LEGISLATION TO CREATE A DEPARTMENT OF PEACE
Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) introduced legislation on July 11,
2001 to create a cabinet level agency dedicated to peacemaking and the
study of conditions that are conducive to peace. The legislation focuses
on individual, group and national responsibilities of holding peace as an
organizing principle. The Department of Peace will focus on nonmilitary
peaceful conflict resolutions, prevent violence and promote justice and
democratic principles to expand human rights. A Peace Academy, similar
to the five military service academies, would be created; its graduates
dispatched to troubled areas around the globe to promote nonviolent
dispute resolutions.
INFO: Kathie Scarrah, 202.226.8139, 703.845.2874
ACTION: visit the related web site: <http://www.house.gov/kucinich/action/peace.htm>
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Legislation Inroduced to Create Department Of Peace

 Please read the local story following the Washington, DC Press Release

 FOR RELEASE: July 11, 2001

 Washington, DC -- Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH-10) today introduced
 legislation to create a cabinet level agency dedicated to peacemaking and the
 study of conditions that are conducive to peace.

 "The time for peace is now," Congressman Kucinich said.  "At the dawn of a
 new millennium, there is no better time to review age old challenges with new
 thinking that peace is not only the absence of violence, but the presence of
 a higher evolution of human awareness with respect, trust and integrity
 toward humankind.  Our founding fathers recognized that peace was one of the
 highest duties of the newly organized free and independent states.  But too
 often, we have overlooked the long-term solution of peace for instant
 gratification of war.  This continued downward spiral of violence must stop
 to ensure that future generations will live in peace and harmony."

 Kucinich's legislation to create a Department of Peace focuses on individual,
 group and national responsibilities of holding peace as an organizing
 principle.  The Department of Peace will focus on nonmilitary peaceful
 conflict resolutions, prevent violence and promote justice and democratic
 principles to expand human rights.  A Peace Academy, similar to the five
 military service academies, would be created; its graduates dispatched to
 troubled areas around the globe to promote nonviolent dispute resolutions.

 "The challenges inherent in creating a Department of Peace are massive," said
 Congressman Kucinich.  "But the alternatives are worse.  Violence at home, in
 the schools, in the media, and between nations has dragged down humanity.
 It's time to recognize that traditional, militant objectives for peace are
 not working, and the only solution is to make peace the goal of a cabinet
 level agency."

 CONTACT:  Kathie Scarrah, 202.226.8139, 703.845.2874

 The summary of the bill Congressman Kucinich introduced today follows this
 local story on the Department of Peace.
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 Bay Area Group Promoting US Department of Peace
 Benefit to be Held at Ashkenaz in Berkeley

 For Immediate release
 July 11, 2001

 Musicians and Fine Artists for World Peace held a concert on June 29, 2001 at
 8 PM at Ashkenaz in Berkeley in support of a US Department of Peace.

 In the midst of recent news accounts concerning the fear that President
 George W. Bush's proposal for a missile defense system will cause a new arms
 race, plans for a cabinet-level US Department of Peace will be a breath of
 fresh air and hope for peace loving people everywhere.

 According to Alan Moore, the group's Bay area director, "Congressman Dennis
 J. Kucinich has endorsed our plans to produce concerts and events in support
 of this effort. The Department of Peace Act, will be introduced in the House
 of Representatives in the month of July 2001. Musicians and Fine Artists for
 World Peace has the potential to be an extremely vibrant advocate for World
 Change."   The group plans to place full-page ads in Bay area newspapers and
 is looking for corporate, business and organizational support and sponsors
 for the ads, workshops and concerts that are being planned.

 Bay area activists, producers, dancers, musicians, and artists have been
 coming together to promote not only peace, but a cultural and musical
 renaissance reminiscent of what happened here in the sixties with the Be-Ins
 and Summer of Love.  Bay area venues that have joined in this effort include
 Palookaville in Santa Cruz, Ashkenaz in Berkeley, Maritime Hall, Paradise
 Lounge, Anon Salon, Ambient Groove Temple and Earthdance International in
San Francisco, New George's in San Rafael, the Groove Garden in Fairfax, the
 Phoenix Theater in Petaluma, and Club Fab in Guerneville.

 In addition to the group's interest in world peace and the environment, they
 also plan to work on campaign and election reform, the abolition or reform of
 the Electoral College, supporting a cabinet-level Department of Peace,
 reforming the criminal justice system and the three strikes law, making the
 office of public defender an elected position, corporate responsibility,
 supporting and developing sustainable communities, helping indigenous causes,
 increasing funding for art and music, and making life easier for artists and
 musicians who are an important ingredient to transforming and improving our
 lives. We will also be working in collaboration with Project Chrysalis.

 Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) believes that a new, broad-based
 approach to peaceful, nonviolent conflict resolution at both domestic and
 international levels is needed.

 “The time has come to review age-old challenges with new thinking,” Kucinich
 said. “I am introducing this conceptual framework with the hopes that a
Department of Peace can eventually emerge holding peace as an organizing
principle in government while coordinating service to every level of American
 society.”

 The Department of Peace would be responsible for a wide range of activities
 which involve promoting and facilitating peaceful, nonviolent conflict
 resolution. Domestically, the Department of Peace would be charged with
 developing policies which address issues such as domestic violence, spousal
 abuse, child abuse and mistreatment of the elderly. The Department would also
 have an international mandate by analyzing foreign policy and making
 recommendations to the President on matters pertaining to national security,
 including the protection of human rights and the prevention and de-escalation
 of unarmed and armed international conflict.

 For more info on the Department of Peace please see
http://www.house.gov/kucinich/action/peace.htm
or contact

 Alan D. Moore
 Musicians and Fine Artists for World Peace/Director
 Butterfly Gardeners Association & Project Chrysalis/Director
 1563 Solano Ave. #477, Berkeley, CA  94707
 510-528-7730  Email:  bflyspirit@aol.com
www.woodstocknation.org/Performing.htm
 
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 SUMMARY OF DEPARTMENT OF PEACE LEGISLATION

 Legislation introduced today by Congressman Dennis Kucinich to create a
 Department of Peace includes the following:

  Establish a cabinet-level department in the executive branch of the Federal
 Government dedicated to peacemaking and the study of conditions that are
 conducive to both domestic and international peace.

 Headed by a Secretary of Peace, appointed by the President with the advice
 and consent of the Senate.

 The mission of the Department shall: hold peace as an organizing principle;
 endeavor to promote justice and democratic principles to expand human rights;
 strengthen nonmilitary means of peacemaking; promote the development of human
 potential; work to create peace, prevent violence, divert from armed conflict
 and develop new structures in nonviolent dispute resolution; and take a
 proactive, strategic approach in the development of policies that promote
 national and international conflict prevention, nonviolent intervention,
 mediation, peaceful resolution of conflict and structured mediation of conflict.

 The Department will create and establish a Peace Academy, modeled after the
 military service academies, which will provide a 4 year concentration in
 peace education.  Graduates will be required to serve 5 years in public
 service in programs dedicated to domestic or international nonviolent
 conflict resolution.

 The principal officers of the Department, in addition to the Secretary of
 Peace will include; the Under Secretary of Peace; the Assistant Secretary for
 Peace Education and Training; the Assistant Secretary for Domestic Peace
 Activities, the Assistant Secretary for International Peace Activities; the
 Assistant Secretary for Technology for Peace; the Assistant Secretary for
 Arms Control and Disarmament; the Assistant Secretary for Peaceful
 Coexistence and Nonviolent Conflict Resolution; the Assistant Secretary for
 Human and Economic Rights; and a General Counsel.

 The first day of each year, January 1st will be designated as Peace Day in
 the United States and all citizens should be encouraged to observe and
 celebrate the blessings of peace and endeavor to create peace in the coming
 year.


 Please read the following letter from Congressman Kucinich supporting our
 work.
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 Congress of the United States
 House of Representatives

 June 4, 2001

 Mr. Alan Moore
 1563 Solano Ave. #477
 Berkeley  California  94707

 Dear Mr. Moore:

 I am writing to support the efforts of Musicians and Fine Artists for World
 Peace to create a more peaceful world.  I am especially appreciative of your
 interest in discussing my proposal for the establishment of a Cabinet-level
 Department of Peace.  Please feel free to contact me with any suggestions
or comments from group members.

 I am pleased to learn that people are working hard to promote nonviolence.
I am aware that you have the skill, the experience and the commitment to
work towards improving the human condition.  I believe that working cooperatively
 as a community of peace-seekers we can look forward to developing creative
 and innovative ways to increase the impact of peace building at all levels of
 society, nationally and internationally In the finest example of Mahatma
 Ghandi and Martin Luther King Jr., we can learn to confront our enemies with
 ahimsa, unconditional love.  We can make a difference, of this I am sure!

 Based on these beliefs, I have called for the establishment of a
 Cabinet-level Department of Peace, which shall maintain non-violence as an
 organizing principle.  Working at both national and international levels, it
 will resolve conflict in any form with a peaceful, non-violent philosophy.
It will be orientated toward the development of human potential, and will
 endeavour to promote justice and democratic principles to expand universal
 human rights.

 Domestically, it will analyze present policies.  The Department will expand
 successful existing programs and develop new approaches to deal with the
 implements of violence.

 The Department of Peace shall be empowered domestically to address all forms
 of violence within our communities.  It will advocate on behalf of women
 victimized by violence, as well as address the problems of domestic violence,
 spousal abuse, child abuse, and mistreatment of the elderly.  In
 collaboration with community and neighbourhood organizations, including the
 schools in our communities, the Department of Peace shall assist in the
 establishment of community based violence prevention programs.  It shall
 endeavour to create new policies which are responsive to the challenges of
 drug and alcohol abuse, and of crime.

 The escalation of hate crimes in our society is undeniable.  The reports of
 racial and ethnic violence, violence against gays and lesbians, and
 religiously motivated crimes are consistently increasing. I believe that
 working together we can create hate-free communities.  The Department of
 Peace will provide for counselling strategies concerning hate crimes.

 We must call upon America's youth for the purpose of creative peacemaking.
 The critical thinking capabilities of grade school, high school and college
 students can result in proactive solutions to the overwhelming presence of
 violence in our schools, including the presence of handguns, gang related
 violence, racial or ethnic violence and police-community relations disputes.

 You may also be interested to know that the Peace Day I introduced passed
 Congress, making January 1, 2001 a day of peace and sharing.  The resolution
 was introduced in the Senate by Senator Wellstone.  The resolution expresses
 the sense of Congress that a day of peace and sharing should be established
 at the beginning of each year and that:

 (1) each year should begin with a day of peace and sharing during which;

   (A) people around the world should gather with family, friends, neighbors,
 their faith community, or people of another culture to pledge nonviolence in
 the new year and to share in a celebratory new year meal, and

   (B) Americans who are able should match or multiply the cost of their new
 year meal with a timely gift to the hungry at home or abroad in a tangible
 demonstration of a desire for increased friendship and sharing among people
 around the world, and

 (2) the President should issue a proclamation each year calling on the people
 of the United States and interested organizations to observe such a day with
 appropriate programs and activities.

 Peace is an achievable goal!  Let us continue to work together to initiate a
 dialogue on creating a culture of peace.

 Sincerely,

 Dennis Kucinich
 Member of Congress

 Please go to  http://www.house.gov/kucinich/action/peace.htm for more information on
 the Department of Peace.