February 2012 eNewsletter
Below are some informative, challenging, and inspiring items related to peace you might have missed out on if you haven’t been following us on Facebook and Twitter. Some of the buzz in the peace world includes:
- A truly must-read article entitled “I See Everything Through this Tragedy“ about how children exposed to street violence show the same kind of post-traumatic stress disorder we see in veterans who’ve returned from combat;
- Lady Gaga to launch anti-bullying foundation at Harvard;
- Activating Empathy: Transforming Schools To Teach What Matters, a global competition seeking empathic solutions;
- A new report on The Economic Consequences of War;
- Join Deepak Chopra, Erica Ford and Russell Simmons in sharing your video story on:Peace Is A Lifestyle!
Read below for these and many more compelling stories…
 “I See Everything Through this Tragedy”How we ignore the long-term effects of violence on children, adults and our communities. A powerful, must-read article by Alex Kotlowitz, producer of “The Interrupters”“Psychologists report that children exposed to street violence show the same kind of post-traumatic stress disorder we see in veterans who’ve returned from combat. Yet there is nothing post about the trauma.Walk into a classroom in any inner-city school and ask how many have lost a loved one to violence or have witnessed a shooting. Virtually every hand will go up. And most will tell you they’ve never talked about it. In fact, children are often discouraged from sharing their experiences out of fear that if they do they’ll somehow be held culpable for the crime they’ve witnessed. I’ve encountered children who’ve had flashbacks, others who suffered from depression and some who had physical ailments resulting from the stress.” Read the full article here. Another great “The Interrupters” related article can be found here. |
 Lady Gaga to Launch Anti-bullying Foundation at HarvardLady Gaga is expected to officially kick off her new foundation at Harvard this week, joined by Oprah Winfrey, Deepak Chopra and others as she unveils the anti-bullying organization. It will address issues such as self-confidence, well-being, anti-bullying, mentoring and career development through research, education and advocacy, and, to explore ways to create a culture of kindness, bravery, acceptance and empowerment. Learn more… |
 Private Prison Corporation Offers Cash in Exchange For State PrisonsCorrections Corporation of America, the nation’s largest operator of for-profit prisons, has sent letters recently to 48 states offering to buy up their prisons as a remedy for “challenging corrections budgets.” In exchange, the company is asking for a 20-year management contract,plus an assurance that the prison would remain at least 90 percent full.The mandate to keep prisons full raises questions about cost efficiency — what if there aren’t enough inmates? — but it also presents a moral question about maintaining a constant supply of new prisoners. With less than 5 percent of the world’s population, the United States already has nearly 25 percent – 2.3 million – of its prisoners. And yet we still have some of the highest levels of violence and crime in the industrialized world. Our highly punitive approach is not working. Read more… |
 Economic Consequences of WarA new report released by the Institute for Economics & Peace analyzes the macroeconomic effects of US government spending on wars and the military since World War II.
Key findings: The higher levels of government spending associated with war tends to generate some positive economic benefits in the short-term, specifically through increases in economic growth occurring during conflict spending booms. However, negative unintended consequences occur either concurrently with the war or develop as residual effects afterwards thereby harming the economy over the longer term. Read the report… |
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Peace is A Lifestyle! Share Your Own Video StoryJoin Deepak Chopra, Erica Ford and Russell Simmons and the Youth Leaders at LIFECAMP in sharing your story on: Peace Is A Lifestyle! Submit a video and enter to win a lunch with Deepak at ABC Kitchen in New York City, coaching or studio time with rising hip-hop artists or books and CD/DVD’s from all of the above! Click here to get started on our easy videomaking platform. Brought to you bywww.DeepakHomeBase.com and LifeCamp – I LOVE MY LIFE. They will be using the footage to support youth mentor programs, making a short film from the examples of how peace is a lifestyle. |
| Activating Empathy: Transforming Schools to Teach What MattersA global competition seeks solutions that help young people learn and practice empathy in schools. Empathy is a critical skill in a world defined by rapid change–one that is foundational to the social, teamwork and leadership skills required to contribute successfully to society.As the pace of change accelerates, the level of empathy required to collaborate in the workplace, or on other types of teams that bring change to the world, is higher than ever before. Learn more…
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 2012 Heart of Florida Peace ConferenceWaging Peace Saturday March 3rd Winter Haven, FLFeaturing: Captain Paul K. Chappell 2002 West Point Graduate and Iraq Army VeteranIf you are in or around Florida, join us for an empowering day! Also features Peace Alliance board members Heart Phoenix and Dan Kahn. Learn more! |
| The Charter for Compassion: VideoThe principle of compassion lies at the heart of all religious, ethical and spiritual traditions, calling us always to treat all others as we wish to be treated ourselves. Compassion impels us to work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of our fellow creatures, to dethrone ourselves from the center of our world and put another there, and to honor the inviolable sanctity of every single human being, treating everybody, without exception, with absolute justice, equity and respect.Watch now… |  |
‘Bully’ Documentary Trailer Released
The highly anticipated documentary Bully is a heartbreaking and significant window into one of the biggest issues facing today’s kids and teens. According to the press notes for the film, over 13 million young people will experience some form of bullying this year. The documentary’s trailer, released this week, offers a first look at the powerful film set to hit theatres next month.
Report: Measuring Peace in the Media 2011
Launched at Davos, Measuring Peace in the Media is an analysis of global TV networks’ coverage of peace and violence related issues, created by The Institute for Economics & Peace and Media Tenor. The report explores the media coverage, or lack of coverage, of peace and conflict with a special emphasis on news themes that may help to create stable, peaceful societies. It is evident from the research that the structures that create peace are not well covered in the least peaceful countries.
The Peace x Peace Mentorship Program
This program is designed to foster a network of professional relationships between young women seeking to build peace and advance through their chosen professions and older women who seek to share their wisdom and experience. Mentors will be asked to provide mentees with guidance on career choices, answer questions about professional development, assist with developing resumes and finding internships and other opportunities, and instill in the mentee a sense of urgency and passion for peace and women’s rights.
Time for the peace vote?
Is it time for a peace industry and a Super PAC to support it? Article by Michael Shank.
“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant.
We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.”
~Albert Einstein
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