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CPNN Administrator
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Posted: Aug. 12 2004,14:34 |
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Nancy Wrenn has sent us the following information about the
Campaign for a U.S. Department of Peace, showing that there are realistic steps that we can take to bring it about.
On July 11, 2001, Rep. Dennis Kucinich introduced a bill in the House which would create a new U.S. Department of Peace. In the opening statement, it says:
"We are in a new millennium, and the time has come to review age-old challenges with new thinking wherein we can conceive of peace as not simply being the absence of violence, but the active presence of the capacity for a higher evolution of the human awareness, of respect, trust, and integrity; wherein we all may tap the infinite capabilities of humanity to transform consciousness and conditions which impel or compel violence at a personal, group, or national level toward developing a new understanding of, and a commitment to, compassion and love, in order to create a `shining city on a hill', the light of which is the light of nations."
H.R. 1673 establishes nonviolence as an organizing principle of American society, providing the U.S. President with an array of peace-building policy options for domestic and international use.
The Department would focus on nonmilitary peaceful conflict resolutions, prevent violence and promote justice and democratic principles to expand human rights. Domestically, the Department would be responsible for developing policies which address issues such as domestice violence, child abuse, mistreatment of the elderly, and other issues of cultural violence. Internationally, the Department would gather research, analyze foreign policy and make recommendations ot the President on how to address the root causes of war and intervene before violence begins, while improving national security, including the protection of human rights and the prevention and de-escalation of unarmed and armed international conflict.
Action steps the campaign recommends:
1. Call and write your representative and urge them to support the DoP legislation (H.R. 1673). 52 members of Congress currently support this and 8 states have passed state resolutions in support.
2. Community outreach with flyers and postcards to send to Reps.
3. Contact the media, writing letters to the Editor, Op-Ed pieces, generating editorials.
This campaign is sponsored by North American Peace Alliance and can be reached at peace@renaissancealliance. org or (586-754-8105). More information can be found at www.DoPcampaign.org
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