Purposeful Growth

Peace is a state of mind, a pre-disposition to tranquility and harmony with all, a way of being that excludes harm to others. Does it make sense to establish a peace department within the most powerful government on earth?

Representative Dennis Kucinich, Ohio, is sponsoring legislation to create a department of peace within the Executive Branch of the United States government. Normally, my gut reaction to government growth is negative; the government is already too huge, too expensive, and too inefficient.

But a department of peace, a cabinet level department included in the closed-session proceedings of government policy and operations. Now that’s government growth with the potential for startling new processes of international and domestic problem resolution.
Peace is a state of mind, a way of being. What state of mind predominates in current U.S. government policy? There may be an underlying quest for peace among governmental agencies and leaders, but the processes and skills being utilized tend to be aggressive and violent. The current way to peace seems to be through power: financial, political, and military.
Gandhi summed up the problem with seeking peace through our traditional governmental approaches to problem resolution, “There is no way to peace, peace is the way.” Something must change; past practices have not brought us lasting peace. Will a Department of Peace lead us to peace?

Quoting from the Peace Alliance web site, “The Department of Peace will facilitate the most cutting edge ways to wage peace. From nonviolent communication skills, to conflict resolution techniques and cultural relationship building, the Department of Peace will employ proven and effective strategies for diminishing violence in our country and in our world.
As a member of the President’s cabinet, the Secretary of Peace will provide the President; the State Department; the Departments of Defense, Education and Justice with greatly expanded problem solving options. The Department of Peace will also provide support for state and local government to address issues of domestic violence.”

I’m in favor of establishing a Department of Peace, the start of a new way of thinking in government. Do you agree ? Vote your opinion at our discussion board.

Jerry

“There is no way to peace. Peace is the way” - Gandhi

What Does it Mean to Live Peace?

There is a Yiddish saying that translates to something like this: If not now, when? If not you, who? That is the substance of Byron Katie’s quote (see the 2nd sidebar). It is up to you and me; we are the only ones able to move peace forward.

When shall we begin? When the Iraqi war is over? When Israel and Palestine reach a permanent peace fire? When India and Pakistan begin a peaceful co-existence? No, we’ve been waiting for a current war to end for hundreds of years. Wars will not end until we practice peace; peaceful approaches to disagreement, peaceful viewpoints toward the differences among humans, and peaceful acceptance of all beings. Wars will continue until our population, including our leaders, recognizes that war is not a viable path to peace.

The time is now. And we can each begin by building a peaceful environment in our homes, at work, and in the community in which we live. It’s very easy to do. No funding is required, no legislations is necessary, and no one else must be convinced. Just you and me.
Living Peace does not require total obedience to the desires and behaviors of others. Disagreement among humans is literally guaranteed by our uniqueness. The human practicing Living Peace approaches disagreement with the foundation belief that solutions are available which harm no one. They simply must be uncovered. There is a peaceful solution to each potential conflict.

If not now, when? If not you, who? If you and I preach peace but treat others abusively and disrespectfully, we are supporting war. If you and I believe conflict is the fault of the other guy, the other nation, and the other race, then we are not only supporting, we are encouraging war.

Jerry