{"id":1008,"date":"2013-08-05T18:37:32","date_gmt":"2013-08-05T22:37:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thepeacealliance.org\/?p=1008"},"modified":"2014-01-29T17:31:44","modified_gmt":"2014-01-29T22:31:44","slug":"taking-peacebuilding-to-the-party-ca-democratic-party-endorses-creation-of-a-u-s-department-of-peacebuliding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/peacealliance.org\/taking-peacebuilding-to-the-party-ca-democratic-party-endorses-creation-of-a-u-s-department-of-peacebuliding\/","title":{"rendered":"Taking Peacebuilding to the Party: CA Democratic Party endorses creation of a U.S. Department of Peacebuliding"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Some very exciting news out of California.\u00a0 Thanks to our CA Peace Alliance organizers and other key supporters, the CA Democratic party recently endorsed legislation to establish a <strong>U.S. Department of Peacebuilding<\/strong> and a <strong>peacebuilding platform<\/strong><strong><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>This is a very meaningful development.\u00a0 CA Democratic party (CDP) only endorses a handful of bills each session &#8212; and it&#8217;s some of the most comprehensive peacebuilding support in any party platform in the nation.\u00a0 In fact, neither party has done a good job of including peacebuilding language in their platforms, and with CA being the largest state in the union, this could be real trend setter.<\/p>\n<p>New provisions to both the CDP Platform of 2012 and DoP 2013 include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Provide for public education programs that <span style=\"color: #333399;\"><strong>promote tolerance and respect for diversity<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li>Create school and community cultures where students and staff are <span style=\"color: #000000;\">free from bullying<\/span> and harassment by implementing <span style=\"color: #333399;\"><strong>curricula in nonviolent conflict resolution education<\/strong><\/span> for teachers, students, parents, school community and community at large<\/li>\n<li>Assist in <span style=\"color: #333399;\"><strong>re-entry for incarcerated individuals<\/strong> <\/span>by including training in anger management, <span style=\"color: #333399;\"><strong>peacebuilding skills<\/strong><\/span>, life skills, education and job skills<\/li>\n<li>Assist in creating<span style=\"color: #333399;\"><strong> strong &amp; healthy families<\/strong><\/span>, including supporting mental health service, domestic violence prevention, gang prevention, anti-bulling programs, substance abuse prevention, and parenting skills<\/li>\n<li>Provide<span style=\"color: #333399;\"> <strong>restorative justice programs in the criminal justice system<\/strong><\/span> to bring together offenders, victims, and community members to repair harm through accountability and rehabilitation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Big props to our CA team, and all those who helped! Their vigilance and hard work paid off.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1023\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thepeacealliance.org\/cms\/assets\/uploads\/2013\/08\/LilyJerilynNancy@BoothEM247907-21-13.jpg\" class=\"external\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1023\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1023\" alt=\"Lily Marie, Nancy Merritt, Jeriln Stapleton @ TPA booth\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thepeacealliance.org\/cms\/assets\/uploads\/2013\/08\/LilyJerilynNancy@BoothEM247907-21-13.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"238\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1023\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lily Marie, Nancy Merritt, Jeriln Stapleton @ TPA booth<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&#8220;CDP officials told us to make them support peacebuilding &#8212; and that\u2019s just what we did.\u00a0 We took peacebuilding to the Party.\u00a0 Hard work, strategy, education, networking, coalition building and some luck resulted in the CDP\u2019s dual peacebuilding endorsements. This involved not only blood, toil, sweat and tears, but also perseverance, learning, listening, connecting, alignment of the stars and real joy,\u201d said Nancy Merritt, Peace Alliance State Coordinator.<\/p>\n<p>You can read Nancy&#8217;s full report below, along with the official language from the CDP resolution (at bottom).<\/p>\n<p>You can also <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=tzMTtIRRZrs&amp;feature=youtu.be\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"external\" rel=\"nofollow\">watch a video<\/a><\/strong> of the resolution committee meeting and check out all the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/media\/set\/?set=a.10151513952326673.1073741830.181024686672&amp;type=1\" class=\"external\" rel=\"nofollow\"><b>photos on Facebook<\/b><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>____________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #339966;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: x-large;\">Full Report: Taking Peacebuilding To The Party<br \/>\n<\/span><\/strong><\/span><strong>By Nancy Merritt<\/strong><br \/>\n7\/21\/13<\/p>\n<p>On July 21, 2013, the California Democratic Party (CDP) took a stand for peacebuilding.\u00a0 The CDP adopted a <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">resolution<\/span> in support of peacebuilding <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">and<\/span> endorsed federal <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">legislation<\/span> to create a cabinet-level U.S. Department of Peacebuilding<\/strong> to work toward domestic and international peacebuilding.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBy voting to support peacebuilding and creation of a cabinet-level U.S. Department of Peacebuilding, the CA Democratic Party said enough to violence.\u00a0 With this dual vote, the Party said there are other ways \u2013 we must learn and practice violence prevention and nonviolent conflict resolution.\u00a0 We must to learn to respect, honor and value each other.\u00a0 We must make peacebuilding a national priority \u2013 our lives, our children\u2019s lives and our economy depend on it,\u201d said Nancy Merritt, CA Peace Alliance, Northern CA State Coordinator.<\/p>\n<p>When CA Congresswoman Barbara Lee introduced The Department of Peacebuilding Act of 2013 (DoP\/HR808) on 02\/25\/13, she wrote to members of Congress, \u201cIt is past time to establish a Department of Peacebuilding to reduce suffering on a national and global scale while saving billions of dollars through violence reduction and increased economic productivity.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For three plus years, a statewide team of CA Peace Alliance volunteer leaders shepherded the dual peacebuilding measures through the CDP maze of confusing rules, committees, and procedures.\u00a0 The CA Democratic Endorsement team (CA Dem Team or Team) includes Brian Gibbs (San Diego County), Maggi Koren (Sonoma County), Lily Marie (Nevada County), Nancy Merritt (San Francisco Bay Area), and Jerilyn Stapleton (Los Angeles County).<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1022\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thepeacealliance.org\/cms\/assets\/uploads\/2013\/08\/Jerilyn@LegEM235607-20-13.jpg\" class=\"external\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1022\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1022\" alt=\"Jerilyn Stapleton, TPA team leader, testifying at Legislation Committee hearing.\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thepeacealliance.org\/cms\/assets\/uploads\/2013\/08\/Jerilyn@LegEM235607-20-13.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"279\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1022\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jerilyn Stapleton, TPA team leader, testifying at Legislation Committee hearing.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The Team worked long and hard to educate the CDP about the Department of Peacebuilding\u00a0 and the far-reaching concept of peacebuilding.\u00a0 With more than a little help from friends and supporters in the CDP and The Peace Alliance (TPA), and following adoption of strong peacebuilding language in 2012 CA Platform, the CDP passed dual resolution\/ legislation peacebuilding measures at its statewide Executive Board (E-Board) meeting in Costa Mesa, CA. The <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">resolution<\/span> acknowledges that the <strong>U.S. spends 2.16 trillion dollars annually for violence containment<\/strong> in this country and internationally.\u00a0 The <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">legislation<\/span> calls for a cabinet-level DoP, with a Secretary of Peacebuilding, to study and effectuate proven and cost-effective peacebuilding measures.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLike Franklin Roosevelt, like Barack Obama, CDP officials told us to make them support peacebuilding &#8212; and that\u2019s just what we did.\u00a0 We took peacebuilding to the Party.\u00a0 Hard work, strategy, education, networking, coalition building and some luck resulted in the CDP\u2019s dual peacebuilding endorsements. This involved not only blood, toil, sweat and tears, but also perseverance, learning, listening, connecting, alignment of the stars and real joy,\u201d said Nancy Merritt.<\/p>\n<p>Lily Marie, CA TPA, NE CA Regional Lead, often reminded the CA Dem Team, and anyone who would listen, that peacebuilding is not a sound bite, it is a systems message.\u00a0 It is about connecting the dots.\u00a0 And it is about reminding people of Martin Luther King, Jr.\u2019s words:\u00a0 \u201cIt is always the right time to do the right thing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The back drop of the 07\/13 E-Board meeting was very much the senseless slaying of Trayvon Martin, an African American teen who was shot in Florida early one evening in February 2012 as he walked back from a neighborhood store to his dad\u2019s house.\u00a0 This event, and others, led to the CDP saying, \u201cEnough to violence.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>I.\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">The Long Arc of History<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\nDr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, \u201cThe arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.\u201d\u00a0 Congresswoman Lee\u2019s 2013 DoP legislation is part of a long history of trying to weave peacebuilding into the fabric of our culture and to incorporate it in our government.\u00a0 This historic effort started as early 1792, when an Office of Peace was proposed to counterbalance the then Department of War.\u00a0 George Washington said that his first wish was \u201cto see this plague of mankind, war, banished from the earth.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The first legislation for a U.S. Department of Peace (DoP) was introduced in 1935, which, by 1969 and the Vietnam War era was followed by ninety additional bills.\u00a0 Exactly two months before the fall of the Twin Towers in New York on September 11, 2001, then-Congressman Dennis Kucinich (OH) introduced in Congress Department of Peace legislation, which addressed the root causes of violence and, for the first time, called for a federal Department relating to both domestic and international violence prevention.\u00a0 Congressman Kucinich reintroduced such legislation in each Congress through 2011 &#8211; 2012.<\/p>\n<p><strong>II.\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Taking Peace to the Party<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\nTaking peace to the Party has been a long and winding journey. During 2006 &#8211; 2007, CA Democrats Harold Fong (Sacramento) and Maggi Koren (Sonoma) separately submitted three DoP resolutions to the CDP Resolutions committee, which sent them to the Legislation committee, where the legislation requests died.\u00a0 \u201cEven earlier than that, the Stonewall Democratic Club proposed a DoP resolution,\u201d said Maggi Koren, CA TPA, Sonoma Lead.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1026\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thepeacealliance.org\/cms\/assets\/uploads\/2013\/08\/NMSaundraDarrenJS@LegEM231107-20-13.jpg\" class=\"external\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1026\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1026\" alt=\"Waiting for Legislation Committee testimony to begin - Nancy Merritt, Saundra Andrews, Darren Parker, Jerilyn Stapleton\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thepeacealliance.org\/cms\/assets\/uploads\/2013\/08\/NMSaundraDarrenJS@LegEM231107-20-13.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"238\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1026\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Waiting for Legislation Committee testimony to begin &#8211; Nancy Merritt, Saundra Andrews, Darren Parker, Jerilyn Stapleton<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&#8220;For me this has been a five year journey starting when I was a proxy delegate to the 2008 Convention and took HR 808 to the Women&#8217;s Caucus.\u00a0 So, I&#8217;m extremely grateful for the CA Democratic Endorsement Team,\u201d said Jerilyn Stapleton, CA TPA, Southern CA State Coordinator. This accomplishment is a result of participation of this Team.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m amazed how a small group of thoughtful and well-organized people have changed the CDP world,\u201d said Brian Gibbs, CA TPA, San Diego volunteer.<\/p>\n<p>When the Team started its CDP journey, it submitted a DoP resolution to the Resolutions committee (Sacramento, 04\/11).\u00a0 That committee referred the DoP request to the Legislation committee and there was a side trip to the Rules committee (Anaheim, 07\/11).\u00a0 Meanwhile, the Team also worked through the Platform committee to add new language and strengthen existing peacebuilding language in the CDP 2012 Platform (Burlingame, 11\/11 and San Diego, 02\/12) \u2026 then back to the Legislation and Resolutions committees (Anaheim, 07\/12), on to continue building support at the 11\/12 E-Board meeting (Millbrae, 11\/12),\u00a0 back to the Resolutions committee (Sacramento, 04\/13), and on to the Legislation and Resolutions committees (Costa Mesa, 07\/13). The Team also took the DoP message to the national Democratic Party convention\/ People\u2019s convention in North Carolina in 09\/12.<\/p>\n<p>What began as an effort by the CA Peace Alliance morphed into a CA TPA\/ Democratic Party effort.\u00a0 Along the way, the CA TPA and members of the CDP built support among the Party\u2019s 20 State Regions, 58 County Central Committees, approximately 20 CDP Caucuses and numerous official Democratic clubs.\u00a0 The Team and supporters attended local, county and regional meetings from Nevada City to Sacramento, Turlock, Sonoma, Marin, Concord, Martinez, San Francisco, San Leandro, Los Angeles, Long Beach, San Diego and many other locations.\u00a0 Volunteers engaged in many, many conversations and e-mail exchanges. <em><strong>For more information on CA Peace Alliance volunteers and CDP supporters, see side bar \u201cMore Than a Little Help from Our Friends.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>III.\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">The July 2013 Executive Board Meeting in Costa Mesa (07\/19\/13 to 07\/21\/13)<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\nGoing into the three-day CDP E-Board meeting:<br \/>\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0The \u201c<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Resolution<\/span> for Peacebuilding\u201d had been approved by the CDP Resolutions Committee at the CDP State Convention on 04\/11\/13 and was on the General Session agenda for a Party vote on 07\/21\/13.<\/p>\n<p>\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0The request for CDP endorsement of the DoP <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">legislation<\/span> was before the CDP Legislation Committee and came out of the federal legislation subcommittee listed as \u201copposed.\u201d\u00a0 The Team faced an uphill battle.\u00a0\u00a0 During every two-year legislation cycle, the CDP supports up to five pieces of federal legislation and up to twenty pieces of state legislation.\u00a0 CA Peace Alliance\/ CDP volunteers lobbied before and at the July Executive Board meeting for DoP to be <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">one of the Party\u2019s five federal legislation priorities<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>IV.\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Messaging<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\nBefore the Legislation committee meeting, the Team and supporters reached out to as many delegates and Legislation committee members as possible and spread the message of peacebuilding at the CA TPA booth, in the halls, in the hotel restaurant, at the caucus meetings.\u00a0 At the General Session of all delegates, the Team held up signs.\u00a0 CDP Party Chair John Burton called out from the podium, \u201cWhat is that sign in the back?\u00a0 I can\u2019t read it.\u00a0 Is it something I should know about?\u201d\u00a0 Lily Marie, one of the sign holders, called back, \u201cSupport the United States Department of Peacebuilding.\u201d Earlier in the day, Chair Burton said the U.S. DoP is a \u201chell of a thing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The message, as reflected in words written earlier by Kendra Mon, CA TPA, NW CA Regional Lead, was and is:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Violence and war are bleeding our communities and our nation dry \u2013 literally, economically, and spiritually.\u00a0 Right now Americans need new, more effective, methods of first aid and life support.\u00a0 Right now CA and the Democratic Party can begin to staunch these life-threatening wounds by championing true homeland security in the form of a procreative national institution dedicated to supporting peacebuilding. Trained peacebuilders will be a new form of first responders who help us all put out fires before they start, prevent violence before it begins, and help us be in right relationship with ourselves, each other and the planet.<\/p>\n<p>Saundra Andrews, Senior Field Representative\/ Outreach Coordinator for Congresswoman\u00a0 Lee, donned an \u201cI-Support-HR808\u201d sticker and talked with delegates.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1025\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thepeacealliance.org\/cms\/assets\/uploads\/2013\/08\/DougLilyJanBlackJerilynEM253407-21-13.jpg\" class=\"external\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1025\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1025\" alt=\"Doug Merritt, Lily Marie, Jan Black, Jerilyn Stapleton\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thepeacealliance.org\/cms\/assets\/uploads\/2013\/08\/DougLilyJanBlackJerilynEM253407-21-13.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"224\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1025\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Doug Merritt, Lily Marie, Jan Black, Jerilyn Stapleton<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>V.\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Legislation Committee Preparation &amp; Testimony<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\nAs the Legislation committee assembled, Stephanie Thomas, CA TPA, Congressional District 13 Lead, went in search of a missing DoP witness &#8212; African-American caucus chair Darren Parker &#8212; and pulled him out of a Party luncheon with CA Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg.<\/p>\n<p>The Team distributed to supporters signs saying \u201cNo to Violence\u201d and \u201cSupport Department of Peacebuilding,\u201d provided informational packets to committee members, and signed up to testify.\u00a0 Volunteer Stephon Litwinczuk (Los Angeles) filmed the proceedings.\u00a0 Nancy Merritt took photographs (and, very importantly ceded back her testimony time to Jerilyn Stapleton).<\/p>\n<p>CA TPA representatives Jerilyn Stapleton and Lily Marie, Saundra Andrews, and Darren Parker testified in support of DoP legislation.\u00a0 Each spoke about the epidemic of violence in our nation and world, about the compelling need for a culture of peace, about available solutions, about widespread CDP and national support, and about the urgent need for a DoP now.<\/p>\n<p><strong>VI.\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">The Most Important Legislation Before the Committee<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\nAfter the testimony, many members of the 25-person Legislation committee advocated for DoP legislation. \u201cThis is the most important bill under consideration by the committee \u2026 the purpose of a committee endorsement is to announce to the CA Democratic delegation that this is of utmost importance to\u00a0 the CDP,\u201d said committee member David Sonneborne (Orange).<\/p>\n<p>Committee member Susie Shannon (Los Angeles), said, \u201cForty-three city and other governmental counsels have endorsed this.\u00a0 Numerous organizations have endorsed, including Amnesty International, the Global AIDS Alliance, the National Organization for Women, a chapter of NAACP. This is really important particularly given where we are in the history of this country.\u00a0 We must start addressing these issues\u00a0 &#8212; domestic violence, bullying, how many children have to die in schools, how many children need to die like Trayvon Martin given the \u2018stand your ground\u2019 laws?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Comparing establishment of a new DoP to the beginning of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Susie Shannon said that in the beginning the EPA had no teeth, it was de-funded by Richard Nixon, it was capped.\u00a0 \u201cI think these things start slow, you make a commitment and you move forward.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Other committee member comments include:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0At the subcommittee stage, \u201cI was opposed.\u00a0 I have been on the fence about this \u2013 not about the bill itself, the bill is a great bill, but on whether this reaches the level of our top twenty-five bills\u00a0 \u2026 I have to say the testimony, especially from Barbara Lee\u2019s office, was very persuasive \u2026 I will vote for it.\u201d\u00a0 (Richard Matthews, Porter Ranch)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cWe have got to turn this [trend of violence] around \u2026\u201d\u00a0 (Carole Lutness, Valencia)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0There have been funding cuts for organizations that deal with domestic violence issues \u2013 HR808 would address these issues.\u00a0 (Bobbie Jean Anderson, Los Angeles)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cHR808 talks about 85% [of the funding] being for domestic violence prevention, but I also want to talk about what\u2019s happening with the 15% in international violence and how this country is perceived in one war after another.\u00a0 We need to make statement that we need Department of Peacebuilding now.\u201d\u00a0 (Harpreet Sandhu, Richmond)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cThis bill was written before Trayvon Martin [was killed] and before some of other massacres we\u2019ve seen in last few months.\u00a0 These massacres just remind us that the time is now for us to take a position on this &#8230; I know the legislative analyst has said this bill has a 1% chance of passing in this Congress \u2013 is that a reason for us to take no position?\u00a0 I don\u2019t think so.\u201d\u00a0 (Igor Tregub, Berkeley)<\/p>\n<p>Committee Chair Barry Broad (Sacramento) said that although it did not appear the vote was going that way, he had some opposing reservations.\u00a0 The <strong>committee voted unanimously in favor of recommending to the General Assembly a \u2018yes\u2019 vote on DoP legislation<\/strong>.\u00a0 There were tears, cheers, hugs and sighs of relief. Then a hotel alarm went off and all were forced to evacuate.<\/p>\n<p><strong>VII.\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Final General Session (07\/21\/13) \u2013 YES!<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\nThe next day, the Team prepared for the final General Session by lining up speakers in case of a floor fight. The Team and supporters collectively crossed their fingers, held their breath, watched and waited.\u00a0 The \u201cResolution for Peacebuilding\u201d passed without a problem.\u00a0 At last, Legislation Committee Chair Barry Broad rose to present his report and <strong>singled out one bill which he noted was very popular \u2013 the U.S. Department of Peacebuilding Act<\/strong>, saying, \u201cNow, we\u2019ll all have to be nice to each other.\u00a0 Forever.\u201d\u00a0 The CDP delegates laughed, cheered and voted to endorse this legislation.<\/p>\n<p><strong>VIII.\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Making Peacebuilding A Party Value<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\nDuring the progression through the CDP maze, the Team worked with the Party to make peacebuilding a strong part of the Party\u2019s values by infusing the 2012 Platform with peace and peacebuilding ideals.\u00a0 In 2011 \u2013 2012, the CA Dem Team successfully introduced peacebuilding language into multiple Platform planks.<\/p>\n<p>Leading up to the dual resolution\/DoP endorsements, the Team advocated that peacebuilding as a human value and a Democratic Party value.\u00a0 The preamble of the CDP 2012 platform provides that the <strong>Party will \u201cpromote peace, rule of law and human rights by instituting and funding time-tested and cost effective tools and strategies for peace which address the hate, vitriol and violent conflicts that are rampant in today\u2019s society, which interfere with our security and prosperity, both at home and abroad.<\/strong>\u201d\u00a0 The CA Dem Team proposed the bulk of this language.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, the CA Dem Team tied together the CDP and DoP legislation.\u00a0 <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">New<\/span><\/strong> <strong>provisions to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">both<\/span> the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">CDP Platform of 2012<\/span> and <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">DoP 2013<\/span> include:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0provide for public education programs that promote tolerance and respect for diversity<br \/>\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0create school and community cultures where students and staff are free from bullying and harassment by implementing curricula in nonviolent conflict resolution education for teachers, students, parents, school community and community at large<br \/>\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0assist in re-entry by incarcerated individuals by including training in anger management, peacebuilding skills, life skills, education and job skills<br \/>\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0assist in creating strong &amp; healthy families, including supporting mental health service, domestic violence prevention, gang prevention, anti-bulling programs, substance abuse prevention, and parenting skills<br \/>\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0provide restorative justice programs in the criminal justice system to bring together offenders, victims, and community members to repair harm through accountability and rehabilitation<\/p>\n<p><strong>IX.\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Ending The Cycle of Violence<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\nOn the night of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.\u2019s death on April 4,1968, Robert F. Kennedy spoke about the choice between bitterness, revenge, hatred and violence, <strong>\u201cOr we can make an effort, as Martin Luther King did, to understand and to comprehend and replace that violence, that stain of bloodshed that has spread across our land, with an effort to understand, compassion and love.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Since 1968<\/span>, when Dr. King and Robert F. Kennedy were assassinated, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">over a million people<\/span> have been killed with guns in the United States (bradycampaign.org). <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">During the past century<\/span>, our nation fielded soldiers in battle during 64 of those years, and <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">231 million people died<\/span> in wars and conflict. \u201cWe say <strong>ENOUGH TO VIOLENCE<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Each time this nation and the CDP put off dealing with violence, there follows a cascade of more violence \u2013 a Columbine high school massacre in Colorado, a Sandy Hook massacre of 5-and-6 year olds and their teachers in Connecticut, the killing of a young African American named Oscar Grant by a transit policeman on a subway platform in California, the beating almost to death of a young mother by her husband in South Carolina.<\/p>\n<p>This time, as the CDP met in July 2013, the verdict had just been handed down exonerating a Florida neighborhood watch coordinator in the senseless death of African American teenager Trayvon Martin as he carried home from the local store a package of Skittles and iced tea.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe CDP general assembly Saturday (07\/20\/13) opened with an invocation mentioning Trayvon Martin and a moment of silence led by African-American caucus Chair Darren Parker. Chairs of the Arab American, Asian Pacific Islander, Chicano Latino, Filipino American, and Native American caucuses stood behind him.\u00a0 The whole assembly rose to participate in the moment of silence.\u00a0 It was a very special moment,\u201d said Jerilyn Stapleton. \u201cThat\u2019s how we\u2019ll make peace a reality \u2013 standing, working, walking together,\u201d said Nancy Merritt.<\/p>\n<p><strong>X.\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Keepin\u2019 On With a Culture of Peace<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\nPeacebuilding is not for the faint of heart. Peacebuilding is work.\u00a0 It is drafting flyers, schlepping literature, endlessly overcoming misperception, rules, regulations, procedural twists and turns, hurdles and blockades.\u00a0 It is late-night letter writing, driving, flying, and enduring expensive and bad hotel food. It is working to be the peace. It is turning foes into friends (if not necessarily supporters).\u00a0 It is finding a way.<\/p>\n<p>But peacebuilding has its rewards.\u00a0 In the process of securing the CDP endorsement, there were amazing conversations with a former Houston police chief, with the mother of a newly-elected CA assemblyperson, with CA teachers, with spiritual leaders, with farmers and with members of the Arab American caucus, the African-American caucus, the Children\u2019s caucus, the Labor caucus, the Chicano Latino caucus, the Progressive caucus, the Rural caucus, the Women\u2019s caucus, the Veteran\u2019s caucus, to name a few.<\/p>\n<p>This success with the CDP was about heart-felt connections with Party members and about the generosity of CA Peace Alliance volunteers \u2013 from contributions of time, money, lodging, \u201cI Am a Fan of Peace\u201d fans, DoP buttons, almonds and cupcakes for tabling volunteers.\u00a0 There were words of encouragement. And moral support.\u00a0 Every bit helped.\u00a0 It mattered that The Peace Alliance nationwide has spent years getting city and organization endorsements. Everything that came before the CDP endorsement mattered.\u00a0 Every bit made a difference.<\/p>\n<p>This achievement now opens more possibilities and creates the necessity to keep on keepin\u2019 on.\u00a0 Peace is every step.\u00a0 Peace is the journey.<\/p>\n<p>Peace on.<\/p>\n<p>Nancy Merritt<br \/>\nOn Behalf of the CA TPA Democratic Endorsement Team<br \/>\nBrian Gibbs, Maggi Koren, Lily Marie, Nancy Merritt, &amp; Jerilyn Stapleton<\/p>\n<p>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF PEACEBUILDING<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Whereas, violence in America cuts across age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, ethnicity, religion, and nationality, and negatively impacts the quality of life, erodes social values and standards of morality, deteriorates national morale, and creates a culture that systematically reproduces violence by the use of force and violence as means of defense and security domestically and internationally, and<\/p>\n<p>Whereas, funding of domestic and international wars on crime, immigration, terrorism, and so on drains the U.S. and global economy and a recent report from the Institute for Economics and Peace estimates that in the U.S. violence containment costs around 15% of Gross Domestic Product each year and is the largest discrete industry in this country, costing around $2.16 trillion dollars annually, and<\/p>\n<p>Whereas, the epidemic of violence in America must be contained through the implementation of nonviolent strategies to remedy the effects of gang violence, domestic abuse, sexual violence, and gun violence domestically; as well as to alleviate growing international tensions and help resolve civil wars and international conflicts the United States has pledged to support.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore Be It Resolved, the California Democratic Party encourages state and national legislatures to support research by government agencies and NGOs to identify and address the root causes of violence in our society, and supports the implementation of education and training programs in nonviolent conflict resolution in public agencies and in public schools.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Be it Further Resolved, the California Democratic Party will support policy initiatives that will advance peacebuilding domestically and internationally on the local, state, and national level.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>MORE THAN A\u00a0 LITTLE HELP FROM OUR FRIENDS<\/strong><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong> PARTIAL LIST OF TPA and CDP PEACEBUILDING PARTNERS<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>A.\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">CA Peace Alliance Supporters<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\nCA volunteers from throughout the state donated time, funds, materials, lodging, food, words of encouragement and moral support.\u00a0 During our three-year odyssey, at least the following CA TPA friends\/ volunteers gave their time at CDP statewide meetings and\/or donated funds or materials:\u00a0 Pete Beauregard (San Diego), Julie Beezley (Lake Balboa), George Berger (San Diego), Virginia Berger (San Diego), Phyllis Boyston (Napa), Marshall Burns (Los Angeles), Anita Coolidge (San Diego), Jeff Day (Walnut Creek), Suzanne Day (Walnut Creek), Marilee Eusebio (Davis), Ellen Faden (El Cerrito), Brian Gibbs (San Diego), Jack Heldt (Los Angeles), Virginia Hilker (Redondo Beach), Myra Jackson (Los Angeles), Daniel Kenney (Santa Clara), Judy Kimmel (Mill Valley), Nancy Kivette (San Francisco), Maggi Koren (Windsor) Phyllis Levin (Santa Cruz), Stephon Litwinczuk (Los Angeles), Cary Marie (Southern CA), Lily Marie (Rough-and-Ready), Renee Marie (Sacramento), Terry Mason (Los Angeles), Frank McClain (Marin), Amy McQuillan (San Diego), Roberta Medford (Glendale), Doug Merritt (El Cerrito), Nancy Merritt (El Cerrito), Kendra Mon (Petaluma), Lorrie Norby (Mill Valley), Northern CA\u00a0 Peace Alliance, Ann Pestalozzi (Murphys), Dr. Marc Pilisuk (Berkeley), Eileen Rea (San Diego),\u00a0 Josh Roebuck (Oakland), Pat Rusich (Hercules), San Diego Peace Alliance, Mark Schoen (Lake Balboa), Denise Schellink (Elk Grove), Annette Schmidt (Walnut Creek), Jerilyn Stapleton (Los Angeles), Louise Stiles (Carlsbad), Stephanie Thomas (Berkeley), Jeanine Unterleiher (Bay Area), Sandra Weaver (San Clemente) and more.<\/p>\n<p><strong>B.\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Endorsers of \u2018Resolution to Support Peacebuilding\u2019<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>CDP Regions<\/strong> <\/span>(3, 4, 5, 8, 16, &amp; 18); <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>DCCs<\/strong><\/span> (Alameda, Madera, Marin, Nevada, Sacramento, Sutter, Yuba); CDP Officials such as CDP Secretary Daraka Larimore-Hall, Carolyn Fowler, Carol Lutness, Susie Shannon, Mike Thaller, Leah Herzberg, Marilyn Grunwald, Dorothy Reik, Mister Phillips, Igor Tregub, Jim Firth; <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>CDP Clubs<\/strong><\/span> (Democratic Club of the High Desert, Lake County Stonewall Democratic Club, Los Angeles County Stonewall Democratic Club, Nevada County Democratic Women\u2019s Club, Oakhurst Democratic Club, Turlock Democratic Club, and Yes We Can Democratic Club of Long Beach).<\/p>\n<p><strong>C.\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">2011 &#8211; 2013 CDP Endorsers of U.S Department of Peacebuilding Legislation<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\nHundreds of <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>CDP delegates<\/strong><\/span> including <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>CA Democratic Party Chair John Burton, State Senator Mark Leno and labor leader Delores Huerta<\/strong><\/span> signed petitions supporting this.\u00a0 Many <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>DCCs<\/strong><\/span> (Calaveras, Contra Costa, Fresno, Lake, Marin, Nevada, Plumas, Solano, Sonoma) and clubs have supported, and continue to support this effort.\u00a0 A growing list of DoP 2013 endorsers includes Regions (3, 5, 6, 8, 18); DCCs (Contra Costa, El Dorado, Madera, Marin, Nevada, Sacramento, Sierra, Sutter, Yuba); <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>CDP officials<\/strong><\/span> (Sue Gallagher); and clubs (Lake County Stonewall Democratic Club, Nevada County Democratic Women\u2019s Club, Oakhurst Democratic Club, Turlock Democratic Club).<\/p>\n<p><strong>D.\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Special Thanks<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\nSaundra Andrews, Karen Bernal, Jan Black, John Burton, Chuck Carpenter, CDP Standing Committee Members, Sue Gallagher, Jim Firth, Margie Joehnck, Hene Kelly, Royce Kelly, Barbara Lee, Dottie Le Mieux, Carol Lutness, Jamie McLaughlin, Darren Parker, Susan Rowe, Harpreet Sandhu, Susie Shannon, David Sonneborne, Igor Tregub, and many others helped make the CDP endorsements a reality.<\/p>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Some very exciting news out of California.  Thanks to our CA Peace Alliance organizers and other key supporters, the CA Democratic party recently endorsed legislation to establish a U.S. Department of Peacebuilding and a peacebuilding platform.  This is a very meaningful development.  CA Democratic party (CDP) only endorses a handful of bills each session &#8212; and it&#8217;s some of the most comprehensive peacebuilding support in any party platform in the nation.  This could be real trend setter.<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":1036,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1008","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Taking Peacebuilding to the Party: CA Democratic Party endorses creation of a U.S. Department of Peacebuliding - The Peace Alliance<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/peacealliance.org\/taking-peacebuilding-to-the-party-ca-democratic-party-endorses-creation-of-a-u-s-department-of-peacebuliding\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Taking Peacebuilding to the Party: CA Democratic Party endorses creation of a U.S. Department of Peacebuliding - The Peace Alliance\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Some very exciting news out of California. Thanks to our CA Peace Alliance organizers and other key supporters, the CA Democratic party recently endorsed legislation to establish a U.S. Department of Peacebuilding and a peacebuilding platform. This is a very meaningful development. CA Democratic party (CDP) only endorses a handful of bills each session -- and it&#039;s some of the most comprehensive peacebuilding support in any party platform in the nation. 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Thanks to our CA Peace Alliance organizers and other key supporters, the CA Democratic party recently endorsed legislation to establish a U.S. Department of Peacebuilding and a peacebuilding platform. This is a very meaningful development. CA Democratic party (CDP) only endorses a handful of bills each session -- and it's some of the most comprehensive peacebuilding support in any party platform in the nation. 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