On Monday, April, 11, I met in Cambridge with Dot Maver, Director of The Peace Alliance and Foundation, and Patty Roeding, as they returned home to VT from organizing in NJ. They are thrilled with the grassroots launching of a MA Campaign for a U.S. Dept. of Peace and with the networking support of webmaster, Jason White. I updated them on activities of our leaders in MA Congressional Districts 5,6 and 7, who plan to hold organizational meetings with the many people in their Districts who signed on to the Campaign in our January 15 meeting with Dot Maver and in our March 5 event featuring 3rd District Congressman, Jim McGovern. We also gathered members at the Unity Church in Amesbury where Dennis Kucinch spoke on Mar.13. These leaders intend to find coordinators for a petition campaign which will show wide support of constituents for a Dept of Peace in their visits with Congressmen or their staff.

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Outreach efforts include tabling at community functions and the seeking of high school students to organize for the gathering of signatures of registered voters inside and outside the school. We have found students in a Newton high school who are planning to do this. Dot urged that we use local cable TV and radio to publicize the campaign and its activities.

In that meeting I learned that Cong. Kucinich's plans to re-introduce his bill on Sept 12 to "reframe 9/11" has been changed to Sept 13. On the weekend of Sept 10, 11, 12 in Washington, D.C., The Peace Alliance will hold a Conference, featuring Walter Cronkite and Marianne Williamson, as well as a training session for the lobbying which will take place. Arrangements have been made for hotel rooms at a discounted price, and the hope is that volunteer leaders from all 435 U.S. Congressional Districts will be there for the weekend! A flyer will soon be available with information.

Patty Roeding, the Foundation's Peace Education Director, shared information about the Peaceful Schools Initiative of The Peace Alliance, which was begun by students in VT for work to create a culture of peace in high schools. The director is happy to provide information about this. (Patty@thepeacealliance.org.)

Pat Simon
psimon@gis.net