In a return to popular politics that would make President Martin Van Buren party like its 1799 in his grave, Pres-elect Obama instituted Change.Org a couple weeks ago. The website was a forum when members could vote on issues that matter to them on an array of subjects, from LGBT rights fair Trade. One that I have to talk about is the Department of Peace.
For more information, see http://www.change.org/ideas
Now, an except from the site that lists the ten winners of all the ideas states: "Over the next week we will be working with nonprofit sponsors for each idea, including 1Sky, Health care-NOW!, and The Peace Alliance, to craft national campaigns around each idea. In the meantime, we have opened discussion for how to most effectively turn each idea into a successful national campaign, and would love your suggestions."
Get this. Hear this: the government asked people what they wanted to get done, and now they will promptly get er done.
The Department of Peace and Non-violence? Martin Luther King, Jr., who we will rightfully observe tomorrow, would be more than proud. And quite frankly, I never thought of it. It's a great idea. If we're going to be a country that always keeps military operations an option, then shouldn't peace? I say absolutely. To restore the moral fiber of this country we must continue to show compromise when it benefits us and the other side. The way that the peace operates is that it is omnipotent. It is always an option. It must be the precursor to fear and anger.
This idea is paramount. Will it be followed through? I'm optimistic. I hope that they do because who know what the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security is spewing in terms of the military? There must always be opposition. There must always be options.
Those elements built the foundation of this country. War has been successfully avoided numerous times and under numerous presidents, from Jackson to Kennedy. A Secretary of Peace maybe able to keep us from making the fatal mistakes of launching two unsuccessful wars.
I am highly disappointed that action to end the genocide in Darfur only made the top 25. But I can understand the situation within our borders has begun to cloud our international foresight. But we can't afford to forget.
My prediction: The Department of Peace and Non-Violence will be up and running by January 1, 2011
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The Department of Peace is definitely an idea whose time has come. However, it won't happen without significant grassroots energy and a critical mass of citizens lobbying our Senators and Representatives to champion the legislation - HR 808. There's a Department of Peace conference in DC March 20-23 to help make this happen - www.thepeacealliance.org. I hope to see you there.
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