Department Of Peace?
By Monty Rainey (03/26/04)
A Department of Peace? Maybe you’ve heard about it, since the bill [H.R. 2459] was first introduced by Dennis Kucinich in July, 2001. But now things are getting serious. A quick Google search will show hundreds of websites and news stories asking you to support this legislation. That means it’s time to take a much closer look at just what this Department of Peace would be.
Would there be any reason to oppose a governmental department designed expressly for the purpose of promoting a peaceful global society? You’d better believe there is plenty of reason to oppose it.
The proposed Department of Peace would be headed by the Secretary of Peace, a member of the President's Cabinet. The wording of the bill questions "whether the structure of thought, word, and deed which the people of the United States have inherited are any longer sufficient for the maintenance, growth, and survival of the United States and the world." The bill suggests as an alternative, that the United States follow the proposals of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) that passed a resolution declaring an International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children 2001-2010.
This creation of yet another federal government monstrosity comes at a proposed cost of over $3 billion a year. The proposal includes positions for a secretary of peace; an under secretary of peace; the assistant secretary for domestic peace activities; the assistant secretary for arms control and disarmament; the assistant secretary for international peace activities; the assistant secretary for technology for peace; the assistant secretary for peaceful coexistence and nonviolent conflict resolution; the assistant secretary for peace education and training; the assistant secretary for human and economic rights; and a general counsel.
A program of these proportions will translate into millions of dollars each year being sucked out of the pockets of working Americans. Yet another important question is, "What will the Department of Peace accomplish that other areas of government (including the Departments of Education and Defense) cannot?"
An excerpt from one of the many pro-Department of Peace websites states; "The crown jewel of DOP education would be the United States Peace Academy. A Gender Equity provision added to the bill could mandate each congressperson to appoint a man and a woman to the Peace Academy. What the US doesn’t need is another patriarchic palace on the Potomac. At 436 Congresspersons times two, there would be 870 freshmen per year. The Peace Academy would graduate some 800 peace experts each year. Military academy graduates serve four years. Peace Academy graduates would serve five years and then be hired into top posts of government and business. There would be virtual university peace courses and research centers here and abroad with results made available to the world."
This seems as yet another attempt to defer U.S sovereignty over to the United Nations. A close reading of the legislation shows a strange definition of peace. It seeks to address violence against animals but not unborn children. It prioritizes protection of homosexuals but ignores violence against Christians. Without striving for all human rights, including justice and freedom, peace is a useless concept. Otherwise, one could beat a society into submission and produce something "peaceful."
The Bill also attacks the 2nd Amendment of the Bill of Rights and our right to keep and bear arms. An excerpt of the Bill states:
SEC. 102. RESPONSIBILITIES AND POWERS.
(b) Domestic Responsibilities.--The Secretary shall--
(5) analyze existing policies, employ successful, field-tested programs, and develop new approaches for dealing with the implements of violence, including gun-related violence and the overwhelming presence of handguns; [emphasis added]
And while going after the Second Amendment, this same lot of legislators offers the following, further down in the bill:
(e) Media-Related Responsibilities.--Respecting the first amendment of the Constitution of the United States and the requirement for free and independent media, the Secretary shall-- [emphasis added]
I just love the selective support of our Constitution and Bill of Rights this Bill chooses to either endorse or omit. Further erosion of the rights of American citizens is not high on my agenda.
The reality is that H.R. 2459 is void of any substantive role in government; it cross-lists the responsibilities of other governmental bodies. For example, promoting "justice" is the role of law enforcement and the judicial system, not a Department of Peace.
Kucinich has the audacity to say, "Our founding fathers recognized that peace was one of the highest duties of the newly organized free and independent states." Our founding fathers would have never legislated peace because the defense and protection of our country is the only legitimate thing government can do to maintain or attain peace.
The momentum is building behind this audacity. If you haven’t already been asked to give your support to this Bill, you soon will. Have the courage to say “No.” Ask your Congressmen and women to oppose H.R. 2459.
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