January 12th found me at the Book Passages in Corte Madera, California listening to author Melissa Rossi talk about "What Every American Should Know about the Middle East." During the book-signing portion of the evening, I asked several American-born Israelis about People's Lobby's Israel Palestine peace building proposal, which centered on my statement regarding the elction of Barack Obama...

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“We have a president of color today, because we had Brown v. Board of Education yesterday.”

 

When I asked the American-born Israelis if Palestinians went to school with Israelis, they responded that you could find a few schools and universities where that might happen. 

 

"Why don't you school together from elementary school on?”

 

One Israeli nodded affirmatively.  Another said, "We must go slow on these things."

 

"Isn't 60 years slow enough?  Pouring $3+ billion a year in military aid into that region hasn't worked.  Should our broke nation keep doing that for another 60 years?  When you have a generation or two of kids going to school, playing soccer, camping, etc. together, your erase the likelihood that they will rain rockets on each other.”

 

Again, one nodded affirmatively, while another kept repeating, "We must go slow," and questioned the financial mechanics of People’s Lobby’s Israel Palestine Peace Proposal.

 

Israel, Egypt, Iraq, and Jordan are the four largest recipients of US aid, which is primarily military aid, recycled back to us by purchasing from our armament producers.  Has that produced peace, security, enhanced friendships… or rockets, destruction, more terrorists…?

 

We once had a country that was producing lynchings, burnings, and more Ku Klux Klaners.  Fair-handed federal law enforcement helped turn some of those evils doers.  But what enriched our country was sending our kids – of all colors and beliefs -- to school together.  Brown v. Board of Education erased the violence and stupidity that comes from myopic experiences that retard real world learning.

 

How does the US promote a Brown v. Board of Education peace in the Middle East? 

 

Use our incendiary and evaporating military aid dollars to that region as carrots.  And get the rich oil nations involved in this stability building investment.

 

Recently, the Bush administration supposedly pledged $85 million to help rebuild Palestine.  Here is the financial mechanics of a cheaper, longer-lasting way for the Obama-Biden team and the world to build peace.

 

1. Bring Israel, Palestine, regionally involved states, and the Arab Emirates, to an Israeli Palestinian Peace Conference.
2. Propose shifting in gradual increments our military aid to projects that integrate and build understanding and peaceful productivity.
3. Show with spreadsheet and graphs how that for each six months of continuous peace between Israel and Palestine, America will transfer $25 million (or more) from Israeli military aid into peaceful, productive projects that benefit both Israel and Palestine’s citizens.  These projects would require integration between Israelis and Palestinians, such as developing INTEGRATED: libraries, elementary schools, high schools, universities, camps, community service projects, business joint ventures, news stations, and service projects under the joint international service program of the American World Service Corps (AWSC) Congressional Proposals.  http://www.worldservicecorps.us/world%20service%20key%20proposal%202yr%20volunteer.htm
4. Request that the Arab Emirates and regional players commit to this process and to tripling (at least) the United States’ financial commitment with their investments.
5. Include all of those who contribute financially, as well as the United Nations and some well-regarded humanitarian agencies (Doctors without Borders, Mercy Corps, Oxfam, Habitat, Peace Corps, etc.) in an oversight board that insures that the money is used in a nonpartisan and fair manner.

 

Healthy life experiences that grow from schooling together works not just in America, they work everywhere.  Why not use them in the Middle East?

Authors Website: http://peopleslobby.us/

Authors Bio:

Dwayne served in the Peace Corps in the slums of Mumbai, India, worked several Habitat Projects, and was on the start-up team of the California Conservation Corps. He has a Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate University, has been a builder, teacher, political organizer, small businessman, affordable housing developer, and a rock-piler at Rubel's Castle. Some pics and stories at http://peopleslobby.us/more-projects/rubelia.

Some story tidbits about his recent well-regarded book about Rubel's Castle are available at http://peopleslobby.us/more-projects/rubelia.

In 2013 Rubelia was designated a National Historic Monument, right up there with Hearst Castle. CBS clip: Rubel's Castle is on verge of listing on National Registry http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2013/08/07/rubel-castle-in-glendora-on-the-verge-of-getting-national-historic-recognition/

Dwayne is presently Executive Director of People's Lobby Inc (PLI, 501c4)and People's Lobby's Education Foundation (PLEF, 501c3). You can read PLI's American World Service Corps Congressional Proposal (AWSC) at
http://peopleslobby.us/awsc-congressional-proposal

Rebuilding People'Lobby web site is available at http://peopleslobby.us/

Congresswoman Woolsey (D, CA) offered to introduce it in the 111th Congress, then retracted. Please contact your Congressional reps and ask them to become an original sponsor or cosponsor. The AWSC citizen-initiated congressional proposals could be, with you pushing your representatives, among the most significant legislation passed and implemented in decades. Imagine having 21 million Americans cost effectively doing good at home or abroad over the next 27 years.

In December 2009 Ralph Nader choose People's Lobby's book, "Ordinary People Doing the Extraordinary, The Story of Ed & Joyce Koupal's People's Lobby" as one of the Ten Best Books to Read for 2009. You can purchase the book from PeoplesLobby.us or learn more at http://peopleslobby.us/more-projects/books.

"This country runs on laws. If you want to change the country, write its laws," People's Lobby's founders Ed and Joyce Koupal used to say. If you want to enlighten public policy, involve millions of Americans in addressing public needs, prepare for climate weirding, etc., help make it happen. The AWSC addresses with people action many of our most pressing and costly needs. To sign the reopened American World Service Corps petition/letter, which contacts Congress for you: Paste http://www.change.org/petitions/view/field_21_million_american_world_service_corps_volunteers_over_the_next_27_years
Please help make the AWSC happen. To learn more about People's Lobby, visit the web site at www.Peopleslobby.us.

Recent books both available on line and from publishers: Every Town Needs a Castle (Prelude to next book, Every Country Needs a World Service Corps)
http://peopleslobby.us/more-projects/rubelia


Ordinary People Doing the Extraordinary (Nader's 2009 TopTen Books to Read List)
http://peopleslobby.us/archives/736
Library: http://peopleslobby.us/organizations/peoples-lobby/library