MESSAGE FROM PEACE ALLIANCE & U.S. DEPARTMENT OF PEACE CAMPAIGN

Action Alert -- Talk show host Rush Limbaugh FALSELY claimed that Department of Peace bill would "Get rid of the Department of Defense."

The popular media watchdog website, "Media Matters," reported on misinformation that radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh spread on his show this past week about the legislation to establish a United States Department of Peace.

From the March 16 broadcast of The Rush Limbaugh Show:

LIMBAUGH: Dennis Kucinich -- one of these wacko, lunatic-fringe lefties. He was in the Democratic presidential primary race in 2004. You remember him, Dawn? Yeah, he wanted to establish a Department of Peace. Get rid of the Department of Defense. Establish a Department of Peace, which is what the Department of Defense is.

Media Matters is urging citizens to write Mr. Limbaugh and correct his misunderstanding of this bill, which is not designed to replace the Department of Defense, but to augment its efforts. Read more about this issue and how to take action to correct this misinformation, along with an audio clip of Mr. Limbaugh’s mischaracterization at Media Matters website: http://mediamatters.org/items/200603170018

Please also send a note to Media Matters and thank them for taking this issue to task. You can write them on their website at: http://mediamatters.org/contact_us

[Duchess Note – I am proud and honored to be a member of the NYC Chapter Dept of Peace campaign. Proud to be part of a campaign that will greatly assist people’s lives in the US and throughout the world, NOT in killing them nor occupy their countries. This Bill, in both the House and Senate, is worthy legislation that will NOT take away from Dept of Defense, but instead, work alongside to balance things out. One of the needs that will be provided by the Dept of Peace is more intelligent diplomacy. The Dept of Peace will teach and train many organizations in nonviolent communications and action. [I also strongly object to the abuse hurled at Congressman Kucinich. The congressman is an honest, intelligent, compassionate and honorable man. Mr Limbaugh – he doesn’t even come close to this & never will. Never!!] The abuse, lies and mad ravings of Rush “Mr Insane Pill Popper” Limbaugh are atrocious. He is the right-wing neocon propaganda mouth piece and is simply a hate-monger. He has never spoken truth and has no moral conscious. None what so ever! Please, take a moment to email Media Matters and thank them in taking this issue to task. Also, for more info on the “Dept of Peace”, go to www.dopcampaign.org OR www.nyc-dop.com … Peace, solidarity and justice is the way.]

Limbaugh FALSELY claimed that Kucinich's Dept. of Peace bill would "[g]et rid of the Department of Defense"

Summary: Rush Limbaugh FALSELY claimed that Rep. Dennis Kucinich's proposal for a cabinet-level Department of Peace and Nonviolence would "[g]et rid of the Department of Defense." In fact, Kucinich's proposed Department of Peace would operate in addition to the Department of Defense to "develop policies that promote national and international conflict prevention, nonviolent intervention, mediation, peaceful resolution of conflict, and structured mediation of conflict."

http://mediamatters.org/items/200603170018
March 17, 2006

On March 16, nationally syndicated radio host Rush Limbaugh FALSELY claimed that Rep. Dennis Kucinich's (D-OH) proposal for a cabinet-level Department of Peace and Nonviolence would "[g]et rid of the Department of Defense." In fact, Kucinich's proposed Department of Peace would operate in addition to the Department of Defense to "develop policies that promote national and international conflict prevention, nonviolent intervention, mediation, peaceful resolution of conflict, and structured mediation of conflict."

As Limbaugh noted, Kucinich touted the 2003 version of his proposal during his campaign for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination. Kucinich re-introduced the bill in the current Congress. But rather than eliminating the Department of Defense, as Limbaugh claimed, the bill specifies that the Secretary of Peace would "provide ethical-based and value-based analyses to the Department of Defense" and "advise the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State on all matters relating to national security, including the protection of human rights and the prevention of, amelioration of, and de-escalation of unarmed and armed international conflict."

Moreover, the Department of Peace's funding would actually depend on the continued existence of the Department of Defense; Kucinich's bill would authorize for the Department of Peace "an amount equal to at least 2 percent of the total amount appropriated for that fiscal year for the Department of Defense."

From the March 16 broadcast of The Rush Limbaugh Show:

LIMBAUGH: Dennis Kucinich -- one of these wacko, lunatic-fringe lefties. He was in the Democratic presidential primary race in 2004. You remember him, Dawn? Yeah, he wanted to establish a Department of Peace. Get rid of the Department of Defense. Establish a Department of Peace, which is what the Department of Defense is.

QUOTE OF THE DAY ... Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it. George Bernard Shaw

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http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2006-03-19-3year-protests_x.htm?POE=NEWISVA