Vol. 3, No. 3
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
Green News
Upcoming Events
Green Action
Good Reads
TOP STORY Elaine Brown, former Black Panthers leader
and possible Green candidate for Mayor of Brunswick, Georgia, has been
confirmed to speak in DC on Saturday, April 23 during the Chesapeake
Campaign School weekend in DC. Details below under 'Upcoming Events.'
GREEN PAGES IS NOW AVAILABLE
Green Pages, the quarterly newspaper of the Green Party of the United
States, is available in bulk discount to all state and local Green Party
offices and individuals. The Spring issue of Green Pages has a new design
that's sure to appeal to readers from the very first page with its
dramatic images of counter-inaugural protests. Becky Weber, co-chair of
the Editorial Board, says "We are introducing our new 'Evergreen'
section -- human-interest narratives about how Greens are involved in
changing their communities." Purchase Green Pages through the gp.org online
store or with a PDF form at gp.org/downloads/greenpages_bundles.pdf.
Contact: 202-319-7191, toll-free (US) 866-41GREEN, GPHQ--at--gp.org
Write a note to Green Pages: amandlagreen@yahoo.com
http://www.gp.org/greenpages/
FUNDRAISING SUCCESS
Brent McMillan, national political director of the Green Party, sends this
report on the growing success of the party's Direct Mail Program:
"Under the current fundraising plan, the Fundraising Committee (Fun
Com) has the goal to produce one direct mail per month. Fun Com currently
operates on a rhythm of two prospect mailings followed by a
re-solicitation mailing each quarter. We have learned from experience that
the best fundraising is project-driven, so we're working to link the goals
and issues of the party more directly to this effort.
"For example, the January mailing was sent to those who contributed
to the Cobb/LaMarche Campaign before the Ohio Recount but had not
contributed to the national party before. An appeal letter from David Cobb
summarized recent accomplishments and described upcoming regional campaign
schools in 2005. So far, it has made 50% more than it cost and it's still
producing. Our February mailing was a product of the Coordinated Campaign
Committee and presented the CCC's ballot access and candidate recruitment
goals for the next two years. The online version of the appeal paid for
the entire mailing in two days before we even received the first snail
mail reply.
"Our March letter is from our officeholders and talks about the good
work that they are doing. The March mailing at 12,730 pieces is the
largest direct mail and re-solicitation that the party has ever done. In
April we will target the Ohio Recount list, making it the largest prospect
mailing to my knowledge in the party's history. In May the theme is
'Building the Green Economy' and will target those involved in sustainable
agriculture and green buildings, highlighting the amazing work that some
of us are doing to build a sustainable economy.
"The life of a mailing can last several months. For example we are
still receiving regular replies from a re-solicitation mailing from last
November. As these mailings begin to 'layer' or 'stack,' we see a rising
tide of contributions that make it possible to increase the work of the
Green Party and our committees, caucuses, and networks."
http://www.gp.org/donate.html
CALIFORNIA The Green Party of California denounced as
"heartless" a scheme revealed by the Schwarzenegger
Administration in March that would allow the state to collect assets from
the heirs of elderly and disabled Californians almost even before they are
buried. The Dept. of Health Services, claiming the state is acting because
federal law requires the state to recover the cost of Medi-Cal benefits
provided low-income elderly who die, said that by declaring an
"emergency" it need not even have public hearings before acting.
California Greens noted that a state-based single-payer health care system
would save the state half of what it currently spends.
http://www.cagreens.org
CALIFORNIA Aimee Allison, Green candidate for Oakland
City Council, spoke at the ACLU's annual Youth Rights Conference Wednesday
at UC Berkeley on opposing to the military draft and countering military
recruitment on high school campuses on April 6. Allison has become the
target of a recent whisper campaign by Democrats and need lots of Green
support from around the US. On, April 8, the Sierra Club and the Oakland
Teachers Association both announced they are endorsing Aimee Allison's
campaign for Oakland City Council in District 2. Send a check, or visit
Oakland to help out on the campaign. http://www.aimeeallison.org
CALIFORNIA The Green Party of California joined with
other political organizations and the people of California and the nation
to commemorate the life of farm labor leader Cesar Chavez during the last
week of March. Greens participated in a march around the State Capitol in
Sacramento to honor Chavez and many other events. Nativo Lopez, Green
Party member and president of the Mexican American Political Association,
said that Chavez guided generations of social justice activists:
"Cesar was the greatest advocate within the Latino community for the
principles of non-cooperation and non-violence with the system of social
injustice," said Lopez, who has urged other Latino organizations to
join the Greens.
http://www.cagreens.org
CONNECTICUT The Green Party of Connecticut held a
statewide party discussion in New London on April 2 on plans to run
candidates in 2005 and in 2006 against Sen. Joseph Lieberman, Gov. Jodi
Rell, congressional candidates, and other incumbents. Tim McKee said
"Running a candidate against conservative Democrat Joseph Lieberman
has been the buzz in 'Progressive' or liberal circles for months and the
Greens are serious about running its first Senate candidate whether or not
a Liberal Democrats field a candidate in a primary. Republican candidates
for Senate have been very weak in recent years with almost no big money or
push, so Greens see this as a great way to advance the our issues and gain
as a political party and grow numbers in the fall election in 2006."
This forum was the third in a series of discussion forums held across the
state, with previous forums in Hartford, New Haven, and with other events
to be announced soon. http://www.ctgreens.org
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Members of the DC Statehood Green
Party, who earlier protested Mayor Anthony Williams' plan for a publicly
funded ballpark, will protest when President Bush throws out the first
regular season pitch on April 14 at RFK Stadium. Statehood Greens and
other DC democracy activists displayed placards reading 'BUSH PLAY BALL
WITH DC' and 'STRIKE 4 DC STATEHOOD' during the Nationals' first game on
April 3. Statehood Greens will also participate in a rally outside the
stadium in demand for full funding to repair and rebuild DC public
schools.
Photos http://dc.indymedia.org/feature/display/120528/index.php
http://www.dcstatehoodgreen.org
ILLINOIS Over 45,000 voters voted for a Green in
Illinois's general election on April 5, 2005. Seven candidates ran for
office all over the state. Both Scott Summers, an attorney from Harvard,
Illinois, and Anna Lempart, a student from Urbana, Illinois won their
elections. Scott was elected to the McHenry County Community College
District Board of Trustees and Anna was elected to the Champaign-Ford
Regional Board of School Trustees. These were competitive races in very
large districts. If you'd like to congratulate Scott, e-mail him at
<summerslaw@att.net>. If
you'd like to congratulate Anna, e-mail her at <Savepeace@sbcglobal.net>.
Website: http://www.ilgp.org/
MAINE Reps John Eder (Green) and Ben Dudley (Democrat) have introduced two
bills in the Maine legislature that would deny corporations their
'personhood'. Corporations currently hold legal status as 'persons' thanks
to an anticonstitutional court ruling in the 19th century); the bills
specify that a corporation does not have the same constitutional rights as
a human, such as the right to engage in political speech or activity.
Reclaim Democracy http://reclaimdemocracy.org/
Project on Corporations, Law & Democracy http://www.poclad.org/
Rep. John Eder RepJoh-@legislature.maine.gov
MAINE The three Green Party members on the Portland
School Committee have proposed that students celebrate 'Indigenous
People's Day' instead of Columbus Day. Jason Toothaker, leading the effort
for the name change, said Christopher Columbus exploited Native Americans,
and many of them today view his voyage to the New World as a tragic event.
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/
MARYLAND After Glenn Ross, 2004 Green Party candidate
for the 13th district City Council seat, noticed that his Democratic
opponent was missing a large number of reports, he filed a complaint with
the State Board of Elections in October 2004. The SBE elected to do
nothing about Ross's complaint that Branch was not eligible to be on the
ballot, and told him to take it up with the courts after the election.
Ross filed an injunction to prevent Branch from being inaugurated. The SBE
claimed Branch had filed all the necessary reports and was up to date and
eligible to be sworn in, in spite of evidence to the contrary that
numerous reports were still not filed, late fees were not paid, and the
outrageous claim that the Branch campaign had not received or spent any
money for the entire year before the election. Glenn filed suit against
the SBE for allowing Branch on the ballot in violation of State law. The
case is now before the Maryland Court of Appeals. Ross is asking for
donations to cover court costs and legal fees: contact Kathryn Parke at
410-366-0894 or <kathryn@imagecarnival.com>.
Steve Kramer scooter@guisarme.net
MARYLAND Old news we just learned: Linda Schade was
declared Outstanding Person of the Year in a December 24, 2004 column by
Blair Lee in The Gazette, Maryland's leading political newspaper. *Linda
Schade founded TrueVote and waged war on new electronic voting machines.
The Takoma Park resident and Green Party candidate challenged the
machines' accuracy and tamper-proofing through the courts and lost. But
protecting our ballot box integrity is just as important as protecting our
national security. Voters owe Linda Schade their gratitude.
http://www.truevotemd.org
http://www.gazette.net
MARYLAND Popular blogger and Democrat Jim Leftwich is
urging other Dems to join him in a mass exodus to the Green Party and has
proposed June 21 as a 'Moving Day'. The Maryland Green Party is currently
considering ways to support and promote this effort.
http://www.mdgreens.org/
http://movingday.typepad.com/
http://www.anigami.com/jimwich/md/md.html
MINNESOTA From Audrey Thayer and Daniel Alvin of the
Bemidji Green Party: "I have received a number of telephone calls to
what the Greens can do for my brothers and sisters from the Red Lake
Nation who are experiencing such tragedy of 10 deaths in their community
(the teacher lost was from the Bemidji Community). We have three students
recovering this week at North Country Hospital in Bemidji, MN and two Red
lake students recovering at MeritCare Hospital in Fargo, ND. Cards that
you are thinking of them or gifts are acceptable. Cards to the 10 families
individually from your local Green Party or from your family would be most
welcome. There is a fund being raised for the Red lake families that I
believe Wells Fargo Bank is handling. Cards are good to the Red Lake
Tribal Council -- to their Chairperson, Floyd "Buck" Jourdain
for their outstanding leadership during such a terrible time. I want to
thank so many of you for your prayers at this time.... Please pray for
strength for the Red Lake families, the youth and the work that your
fellow Greens Daniel Alvin and I are doing in being supportive to the Red
Lake Nation." Send donations to Red Lake Tribal Council, C/O Leah
Perkins, PO Box 574, Red Lake, MN 56671.
http://wcco.com/redlake
http://www.mngreens.org
NEBRASKA The Nebraska Green Party has gained ballot
status in Congressional District 1 (Lincoln and surrounding areas), as
Nebraska allows for parties by district. Nebraska Greens still have to get
signatures for Districts 2 and 3, which is in process but should get up
and running in the summer.
http://www.nebraska.greens.org/
http://www.greensforgreens.org
NEW YORK Steve Krulick, elected to the Ellenville
Village (NY) Board of Trustees in March 2004, won one of two 2-year
Ellenville Village Board seats on March 15 from a field of four
candidates. Krulick received just over 60% approval of those who turned
out to vote, about the same as his polling last year in a two-person race
to win a 1-year term in a special election to fill a vacancy. Since there
is no Green Party ballot line in NY now, Krulick received
cross-endorsement from the local Democratic Party as well as running on an
independent 'Clean Sweep' line. Krulick included his Green Party
affiliation on official campaign literature and in media articles,
including his serving as County Green Party Secretary, State
Committeeperson, and serving on the state's Executive Committee. Ulster
County leads the way for Green officeholders in New York, as Mayor Jason
West and Trustee Rebecca Rotzler preceded Krulick when they were elected
in 2003 in the neighboring village of New Paltz.
http://kryo.com/KrulickCampaign/index.htm
http://www.gpnys.org
OHIO Bob Fitrakis and three other lawyers who
represented Ohio voters in their challenge to the certification of the
Ohio ballots in the 2004 presidential election are currently being
threatened with sanctions for having brought the lawsuit during the Ohio
recount, which was initiated by Green presidential candidate David Cobb.
If Fitrakis and the three other lawyers are sanctioned, it'll intimidate
voters and lawyers from acting on future evidence of election manipulation
and vote obstruction.
http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2005/1102
Contributions for legal support http://freepress.org/store.php
OREGON Xander Patterson is running as Pacific Green
Party of Oregon candidate for the Multnomah County Commission. (Multnomah
is the most populous county in Oregon; Portland is the county seat.)
Patterson has already been elected three times as Soil and Water
conservation district commissioner, and faces a May 6 primary, which may
also be the general because there may only be two candidates running.
Oregon Greens are calling this a winnable race.
http://www.pacificgreens.org/
COOL GREEN PARTY MERCHANDISE The Peace Action
Committee and the Merchandise Committee have announced Green Party 'Vote
Peace' flags, great for anti-war actions and peace rallies, or for bikes
and backpacks. The pennant style flags say 'Vote Peace' on one side and
'Green Party' on the other, with the Earthflower logo, and are green, with
white lettering and include the union and recycling bugs. Size: 11"
high, 18" each side. Prices: 1 for $4; 5 for $15; 25 for $40; 50 for
$50.
To order or see the flags: visit http://www.gp.org
(online store in right column)
More information or questions: Emily Citkowski, 202-319-7191, GPHQ--at--gp.org
NATIONAL Green Parties across the US participated in
various 'Global Day of Protest' events against the US invasion and
occupation of Iraq on March 19. Wisconsin Greens joined a 'bridgil' (vigil
held on a bridge) on the Highway 8 bridge over the St. Croix River and a
major rally in Milwaukee. New York state party co-chair Gloria Mattera was
arrested along with members of the War Resisters League for holding up a
sign 'Recruit for Peace Not for War' at a military recruitment station in
Brooklyn, at an event cosponsored by local Green Parties (photo at warresisters.org).
David McReynolds, NY Green Party candidate for the US Senate, was quoted
in an Associate Press story on March 19: "This country was founded by
acts of civil disobedience.... We have an obligation to make our
resistance public and to say as clearly as we can that the war is
illegal." A rally and march in New Paltz that Greens helped organize
featured former UN Weapons Inspector Scott Ritter and drew an estimated
1700 people <http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0319-06.htm>.
http://www.wisconsingreenparty.org
Photos from various March 19 protests:
http://www.warresisters.org/counter-recruitMar05.htm
http://www.al-awda.org/ctmarch19/
http://www.qumsiyeh.org/march19hartfordrally/
NATIONAL Saying that "public involvement and
oversight in the voting process is essential," 2004 Green
presidential candidate David Cobb today sent letters in mid March to the
heads of the nine major voting machine companies in the US demanding
"accountability and transparency." In the letter, Cobb said that
a number of steps "must be taken immediately to restore faith in our
elections and the winners that they produce. These steps must include: a
paper ballot for each vote cast, independent analysis of voting machine
software and hardware, open software source code, no contributions from
voting companies to candidates for public office, no networking of
machines and the public dissemination of all relevant voting data and
documents." Cobb launched vote recount efforts in Ohio and New Mexico
after numerous reports of vote obstruction and election manipulation by
Republicans.
http://www.votecobb.org
http://www.velvetrevolution.us/
GREEN INSTITUTE The Green Institute sponsored a trip
to Europe in March by Dean Myerson (5-18 March) and David Cobb (10-18
March). They visited Bratislava, Berlin and Brussels, and Myerson also
visited Helsinki. Cobb and Myerson met with with Greens and
representatives of NGOs.
http://www.greeninstitute.net/eu/europe_2005_03_05.shtml
http://www.greeninstitute.net/
READ ABOUT and get involved in your state Green Party http://www.gp.org/states.html
Read about and get involved in a national Green Party caucus
Lavender Greens Caucus (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, and
intersex Greens) http://www.lavendergreens.org/
Women's Caucus http://www.gp.org/committees/women/index.html
Black Caucus http://www.gpblackcaucus.us/
Youth Caucus discussion list http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/youth-caucus
Latino Caucus (site to be announced)
Disability Caucus http://immuneweb.org/dg/
MORE GREEN PARTY NEWS: http://web.greens.org/news/
TOP
APRIL 15-17 Mass Mobilization and protests during the
spring meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, in
Washington, DC. Mobilization for Global Justice http://www.globalizethis.org
April 17 The Green Party of Connecticut is holding its
annual Convention at the Greater New Haven Labor Council Hall, 267 Chapel
Street, New Haven starting at 11 am. Mike DeRosa, Green Party State
Co-Chair said that " the Connecticut Green Party Convention is best
of what politics should be, first with a pot luck lunch that is family
friendly and free to the public.Next we elect our new state Green Party
leaders. Then speeches by our local candidates and leaders on issues that
directly effect the state, national and worldwide." Further
information: 1-888-877-8607. http://www.ctgreens.org
APRIL 23-24 The Green Party's 2005 Chesapeake Campaign
School, at Howard University in Washington, DC and the University of the
District of Columbia. Participants include the the DC Statehood Green
Party, Green Party of Maryland, the Virginia Green Party, and the Green
Party's Black Caucus and National Committee. The regional Campaign School,
which takes place annually around the US, is a two-day retreat offering
education on how to conduct successful political campaigns for Green
candidates and organizers. Invited guests: Elaine Brown, former leader of
the Black Panthers and possible Green candidate for Mayor of Brunswick,
Georgia (guest appearance at the University of the District of Columbia,
Saturday evening); Ross Mirkarimi, Green San Francisco Supervisor and
campaign manager for Matt Gonzalez's 2003 mayoral run. More information:
Green Party office, 202-319-7191
MAY 13-15 National Conference for Media Reform in St.
Louis. Featured speakers: Amy Goodman, Jim Hightower, Naomi Klein, George
Lakoff, Al Franken, FCC commissioners, members of Congress. Panels and
workshops will cover media consolidation, grassroots activism,
globalization, independent media, commercialism, Community Internet, etc.
Sponsored by Free Press. http://www.freepress.net/conference/
JULY 21-24 The National Committee is currently voting
on a proposal to hold the 2005 Annual National Committee Meeting in Tulsa,
OK on July 21-24.
TOP
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
==> From March 14 to April 22, a meeting of the UN
Commission on Human Rights will take place in Geneva, where the US
government will try to pass a resolution against Cuba. On one hand, the
world's superpower is trying to intensify a blockade against a small
country; on the other, the US has prevented the UN Commission from probing
human rights violations taking place in US prisons in Abuh Ghraib and
Guantanamo. The US government thus has no moral authority to set itself up
as a judge of human rights in Cuba, where there is not a single case of
missing persons, torture, or extra judicial killing, and where
internationally recognized health, education and cultural levels have been
reached despite the blockade. Contact the White House and Congress, and
urge them to drop the resolution.
http://www.cubadh.net/
==> Tell Reps to support language in the 'Military
Readiness Enhancement Act of 2005' (HR 1059) that would repeal 'don't ask,
don't tell' and replace it with a policy of nondiscrimination on the basis
of sexual orientation in the US armed forces. It was introduced on March 2
by Rep. Martin Meehan (D-Mass.) and so far has 67 cosponsors. http://aver.us/alerts.html
==> Tell Congress to support Low-Power FM. Sens.
John McCain (R-Ariz.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.)
have introduced a bill that would revolutionize community radio, but it
will need public support to get passed. The Local Community Radio Act of
2005 would give thousands of communities the right to broadcast on
low-power FM airwaves. Low-Power FM radio (LPFM) refers to 10 to 100 watt,
nonprofit radio stations with a reach of only a few miles. Because LPFM
stations are noncommercial and reach a small broadcast area, they hold
great promise to offer truly community-driven and locally-oriented
programming. http://www.freepress.net/lpfm/
==> As the newly appointed chairman of the Senate
Subcommittee on the Constitution, Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) has decided to
hold hearings this week on same-sex marriage. The hearings are focused on
the Defense of Marriage Act and, for all practical purposes, on the
Federal Marriage Amendment as well. In light of the many serious issues
that our country is facing, it is absolutely outrageous that a small group
of right-wing Senators would make discriminating against gay, lesbian,
bisexual, and transgender people their top priority right now. Send a
message against efforts to write discrimination into the US Constitution.
http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/...
TOP
Recommended articles, books, web sites:
"Death of a Mountain: Radical strip mining and
the leveling of Appalachia"
by Erik Reece. In Harper's Magazine, April 2005 (now at newsstands).
The Long Emergency: Surviving the End of the Oil
Age, Climate Change, and Other Converging Catastrophes of the Twenty-first
Century.
Book by James Howard Kunstler (Atlantic Monthly Press, 2005). "The
circumstances of the long emergency will require us to downscale and
re-scale virtually everything we do and how we do it, from the kind of
communities we physically inhabit to the way we grow our food to the way
we work and trade the products of our work. Our lives will become
profoundly and intensely local.... Anything organized on the large scale,
whether it is government or a corporate business enterprise such as
Wal-Mart, will wither as the cheap energy props that support bigness fall
away. The turbulence of the long emergency will produce a lot of economic
losers, and many of these will be members of an angry and aggrieved former
middle class." Kunstler is the author of The Geography of Nowhere and
Home from Nowhere.
TOP
GREENSWEEK is edited and issued by the Media Committee
(co-chairs: Nancy Allen, Scott McLarty) of the Green Party of the United
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202-319-7191, 202-319-7192, 866-41GREEN Fax 202-319-7193
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Green Party News Circulator http://www.gp.org/circ/circulator.html
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The Real Difference http://www.therealdifference.org/
Who REALLY spoiled in 2000? http://www.gp.org/organize/spoiled.html
Greens World Wide http://www.greens.org
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Global Greens http://www.globalgreens.info
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