March 8, 2009

By Joe Maniscalco

Newark, Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and about 34 other local governing bodies already support the idea - and now a group of Brooklynites is pushing hard for a New York City Council Resolution supporting the creation of the United States Department of Peace.

The bill in the U.S. Congress is known as HR 808, and among other things calls for a new cabinet post advising the president in ways to reduce domestic and international violence, the creation of a United States Peace Academy and teaching violence prevention & conflict resolution skills to all K to 12 students.

"We have plenty of money for wars but what have we done for non-violent confrontation?" says Howard Rosenberg, a Ft. Greene resident and member of New Yorkers for a Department of Peace.

Part of the Peace Alliance Campaign, members of New Yorkers for a Department of Peace are appealing directly to their Brooklyn neighbors to push passage of New York City Council Resolution 627.

That resolution is now sitting in the Cultural Affairs Committee waiting for a full New York City Council hearing. It has 15 co-sponsors. Councilmember Domenic Recchia, representing the 47th District, chairs the Cultural Affairs Committee.

"Anything that can help us to get what we need to keep peace and security throughout the world we have to be in favor of that," Recchia said.

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