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Did you know there currently is a bill in Congress (HR 808) to create a U.S. Department of Peace and Nonviolence? &
(click here)
For more information contact (FloridaDOP AT yahoo.com) About the Florida U.S. Department of Peace and Nonviolence Campaign:
We're a Nonpartisan, National grassroots movement, spearheaded by the Peace Alliance, supporting the urgent need to reduce violence in our own country via the passage of Congressional Bill HR 808. This bill is about violence-prevention and is currently in Congress with almost 70 co-sponsors. We want more.
There are organized groups in every State throughout the Nation. Locally we have groups in Tallahassee, Gainesville, Naples, the Keys and South Florida supporting this movement and working to bring forth the peace we want to see domestically and internationally.
We are not an Anti-Iraq group,not an Anti-War group and we aren't protesting anything! We are Pro-Change and choose to invest our collective energy into something practical we can create by raising awareness of this important legislation only in a positive way. So while Congress continues to argue with itself and the Anti-Iraq movement stands on street corners protesting, we’re quietly gathering Constituent signatures and passing a Federal ‘Peace Bill’.
The Bill: The bill calls for the creation of a 'US Department of Peace and Nonviolence' within the Federal government. It will provide an institutional platform and much needed resources to support the peace-building community that already exist throughout the country. As a cabinet-level position, which means it would operate on the same levels as the Department of Homeland Security or Department of Agriculture, the Department of Peace and Nonviolence would research and develop the latest violence prevention strategies. It would also advise on how to non-violently solve domestic and international conflict before it results in large scale violence. Establishing a Federal Department dedicated solely to mediation, conflict resolution and violence reduction policies and programs, provides the political strength needed to shift the focus from treating the aftermath of violence, to understanding and eliminating the root causes of violence.
- Teach violence prevention and mediation classes to America's school children in grades K through 12th.
- Effectively treat and dismantle gang psychology
- Rehabilitate the prison population
- Build peace-making efforts among conflicting cultures both here and abroad
- Support our military with complementary approaches to peace-building.
- Provide much needed assistance to efforts by law enforcement and city, county, state governments to coordinate existing community building programs within their own cities; as well as develop new violence reducing programs based on best practices nationally.
- Create and administer a U.S. Peace Studies Academy, acting as a sister organization to the U.S. Military Academy.
- And more
download BILL HR-808
download Talking Points 2007
download Overview of the Need for this bill
download Key Highlights of Bill HR-808
download Broward County hate crimes up 27%
Over 300 US colleges and universities now give advanced degrees in Peacebuilding Studies(including conflict resolution and non-violent communication). With the passage of this bill, Federal funding could be increased for our schools in order to provide much needed classes in nonviolence education and programs like student/peer mediation. The benefits of giving schoolchildren the tools they need to express themselves and communciate their feelings while still in elementary, junior high and high school settings,goes without saying. Not only are these types of classes a life saving, life altering aide for students, teachers and schools but also for our local communities. Violence affects everyone.
In Florida and across America, volunteers are working within their local communities to garner support from the public and their Congressional Representatives. We support the Peace Alliance, which is a 501(c)4 non-profit organization spearheading the national campaign to help pass this non-partisan bill in Congress (HR 808).
This bill was reintroduced to Congress in February 2007 and already has 67 House of Representatives signed on as Co-Sponsors. We're proud to share with you that 2 of those co-sponsors are right here in Florida. Special thanks to Representative Alcee L. Hastings(District 23)from South Florida and Representative Corinne Brown(District 3)from North Florida for stepping forward and continuing to support this growing movement.
Get Active in your Community!
Sign on to be a Volunteer or a Team Leader and we'll connect you with other volunteers in your State, keep you posted with important updates and calls to action. We have active groups in every State building a local network of activists to work with congressional offices, interact with local media, and perform outreach and education in their areas. It's fun and fulfilling work to help foster positive, proactive change toward the creation of a less violent and more peaceful world. There is no more powerful role to play in moving the work of The Peace Alliance and the Campaign for a U.S. Department of Peace forward than to commit to becoming a Volunteer or Team Leader in your own cities. If you're interested in joining, click on the banner below.
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