{"id":3550,"date":"2015-01-21T12:48:26","date_gmt":"2015-01-21T17:48:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peacealliance.org\/?p=3550"},"modified":"2015-01-21T19:00:10","modified_gmt":"2015-01-22T00:00:10","slug":"ca-peace-alliance-builds-bridges-for-peace-with-the-ca-democrats-report-from-nancy-merritt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/peacealliance.org\/ca-peace-alliance-builds-bridges-for-peace-with-the-ca-democrats-report-from-nancy-merritt\/","title":{"rendered":"CA Peace Alliance Builds Bridges for Peace with the CA Democrats-Report from Nancy Merritt"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Bella

Bella Pelosi, Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s granddaughter<\/p><\/div>\n

The CA Peace Alliance (TPA) continued building bridges for peace at the CA Democratic Party (CDP) Executive Board meeting in San Diego in November.\u00a0 Three times each year, CDP elected officials and grassroots party activists meet to set policy for the Party.<\/p>\n

The November 2014 meeting focused on what went well with the election,\u00a0 what did not, and how the CDP can improve on its tradition of establishing a more just and equitable society \u2013 matters which overlap with TPA concerns.<\/p>\n

During the weekend meeting, the CA TPA focused on expanding support for our peacebuilding initiatives<\/b> \u2013 including the U.S. Department of Peacebuilding Act (DoP), the Youth PROMISE Act (YPA), restorative justice, restorative practices and Proposition 47 reforms.\u00a0 We listened, we dialogued, and we networked about the implications of peacebuilding in creating a society that values and nurtures all.<\/p>\n

This was interspersed with CDP concerns about the abysmal November voter turnout, especially among college students, and the importance of focusing on issues of concern to base supporters.\u00a0 Many vocalized the need to stand for something rather than acting out of fear and worry about the \u201copposition.\u201d\u00a0 Other themes included education, the environment and poverty.\u00a0 One speaker told a story about newly-elected State Senator\u00a0 Mike McGuire (District 2) who was so dedicated to knocking on every door in his very large Northern CA district that he kept campaigning on into Oregon.<\/p>\n

In the arena of \u2018standing for something,\u2019 the CDP passed resolutions<\/b> in support of saving net neutrality, stopping UC tuition hikes<\/b>, condemning the disappearance of Mexican students<\/b>, and supporting executive action on immigration reform.<\/b>\u00a0 The party also passed a Ferguson resolution<\/b>:\u00a0 \u201cNo Taxation Without Representation,\u201d which supports the citizens of Ferguson\u2019s drive to re-establish the democratic process and \u201cwe recommit to the principle of one person, one vote, with a goal of 100% registration and voting in all CA counties\u201d and resisting any efforts to disenfranchise voters<\/b>, wherever they may reside.
\n<\/b><\/p>\n


\nI.\u00a0 CA TPA Tabling<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

At our CA TPA booth, we talked about local, national and international violence and peacebuilding possibilities.\u00a0 We asked attendees to sign letters urging members of Congress to cosponsor current and upcoming 2015 DoP legislation and came away with 271 signed letters.\u00a0 We asked delegates to sign a United Nations petition urging all member nations to create departments, ministries and infrastructures of peace.\u00a0 We attended caucus meeting and general sessions.\u00a0 We listened to party officials and attendees.\u00a0 Our outreach included:<\/p>\n