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- Presenters:
- Carla Handy
- Milt Hetrick
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- Introductions
- Goal: Help pass the next City Council Resolution supporting a U.S.
Department of Peace and Nonviolence.
- This Workshop will answer:
- Why pass a city council resolution in your community?
- HOW to pass a city council resolution in your community?
- How to work with your local government.
- Tips from successful cities around the country.
- Translate DoPN Mission to local issues.
- Examine what a Department of Peace could have done to prevent recent
violence.
- What the DoPN can do to prevent future violence and expand
opportunities for growth
- Examples of typical comments and questions.
- Feedback / Questions
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- Presenters
- Carla Handy: Centennial resident and CD6 CODoPN volunteer /
"co-leader".
- Background in Psychology / Sociology from Metropolitan State College
of Denver
- Sales & marketing in the custom home industry
- Married, mother of two girls, 5 years & 15 years old.
- Involved in fundraising for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer
Foundation. Attendee of Mile Hi Church, Lakewood, CO.
- Hobbies: reading, running, hiking, biking, diving and a big supporter
of local Denver musicians.
- Milt Hetrick, Centennial resident, CD6 Volunteer and CODoPN Model
Project Coordinator
- Background in aerospace Engineering (Ohio State) / Physics (DU)
- Semi-retired
- Married, father of three
- Involved in volunteer work for Peace & Justice organizations,
research and the application of technology to Peacemaking. Attendee of First Universalist
Church, Denver, CO
- Hobbies: woodworking, genealogy, restoration of Model A Fords, biking
- Attendees
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- There are many reasons for enrolling your local governing body in
adopting a resolution to support legislation for a U.S. Department of
Peace:
- It helps show broad public support for the Department of Peace
- It educates the public about the Department of Peace
- It generates free publicity that comes with open and televised City
Council meetings, plus follow-up electronic and print media coverage.
- It gives you something to send to your Members of Congress to assist
you in continuing to positively influence them.
- * Reference: National Web Site [http://www.thepeacealliance.org/content/view/172/143/
]
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- Find a champion (council member, Mayor, youth group, etc.) who can help
provide access / information about the Council
- Setup one-on-one meetings with Council members if possible - the 5-10
minutes you have to make a presentation to the full council is not
adequate to change any preconceived ideas of the Department of Peace
- Find local issues that the DoP would address (if it existed) and
translate the H.R. 808 legislation to something that is applicable at a
local level - meaningful to the City Council, City Manager, Mayor, etc.
- Involve youth groups when ever possible because they can be an effective
influence on the Council
- Provide handouts with additional materials
- Tell them something they didn’t know – including nonviolent alternatives
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- List of cities that have already endorsed the DoP [http://www.thepeacealliance.org/content/view/147/143/]
- Sample resolution and Resolutions from other cities
[http://www.thepeacealliance.org/content/view/174/468/]
- Review resources available from the National Campaign web site
- See City Council Resolution Campaign Overview
[http://www.thepeacealliance.org/content/view/172/468/]
- See City Council Resolution Support Materials
[http://www.thepeacealliance.org/content/view/173/468/]
- See Sample Resolution
[http://www.thepeacealliance.org/content/view/174/468/]
- Review resources available from the Colorado Campaign web site
- Presentation to Centennial Mayor Pye
[http://www.codopcampaign.org/References/MayorPyeCentennialPresentation.htm]
- Presentations to City Council
[http://www.codopcampaign.org/References/CentennialCityCouncilPresentation_11-05-07.htm]
- Sample Resolution
- Mayoral Proclamation
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- City Councils/Commissions
- Albany, CA
Arcata, CA
Atlanta, GA
Berkeley, CA
Cambridge, MA
Chicago, IL
Cleveland, OH
Detroit, MI
Everett, MA
Gainesville, FL
Hamtramck, MI
Kalamazoo, MI
Lansing, MI
Los Angeles, CA
Lincoln City, OR
Manistee, MI
Minneapolis, MN
Newark, NJ
Oakland, CA
Palo Alto, CA
Pine Lake, GA
Portland, OR
Providence, RI
San Jose, CA
Santa Cruz, CA
Sebastopol, CA
Silver City, NM
Traverse City, MI
West Hollywood, CA
County Boards of Supervisors
Kauai, HI
Manistee, MI
San Francisco, CA
- Tribal Councils
Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, MI
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- Resolution No. 2007-
- A Resolution Supporting the proposed federal legislation to create a
United States Department of Peace, encouraging those members of the
Colorado Delegation who have not
yet become sponsors of the proposed legislation to sign on as sponsors
of the bill and further encouraging the U.S. Congress to pass said
legislation.
_______________________________________
- WHEREAS, during the 110th Congress, H.R. 808 was introduced in the U.S.
House of Representatives legislation to create a United States
Department of Peace and Nonviolence, that has now garnered the
sponsorship of 60 members of the U.S. house of Representatives; and
- WHEREAS, the proposed legislation will establish a cabinet-level
Department of Peace, which will be headed by a Secretary of Peace who
will advise the President on issues that are both domestic and
international in scope; and
- WHEREAS, the proposed federal legislation will benefit the City of
Centennial by holding peace as an organizing principal for American
Society, thus changing the tone of American Society; and
- WHEREAS, the proposed federal legislation will benefit the City of
Centennial by developing new programs that address root causes of the
societal challenges of domestic violence, school violence, and racial or
ethnic violence; and
- WHEREAS, the proposed federal legislation will further benefit the City
of Centennial by encouraging development of initiatives from the
community, its religious groups, and its non-governmental organizations,
that will create greater community involvement and cooperation thereby
creating a stronger city; and
- WHEREAS, the proposed federal legislation will benefit the City of
Centennial by reducing the cost of International and Domestic conflict,
thereby allowing more funds to redirected to the states and cities; and
- WHEREAS, the proposed federal legislation will benefit the City of
Centennial by providing additional financial and human resources for
reducing all forms of violence (and the related costs) while increasing
opportunities for the city; therefore,
- BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CENTENNIAL:
- Section 1. That this Council hereby supports the proposed federal
legislation to create a United States Department of Peace and
Nonviolence, encourages those members of the Colorado Delegation who
have not yet become sponsors of the proposed legislation to sign on as
sponsors of the bill and further encourages the U.S. Congress to pass
said legislation.
- Section 2. That the Clerk of the Council is hereby directed to transmit
certified copies of this resolution to all members of the U.S. House of
Representatives representing the State of Colorado.
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- DoPN includes both International and Domestic activities
- Focus on the work of the DoPN on the domestic front – more specifically
on locals issues
- Address the fact that domestic violence costs the U.S. over $300
Billion a year
- DoPN mission can take on a broad perspective of “violence” and
“peacefulness”
- “Violence is any action that prevents a person from reaching their
potential”
- “Peacefulness is the lack of violence and presence of opportunity”
- Provide examples of what a DoPN could have done to prevent recent
violence in your city
- Kirkwood, MO City Council shootings,
- Granby bulldozer,
- New Life Church shootings,
- Provide examples of what the DoPN could do in the future to prevent
violence and promote opportunities in their city
- Support efforts such as the Metro Denver Gang Coalition
- e.g. Comprehensive Gang Model developed by the DoJ
- Provide early identification of “Red Flags”
- Dial 912 to report unmanaged conflict situations.
- The DoPN would send out a Peacemaking officer to assess the problem
before it escalates to violence and someone has to call 911.
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- Unmanaged Conflict
- Charles Lee "Cookie" Thornton (Kirkwood, MO City Council
shootings – 2/7/08)
- 6 dead, 2 injured in Kirkwood City Hall shooting
- The city had ticketed Thornton's demolition and asphalt business,
Cookco Construction, for parking his commercial vehicles in the
neighborhood, said Ron Hodges, a friend who lives in the community. The
tickets were "eating at him. He felt that as a black contractor he
was being singled out," Hodges said.
- At earlier city council meetings, he said he had received 150 tickets
against his business.
- Sportscaster Doug Vaughn of Channel 4 (who went to Kirkwood High School
with Thornton) said Thornton's behavior changed after police cracked
down on his parking of vehicles for his construction company outside
his home in Meacham Park. He felt harassed, Vaughn said.
- According to his brother, Thornton was "going to war" with a
city that did not respect his rights.
- 10 days earlier, a federal judge in St. Louis dismissed a lawsuit in
which Thornton, representing himself, claimed Kirkwood officials
violated his free speech rights by prohibiting him from speaking out at
city council meetings.
- Thornton experienced growing frustration with local leaders over this unmanaged
conflict situation
- Marvin Heemeyer built an armored bulldozer and used it to destroy 15
buildings ($5M damage) on July 4th, 2004 in Granby, CO.
- Heemeyer was upset with town officials after fighting with them over
zoning rules and town code violations at his muffler-repair business.
- After numerous appearances with town officials, there was no resolution
and the conflict escalated to violence. unmanaged conflict situation
- Violentization Process
- Matthew Murray (New Life Church shootings – 12/30/07)
- Review of Murray’s childhood experiences indicate he appears to have
been subjected to repeated “violent subjugation” Ref: Lonnie Athens, “The Creation
of Violent Dangerous Criminals” for more information about the violentization
process
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- There are few (if any) “random” acts of violence
- The Department of Peace and Nonviolence will have experts who focus on
recognizing “red flags”
- People who become violent (e.g. shooters) commonly signal their
intentions long before they act
- Parents need to learn about “violent subjugation.” Matthew Murray was subjected to a violentization
process. He was unable to
extricate himself from that environment.
- Murray was home schooled – even home schooling can result in violent
subjugating life experiences
- if the schooling teaches hate, promotes intolerance, etc.
- If it is conducted in secrecy with no accountability
- Murray’s blogs and emails provided “red flags” – public information on
the internet.
- Some people (his parents, minister, church youth leaders,..) were concerned
- But their response was to dish out more of the same subjugation
- Murray bought 1000 rounds of ammunition and 4 guns weeks before the
shootings – it was a legal
purchase, but today’s “background” checks are obviously ineffective.
- The background check currently does not demand any significant amount
of investigation to determine the gun buyer’s emotional /mental state
- The public has no way of determining if this person is buying the
weapons and ammo with the intention of shooting at paper targets, or
at people targets.
- Since this purchase can endanger the public, doesn’t it seem
reasonable to have several other representatives of the public
evaluate the purchase.
- The DoPN could serve as a member of this gun/ammo review committee to
provide a more in depth evaluation.
- Anyone who has worked for the Department of Defense and has had a
security clearance knows how in-depth DoD background investigations
are. Typically a special agent
personally interviews a half dozen associates to get a sense of the mental health of the individual,
the economic status is also investigated.
- The DoPN would focus on why the buyer is purchasing weapons
- A simple visit to the home or workplace would be appropriate in some
cases
- If there is any indication the buyer is in an unresolved conflict, that
is a red flag that our society has failed to give the gun buyer any
alternative tools to deal with their problems
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- This model was developed by Lonnie Athens based on interviews of violent
criminals while they were incarcerated
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- This isn't an appropriate topic for the City Council - why should we
even consider getting involved?
- As do many Federal Departments, the proposed DoPN will provide services
at a state, county, and city level
- As an elected City official you (city council member) can have an
opinion on how this proposed new Federal Department will affect the
residents of your city and provide value to your city.
- The DoPN has a responsibility to help you address forms of violence
occurring within your city.
- Violence ranges from homicide, personal assault, rape, domestic abuse,
vehicular assault, and robbery to self-inflicted violence such as
substance abuse, extreme life styles, suicide, etc.
- In addition, the DoPN will help you identify more subtle forms of
violence that are commonly the root causes of the more visible
physical violence reported in the media – called structural violence.
- Examples of structural violence include: any child who is denied access to
appropriate health care, any child that is prevented from obtaining an
appropriate educational opportunity and positive learning environment,
etc.
- The DoPN will assist in identifying the root causes and recommend
effective intervention programs
- This is just another layer of government – How can we afford more
government?
- How can we afford not to reduce the cost of domestic violence at $300
Billion / year
- If the DoPN reduces domestic violence by 3% it offsets its entire
operating cost of $8-10 Billion / year
- If the DoPN is not able to reduce domestic violence by 3%, it should be
discontinued
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- What the DoP is proposing is already being done by other Departments -
why do we want to duplicate their efforts
- There are hundreds of “violence reduction” programs spread over the
partner Departments. See http://www.dopmodel.info/wiki for a partial list
- Each of these programs has its own focus area.
- Most attempt to “Fix” the offenders by making them more resilient, able
to make “better” choices, to learn life skills. These programs are necessary to
“repair” their wounds and missed opportunities
- Few of these programs are coordinated in a holistic manner between the
DoE, DoJ, DoHHS, HUD, DoC, etc. to the structural violence that exists
that is often the root cause of domestic violence
- There will always be violence - what could the DoP do to change that?
- The DOPN can remind us that there will always be conflict / differing
opinions, differing values, and the perceived lack of resources – to
use the tag line of The Conflict Center here in Denver, “Conflict is inevitable – BUT
Violence is not.”
- To act violently is a choice - a
choice we often make because we can’t think of a nonviolent
alternative. The DOPN will help
us learn about effective nonviolent choices.
- Getting to Peace by William Ury – Our task is not to change war into
peace – it is not to go from zero percent peaceful interaction to 100
%, but rather from 90% to 99%
pg xix - Ury talks about
the third side and how we as “outsiders” or “third siders” play a
significant role in peacemaking.
- More FAQs and responses can be found on the National Campaign Web Site
[http://www.thepeacealliance.org/content/view/53/68/]
- Questions / Feedback /
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- The Meaning and Use of Resolutions
A resolution is a means for a legislative body to express its
intent on an issue or a one time event, for example, approving a permit
for a march, renaming a street, or giving a testimonial. This is
compared with an ordinance which is intended to act as a law to govern
the conduct of members of the public as well as city officials,
appointees and employees, for example, making disorderly conduct
illegal, or requiring that all service stations be licensed.
- The adoption of resolutions is a routine matter for city councils.
Generally, resolutions are brought forth by one or more members of the
council based upon a request for the approval of an item by the mayor or
city manager. However, as in this instance, the request for
adoption of a resolution may come from the public.
- If Representatives receive resolutions of City Councils in their
district and U.S. Senators receive them from many cities throughout
their state, they will feel supported in co-sponsoring of or introducing
the legislation for a U.S. Department of Peace. If already a
cosponsor, then your Member of Congress will receive a resolution which
requests that they use their office to obtain other sponsors from their
state delegation or from the state’s U.S. senators.
A Resident or Property Owner Should Be the Contact Person
Ours is a representative government and, as such, elected
officials respond to their constituents. Therefore, contact with
the city officials should be made by a resident of the city or a
non-resident who owns property or has a business in the city. This
person should also be the one to sign any correspondence to city
officials and to be the lead person who makes the presentation.
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- Aim for a Initial Victory
When visiting cities throughout your congressional district, it
is a good idea to begin with a city where your chances of success are
good. If you have an even chance in two or more cities, then visit
the smaller city first; this will give your group the opportunity to
practice before making your presentation before the city council of a
larger or major city.
Form a Relationship with at Least One Member of Your City Council
In some cities, it can be helpful if you form a relationship with
at least one of your City Council members who will act as a sponsor to
promote and usher through your resolution. If you do not know a
member of your City Council, you should read information on the city’s
website regarding its council members, and mayor if a manager form of
government, to learn which council members are interested in
issues that will be addressed by the Department of Peace, for example,
domestic violence or drug and alcohol addiction. You can also
learn about your city-elected officials by reading on-line newspaper
articles, which mention issues that they may champion. You can
stop by their offices, or send them an e-mail, to request that they meet
with you to discuss the proposed legislation to create a Department of
Peace. When you get one or more members of a City Council to
accept your point of view, you will have a much easier time as the
member will be in your corner and will argue the merits of adopting the
resolution.
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- Become Familiar with the Process for Getting on the Agenda
In order to request the adoption of a resolution as a member of
the public, you must get on the City Council agenda. Generally,
you should contact the city clerk who will explain the procedure for
getting on the agenda. You should respectfully follow the clerk’s
instructions as this person is the gatekeeper for placing items on the
agenda. In addition, you should visit the city’s website to
determine when council sessions are held and the requirements for getting
on the agenda.
Learn About the Composition of Each City Council
When preparing a letter to your elected city officials, you will
need to determine whether your form of city government is a ‘strong
mayor form of government’ or a ‘city-manager form of government.’
Generally, you can determine this by checking the city’s website, which
will provide the names of the elected officials and, if applicable, the
name of the city manager. If your city is a strong mayor form of
government, then the mayor is not part of the City Council and you
should address your letter to members of the City Council only. (see
model letter.) If your city is a manager form of government,
generally the mayor is on the City Council and you should address your
letter to the mayor and to the members of the City Council. (see model
letter.)
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- Contents of Your Letter and Necessary Enclosures
We have created model letters, as templates, for your use; this
will save you time and energy which, instead, can be used for the
requisite activities discussed below. As the sample letters
indicate, your letter should: 1) request that members of your
congressional district be afforded a discussion or study session to make
a power point presentation to the City Council; 2) enclose a copy of the
legislation ( bill_110th 165.66 Kb) to create a U.S.
Department of Peace, along with key promotional material from The Peace
Alliance; 3) enclose a proposed resolution for adoption by the City
Council (see model resolution); and 4) request that the proposed
resolution be adopted and mailed to your Member of Congress and U.S.
Senators.
Make Personal Contact with the City Clerk to Get on the Agenda
A package which contains your letter, a copy of the bill, and a
proposed resolution should be addressed to each member of your city
council and hand-delivered to your city clerk. This will ensure
that the packages were received and will give you the opportunity to
talk with the city clerk or a member of their staff. By making
personal contact with the city clerk, or even forming a friendly
relationship, you will have the ability to obtain insight into the
workings of the city council as well as the “do’s” and “don’ts” when
approaching and addressing the Body.
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- Follow Through on the City Council’s Response to Your Request
Your letter will receive a response. The response may be:
1) you will be permitted to make your power point presentation during a
discussion or a study session; 2) you will be permitted to address the
Body during its public comment portion of the session; or 3) your
request is being tabled for further action. If the response is #1,
great, you will be making a full-blown presentation before the
Body. If your response is #2, this probably means that the Body
wants to determine whether there is sufficient interest or support in
the community for the Body to adopt your resolution, or you have not
garnered interest or support from one or more council members. If
your response is #3, then you should move on to the next city in your
congressional district with the goal of returning after you have
obtained adoption of the resolution by another or other city
councils.
Make Necessary Preparations for the Presentation
If you are permitted to make your power point presentation, then
you should ensure that all contingencies are covered, including
contacting the city clerk’s office regarding the availability of
equipment. You should practice your presentation before members of
your group, who should ask hypothetical questions and critique your
performance. On the day of the presentation, you should arrive at
least ½ hour before the session begins so that you can set up your
equipment and be prepared. You may not be first on the agenda so
you will want to set up before the proceedings begin so as not to cause
a delay when it is your turn. In the event that you have never
addressed a city council, it is a good idea to attend a session on a day
prior to your discussion or study session to observe the members as well
as to get a feel for the proceedings.
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- Fill the City Council Chambers with Supporters
On the day of the presentation, it is important to bring city
residents, business owners and members from your congressional
district. Often, City Council meetings are not well attended since
most city council meetings are televised on the city’s public access
cable channel. More people mean increased pressure for the Body to
adopt your resolution.
- Be Respectful and Answer All Questions
When addressing City Council members, you should address them as
“Council President”, or “Council Member”, or “Mister Mayor”, or Madam
Mayor”, or “Chair”, as the case may be. You will lose points if
you address them by first or surnames. When you are making your
presentation, you should speak slowly, clearly, and address all
questions. If you cannot answer a question, then you should ask
one of your colleagues to do so.
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- Tactfully Keep the Pressure on Until Action Is Taken and, When Taken,
Provide Department of Peace Materials
Based upon its procedures, the City Council may take action on
your resolution at the same discussion or study session, or may take
action on your resolution at a later date. Whether the body acts
in favor or against the resolution, do not disrupt the
proceedings. When the proceedings are concluded, you may wish to
present each member of the city council with a Department of Peace
button and bumper sticker. This is a means to have further
one-on-one discussions. Likewise, after the proceedings are
concluded, it is helpful for Department of Peace activists to
respectfully approach the City Council members and, if they voted in
favor, ask whether there were any points which were unclear and, if they
voted against, ask whether there were any points which they did not
understand.
Make Certain the Resolution Is Sent to Your Member of Congress
and U.S. Senators
At times, city employees are overwhelmed, short staffed, and make
mistakes. Therefore, it is important that you follow up and ensure
that the resolution is sent to your Member of Congress and U.S.
Senators. In order to make certain that your representatives and
their complete policy staffs see the resolution, your should request
that the city clerk mail the resolution to their Washington, D.C.
offices and that you receive a copy of the transmittal letter and adopted
resolution. If you know the address, it is a good idea to provide
the city clerk with the Washington, D.C. office addresses of your
representatives.
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- National Campaign (The Peace Alliance)
- www.dopcampaign.org
- The Peace Alliance
- 1730 Rhode Island Ave NW, Suite 712
- Washington, DC 20036
- Kathy Kidd
- National Field Director
- 202.296.1187
- kathy@thepeacealliance.org
- Colorado Campaign
- www.codopcampaign.org
- Carla Handy, Congressional District 6 Co-leader
- Centennial, CO 80112
- handycentral@aol.com
- Milt Hetrick
- Centennial, CO 80121
- milt.hetrick@codopcampaign.org
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Notes
