Greensweek: The Green Bulletin

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Vol. 2, No. 5
Tuesday, February 3, 2004

Green News
Upcoming Events
Green Action
Good Reads

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GREEN NEWS

ALASKA: Alaskan Greens have joined the campaign to recall Gov. Frank Murkowski. The organizers, who include Anchorage activist Soren Wuerth, a former chairman of the Alaska Green Party, hope to recall Lt. Gov. Loren Leman also. The recall petitions claim that Murkowski "violated the public trust" by not managing the state's resources for the people's benefit, failed to keep his promises, unethically appointed Republican Party Chairman Randy Ruedrich to a state commission and unconstitutionally appointed Sen. Robin Taylor to state office. More: http://www.recallmurkowski.com

CALIFORNIA: As California Greens have shrunk in numbers, they've gained slightly in share. The number of registered Greens shrank from 166,740, to 162,354 between September 30, 2003 and January 2, 2004, but the vote share rose from from 1.08 to 1.09, according to the Secretary of State.
More: http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/elections_u.htm

DELAWARE: Newark City Council passed a resolution, supported by Greens in coalition with other groups and citizens, calling for substantial revision of the USA Patriot Act on Feb. 2, joining Wilmington City Council and nearly 250 cities and municipalities across the US in opposition to the Patriot Act.
More: http://www.gpde.org

GEORGIA: Georgia Greens joined East Georgia community leaders in their call for Jenkins Sheriff Bobby Womack to resign or face a recall. Womack allegedly assaulted Ricky Andersen, a janitor at the Jenkins County Court House, without provocation while Andersen was standing in the Commissioner's Office on September 18, 2002. Womack approached Andersen from behind and, unprovoked, put him in a choke hold until he passed out, breaking two vertebrae. Unable to find local counsel willing to confront the County Sheriff, Andersen, who is African American, eventually retained Savannah Attorney Joyce Griggs, former Secretary of the Georgia Green Party, who in December sought an arrest warrant against the sheriff for aggravated assault and attempted murder. Shortly after the warrant application was filed, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation took a warrant charging Mr. Andersen with felony child molestation, based on a referral from the the Jenkins County Sheriff's Department; the local court refused to issue a warrant for Womack's arrest. More: http://www.greens.org/georgia/

INDIANA: Isabel Piedmont of the Monroe County Greens in Bloomington, has been appointed for a 2-year term to the 12-member Bloomington Environmental Commission, an advisory body composed of local citizens appointed by the Mayor and the Common Council.
More: http://www.sjvgreens.org/
http://www.monroegreens.org

MASSACHUSETTS: Read coverage of the Green Party presidential forum that took place at Harvard, in Cambridge, on January 29, featuring David Cobb, Kent Mesplay, and Lorna Salzman: http://www.theunionleader.com/

MISSISSIPPI: The Mississippi Green Party will celebrate its birthday on February 7 as it kicks off its founding convention. Mississippi Greens invite Green Parties all over the US to help them out with fund raising birthday parties for them and with donations, which should be made out to The Green Party of Mississippi and sent to Greg Johnson, 707D McLarty Road, Oxford, MS 38655.
More: http://www.greenpartyms.org

NEW YORK: The State Committee of the Green Party of New York State overwhelmingly adopted two resolutions on January 31 that call on the Green Party of the United States to run a 2004 presidential campaign all-out in every state and on Ralph Nader to run for president as a Green. The party also approved a resolution supporting carbon taxes, which will go before the Platform Committee of the national party. Carbon taxes are imposed on fossil fuels proportionate to their carbon content; coal would be taxed the highest, followed by oil and then natural gas. A fund would be established to collect these revenues and redistribute them. The resolution, sponsored by Lorna Salzman, favors using the revenues, at least initially, for carbon-reducing activities such as public transportation improvement and subsidies, weatherization of low-income homes, and installation of renewable energy technologies such as solar and wind. The NYS GP also endorsed the establishment of a national Ecology Committee.
More: http://www.gpnys.org/index.html

OHIO: The Green Party Of Ohio endorsed Presidential candidate David Cobb at the party's state convention on January 31. Cobb received 39% of the votes, Lorna Salzman received 13.5%, while write in Peter Cameo received 21%. Candidates Paul Glover and Kent Mesplay, along with write-ins, including Ralph Nader, received single digit percentages. Votes from Ohio's 23 delegates will be proportionally cast at the national convention in Milwaukee, June 23-28, to reflect these results. Cobb and Mesplay attended the Ohio Green Party convention. Ohio Greens also approved a proposal calling for 'Formation of International War Crimes Tribunal to Investigate Bush Administration' (http://www.ohiogreens.org/).
More: http://www.ohiogreens.org/
http://www.ohiogreens.org/conv1.html (photos)

PENNSYLVANIA: "Warming, big firms targets for Greens: About 100 loyalists listen as three presidential candidates outline their platforms at the party's state convention in Reading,' by Kori Walter. Coverage in The Reading Eagle of the Pennsylvania Green Party's state convention at the Sovereign Performing Arts Center in Reading. http://www.readingeagle.com/re/news/1214385.asp

RHODE ISLAND: On January 28, the Green Party of Rhode Island hosted the first ever Green Party presidential candidates' debate. Despite a snow storm more than 30 people turned out to hear David Cobb and Kent Mesplay. The event was videotaped and will soon be posted on at the party's web site. More: http://www.greens.org/ri

NATIONAL: Green presidential candidate Kent Mesplay has announced his campaign website: http://www.presidentkent.org

NATIONAL: Read the Green Party rebuttal to President Bush's State of the Union address and the Democratic Party's response:
http://www.gp.org/press/pr_01_20_04.html (January 20 pre-speech rebuttal) http://www.gp.org/press/pr_01_23_04b.html (January 23 follow-up rebuttal)

NATIONAL: Essential information about the Green Party's 2004 National Nominating Convention, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from June 23 to 28, 2004, and presidential candidates:

Convention information:
http://www.gp.org/convention/process.html
Registration:
https://secure.gpus.org/convention/
Nomination process:
http://www.gp.org/convention/process.html
Presidential Candidates:
- David Cobb for President http://www.votecobb.org (may be under construction)
  - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Cobb4President
- Lorna Salzman for President http://www.lornasalzman.com
  - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Lorna4President/
- Redraft Nader http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RalphNader2004/
- Draft Camejo http://www.DraftCamejo.org
  - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/camejoforpresident/
- Carol Miller: contact carolmiller@newmexico.com
- Kent Mesplay for President http://www.presidentkent.org

Reminder for all Greens running for public office: make sure you're in the database at <http://www.gp.org/patience.html>. E-mail your information and corrections using the form on the web or by sending it to <juscha@greens.org>.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5: Former Green Party candidate Hugh Esco will participate in a panel titled 'Dispelling the Myths: Why White America Should Support Black Reparations' sponsored by Anti-Racist Action Atlanta and Caucasians United for Reparations and Emancipation. Federal Court Judge Norgle of Chicago recently dismissed, without prejudice, Farmer-Paellmann v FleetBoston Financial Corporation et al, a suit seeking compensation from several blue-chip corporations "unjustly enriched through the profits they earned either directly or indirectly from the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and slavery." The event will take place 6:30 pm on February 5 in the Senate Salon, at the Georgia State University Student Center, 44 Courtland Street in Atlanta,
Georgia. More: http://www.greens.org/georgia/ http://www.greens.org/georgia/pdf/GvrnDocs/Platform-2003.pdf
(Green Party platform: see the Human Rights Plank)
http://www.reparationsthecure.org/
http://allforreparations.org/
http://www.ncobra.com/

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7: 2004 Presidential candidate forum and discussion in Maine. Luther Bonney Auditorium, USM Portland, 1-4 pm. Featuring presidential candidate Kent Mesplay; Green Party co-founder John Rensenbrink on behalf of candidate David Cobb. Free and open to the public. More: Jacqui Deveneau, jacquio50@yahoo.com or 207-934-1911

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16: The University of Minnesota College Greens, the Green Party of Minnesota, and the 5th Congressional District Greens will hold a debate for Green Party candidates for President, on February 16 from 7 to 9 pm at the Coffman Union Theatre on the University of Minnesota Campus, 300 Washington Avenue SE in Minneapolis. Candidates David Cobb and Kent Mesplay have confirmed their participation.
More: http://www.mngreens.org/
http://www.mngreens.org/locals/M5D/

MARCH 19-21: Prairie Region Campaign School, at Concepcion Abbey, Concepcion, Missouri (near Kansas City). For Greens interested in running for public office, working on a campaign, or building electioneering skills is encouraged to attend. Cost to be determined, probably around $80 for the weekend, including room, board and tuition; some scholarships will also be available, based on need and availability of funds. Pre-registration, questions: Phil Huckelberry at 309-268-9974 or <huckelberry@softhome.net>.

SATURDAY, MARCH 20: Global Day of Action: The World Still Says No to War. On the one-year anniversary of the U.S. bombing and invasion of Iraq. Millions around the globe will take to the streets to say YES to peace and NO to pre-emptive war and occupation. Joining with growing numbers of military families and soldiers, United For Peace and Justice and other groups will call for an end to the occupation of Iraq and Bushs militaristic foreign policies. To endorse, e-mail m20endorse@unitedforpeace.org or call UFPJ at 212-868-5545 to let UFPJ know your group is on board.
More: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=2136

SATURDAY, APRIL 24: Organizers have put out a worldwide call for action for Mumia Abu Jamal on April 24, the anniversary of the signing of the notorious Effective Death Penalty Act which has eliminated Habeas Corpus for death row inmates and made it nearly impossible for innocent people on death row to prove their innocence. (It's also Mumia's 50th birthday.)
More: http://www.mumia.org 215-476-8812
http://www.freemumia.com

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GREEN ACTION

CALL CONGRESS

Call, fax, write a letter, or pay a visit
Contact information: Congressional switchboard: (202) 224-3121
US House of Representatives: http://www.house.gov/
US Senate: http://www.senate.gov
Write a letter to the editor, a guest op-ed column, essay, or article

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Greens who want to see Green presidential candidates debate on TV should call or write to C-SPAN and encourage them to air Green candidates' forums. Here are some C-SPAN phone numbers for viewers' opinions:
Main Number: (202) 737-3220
Viewer Services: (765) 464-3080 (for programming questions)
Viewer Services: Questions about our schedule, how to buy videotapes, and for any other general comments about C-SPAN - viewer@c-span.org
Suggest Events: Submit a public event that you think C-SPAN should cover - events@c-span.org Contact Page for C-SPAN: http://www.cspan.org/about/contact.asp?code=About
- Remember to be respectful and friendly.
  Good: "I tuned into C-SPAN in the hope of seeing a broadcast of the Green Party presidential forum at Harvard. Will you air the forum? Do you plan to air future Green forums? I await your response."
  
  Not so good: "Hey, you corporate sellouts, why aren't you running the Green presidential forum tonight? Direct orders from Ashcroft? Payoff from the Democratic Leadership Council?"
Tell Senators to shelve the Bush space plan and to focus instead on more urgent human problems at home and abroad. President Bush says he will use tax dollars to send a nuclear-powered space ship to Mars with American astronauts aboard. He is willing to spend billions on a Mars mission despite serious unemployment, a staggering national debt, international terrorism, and urgent human needs in the US and around the world. More: http://www.space4peace.org/
Tell Senators to oppose the disastrous Bush-Cheney energy bill, which was virtually written by energy industry lobbyists and was defeated by only two votes in the Senate in November. The White House is ready to try again with no change at all in the serious flaws in this bad bill. If passed, it would raise energy costs, despoil the environment, pose real health dangers, add to global warming, and provide no progress or vision toward a more secure energy future. It serves the bottom line of the chief energy companies, not the interests of the American people.

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GOOD READS