General

Green Veterans Speak Out

Posted in General on November 11th, 2011 by Gregg Jocoy – 3 Comments

Veterans Day, for many Americans, means parades, speeches, flags, and the usual political theatrical displays of patriotism. Those who have never experienced war itself can never truly understand the effect on the lives of those who have endured the horrors of warfare.

Since the advent of industrialized warfare in World War I, working people have too often served as cannon fodder in wars for the profits of the ruling class. The dawning understanding of this dynamic has birthed anti-war protests and resistance movements like Occupy Wall Street, which continues to draw veterans and others outraged at the current wars and their cost in lives and a damaged national economy.

“The late singer and composer Phil Ochs wrote ‘It’s always the old to lead us to the wars, it’s always the young to die,’” said Mike Spector, chair of the Green Party of New Jersey. “The young men and women returning from the conflicts are finding themselves in trouble, mentally and physically. As wars become enshrined in the nation’s foreign policy, the more they will be forgotten, tear-drenched home-comings and memorial flag-waving ceremonies to the contrary. The Green Party has always been the party of peace in this country, the true alternative to the parties of ceaseless war. Our goal is to ensure that Veterans Day will eventually be replaced by World Peace Day.”

We in the Green Party have always believed what Gil Scott Heron said: “Peace is not just the absence of war, but the active pursuit of justice.” With this thought in mind, we offer the perspectives of Green veterans on war.

• TE Smith, Washington, DC, member of the DC Statehood Green Party: I am a Black Vietnam vet. Lke hundreds of other young Black males in Washington, DC in the 1960s, I really had no real idea what was going on. There was very little to no conversation or explanation in the Black community about the war, the draft, or much else of real importance. read more »

More Green Party results for November 2011 elections

Posted in General on November 9th, 2011 by Dave Schwab – 2 Comments

Here are some initial results from some of Tuesday’s elections involving Green Party candidates:

St. Paul, MN: Greens posted strong results in all 3 city council races they contested, in the city’s first election using instant runoff voting. In Ward 1, Johnny Howard came in 2nd with 26%. In Ward 2, in a race with 5 candidates, Jim Ivey took 27% of first-choice votes, while incumbent Dave Thune had 37%. As no candidate received over 50% of first-choice votes, the race will proceed to runoff rounds, and Ivey could still win the seat. In Ward 6, Bee Kevin Xiong finished 2nd behind a longtime incumbent with 45% of the vote.

Syracuse, NY: New York Green Party standard-bearer Howie Hawkins lost the race for City Council 4th District to Democratic/Working Families nominee Khalid Bey by 82 votes, finishing with 48%. In years of running underdog campaigns, from city council to US Senate and NY Governor, this is the closest Hawkins has come to winning yet.

Philadelphia, PA: In a 3-way race for sheriff, Cheri Honkala finished 3rd with over 10,000 votes for 6.6%. Brian Rudnick earned 12% in a 2-way race for 8th District City Council.

Toledo, OH: Anita Rios earned 1,888 votes to take 29% in a two-way partisan race with a Democratic incumbent.

Arlington, VA: In a 3-way races for 2 seats, Audrey Clement finished 3rd behind 2 Democratic incumbents with 16.5% of the vote.

More results to come! In the meantime, check gp.org or your state’s Green Party page for more info.

Green Party Watch’s Ross Levin arrested in Wall Street Protest!

Posted in General on September 28th, 2011 by Edy – 3 Comments

Ross belongs to the Philadelphia Green Party, and if any of you follow Green Party happenings across the country, he’s a regular poster throughout the Facebook world.
He is also a contributor to Greenpartywatch and Independent Political Report.
Comments from Ross Levin, GPW contributor:
“I was there wearing a Green Party shirt, as well! You can see some photos of me online if you look around…”
“I’ve got some nice big brown curly hair. It’s a Green Party of Philadelphia shirt. I got arrested Saturday, so you might see some photos of that. It’s the only green shirt that says “Green” in the Green Party font that I saw.”

Cities with multiple Green candidates in 2011 elections

Posted in General on September 13th, 2011 by Dave Schwab – 8 Comments

In 2009, Green candidates won 35% of municipal elections that they entered. Given this figure, it’s not hard to see that with more Greens running in more local elections around the country, the Green Party could become America’s third major party in the course of a few election cycles. Here’s a shout-out to cities where Greens are leading the way by running more than one candidate in 2011 elections, roughly arranged by population. Will your town be next?

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Cheri Honkala, Philadelphia Sheriff

Brian Rudnick, Philadelphia City Council District 8

Baltimore, Maryland

Bill Barry, Baltimore City Council District 3

Douglas Armstrong, Baltimore City Council District 14

Tucson, Arizona

Mary DeCamp, Tucson Mayor read more »

Hugh Giordano reaches out to supporters

Posted in General on July 15th, 2011 by Gregg Jocoy – Comments Off

Hugh Giordano, who ran a very effective campaign for state legislature in PA, has written to his supporters asking that they lend their support to Cheri Honkala in her bid to be elected Sheriff in Philadelphia. The letter is printed in full below the fold.

Friends and Supporters,

Thank you once again for your support during my campaign for State Rep. last year. Now, I would like to tell you about a really great candidate that I am supporting for Sheriff of Phila. in the November Election. Her name is Cheri Honkala and her campaign platform is simple: Keep Families Where They Belong; In Their Homes. Like me, she is running on the Green Party ticket.

One job that a Sheriff performs is enforcing the eviction process of people whose homes are foreclosed. This policy creates homelessness, vacant properties and neighborhood blight. When Cheri is elected, she wants to make some big changes. No more evictions until our economy is stabilized. read more »

Green Party of California Strategy Gathering August 20-21

Posted in General on July 8th, 2011 by Edy – 1 Comment

GPCA Strategy Gathering in Ventura, CA

All California registered Greens are welcome

Join us in beautiful Ventura, on California’s central coast, for a weekend of fun, inspiration, information and activation!

This Gathering’s format uses the Open Workshop model.
Agenda and topics will be determined by participants on the spot.
This is an easy process – giving all an equal access to agenda creation
All presentations and discussions will be peer-led.

Now is the time to consider leading a discussion, panel presentation or information session!

Is there a topic you would like to see discussed, or want to learn more about?

What is your area of expertise? How can it help other Greens live well and organize in their communities?

Potential discussions could include:

  • Campaign tips and tales
  • The role of the CA Green Party in today’s political landscape
  • Successful framing of issues in discussions and the media
  • “Secrets of My Success:” tips for registering massive numbers of Green voters
  • “We Did It!” Major successful actions in our area.
  • Creative marketing and “branding” of the CA Green Party so people “feel it”
  • Activist heroes and heroines

Pre-registration begins now,
Suggested $25 per person payable at the door (includes 2 meals, coffee, tea, and snacks throughout)

The creation of the agenda will occur during the first hour of the Gathering.
You will be asked to offer and weigh various proposals to guide the discussion for the weekend. Because this first hour is so crucial, we created a timetable that would ensure the most people could be present, even if traveling from a distance.

TO RSVP: EMAIL earthworks_works@yahoo.com and feel free to ask questions, offer comments.
We will send more reminder emails and updates via this webpage, and Facebook on-going.

For more information and updates, visit http://www.cagreens.org/plenary/index.html

Green Party voter registration drive at Naturalization Ceremony taking place in Los Angeles

Posted in General on June 28th, 2011 by Edy – Comments Off
Time
Thursday, June 30 · 8:30am – 4:00pm
Location
Los Angeles Convention Center 1201 S. Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA 9001

GREEN PARTY MEMBERS WILL SHOW UP AND REGISTER NEW VOTING CITIZENS WITH THE GREEN PARTY/PARTIDO VERDE. IF YOU ARE FREE THAT DAY, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME OUT AND HELP US.

Anyone is welcomed to participate.

Leave a message if you would like to attend.(We can carpool). We will contact you.

Shifts:
8:30 AM – 11:30 AM
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Number of Applicants scheduled to be naturalized: 12,000(6,000 per shift)

Applicants scheduled for 8:00 a.m. should expect to be on their way home by 11:00 a.m. at the latest. Applicants scheduled for 1:00 p.m. should expect to be on their way home by 3:00 p.m.

Arrive at least 30 minutes before the shifts are to begin.

The Democratic and Republican parties are scheduled to be there, so the Green Party needs to be there as well.

“WE ARE NEITHER ON THE LEFT NOR RIGHT, WE ARE FORWARD”

Facebook event page. Check it out! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jello-Biafra/15980682337?sk=wall#!/event.php?eid=154329987971237

Arizona Greens Intend to Provide Petitioning Assistance to Other Green Parties in Southwest

Posted in General on June 26th, 2011 by Edy – 1 Comment

Now that the Arizona Green Party is safely on the ballot for 2012, due to successfully getting a ballot access bill through this year’s legislature, Arizona Greens are now organizing a search for volunteer members who will petition to restore the Green Party’s ballot status in neighbor states New Mexico, Utah, and Nevada. The party hopes to cover the out-of-pocket travel expenses for its volunteers.

Taken from ballot access news.

In MA, Green state rep. candidate ‘expects to win’ in 2011, after getting 45% in 2010

Posted in General, State Wide Elections on June 12th, 2011 by Edy – Comments Off

PITTSFIELD — Mark C. Miller, the Green-Rainbow party candidate who challenged state Rep. Christopher N. Speranzo last November, formally announced he’s a contender for the seat Speranzo has to give up if he’s confirmed for the Central Berkshire District Court clerk-magistrate job.

In an announcement to supporters Thursday, Miller said he plans to run for the 3rd Berkshire District seat, which covers most of Pittsfield.

Miller told The Eagle that he expects a tough race, but he also expects to win — in part because this campaign will be better organized and have more volunteer help than his previous one.

The fact that he commanded 45 percent of last November’s vote, for a campaign he essentially ran alone, tells him that he has a real chance this year, he said.

California Green Party – Release Wikileak’s alleged source Bradley Manning

Posted in General, State Party News on June 12th, 2011 by Edy – 1 Comment

Military claim that Bradley Manning ‘mentally unfit’ echoes
past bias against homosexuals, charge LGBT Greens, marching
for alleged WikiLeaks source in Los Angeles Pride Parade Sunday

LOS ANGELES ­ Bradley Manning ­ WikiLeaks’ alleged source ­ is a
patriot who is, in part, being persecuted because of anti-Gay bias,
according a Green Party of California organizer here preparing to
participate in this Sunday’s LGBT Pride Parade.

Shane Que Hee, facilitator of both “Out Against War” and LA LGBT
Greens said Friday he’ll march for Manning, who has been held largely
incommunicado and without trial for more a year. After a flurry of
complaints by human rights groups, including Amnesty International,
Manning was moved recently from solitary confinement in a Marine
prison to a medium security prison.

“Bradley Manning has been condemned as guilty of supplying ’secrets’
to WikiLeaks without a trial. He has been tortured. Both President
Obama and Senator Diane Feinstein have assumed he is guilty. This is
not the America I want.

“The fact Bradley Manning is Gay, and the military’s recent assertion
that Bradley Manning is ‘mentally unfit’ to be in the military echoes
the old military bias and the old medical description of homosexuals
as mentally ill,” charged Que Hee.

“Bradley’s father cast him from his home for being Gay, and the
military was his only recourse to stay off the streets. He became a
patriot. But he’s now said how shocked he was to find that all the
reasons he enlisted were gradually found to be false. All of us
eventually have to make similar choices like Bradley’s,” said Que Hee.

He noted that “celebrating one’s sexuality at LGBT Pride is linked to
truth and personal integrity,” as demonstrated by the actions Manning
is alleged to have made in the release of important information about
U.S. war-making in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The GPCA demanded Bradley Manning’s immediate release several times
earlier this year.

Green Party March in Los Angeles this Sunday in Support of LGBT Rights

Posted in General, Grassroots Democracy, State Wide Elections on June 11th, 2011 by Edy – Comments Off

When: June 12

Event page: http://www.facebook.com/?sk=nf#!/event.php?eid=191149454269542

Bring all your Green Party friends out to this event. Plus, we will have a special guest in attendance. The campaign for the Green Party/Partido Verde in 2012 has begun!

In addition, Green Party members will set up a table and register voters with the Green Party after the march. Come join us.

LGBT Pride Los Angeles is here again. If your organization supports LGBT rights and is against waging wars, you are welcome to march with …Out Against War and the LA LGBT Greens on Sunday June 12. Out Against War is doing a special theme around Bradley Manning, the Gay alleged Wikileaker. Everyone is welcome to bring signs & banners. Hand out your own literature to parade onlookers.

The Green Party is looking for candidates to run in 2012. If you are interested, drop me a message. The time to run is now. No more excuses.

We understand that we need to get more Green Party candidates elected at the local and state level before truly having meaningful change at the Presidential level, and we would love everyone to participate not only in Los Angeles, but around the state.

Kent Mesplay announces 2012 presidential run

Posted in General, Presidential Campaign on June 7th, 2011 by Edy – 4 Comments

Fundraising (go to this Facebook page)

http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=119114904838637

Announcement from Kent Mesplay, forwarded by Drew Johnson….

I am Kent Mesplay. I am running for president as a nominee by the Green
Party of the United States. I do this for the following reasons and with
the following intent:

We live in a time of extreme challenge and unacceptable scape-goating.
History teaches that the least among us are the first blamed for problems
real and imagined. I run to counter-balance the wrath of the ?right?
toward immigrants, toward Mexicans, toward Native peoples. I am a
life-long advocate of rain-forest dwellers and First Nations folk within
our borders. Greens value diversity, justice and representation. I do
this from my cross-cultural basis, my upbringing. I support a non-profit
organization: the Pachamama or Mother Earth Alliance. I urge you to, as
well.

I hear from independent scientists, educators and other critical thinkers
who are concerned with the direction of our country: the politicization
and commercialization of institutions large and small; the stifling,
dangerous trend toward bland uniformity in thought; decision-making based
upon fear of risk, fear of scarcity, and maintenance of the status quo.
Even within politics in our so-called free and democratic republic,
Greens, Libertarians and other ballot-qualified candidates are routinely
arrested trying to get into debates. This is wrong. I ask for free and
open debates to be established within Indian Country, where
ballot-qualified candidates can go to speak without fear of arrest. We
need good Green governance and an end to political bribery and corruption,
shallowly disguised as ?lobbying.? We need this NOW so that we can get on
with the task of genuinely solving societal problems. I run in protest.
I run as an alternative to
politics-as-usual. Join, as we Greens work to improve our
decision-making institutions.

Democracy works as a problem-solving tool, when used in a culture
respecting and honoring elders and wisdom-keepers. People ought to have a
say in how their towns and neighborhoods and tribal lands are managed, but
all-too-often the first and final word in development or destruction goes
to corporations because of ?person-hood? corporate status. As oppressive
regimes fall in distant lands, structures need to arise to allow good
governance. In Egypt, Libya, Yemen and other nations, people yearn for
more of a say in how they live their lives. I would caution pro-democracy
dissenters elsewhere to beware of the corrupting influence of corporatism
and to note that democracy here in the US is tainted. I run to bring the
success of the International Green Party movement to America. Without
multi-partisanship, which requires more than two viable political parties,
there can be no Democracy. We shun corporate contributions and the
strings that come with
them. The Green Party is an Independent party.

Through its Future-Focus, the Green Party embodies tribal wisdom: consider
the seventh generation in our thoughts and actions, in our decisions. Our
acquisitive culture is one of expedience, one of taking, at a time when we
need to give back. Over 70% of the planet?s fish species are being
over-fished, with larger, predatory fish being particularly susceptible.
Yet, we still over-fish. Absent advocacy, the natural world is imperiled.
We are a part of the web of life. Our fate is tied to that of the earth.
We need to do better: for ourselves, for each other, for
all-our-relations (Mitakuye Oyasin). We need to give back, to display our
wealth through our generosity, not through our greed; to bring in by
sharing. Inter-generational ethics demands that we consider the plight or
delight of future generations that will stream from our decisions.

Just as I am an ?on-call? emergency shelter manager for the county of San
Diego, CA, I know we need an emergency shelter for the planet. What would
we have in that shelter? We need to discuss this. A good way to be
prepared in the face of adversity is to have supplies and knowledge on
hand. Beyond the five (5) gallons of emergency drinking water everyone
needs to have, we need to be growing our own food, and have seeds on hand
for emergency sprouts and for the next season?s crops. We need victory
gardens again, to grow food everywhere we can, to treat water as precious
and sacred. We need to transition into being sustainable for ecological
reasons, for security and independence and for social justice so we do not
look elsewhere to extract the resources from the forests, rivers, valleys,
mountaintops and geological strata of other people. We need to adapt
quickly in response to and in mitigation of climate change. I work as an
air quality
inspector. Air quality is a health issue and a safety issue. Solutions,
in the face of unstable weather, involve bolstering local self-reliance:
higher energy efficiency standards for buildings and so on. Let?s move
from debating the cause of climatic unpredictability and move toward the
known solutions. ?All hands on deck, time to batten down the hatches.?
Now is the time to change our ways, to decentralize and re-localize, to
plan by watersheds, to abandon ruinous globalization and damaging trade
?agreements.? Our technology outpaces our humanity, yet technology will
help us adapt. Our priorities are ?off? and in need of a ?reset? button.

I run for Martin, a once-wealthy artist with a powerful firm, who
wistfully asked aloud why the food was mixed in with the rest of the trash
in dumpsters behind restaurants and not placed and presented, at least for
a while, so it would be easier to eat. I run for my Native brothers and
sisters who see the Democratic and Republican parties as two sides of one
long trail of broken promises. I run for Marguerite, who was once wealthy
in Real Estate, only to awaken in her car one morning and wonder how
everything could slip away so suddenly. I run to give voice to those who
have no voice, to those outside the political donor class. I run because
I am optimistic that our little lives, together, can make a difference.

I run to organize and build the Green Party and to advance the green
movement. I also run for fun. That?s where you come in. Please help me
be the nominee of my party by registering and voting Green Party. Help
enact good governance by getting Greens on the ballot in states where it
is practically illegal so to do. Please support Mesplay for President.
Our values promote a peaceful, just and ecologically sane world.
Participate. Don?t keep waiting on the world to change. Be the change.
Support good governance and learn how we, together, can improve government
to truly be of, by and for the people. Thank you.

Next President of the U.S., Native American and Green Party leader Dr.
Kent Mesplay PhD, needs your help. Big Announcement following soon…

Peaceful Evolution Works!
Dr. Kent P. Mesplay PhD needs your support to take back America from the
corporate greed-heads.

Mesplay for President
5173 Waring Rd, #204
San Diego CA 92120

Her First Speech

Posted in General, International Greens, National Greens on June 3rd, 2011 by Peter V. Tretter – Comments Off

Elizabeth May, OC, MP the Leader of the Green Party of Canada and Member of Parliament for Saanich–Gulf Islands gave her first speech.

Elizabeth May, Green Party of Canada

Image via Wikipedia

Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure to congratulate you on your victory today and to commend, as well, the honourable members who all spoke so eloquently of the dreams we share for a House of Commons that lives up to the aspirations of the citizens of Canada, who desire nothing more than that they can allow their children to watch question period without fear of learning bad habits.

I have heard such good and strong sentiments today, and I want to speak personally to you, Mr. Speaker.

Congratulations. Today I am very proud of your efforts and your hard work. When the time came to elect a new speaker, the members decided to elect someone quite young.

I am speaking frankly. We know you are a young Speaker, but this is a young House. We have more young members of Parliament than we have had before and, as the only woman leader of a federal political party, I note with pride we have more women, at 25%, in the House of Commons.

Perhaps with this new spirit of co-operation we can indeed deliver greater decorum, greater co-operation and greater respect. I am very proud to join the leader of the official opposition in pledging that my entire caucus will not heckle.

View full text.

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Make a list of your dream candidates running on the Green Party ticket

Posted in Congressional Campaigns, General, Grassroots Democracy, Local Elections, Presidential Campaign on June 2nd, 2011 by Edy – 27 Comments

The reason for this thread is simple – Make a list of candidates you would like to see on the Green Party ticket in 2012. This would include the Presidential, Congressional, and Senate races. At the state and local level, also make a list of who you would like to see run.

Now, what is the point? The point is that we can all see who we would like to see nominated, perhaps names we had never before considered, and see what the consensus is.

Just throw any name out there, from environmentalists, radicals, independents, non-Greens, celebrities, politicians, etc. Try to make your list concise by organizing it around the Presidential, Senate, Congressional, and state/local races.

Here’s a quick example(I live in Los Angeles):

President: Laura Wells, Howie Hawkins, Cynthia Mckinney, Cindy Sheehan, Bernie Sanders, Cornell West, Kent Mesplay, Ralph Nader

Senate: Jesse Ventura, Laura Wells, Jello Biafra, Matt Gonzalez, Ian Murphy, Howie Hawkins, Kent Mesplay, Mike Feinstein

Congress: Laura Wells, Cornell West, Deacon Alexander, Mike Feinstein

Los Angeles mayor: Ed Begley Jr., Deacon Alexander, Derek Iverson, Julia Butterfly Hill, Tom Morello

For local races, perhaps it would be best to consult your state Green Party and see what they think.

This is an example. The key in to throw out as many names out there as possible. The goal is to present this list to the national Green Party and state Green Party and ask them if we would consider nominating them on the Green Party ticket.

Green Party of Philadelphia endorses Richie Antipuna for City Commissioner

Posted in General on June 1st, 2011 by rossmlevin – Comments Off

Press release from the Green Party of Philadelphia:

By Chris Robinson

Green Party members and friends met on May 26 to discuss their current and future elector campaigns and other actions designed to mobilize the voting public.

Cheri Honkala spoke about her campaign as the Green Party candidate for Sheriff of Philadelphia, www.cherihonkala.com. She has opened her center-city campaign office. Honkala has gotten a good bit of publicity for her priority issue, ending foreclosures and evictions until the Iraq depression ends.

Honkala expressed pride in her election committee, especially campaign chair Jim Moran who is a member of Communications Workers of America. “Cheri Honkala personifies independent politics in Philadelphia,” said Moran, “and she is a beacon for like-minded folks around the country.”

The Greens met at Crossroads Coffee Shop, www.crossroadsrox.com, in Roxborough, and they were welcomed by Hugh Giordano, who ran on the Green Party ticket for PA State Representative in 2010. Giordano, an organizer for United Food and Commercial Workers, said, “Basically, I want to welcome everyone to our growing Green Party, www.gpop.org . We are now active in many different struggles for the people and for the environment. This has clearly resulted in an increased turnout at Green events.”

There will be a Green Night Out with Cheri Honkala on Saturday, June 4 at Singapore Chinese Restaurant, www.singaporevegetarian.com, and the Green Party has also endorsed the Anti-Fracking Rally and Lobby Day in Harrisburg on Tuesday, June 7.

The Greens then added to their 2011 ticket by unanimously endorsing Richie Antipuna for Philadelphia City Commissioner. Antipuna lives in Kensington, co-hosts “The Richie Antipuna Show” on cable, www.blip.tv/the-richie-antipuna-show, and expresses anger at the way working people are treated by the corporate Democrats who run Philadelphia.

“I honestly want to run for City Commissioner to show other regular people that anyone can run against the corrupt Democrats who control this city,” Antipuna told the gathering. “I remember when politicians walked around the neighborhood — even when it wasn’t election time! That’s the kind of Commissioner I plan to be.”

For more information on the Green Party of Philadelphia, please contact 215-243-7103 and gpop@gpop.com.