Kucinich Attacked For Supporting Peace

[BayCityProgressive]

Kucinich Attacked For Standing for Peace - Dennis needs your help

Dear Friends,

This past weekend, thousands of people flooded the halls of Congress to lobby in favor of Congressman Dennis Kucinich’s legislative proposal to enact a Department of Peace. Yesterday, a Cleveland area PUBLIC radio station lambasted Congressman Kucinich and his proposed Department of Peace without fully gathering the facts.

WCPN carried an interview today in which the talk show host, Daniel Moulthrop, raised questions about Congressman Kucinich’s proposal for a Department of Peace by asking his guest on the show, Chris Maag, what he thought about it. The Department of Peace addresses domestic abuse, spousal abuse, and other violent crimes. Chris Maag, a freelance writer for the New York Times and Time Magazine, went on to describe Congressmen Kucinich as "a clown, lazy," and falsely chastised the Congressman for not doing anything about what were clearly local law enforcement issues.

In 2001, almost 21,000 homicides and 31,000 suicides occurred and almost 1.8 million people were assaulted. Homicide was the second leading cause of death for people ages 10 to 24. The annual cost of treating gunshot wounds is over $200 billion. Cutting and stab wounds cost an additional $51 billion. The cost of violence, though, cannot be measured only monetarily. To address this culture of violence, Congressman Kucinich, along with 52 of other congressional co-sponsors, has reintroduced the Department of Peace legislation.

On the radio show, Moulthrop’s guest Chris Maag criticized Congressman Kucinich and his proposal for a Department of Peace while simultaneously claiming that the Congressman is doing nothing to address the issues of crime and violence.

Call WCPN today at 1-877-399-3307 and DEMAND that they provide the Cleveland area with the real facts about the Department of Peace and that Moulthrop apologize to Congressman Kucinich for belittling such an ambitious and widely supported legislative proposal. Urge them to read the Department of Peace legislation.

Please send a positive yet assertive message to WCPN about the Department of Peace and Congressman Kucinich’s vigilant work ethic to usher in a culture of nonviolence into America. Send emails to [e-mail] or go to the response box. Also, please call the radio station at 216-916-6100 or toll free at 877-399-3307.

Also, in addition to your phone calls, please help Dennis promote the true message of peace by contributing to Dennis' courageous stand for peace in our homes and communities.

Thank you for all of your help,


Elizabeth Kucinich

[liberal N proud]

1. After all he is just emboldening the enemy

It the war on terror you know....


:sarcasm:

[Ron Green]

2. This may be even bigger than Peak Oil and Global Warming.

That is, the shift from leaders who make war to leaders who make peace. Not forced peace, not pax Romana or pax Americana, not brokered deals with criminals, but true exemplary and Ghandi-like leadership from the top down. The fearmongering right wing and their talk-show minions will always treat Dennis like this, because they're so heavily invested in the politics of death.

[Greeby]

3. Kick for DK and EJK

:kick:

[treestar]

4. Interesting idea

It was originally the "department of War" which then the "department of defense" and now it ought to be called the "department of offense" - even an additional "department of Peace" would be a good idea - though perhaps that falls into the job description of "Department of State" which right wingers don't believe in. To them, diplomacy is "weakness."

[Strawman]

5. I do have one question about it

I like the idea of a DOP as a counterweight to the violent interests of the military industrial complex. I like the idea of a paradigm shift away from violence, war and hate. More than anything else, I think it's what we need to do if we're going to survive over the long run.

But I do wonder what would happen to the DoP when a conservative Republican administration like this one was in power. I suspect they would try and use it as a vehicle for all sorts of "faith-based" initiatives and it would take on an Orwellian character in foreign policy. Would it still be a counterweight or just another institutional mechanism for imposing their worldview?

[mikelgb]

6. It heartens me when scum take the time to bash Kucinich

it means that they fear him

[izzybeans]

7. I guess the good news is, "who the hell is Daniel Molthrop and Chris Maag?"

This is to be expected. How anyone could say such a thing with a straight face is beyond me, however. Pure propaganda straight from "the party"="His attempt to deal with crime and violence just shows how he is doing nothing to address issues of crime and violence."

[Annces]

8. Done

Power to the people.

[Kolesar]

9. How do I get on Elizabeth Kucinich's email list?

Actually, I would like some verification of this email before I send it along. I am not that skeptical. I would describe WCPN staff as being "new and from out of town", so they could make a mistake like this. And it is/would have been a mistake (to put it gently). BTW, I get more news from WCPN than anywhere else. I have called in on a few mornings. And I have seen WCPN critiqued in the local alternative press like Cle Free Times: http://www.freetimes.com/search/wcpn . thanks

[porkrind]

10. If he would have proposed another police state agency

like the "dept of homeland security" or a domestic KGB, people would have loved it. :wtf:

[Kolesar]

11. I was serious!