Secretary of Peace U.S. Department of Peace & Nonviolence 1 of Top 10 Ideas on Change.org

[1776Forever]

Department of Peace One of Top 10 Ideas for Change Sent to Administration
January 22, 2009

http://www.thepeacealliance.org/content/view/648/1/

Washington, DC – "Appoint a Secretary of Peace in a Department of Peace" was one of the nation’s top 10 "Ideas for Change" presented to the Obama Administration by Change.org last Friday during an event at the National Press Club. This call for systems and structures to proactively address the root causes of violence earned nearly 15,000 votes, ultimately placing second out of a total of more than 7,000 ideas submitted throughout Change.org's multi-week competition.

"This outpouring of support for a U.S. Department of Peace and Nonviolence sends a clear message to the President that people want the reduction and prevention of violence in the U.S. and abroad to be a strategic national policy objective," said Lynn McMullen, Executive Director of The Peace Alliance, a national nonpartisan organization supporting the grassroots U.S. Department of Peace Campaign. "We have been working hard to empower ordinary citizens to get their voices heard in government, and we're grateful to Change.org for providing such a vibrant opportunity for their input."

The Department of Peace secured its spot in the Top 10 due to the online activism of hundreds of committed youth and adult volunteers who helped inspire support from Yoko Ono, Congressman Dennis Kucinich, musician Jack Johnson, and a wide variety of peace advocacy organizations.

When created, the Department will be headed by a Cabinet-level Secretary of Peace appointed by the President (with the advice and consent of the Senate), and will focus on expanding the nation’s capacity to resolve conflict nonviolently, prevent violence by addressing its root causes, and promote justice and democratic principles to expand human rights.

Domestically, the Department will research, propose and facilitate practical, field-tested solutions to reduce and prevent violence. It will provide additional financial and institutional heft to strengthen and complement our current approach to violence, focusing on prevention through multi-layered strategies including increased funding for local programs already proven effective at reducing and preventing violence. A Peace Academy, on par with the military service academies, will provide highly trained personnel for domestic or international nonviolent conflict resolution.

Internationally, the Department will research and analyze foreign policy and recommend to the President ways to address the root causes of war. The Department will also provide expert advice to the President on nonviolent means of diffusing or dealing with international crises.

"We look forward to the support of Change.org in continuing to build this important campaign," noted McMullen. "With this added backing we are another step closer to making the Department of Peace a reality."

Supporters are invited to The Peace Alliance's National Conference March 20-23, 2009 in Washington, DC. After a weekend of training and education on citizenship and effective violence-reduction and prevention strategies, participants will lobby their Members of Congress to support of the Department of Peace legislation. Registration is now open on The Peace Alliance's website, www.thepeacealliance.org.

.........

Can we be so bold to dream this for our future and the future of our next generation? Let us strive for peace. Just the word makes me less stressful.


Pablo Picasso - Dove of Peace

[merh]

1. It should be the top recommendation

I am glad it is in the top 10.

K&R :kick:

[LWolf]

2. This is where rhetoric and propaganda hit reality.

The response by the Obama administration to this obviously popular change will speak volumes about the authenticity of the "change" slogan.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

3. Oh That 1% Kooky Kucinich...

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Fireweed247]

13. why do you do that?

Why don't you just not click on this thread?

While you are pissing people off in this thread-I think you have this backward-ignorant people and closed minded zealots are the type that insult without reason.

[roody]

14. Ignore is your friend!!

[Shiver]

4. I agree with the idea completely....

...and think it definitely needs to be implemented. Just not with that name. "Department of Peace" just sounds.... lame. :hide:

[dixiegrrrrl]

5. I am surprised so few recs for something we all have been talking about for so long.

Kucinich brought the idea forth years ago.
and it takes so little effort to send an e-mail in spport of peace, against war.

President Obama needs our encouragemt, support and reminders that he said good
governmet was up to "the people".
NOw is not the time to stop our efforts towards just and equitable goals.

K&R
:kick:

[1776Forever]

7. It is all about priorities - Reducing the Pentagon budget is the answer to a lot of our problems.

The problem in the United States concerning Peace is less weapons for war equals less budget for the Pentagon. That would mean more money for human issues of course. So the question is how much are we going to be able to wring out of the Pentagon budget?

From the Borgen Project: Poverty Reduction Through Political Accountability

The World's Largest Military Spenders
(Defense budgets in billions)

United States $522
China $63
Russia $62
United Kingdom $51
Japan $45
France $42
Germany $30
India $22
Saudi Arabia $21
South Korea $21

Here's how political leaders are spending the discretionary budget.


http://www.borgenproject.org/Defense_Spending.html

[cliffordu]

6. waaaaall......I want a Department of Angst and Hubris......

And a Secretary of Dada.

And a Congressional Committee on reprehensible acronyms

[1776Forever]

8. I thought Bushies entire Cabinet was that Department -

[druidity33]

9. what's that smell?

Could it be hope?

Or dove shit.

:shrug:

[1776Forever]

10. It is up to all of us isn't it? I will take hope!

:fistbump:

[Gregorian]

11. I see your Dove of Peace, and raise you one Benny Bufano peace obelisk

It's a duel! Or in the name of peace, it's a dual.

I am shocked that people are not war mongers as the media would have one believe. I knew it! Reality does have a liberal bias.

[1776Forever]

19. How about a Benny Bufano penguin family - Thanks for introducing him to me..

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=&imgrefurl=http://happening-here.blogspot.com/2007_01_01_archive.html&usg=__UvocSoLLOVkRWitGnHxBAeSVYDg=&h=400&w=266&sz=32&hl=en&start=2&sig2=IalYXC_hgstfMZyyVQetxw&um=1&tbnid=Nn0B9NzH8qUY6M:&tbnh=124&tbnw=82&ei=_BB9SYajJJXlmQf5pIkl&prev=/images%3Fq%3DBufano%2BRaining%2BMissiles%2Bof%2BPeace%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1B3GGGL_enUS240US241%26sa%3DG

From an early age, Benny Bufano believed in peace, but he was not the typical peacenik. Benny was eclectic, suspicious, egotistical, perhaps mildly suicidal, occasionally hostile, and often given to exaggeration if not outright lies. People either loved him or they hated him. San Francisco’s beloved newspaper columnist, the late Herb Caen, was quite fond of Benny, and regularly featured him in his daily columns. The exposure helped elevate Bufano to celebrity status.

While it is no secret that Bufano was seriously flawed as a family man, his celebrity assured him an almost saintly position as a revered member of the family of man. Benny’s friend, Henry Miller, once said of him, ”He will outlive our civilization and probably be better known, better understood, both as a man and artist, five thousand years hence.”

Bufano wanted his creations to survive forever, and it is quite possible that some of his monumental sculptures will outlive our civilization. Benny’s stainless steel, concrete, and granite constructions will slowly deteriorate over time, but unless they are intentionally removed or destroyed, remnants of them will likely survive the millennia, just as ancient monuments remain today in places like Athens, Rome, and Mexico City.

[Fireweed247]

12. "Internationally, the Department will research and analyze foreign policy

recommend to the President ways to address the root causes of war."

I can tell them right now and it is not the fault of the American people. The root cause of war is the president himself.

I just read on Google news Obama talking about Pakistan and Afghanistan "This is the central front in our enduring struggle against terrorism and extremism”

How many Americans want this stupid ass 'war on terror' to continue? What is really at fault is media lies, ignorance and the feeling that we have no power to stop this bullshit.

I like the idea of the Department of Peace but the name does cause some to think it is all woo woo. The main idea is to help foster peace in American families through education so maybe it should be The Department of Healthy families or something. But I have been wondering since Obama has given almost all of the other presidential candidates a position in his Administration- WHAT ABOUT KUCINICH? (although I would hate to lose him in the House)

[hootinholler]

15. Um, isn't that the State Dept's job?

:shrug:

-Hoot

[1776Forever]

17. It should be - I feel it has been a defensive State Dept and not an offensive Peace Dept.

The verdict is still out on how well our new State Department will be when it comes to winning the 'hearts and minds' abroad. Let us hope this does happen for the best future for our country and the world. In order to bring this peace to being we all need to have a more balanced and reasonable approach. I have faith it will be much better then the past when the Bushies were in charge.

[dansolo]

16. Peace should be the job of the State Department

I think the idea of a Department of Peace is a ridiculous idea. I'd much rather see a Secretary of State who promotes peace.

[1776Forever]

18. From what I read this is going to be for all types of approaches.

Domestic and foreign. We all hope for the new State Dept. under Hillary Clinton to be a wonderful success in doing this overseas, but I think it still would be a good thing to remember this in all areas of our lives.