Celebrities and Legislators Rally for Peace
The Daily Colonial, D.C.
February 6, 2007
National legislators and celebrities spoke to a packed crowd in Lisner Auditorium last night as “Turning Peace into Political Power,” a celebration for the reintroduction of a bill before Congress to create a U.S. Department of Peace. The evening was the conclusion to a three-day conference promoting the establishment of a Peace Department to the federal government.
Sponsored by GW and The Peace Alliance, a national activist organization to promote the Department of Peace movement, the gala included a performance by musician Steven Tyler of Aerosmith and appearances by actors Joaquin Phoenix and Brittany Snow.
During Tyler’s performance of three Aerosmith songs, he said his reasoning for coming to the event was that we all must “love truly, laugh uncontrollably, and live without regrets.” He said he cut short a vacation in Hawaii to support the cause for a Department of Peace.
Motivational author and speaker Marianne Williamson, who is also a radio show host on “Oprah and Friends”, hosted the program and welcomed members of Congress who are the leading proponents and original co-sponsors of the legislation, Bill 808. There are currently 51 co-sponsors of the Bill in the House of Representatives.
“A Cabinet-level Department of Peace will prevent violence before it occurs and diminish violence after it erupts,” said Williamson. “We are ready to mature in our thinking of war and peace. This is not just a humanitarian issue, it’s a security issue. We must do more than fight our enemies; we must create more friends.”
All nine Representatives who spoke were House Democrats, including Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), who led the reintroduction of the Bill, and Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), the first Muslim elected to Congress.
“War is not inevitable. Peace is inevitable because we are bringing it forward,” said Kucinich.
Rep. Ellison rallied the crowd with a booming voice and elaborate exclamations. He said that if our country did not participate in war, then there would be more money for education and more money to increase the minimum wage so that people would not have to work multiple jobs.
While the event was open to students and the public, the majority of attendees were citizens from around the country who came to Washington on Saturday, Feb. 3, to learn about peace building, nonviolent conflict resolution, and lobbying skills to promote Bill 808. This week, the activists are visiting their respective Congressional representatives to urge support of the legislation.
The Department of Peace will try to alleviate international and domestic conflict, according to The Peace Alliance website. Within the U.S., the Department’s supporters say it will develop policies and distribute resources to decrease gang violence, child abuse, and other domestic violence issues. On an international scale, the Department would advise the President and Congress on the most advanced techniques and ideas for diplomatic resolutions among nations.
For more information, visit The Peace Alliance.
February 6, 2007
National legislators and celebrities spoke to a packed crowd in Lisner Auditorium last night as “Turning Peace into Political Power,” a celebration for the reintroduction of a bill before Congress to create a U.S. Department of Peace. The evening was the conclusion to a three-day conference promoting the establishment of a Peace Department to the federal government.
Sponsored by GW and The Peace Alliance, a national activist organization to promote the Department of Peace movement, the gala included a performance by musician Steven Tyler of Aerosmith and appearances by actors Joaquin Phoenix and Brittany Snow.
During Tyler’s performance of three Aerosmith songs, he said his reasoning for coming to the event was that we all must “love truly, laugh uncontrollably, and live without regrets.” He said he cut short a vacation in Hawaii to support the cause for a Department of Peace.
Motivational author and speaker Marianne Williamson, who is also a radio show host on “Oprah and Friends”, hosted the program and welcomed members of Congress who are the leading proponents and original co-sponsors of the legislation, Bill 808. There are currently 51 co-sponsors of the Bill in the House of Representatives.
“A Cabinet-level Department of Peace will prevent violence before it occurs and diminish violence after it erupts,” said Williamson. “We are ready to mature in our thinking of war and peace. This is not just a humanitarian issue, it’s a security issue. We must do more than fight our enemies; we must create more friends.”
All nine Representatives who spoke were House Democrats, including Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), who led the reintroduction of the Bill, and Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), the first Muslim elected to Congress.
“War is not inevitable. Peace is inevitable because we are bringing it forward,” said Kucinich.
Rep. Ellison rallied the crowd with a booming voice and elaborate exclamations. He said that if our country did not participate in war, then there would be more money for education and more money to increase the minimum wage so that people would not have to work multiple jobs.
While the event was open to students and the public, the majority of attendees were citizens from around the country who came to Washington on Saturday, Feb. 3, to learn about peace building, nonviolent conflict resolution, and lobbying skills to promote Bill 808. This week, the activists are visiting their respective Congressional representatives to urge support of the legislation.
The Department of Peace will try to alleviate international and domestic conflict, according to The Peace Alliance website. Within the U.S., the Department’s supporters say it will develop policies and distribute resources to decrease gang violence, child abuse, and other domestic violence issues. On an international scale, the Department would advise the President and Congress on the most advanced techniques and ideas for diplomatic resolutions among nations.
For more information, visit The Peace Alliance.
| Permalink | E-mail this post 
