Department of Peace

[Michele Laborde Pascoe]

Where is Dennis's name in the new Obama appointments??? He deserves to be a part of this administration, and most importantly to head up the Department of Peace.

[Mareen]

I totally agree with your statement Michele. My personal opinion is that more people need to hear Dennis' message so they can begin to understand what he is about. I talk to people all the time who still don't know who I am talking about and this man has been a Presidential Candidate.

More bumper stickers, more posters, more t-shirts and more caps with Dennis Kucinich and his website address. We need to bring more people into the fold in order to make things happen. I know, there are people coming in everyday but we need to attrack the masses. The media isn't helping so each one of us needs to do our part in this. If we want peace; we need Dennis Kucinich! Obviously our phone calls, emails and letters are not yet making a difference. Bring more new supporters in and bombard Obama, Congress and the Senate. I don't think it would hurt to bombard our Governors with the message of "Department of Peace" is Dennis Kucinich.

[Michele Laborde Pascoe]

thanks for this Mareen. I love the bumper sticker idea. I think as the minority in the media, we progressives must never stop talking to everyone we know about these important issues. So many people have no concept that there are alternatives to the huge war machine the U.S. has become. Most of us 'truthseekers' take on the responsibilty of signing petitions, listening to the enlightening progressives on the radio, calling our representatives, etc.
It was wonderful to see Dennis front and center at the inauguration, and we'll keep pushing for this act of civility, a Department of Peace. Doesn't that say it all about us vs. them? Bush was looking for a War Czar... remember that??

[Deborah aka Madhatter]

http://www.change.org/ideas/view/appoint_secretary_of_peace_in_depa...

Check this out. Dennis' idea made the top ten. Someone out there is voting for this idea on change.org.

[Florence Baumgartner]

That is so awesome. Madhatter, :)

The inauguration is so full of hope. I just feel that one day, Dennis and Obama will work closely.
Here is a very interesting point of view from Deepak Chopra on the Obama presidency and feel,

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/obama-and-the-rise-of-secular-spir...

[Mareen]

Great article Flo, awesome website!

[Michele Laborde Pascoe]

Wow, thanks for this. As a non-believer, I was especially delighted to see the 'points' made about the beauty of seeing this world through the truth of the universal principles of non-violence, the vital connection to nature, the need to watch out for and to protect the poor, and the oppressed. So believers and non-believers can unite in this truly spritual connection to the world, the here and now. Merci.
Michele

[flo]

Thank you both, but I am not responsible, lol, it's the writer !! I so agree with you both, though, and what you say Michele is so what I feel is right too. Traditional religions seem so 'outdated' not to use a harsher word, with the amount of problems some of their attitudes have created...

Hopefully we shall slowly leave the weight of their intolerance behind.

Mareen, you didn't know the Care2 site ?? Oh my dear friend, a mine of lovely things in that site !!!! lol

Thank you both again :)

[Mareen]

No, I didn't know about Care2, BUT I DO NOW! Thanks to you.

[Debra Poss]

I have lobbied for a Department of Peace in D.C. three times; the last being almost two weeks ago.

The Department of Peace and Non-violence is a "hard sell" to non-Progresive Caucus members. In fact, most others don't seem to even consider it. One obsticle is it requires the forming of a full department. Even if a member of Congress agrees with increasing federal funding to programs and agencies that address the root causes of violence, and/or teach skills of non-violence, unless he/she is a Progressive, most likely, he/she will have a problem with creating an entire department, especially during this economic crises, and, particularly after the lack of oversight regarding the TARP Funds.

However, rather than a weakness, the Department is actually the strength of the bill. In a meeting with a staffer to My Republican Senator, I asked himwhat problem the Senator would have wth the bill, and I asked him what the Senator would like to see. The staffer said that the Senator would have a problem with creating a new Department. Then, the staffer said that the programs and agencies adressing violence are all over everywhere and it would be good if they could be brought together.

I became very excited, and said "that's what a Department of Peace would do; bring all of the (programs, agencies) together!

Then, the staffer seemed to understand.

Another benefit of a department is that with the Department of Peace would come a Secretary of Peace, who would sit on the president's cabinet and advise the president of all ways to handel confilcts, both domestically and internationally, completely non-violently. That presence needs to be at the cabinet level when considering whether or not to send combat toops abroad.

[Gail]

Thank you for your work on behalf of the Department of Peace, Debra. Word of mouth is still the most effective form of advertising. Thank you so much.

Gail