain momentum after
Kucinich's bid in the 2004 presidential
election. The ongoing movement is co-led
by Kucinich and the author and popular
motivational speaker Marianne Williamson.
This movement actively lobbies for the
endorsements of congressional leaders. It
has local grassroot chapters in over 200
congressional districts.nbsp; [
read more]
|
May 6, 2006 Moms, peace and apple pie,
Houston Chronicle
Julis Ward Howe, the founder of Mother's Day,
was also a peace activist. To honor Howe's
passion and activism, as well as mothers
everywhere, many Americans from all across the
country will take part in actions on May 12 to
support the establishment of a U.S.
cabinet-level department of peace and
nonviolence.
On the Friday before Mother's Day, we want to
let our members of Congress know that peace
wants a piece of the pie! All across the
nation, people will be taking pies to their
congressional representatives' office in a
request for a very small percentage of the
U.S. national budget (less than 1 percent) to
be spent on proven, effective programs to
reduce violence.
This ground-breaking legislation would address
both domestic and international issues. More
than 60 percent of the money would be spent in
the United States on programs that have proven
to decrease violence and build stronger
communities. Innovative programs around the
country are paving the way in reducing
recidivism rates, domestic violence, child
abuse and gang-related violence.
The legislation will provide hope and purpose
to our generation, and will answer the desire
for peace. It is designed to systematically
apply the power of peace to eradicating the
root causes of violence. Mothers everywhere —
and their families — will benefit.
For more information, readers can visit the
national Web site at www.dopcampaign.org.
[Article no longer available]
|
2 Mile-Long Living Memorial Honors U.S.
Soldiers Killed in Iraq
December 01, 2005 by Gisela Sommer, Epoch
Times San Diego Staff
SAN DIEGO — Hundreds of people dressed in
black showed up in Carlsbad, California the
day after Thanksgiving to participate in a
peaceful living art memorial to fallen U.S.
soldiers. Each of the demonstrators
represented one of the 2,108 American troops
who have fallen in the war in Iraq, and formed
a line more than 2 miles long.
...The event was organized by local resident
Jeeni Criscenzo as a peaceful, respectful way
to honor the loss of over 2,000 American
lives. Criscenzo is an advocate for the
establishment of a Department of Peace. She is
also running for U.S. Congress in 2006 to
represent the 49th District. [read more]
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| (New Articles added throughout
the day. Check back often and be sure
to hit your refresh button to see the
latest updates). |
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"How Could Anyone"
by Libby Roderick
"How could anyone ever tell you you were
anything less than beautiful?
"How could anyone ever tell you you were less
than whole?
"How could anyone fail to notice that your
loving is a miracle?
"How deeply you're connected to my soul." .
|
|
source |
"How Could Anyone" perfectly
mirrors the goal of The Peace Alliance, which
is spearheading the lobbying effort behind the
legislation, said Dot Maver, alliance
executive director. Maver also used the song
when she ran the Democratic presidential
campaign of Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich, who
introduced the same legislation in the U.S.
House seeking to set up a peace department.
"It speaks to our essential humanity," Maver
said. "It calls for us to be kind,
compassionate, wise and it recognizes our
interconnectedness." |
This website reports
information from sources that we believe are
accurate.
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