This is quite the blog you have here. My congratulations. It looks like a lot of hard work went into it.

First, let me ask if you knew that The Peace Alliance educates citizens and gets them involved in the civic process? I would hardly call that work useless.

Second, your two points contradict each other. You say the DOP is a bad idea and then you say that we already have a DOP (the Dept. of State) and should better fund it. So, what exactly are you arguing for?

Also, invoking Orwell is both unfortunate and unfair, but not a reality. The reality is that the United States Department of War was renamed the Department of Defense. That is accurate history.

Let me also point out the United States Homestead Act, the GI Bill, and the free, public education for all US citizens. These programs served to liberate and empower citizens. A DOP would work to do the same, to liberate citizens from the structure and cycles of violence within this country. Successful peace-building requires not only a systematic, multidisciplinary approach; but also an emphasis on free will and liberty (one cannot FORCE a person to be peaceful) and a federal department that can coordinate this effort.

Finally, the legislation requires that 85% of all Department of Peace resources be spent within the United States. Successful peace-building starts at home.

We are friends, Mr. Brown. We are compatriots. If there is to be real change in this country, we need vision and we need to stop calling each other useless. I do not find you useless. I find you to be an active citizen. I congratulate you on your efforts to be a citizen our founding fathers would be proud of. Please know, that the peace community is trying to do the same.