Democratic San Diego Congresswoman Susan Davis joined with lawmakers and Hollywood activists to call for the creation of a Department of Peace and Nonviolence. The Department would be tasked with finding nonviolent solutions to both domestic and international problems. From Washington, Charles Davis reports.
Davis believes the proposed arm of the executive branch could help find nonviolent solutions to conflicts at home and abroad. She says a Department of Peace could help reduce violent crime in San Diego.
Davis: We have a tremendous amount of violence, even some random violence that just occurred in a community that we wouldn’t have expected that to happen. We need to be engaged with our schools, we need to be engaged with our communities.
Davis believes the war in Iraq showcases the need for greater diplomacy in international affairs.
Davis: I think we would all agree that we could have used a Department of Peace back in 2002.
Members of the San Diego-based Americans for the Department of Peace came to Washington to lobby for the idea. Currently, the bill has 52 co-sponsors.
From Capitol Hill, Charles Davis, KPBS
