Change.org

 

Ideas Home
»
Department of Peace
»
Suggestions

Suggestions for Action

What do you think is the most effective way to turn this idea into real policy? Add your suggestions here for how you think we should run an advocacy campaign to advance the idea – including the overall strategy, messaging, targets, and tactics.

Approach this from the standpoint that people reading this forum already agree with you on the importance of the issue, and are asking "What can we do to help make this a reality?"

You can also comment on and rank the suggestions submitted by others.

  1. Ana Campos

    "I refuse to accept the idea that man is mere flotsom and jetsom in the river of life, unable to influence the unfolding events which surround him. I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
     
    CALL TO ACTION:  Join me and contact President Obama today to ask him to support HR-808 the U.S. Department of Peace Act and/or HR-1064 the Youth PROMISE Act. In my opinion, keeping these bills on his radar and visible, are critical. 

    WRITE to the President: The White House  1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500 Please include your e-mail address  

    CALL the White House: Comments: 202-456-1111  Switchboard: 202-456-1414   FAX: 202-456-2461  

    EMAIL the White House: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ 


    Thank you!

    With Optimism,
     
    Ana Campos
    Board Member, The Peace Alliance
    South Florida State Coordinator
    U.S. Department of Peace Campaign

    National Website: http://www.ThePeaceAlliance.org
    DoPeace Website: http://DoPEACE.ning.com
    Facebook:  http://www.causes.com/departmentofpeace
        

    Suggested by Ana Campos on 10/10/2009 @ 01:30PM PT

  2. Ana Campos

    Dear Friends of Peace: 

    President Obama has created a personal website asking the public "How can we strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness by making government more transparent, participatory, and collaborative?" Someone submitted a Department of Peace idea. There are only 95 votes. I just received an email that the contest rules had changed and this brainstorming session won't end until June 19th. I think whatever we can do to stay on President Obama and his staff's radar will help the entire movement! Whether this idea has anything to do with open government, it's still a chance to bring DOP information straight to the top. 

    With your help back in January, the "Department of Peace" idea was voted as one of the 10 top "Ideas for Change in America" and was given to President Obama's transition team 4 days before the Inauguration. I think his staff was inspired by the old COMPLETED contest on Change.org because the new contest below, is identical. Very interesting! Would you be willing to take a minute or two and click the link below to vote? 

    WILL YOU VOTE HERE AND distribute this link?    http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3336-4049  

    ADVANCED WARNING -     To vote you must click "Sounds Promising" - Type your email and select "NEW USER" and enter a PASSWORD. Then check your inbox for an email verification and click it. You will NEED to click AGAIN on "SOUNDS PROMISING" for your vote to register. It has to say "VOTE ACCEPTED" or it won't register. 

    If the link above doesn't work, please go to http://opengov.ideascale.com and type Department of Peace in the search engine box located in the top righthand corner of the page. Click to search and scroll down to the bottom of page to find your choice. 

    READ more about the contest details here:http://opengov.ideascale.com

    As always I thank you for your continued support! 

    Ana Campos
    South Florida State Coordinator
    US Department of Peace Campaign

    National Website:     www.ThePeaceAlliance.org
    Local Website: www.USCampaignforPeace.ning.com
    Facebook and MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/DepartmentofPeaceFlorida

    Suggested by Ana Campos on 05/30/2009 @ 11:11PM PT

  3. Ana Campos

    ASK VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN TO SUPPORT A DEPARTMENT OF PEACE

     

    PLEDGE TO TAKE ACTION -http://www.change.org/ideas/2028/view_action/ask_vice_president_joe_biden_to_support_the_department_of_peace

    CONTACT FORM FOR VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN -
    htttp://www.whitehouse.gov/ContactUs/


    Thanks!
    Ana Campos
    South Florida State Coordinator
    U.S. Department of Peace Campaign


    Facebook and MySpace:     http://www.myspace.com/DepartmentofPeaceFlorida

    Videos:     http://www.youtube.com/DOPFloridaCampaign

    National Website:     www.ThePeaceAlliance.org

    Suggested by Ana Campos on 04/06/2009 @ 12:27PM PT

  4. Ana Campos

    Will President Obama answer a Department of Peace question this Thursday, tonight??

    The answer is maybe. Are you willing to encourage him?



    Dear Ana,

    President Obama has called for questions from the public about the economy. He'll be answering some on national TV tomorrow night.

    We know that reducing and preventing violence has the potential of saving hundreds of billions of dollars each year, so we want him to answer a question about the Department of Peace.

    Carol Hillson of New York has posted a question on http://www.whitehouse.gov


    Go there today and vote up her question.

    It's simple:

    Register First at http://www.whitehouse.gov/openforquestions/

    Search on Department of Peace and vote YES (click on the check box to the right of the question; you may need to log in/create an account, which is really simple!)

    Spread the word
    Try to do this today--Wednesday, March 25--as the President will be on TV tomorrow. Even if you can't to it today, do it anyway; we want this issue to continue to be in front of the White House as much as possible.

    Thank you for taking action for peace!

    In gratitude,
    Wendy Greene
    Managing Director

    http://www.ThePeaceAlliance.org


    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    •ABOUT THE LEGISLATION

    There is currently a bill before Congress to establish a federal Department of Peace to reduce and prevent violence in the United States and abroad. It will work to expand the nation's capacity to strategically develop and apply practical, cost-effective and proven means of resolving conflict before it erupts into violence. It will provide unprecedented financial and institutional heft to strengthen and complement our current approaches to violence, focusing on prevention through multi-layered nonviolent strategies.

    Domestically, the Department will develop policies and allocate resources to support local communities in finding, funding and replicating effective violence-reduction and prevention programs. Internationally, the Department will focus on understanding and addressing the root causes of violence, providing the President and Congress with expert resources for nonviolently defusing international crises and conflicts. A Peace Academy, on par with the military service academies, will provide a four-year course of instruction after which graduates will serve five years in public service programs dedicated to domestic or international nonviolent conflict resolution.

    Learn more at The Peace Alliance website.


    Join us now. Create a Department of Peace. Help make history.
    Together, we can do this.


    •HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE LEGISLATION:

    Develop a coordinated, strategic, sophisticated approach to expanding our nation's ability to nonviolently resolve conflict before it erupts into violence

    Provide much-needed assistance to city, county and state governments in finding, funding and expanding programs that are proven effective at reducing and preventing violence

    Teach violence prevention and mediation to America's school children and teachers

    Support the use of programs proven to reduce prison re-offending (recidivism) rates

    Support our military with new peacebuilding capabilities desperately needed in the war on terror

    Create and administer a U.S. Peace Academy to ensure the development and application of the very best nonviolent resources in conflict resolution

    And more…

    http://www.ThePeaceAlliance.org

    Suggested by Ana Campos on 03/25/2009 @ 08:29PM PT

  5. Lynne Crick

    I would like to appoint either Dennis Kucinich or Marshall B. Rosenberg as our first Secretary of Peace.  For me, it seems Marshall Rosenberg should be given first pick because he has already the experience doing this kind of Nonviolent Communication interacting worldwide with so many kinds of people and really knows how to "talk" engaging anyone into this kind of empathic connection.

    Suggested by Lynne Crick on 03/20/2009 @ 11:15AM PT

  6. Kristofer Young, DC

    Wear a peace button.

    Suggested by Kristofer Young, DC on 03/17/2009 @ 03:20PM PT

  7. Jo Tyler

    I agree with several other posters: Let's recruit Dennis Kucinich for the first Secretary of Peace!

    Suggested by Jo Tyler on 02/06/2009 @ 07:19PM PT

  8. Mary Jan Greene

    Watch this video on YOUTUBE. It is about the World March for Peace and Non-Violence. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT1G7KWIOKo

    If you would like to get involved in the WORLD MARCH, go to
    http://www.worldmarchusa.net/World_March_USA/Welcome.html.

    Yoko Ono, if you are reading this, would you consider endorsing the march. If you want to talk about it, please contact me at
    jan.krause@verizon.net
    Namaste

    Suggested by Mary Jan Greene on 02/05/2009 @ 03:55PM PT

  9. Mary Jan Greene

    I support the idea of a Dept of Peace. Wouldn't it be wonderful if a US Dept of Peace became a motivator for other countries to also institute Departments of Peace? At that point, maybe nations will begin to collaborate together to solve probelms, rather than use wars, invasions, bombs and terrorism to solve conflict.
    I have often thought that if individuals who were opposed to violent solutions had a way to identify themselves to others throughout the world, then they could form a grass roots network for peace and non-violence - a group of people who refuse to participate in violence as a means of solving problems or gaining wealth. I envision a flag that is a universal symbol for peace and non-violence. (design and distribution remain problematic, but I am open to suggestions). So right now, I am thinking of a virtual flag that is composed of words - which, of course needs to be translated into all the languages of the world.

    We share this planet with each other.  None of us own it. Yet, all of us are responsible for its survival. We are all connected by our humanity. I know that every other human being is no less valuable than I. I believe that love can overcome hate, just as light overcomes darkness. I believe in peace. I will work for peace.
    When I fly this flag I pledge to: ·         Consider the impact of my actions on my fellow human beings and on the earth. ·         Engage in no activity that deliberately harms another human being ·         Endeavor to learn the impact of my choices on people in             other parts of the world. ·         Seek nonviolent solutions to the problems we face.   If you would like to raise a virtual flag, by signing this,  please contact me at jan.krause@verizon.net My hope is to start a person to person worldwide commitment to peace.  I think the ideas in the pledge could be good starting points for the Department of Peace., although I honestly can not see any government agreeing (at this point and time) to refrain from any activity that deliberately harms another human being.
     

    Suggested by Mary Jan Greene on 02/05/2009 @ 03:51PM PT

  10. David Hazen

     The peace dividend that would come from preventing the costs of repairing the damage of violence in our homes, schools, communities, prisons, and battlegrounds is at least equal to the entire federal budget. This bill will become law not because of some president or senator saying yes, it will happen because the citizens wake up to the pain and loss of violence and ask, is there a better way to resolve conflict? The answer is a most resounding YES. Conflict resolution and peace-building courses of study are now available in over 450 colleges and universities, which was not true 40 years ago. Just as the construction of an atomic bomb became inevitable when the knowledge and technique of doing so became available, so also will war become obsolete because the knowledge and technique for doing so is available.

    The absolute best way for the activist community to move things forward to a sustainable future is to invent it in the present, to build it now, to do an end-run around the opposition. The joy, wonder, and power of people working together in community could elicited by ads that inspire HOPE because they see someone actually creating a solution, and their imagination is triggered to move them to action.

    Suggested by David Hazen on 02/05/2009 @ 03:33PM PT

Write a Suggestion

If you would like to leave a suggestion please sign in, or create an account

Endorsements for this Idea

Nonprofits and bloggers can formally endorse an idea they support. 105 current endorsements:


Endorse this Idea!

Nonprofits and bloggers can formally endorse an idea they support by completing the form below. If you represent a nonprofit, using an official organizational email address (e.g. "john@greenpeace.org" for Greenpeace) will expedite the process of confirming your organization's endorsement.

Nonprofit or Blogger?     
 
Name of Nonprofit / Blog
 
URL
 
Your First Name
 
Your Last Name
 
Your Email
 
close

This user's Profile page is not public. They have restricted it to only their friends.

Already a Member?

Create an Account

You must create a Change.org account to complete this action.
If you already have an account click here.