Cabinet peace post
National Public Radio’s Daniel Zwerdling had a nifty story about the idea of establishing a Department of Peace. As reported here recently, the US Congress is considering a bill to establish such a cabinet office. I like that the historical information about Benjamin Rush having sponsored such a bill more than 200 years ago.
To the members of a women’s group in Fairmont, Minn., it seemed like a simple idea: The United States has a Department of State, which promotes America’s interests overseas. And it also has a Department of Defense, which fights for them. So why not create a Department of Peace, to promote creative ways to avoid conflicts?
A national coalition of human rights groups has been campaigning for the idea, which has been around in some form since the days of America’s founding fathers. There’s currently a bill before Congress that would create such an agency. When the Fairmont Peace Club learned of the campaign last year, they decided to help. Instead, they triggered fears in their community about the very survival of America.
I liked the idea of a Department of Peace when I first read about it. Rep. Kucinich keeps trying to push that through Congress but without much support. An executive department devoted specifically for peace is great, though I think the State department “should” handle that. The “should” though certainly doesn’t mean it has. Congress currently funds the US Institute of Peace though it currently holds little influence.
Comment by Oz — 30 March 2007 @ 2:51 pm