Third Annual Mother’s Day National Action Day a Rousing Success!

Let [us] solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means whereby
the great human family can live in peace ~ Julia Ward Howe*

Our third annual Mother’s Day “Peace of the Pie” National Action Day was an amazing success! On and around May 11, 2007 (the Friday before Mother's Day), grassroots supporters from 38 states organized more than 250 contacts with offices of members of Congress. About 140 offices were visited in the 2006 campaign, and 2007's was our largest Mother’s Day event yet to raise awareness and garner support for a U.S. Department of Peace.

Did you participate in a meeting or visit?

Click here for stories and photos from local actions, or to post your own story and/or photos. We’d love to hear about your experience. And make sure you (or someone from your group) reports that meeting so we can track our results. Visit our report page for more information, and to access the report form.

Some success stories! 

In Vermont, supporters delivered pies to the Burlington office of Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT-AL), where they were warmly received. One creative baker put a "peace dove" on her homemade pie. "We had an engaging conversation with Rep. Welch's staff," said Barbara Padgett, the new Vermont State Coordinator for the Department of Peace campaign. "The American public has seen violence as intractable. We know that it is not," she added.

Barbara pointed out that the United States is currently home to many experts in conflict resolution and peacebuilding. "In the past 30 years, over 300 college and university programs have produced graduates with that expertise," she said. "A Department of Peace will provide the necessary infrastructure for these people to advise and recommend nonviolent solutions to our President and local and state governments on the most effective means of reducing and preventing violence."

Missouri State Coordinator Laurie Levin attended two meetings with staff from the offices of Representatives William "Lacy" Clay (D-MO-1st) and Todd Akin (R-MO-2nd). "Representative Clay is already a cosponsor," Laurie said, "and wholeheartedly supports this bill." Although Representative Akin currently does not support the bill, Laurie said that meeting, too, was constructive. "We had a wonderful dialogue with Representative Akin's office, and his staff stated Representative Akin is for peace and reducing violence." Other Missouri members of Congress, including Representative Russ Carnahan (D-MO-3rd), son of the late Governor and former congressman Mel Carnahan, also received pies.

In Washington state, supporters visited with staff of several officials, including Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Representative Dave Reichert (R-WA-8th). Representative Reichert told supporters ahead of time that he did not want a pie, so they brought him a "virtual peace pie" instead - a pie chart showing how little it would take to fund a U.S. Department of Peace. "We discussed the need for a cabinet-level Department of Peace," said Ernie Jenner, the Department of Peace Campaign's Congressional District Team Leader for Washington's 8th District, "and pointed out that for less than the cost of one month of war, we could get an entire year of peacebuilding."

Supporters pointed out to Congressional staff that peace is good for our economy, too. "The economic benefits may be best understood from this simple cost equation: one to jail equals two to Yale," Barbara Padgett said. "When we put dollars into teaching peacebuilding skills in the early grades, we empower a positive citizenry and obviously avoid the costs of all kinds of destructiveness."

Congratulations to all who participated! We look forward to creating an even more powerful action day next year!

Click here for more information about the Peace of the Pie action campaign itself and to see information supporters were given to create their actions. 

* Mother's Day was in part inspired by Julia Ward Howe, who nursed the wounded during the American Civil War, and also wrote the Battle Hymn of the Republic. In 1870 she started a crusade to institute a Mother's Day as a Day for Peace. Click here to read her Mother's Day proclamation.