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The following people have Endorsed the Department of Peace.
Governor Janet Napolitan Recognizes AZDOP
“Office of the Governor
With Special Recognition
Be it hereby known to all that I,
Janet Napolitano,
Governor of the State of Arizona,
do hereby offer my sincere congratulations to
“ARIZONA DEPARTMENT
OF PEACE CAMPAIGN
Governor Napolitano
with Terri and Mitzi
“For working tirelessly to network with and educate all citizens about the efficacy and practicality of the Department of Peace legislation. Arizona Department of Peace Campaign volunteers have set an excellent example of the power of ideas and problem-solving dialogues for the common good.
“IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I haveunto set my hand, done at the Capitol in Phoenix on this third day of April in the Year Two Thousand and Seven.
“JANET NAPOLITANO”
Phoenix Mayor Declares April 8, 2007 AZDOP Campaign Day
CITY OF PHOENIX
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
A PROCLAMATION
FOURTH ANNUAL ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF PEACE CAMPAIGN DAY
WHEREAS, In 1792 Dr. Benjamin Rush, a Founding Father and signer of the Declaration of Independence, along with his peer Benjamin Banneker, envisioned a Department of Peace to balance the Department of War; and
WHEREAS, Presidents Dwight Eisenhower, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan have focused on various aspects of the Department of Peace, and
WHEREAS, over 100 bills have been introduced into Congress since the end of WWII to create a Department of Peace in the federal government, including the current bill HR808; and
Read More
Fransican Renewal Center Endorses AZDOP
Dear Terri,
On behalf of the Franciscan Renewal Center and the Social Action Ministry
particularly, I am pleased to offer support for the legislation (HR 808) to
create a federal level Department of Peace and Peace Academy. We value of
all life and want our leaders to have skills in listening, intercultural
understanding as well as conflict resolution and negotiation.
We are pleased to host your monthly meetings to support the gatherings of
peacemakers.
Sincerely,
Christine Dove
Christine Dove, LCSW
Director, Social Action Ministry
The Franciscan Renewal Center
Red Hot Chili Peppers Endorse DOP
Flea of the popular Red Hot Chili Peppers, gave an amazing endorsement of the Department of Peace Monday night, Aug. 21, at the sold out concert in nearby Glendale, Arizona.
Our friend Scott Davis at AZ Family Channel 3 News had an exclusive interview with Flea before the concert.
Check it out!
CAP Dean
Just a brief e-mail, if I may, to urge you to pass the bill on establishing a US cabinet-level Department of Peace and Non-Violence on Wednesday, so that it can then go to the floor of the entire House for further consideration. Your role in helping to move this concept along will be extremely important.
As one who served in the US Air Force as an officer and then the US Foreign Service and Senior Foreign Service for a total of 32 years, I'm personally a very strong backer of a Dept of Peace. I want to stress the fact that I'm not anti-military. The US Military plays an essential and critical role in our foreign policy, and must sometimes be the tool that the US Government utilizes. However, a Department of Peace can be instrumental in helping to assure that peaceful options are "on the table" for consideration when security and emergency situations arise overseas. Such non-violent options, of course, won't always be possible -- unfortunately, military options are sometimes the only courses of action that are workable. However, it's critical that peaceful, non-violent options are always given consideration.
I've occasionally heard counter-arguments that a Dept of Peace would be duplicative and expensive. Undoubtedly, there might be some duplication, but careful planning can help to minimize or eliminate many of the duplicative functions. In terms of the expense, I would argue that at a time when our Department of Defense expenditures are pushing $500 billion annually, that the comparative costs of setting up and running a Department of Peace and Non-Violence would be relatively miniscule. In fact, in the long run a Department of Peace would very possibly save billions of dollars -- one overseas conflict prevented could pay the costs of a Department of Peace for a decade. I would argue that when all aspects of a Department of Peace and the nature of the world today are considered, effected by globalization and competition for resources, terrorism, well-armed national military forces, the growing spread of nuclear capabilities, and many other factors, that we can't afford to be without a Department of Peace.
I've served in many hostile environments during my time with the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Department of State and the International Foundation for Education and Self-Help (IFESH), a Phoenix-based NGO focusing on development in sub-Saharan Africa. I've spent 22 years living overseas and 10 additional years working from Washington, DC and Phoenix on development and post-conflict issues. I've lived and worked in places such as Laos, eastern Congo, the Niger Delta in Nigeria, Liberia and South Africa. I served in Iraq for 8 months in 2004 as the Regional Coordinator for Baghdad and the de facto Mayor of Baghdad, working for the Coalition Provisional Authority and Ambassador Bremer. Thus, I know first hand about conflict, mitigation of violence, the roles of the military and civilian organizations, and understand the huge possibilities of a U.S. cabinet-level Department of Peace. It is from that vantage point that I urge your support to push for adoption of legislation necessary to make a Department of Peace and Non-Violence a reality.
Thank you in advance for your critical support of the US Department of Peace.
Sincerely,
Leslie A. "Cap" Dean
U.S. Senior Foreign Service, Minister-Counselor (retired)
Scottsdale, AZ
Starshine Academy
18 of the StarShine Academy charter high school students who study with teacher Tori Okuda wrote eloquent letters stating what peace means to them, and why they want a Department of Peace, in Arizona and the US. One letter is from Amanda S.: "Dear Rep. Ed Pastor: My name is Amanda S. and I go to StarShine Academy. I am writing to you because I want to tell you (about) giving your support on the Dept. of Peace Bill #HR 1673. Our school got visited by the Dept. of Peace. They gave our class a new feeling on why peace is important. I feel that our world does not have enough of peace. Too much violence and crime, and too much death involving those two things. Having the Bill pasted (sic) would benefit the world, it would start something new. It could lessen the crime, violence, and death rates. The peace would spread and make lives happier and better. The peace department is a great idea to bring people in the world a sense of what peace could really bring." June 9, 2004
Sherriff Joe Arpaio
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 Ann Marie Tate, Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Terri Mansfield,
former Phoenix Mayor Thelda
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February 13, 2006
Terri Mansfield and Ann Marie Tate
State Co-ordinators
Arizona Department of Peace Campaign
P.O. Box 99047
Phoenix, AZ 85060
Dear Ms. Mansfield and Ms. Tate:
This letter is my official endorsement of the Arizona Department of Peace Campaign, locally and nationally. Therefore, you have my permission to use my name on the DOP website in support of your cause. I look forward to working with your group to stop the violence in our community.
Sincerely,
Joseph M. Arpaio
Sheriff (Maricopa County, Arizona)
100 W. Washington Street, Ste. 1900
Phoenix, Arizona 85003
602-876-1801
Former Mayor Thelda Williams
Former Phoenix Mayor Thelda Williams sent us her powerful endorsement expressed so eloquently below. "I strongly support the creation of the United States Department of Peace. The violence in America continues to spread like an ugly virus through every segment of our society. Violence destroys children's dreams and lives. Violence rips families apart. Violence feeds on the negativity it creates, and forms a multi-generational genetic chain that will eventually destroy America from within. Violence is complex. All levels of government jurisdiction, communities, organizations, and individuals are committed to their individual areas of interest and expertise. Billions of dollars are spent each (year) addressing the various contributing factors related to violence, i.e., domestic violence, child abuse, animal abuse, elder abuse, substance abuse, mental illness, criminal activities, civil rights violations, lack of adequate housing, education, health services, etc. It is time to change how we do business. The Department of Peace will provide the leadership to address the complexities involved from the positive perspective that encourages and rewards good behaviors and attitudes...the one that teaches respect for one another's differences and needs...the one that may coordinate the many efforts and channels positive energy to eliminate violence...the one that instills positive values, dreams, and spirit. I commend you for your leadership in making this happen. It is truly a tremendous challenge, but a most worthy endeavor." July 14, 2004
Hard Knocks High Students
14 juvenile inmates at Hard Knocks High, in the Maricopa County jail system, endorsed the concept of peace and a Department of Peace as vehicles to begin to eradicate the cycle of violence in which they live. One letter is from Guadalupe D.: "My name is Guadalup D. I am an inmate at Madison Street Jail. I heard that the senator (sic) is trying to create a department of peace, and I think that this is a very good idea because peace is everything. What peace means to me is love, friendship, and together united as one. If there is peace there would be less violence and stop drugs from running the street. If the department of peace is created in Arizona, it would really really help! Because in my life I've seen a lot of violence, and it affects the children's life so let's get the Department of peace running so we could have world peace." July 13, 2004
John English, Writer
John English, lives in North Phoenix, and travels the world talking about his evolutionary political novel, "The Shift: An Awakening". "From time to time, we get to be part of something very beautiful on this Earth. If our desire is to be of service to Mother / Father God and our hearts are pure, then this can happen frequently. Our lives are then enriched by the others we meet whose hearts are open through making the same commitment. We then become part of something that is bigger than we are individually; in acuality we then remember who we truly are and that all things are possible. This infuses our spirit with great joy. Our minds tend to underestimate the unlimited capabilities of our spirit and the power of our intention, and one of the greatest challenges is to retrain our minds not to do so. For some of us this happens rather suddenly and without warning. For most of us this can happen through service in organizations like the Arizona Department of Peace. Most of us know that we must first practice peace before we can know it. To truly know something is to become it. Once we become peace, the natural progression is for it to flow out of us to touch everyone we come in contact with. This area of being...our minds cannot understand, and what the mind cannot understand, it is without power to impose limitations on. My heart knows that what was started by Terri Mansfield and Shirley Catanzaro is boundless and its energy will be felt by the seventh generation hence. For this I am eternally grateful, for the two of them, for the Arizona Department of Peace, and for all of you here today."
Timothy Schmaltz, Activist and Leader
CENTER FOR SPIRITUALITY AND MINISTRY IN THE MARKETPLACE
I am honored to endorse your local and national efforts to establish a Department of Peace. Our world is filled with injustice, hatred, fear, fear mongers and many who would use violence to solve humanity’s problems rather than seek alternative ways of peace and non violent conflict resolution.
You and your many colleagues in the Department of Peace movement have demonstrated consistently that peace can and should be viable way to resolve the inevitable conflicts of our humanity. You model a spirituality of inclusiveness that values all persons and our shared human dignity.
Read the full endorsement
BJ Peters, Peace Practitioner
“Dear Terri and Shirley
I am awed by the inspiring work that you, Shirley, other AZ volunteers, and national volunteers are doing to spread the word about national, state and local Departments of Peace. What evokes my whole hearted support is the peaceful, non-violent approach I've seen you take. Not only are you carrying the message, you are modeling and living the message with words and actions. And I assume this is the DOP movement's modus operandi.
Dwarko Sundrani, the last active disciple of Mahatma Gandhi who provides education and other humanitarian services to the poorest of the poor in India, said on a recent visit to Phoenix: "Violence escalates from sharp to sharper to sharpest. Nonviolence escalates from gentle to gentler to gentlest."
This is how I aspire to practice peace and hope that any Department of Peace would emulate and advocate as well.
Be Peace --BJ Peters
Phoenix AZ, USA
Peace and NonViolent Communications Practitioner, Student and Facilitator Appreciative Inquiry and Open Space Practitioner, Facilitator”
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