www.educatingforjustice.org

President Obama,

I write you with much hope, as there has not been a President in my lifetime that I believe understands and places high value on the work being done by people at the grassroots level to promote peace and justice in our world. I am an educator, organizer, and liberation theologian. It is from this grounding that I humbly request you consider the proposal put forth by Congressman Dennis Kucinich to create a Department of Peace.

Mr. President, you have the power to create a cabinet-level ministry whose sole focus would be to promote non-violent solutions to conflict. This would serve as a beacon of hope for the entire world.

Will there be resistance to this? Yes. Will you be mocked by the warmongers for taking this action? Yes. As a former community organizer, I am sure that meeting resistance and being mocked for the sake of righteousness are nothing new to you.

Mr. President, you publicly proclaimed and embraced your Christianity on the campaign trail. When Jesus’ told his followers to “love their enemies” and to “put down your swords,” he meant it. Now is the time for you to walk this talk, to lead our nation into a new era where peace and justice trump war and injustice.

As you consider this, you may have your personal doubts. You certainly will have advisors that will tell you that you would be crazy to attempt this-they will say that the nation is not ready for it. There were people a few short months ago that said our nation was not ready for a black President. We were. And now, as a nation, we are equally ready for the work of creating peace to be placed on equal footing in your Cabinet with defense, the economy, affairs of state, etc.

Mr. President, with regard to race, you are the fulfillment of Dr. King’s vision to have a nation where people are judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. You now have the opportunity to move us towards fulfilling Dr. King’s vision with regard to peace. King said, “It is not enough to say we must not wage war. It is necessary to love peace and sacrifice for it.” I ask you, for the sake of our future and our children’s future, to establish the Department of Peace and lead us in this direction.

Thank you for consideration of this matter. I hope and pray this finds you well.

Peace,

Jim Keady, Director
Educating for Justice