Department of Peace-Building - A Call for Submissions

—

One of the ideas we talk about here at the Good Men Project is the creation of new schools of thought. We are hopeful in our mission to change the inner dialogue most men have in their relationship to the world. In one of our more spirited discussions about the relationship our nation has to perpetual war, we have often wondered if it would be possible to create a Department of Peace, in a fashion similar to the Department of Defense.

We need wonder no longer. Representative Barbara Lee, D-California introduced in February of this year, a bill to create the Department of Peacebuilding Act 2017, with the code HR 1111. It would be reviewed by the Oversight and Government Reform Committees.

Like so many other things Congress hasn’t gotten around to HR 1111 has, as of yet, received no action on the part of the Congress. If you feel its time for the government to start assuming a political, social and cultural stance other than perpetual war, please contact your government representatives of your state and let them know to start looking at HR 1111 as an alternative to nuclear war with Korea or Iran. The Executive Summary of HR 1111 is brief and easily understood.

Department of Peacebuilding Act of 2017

“This bill establishes a Department of Peacebuilding in the executive branch, to be headed by a Secretary of Peacebuilding, dedicated to peacebuilding, peacemaking, and the study and promotion of conditions conducive to both domestic and international peace and a culture of peace.

The bill sets forth the mission of the department, which includes the cultivation of peace and peacebuilding as a strategic national policy objective and development of policies that promote national and international conflict prevention, nonviolent intervention, mediation, peaceful conflict resolution, and structured conflict mediation.

There is established in the department:
(1) the Office of Peace Education and Training,
(2) the Office of Domestic Peace-building Activities,
(3) the Office of International Peace-building Activities,
(4) the Office of Technology for Peace,
(5) the Office of Arms Control and Disarmament,
(6) the Office of Peace-building Information and Research,
(7) the Office of Human Rights and Economic Rights, and
(8) the Intergovernmental Advisory Council on Peace.

A Federal Interagency Committee on Peace is established to coordinate the actions of the department with other federal agencies.

The Department of Defense and the Department of State must consult with the department concerning nonviolent means of conflict resolution when a conflict between the United States and any other government or entity is foreseeable, imminent, or occurring.

The department shall encourage citizens to observe and celebrate the blessings of peace and endeavor to create peace on Peace Days, which shall include discussions of the professional activities and the achievements in the lives of peacemakers.”

If you are interested in the nuts and bolts of the entire act, you can read it on this link at the Congress.gov site.

◊♦◊

As usual, we are interested in what YOU think about this revolutionary idea. Share your comments or if you are feeling particularly bold, write a submission and we will make it part of the site as an article unique unto itself.

What do you think of the idea of a department of peace-building?

Do you think America is ready to begin addressing peace as fervently and with as much funding as we do war?

How do you think establishing such an agency could begin to bring an alternative view to our militarized governmental approach to problem-solving?

What kind of expectations would you have of the Department of Peacebuilding? What kind of work do you see this department engaged in across the nation and perhaps the world?

Given the Congress’ efforts to repeal Obamacare 71 times, do you think they will ever give the idea of a department dedicated to reducing animosity, violence and perpetual war any thought at all? Why or Why not?

How can we as citizens let the Congress know the continued development of military might, destructive capacity and continued warfare as part of the American equation needs to come to an end?

When you’re ready to submit, click the red box, below.

◊♦◊

The Good Men Project is different from most media companies. We are a “participatory media company”—which means we don’t just have content you read and share and comment on but it means we have multiple ways you can actively be a part of the conversation. As you become a deeper part of the conversation—The Conversation No One Else is Having—you will learn all of the ways we support our Writers’ Community—community FB groups, weekly conference calls, classes in writing, editing platform building and How to Create Social Change.

◊♦◊

Here are more ways to become a part of The Good Men Project community:

Request to join our private Facebook Group for Writers—it’s like our virtual newsroom where you connect with editors and other writers about issues and ideas.

Click here to become a Premium Member of The Good Men Project Community. Have access to these benefits:

Get access to an exclusive “Members Only” Group on Facebook
View the website with no ads
Get free access to classes, workshops, and exclusive events
Be invited to an exclusive weekly “Call with the Publisher” with other Premium Members
Free commenting badge, listing on our Friends page, and more.

Are you stuck on what to write? Sign up for our Writing Prompts emails, you’ll get ideas directly from our editors every Monday and Thursday. If you already have a final draft, then click below to send your post through our submission system.

If you are already working with an editor at GMP, please be sure to name that person. If you are not currently working with a GMP editor, one will be assigned to you.

Join our exclusive weekly “Call with the Publisher” — where community members are encouraged to discuss the issues of the week, get story ideas, meet other members and get known for their ideas? To get the call-in information, either join as a member or wait until you get a post published with us. Here are some examples of what we talk about on the calls.

Want to learn practical skills about how to be a better Writer, Editor or Platform Builder? Want to be a Rising Star in Media? Want to learn how to Create Social Change? We have classes in all of those areas.