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| published Friday, April 06, 2007 |
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on Friday May 12th, women bearing “Peace Pies” as gifts will celebrate Mother’s Day by visiting their U.S. Senators and Representatives and urging them to support landmark legislation that would create a U.S. Department of Peace. The pies (representing the federal budget) will be sliced to show how little money – the equivalent of just two percent of the more than $400 billion the U.S. currently allocates for defense spending – would be required to establish the agency.
Mothers around the world have long championed peace. In fact, the desire for world peace was what inspired Julia Ward Howe to establish a special peace day in Boston honoring mothers in 1872. Howe, who wrote the words to The Battle Hymn of the Republic, dedicated Mother’s Day to peace after living through the horrors of the U.S. Civil War. She asked: "Why do not the mothers of mankind interfere in these matters to prevent the waste of that human life of which they alone bear and know the cost?"
The Mother’s Day events are sponsored by The Peace Alliance, a non-partisan, non-profit organization devoted to building support for passage of The Department of Peace and Nonviolence Act (House Bill 808), currently co-sponsored by sixty-three representatives. The Peace Alliance has inspired a growing grassroots movement in all 50 states for creation of the Department of Peace.
The Department of Peace would research and analyze foreign policy and recommend to the President ways to address the root causes of war. A Peace Academy, on par with the Military Academies, would train civilian peacekeepers and the military in the latest nonviolent conflict resolution techniques and approaches. The Department would also provide expert advice to the President when diffusing or dealing with international crises.
Domestically, the Department would be responsible for developing new policies that address issues such as child abuse, domestic violence, gang violence, and cultural and racial violence. Statistics reveal that each year, medical expenses from domestic violence alone total at least $3 to $5 billion. Businesses forfeit another $100 million in lost wages, sick leave, absenteeism and non-productivity due to domestic violence. Teaching violence prevention and mediation to America’s school children is just one of the many ways a U.S. Department of Peace would reduce violence in our homes and schools.
The drive to establish governmental bodies dedicated to peace is global in scope, with grassroots organizations in Great Britain, Israel, Palestine, Japan, Canada, Costa Rica and elsewhere urging their governments to establish their own Departments, or Ministries, of Peace. Representatives from these countries and many others are calling on their governments to declare Sept 21st a global ceasefire day, in honor of the United Nations’ International Day of Peace.
“The concept of peace is a universal ethic and we are all challenged to govern ourselves in a culture of peace,” said Peace Alliance Executive Director Dot Maver, who recently addressed the Values Caucus at the United Nations. “It is time to create an infrastructure for peace that will focus on the principles of nonviolence and cooperation. I’d love to see the U.S. lead the global community in this endeavor. A Department of Peace would send a powerful proclamation to Americans and the world that the United States intends to use its great strength to participate in peace.
“The International Day of Peace calls for a day of global ceasefire and nonviolence. We want nonviolent conflict resolution to become part of our everyday lives.”
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by Shirley Thagard on Tuesday, May 15, 2007
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On Friday May 11, 2007 women and mothers of North Idaho delivered apple pies to the offices of Senators Craig and Crapo and Rep. Sali. The representatives in the offices were very receptive and as we discussed with them the tenants of the Department of Peace and Nonviolence, we felt new awareness had been raised. In each case, the people in the offices had been unfamiliar with the DOP legislation and our letter requesting an appointment to discuss the DOP prompted them to do a little research and read HR808. In every case, they agreed there is definately a need however, they sided with their bosses and questioned yet another level of government. We offered a projection of just one change in current policy that would have a huge impact.
The budget for prisons is $44 Billion per year. 90% of all inmates are there as a result of drugs or drug related crimes. The bulk of the prison population is under 35 yrs. of age.
If affordable adolescent drug treatment programs were available to all families and even the lowest (20%) reported success rate was applied to the resulting prison population the reduced cost of operating prisons were reduced by 20% that would more than pay for the establishment of a Department of Peace. Everyone agreed and emphasized the need for affordable drug treatment programs for adolescents.
We also delivered a pie to the counselor of the Soroptimist Children's center who specializes in early intervention of children impacted by domestic violence. Since domestic violence is 90% learned behavior, this program is having an impact on reducing domestic violence.
This counselor, Betty Magnus is an example of how the DOP would impact domestic violence.
The local press printed the story I wrote and printed the color photo of Betty Magnus being presented the pie.
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