Leaving aside whether the office of the vice president is or is not a part of the executive branch, the effort to establish a Department of Peace in the US government’s executive branch doesn’t seem to be going far or moving rapidly. Too bad. However, it’s not for lack of trying on some folks’ parts. For example, the Peace Alliance is conducting a campaign to promote the idea. It includes an effort to identify people in each congressional district to serve as team leaders, clips of celebrities supporting the initiative, and (of course) raise funds. Check it.
17 July 2007
31 May 2007
Non-violence petition
Here’s a petition of possible interest:
To: Citizens of the World
Declaration Against ViolenceWe the undersigned call upon our fellow world citizens to join us in doing everything in our power to reduce the prevailing level of global violence, and to seek the resolution of all conflicts by peaceful means.
We do not believe that the promoters of hatred and the practitioners of violence [whether in the name of countries or causes] are supported by the great mass of humanity. Their behaviour, under whatever pretext, is immoral and intolerable. We abhor their activities, and deplore the amount of publicity given to them as well as the unhealthy depiction and glorification of fictional violence in so much ‘entertainment’.
We believe that the great majority of human beings, whatever their country or creed, are good-hearted peace-loving people like ourselves, who wish for an end to violence in personal, domestic, public, and international affairs.
We urge all those holding responsible positions in politics, government, and the media to pledge themselves to do their utmost to achieve a more peaceful world through discussion and negotiation, and to renounce violence as an instrument of policy.
We ask all those in agreement with this statement to sign it, and to pass it on to others requesting them to do so.
Although I don’t usually sign petitions, I was moved (who knows by whom or what?) to do so in this case. (Interesting that the link has my name and birth year, hunh?)
30 May 2007
USIP
Here’s one that looks like it might be the big time!
e United States Institute of Peace is an independent, nonpartisan, national institution established and funded by Congress. Its goals are to help prevent and resolve violent conflicts, promote post-conflict stability and development, and increase peacebuilding capacity, tools, and intellectual capital worldwide. The Institute does this by empowering others with knowledge, skills, and resources, as well as by directly engaging in peacebuilding efforts around the globe.
I’m dropping it into the “organizations” links.
18 May 2007
1000000 Blogs
One Million Blogs for Peace is soliciting participants. Based on Sarge’s recommendation, I subscribed us to the effort. When we joined, the image at the right showed 491 participating blogs.