Greens Gone Digital

Greens Gone Digital

by C.A. Matthews

In a history-making effort, the Green Party US has become the first American political party to host an entirely digital Presidential Nominating Convention this past weekend. During the three day online gathering, Greens chose Howie Hawkins and Angela Walker to be their president/vice president candidates. The convention originally had been slated to take place in Detroit, but the pandemic put a halt to those plans as the party leadership felt it was unwise to risk their members' health and safety by meeting in person. In a few short months, the Greens  pulled together a relatively smooth running digital meeting using a variety of platforms such as Zoom, Loomio, You Tube and Facebook live-streaming.

The opening two days of the convention were filled with press conferences and workshops like a typical in-person gathering, but this time the presenters spoke to a sea of webcam faces instead of a room full of live bodies. Nevertheless, chat and voice questions where asked and answered, discussions ensued, and many participants expressed gratitude for the recordings of the presentations and Powerpoints to share and re-watch at leisure. (Link to the workshop videos below.) Better yet, there was no cut off to the number of people allowed to be in a Zoom two dimensional room like there would be in a 3-D room, and the numbers at the workshops swelled throughout the convention. 

Workshop topics included an in-depth look at the current administration's acceleration of the nuclear arms race; ways to handle the ongoing financial crisis and growing national debt; and re-branding the Green Party US as  eco-socialists to reach a wider membership with independent voters. Many presenters emphasized how the Greens are the original creators of the Green New Deal, support shrinking the military and demilitarizing the police, and are the only American political party to enthusiastically support Medicare For All as part of their platform.

There were special guest speakers as well through out the day Saturday interspersed between delegate votes. Well known Greens like 2012 and 2016 presidential candidate Dr. Jill Stein and her running mate, peace activist Ajamu Baraka, gave stirring speeches. Lisa Savage, currently running for the US Senate (with a good chance of winning under Maine's ranked choice voting system), also addressed the convention along with other Greens who have served proudly in both party and publicly elected positions.

At a little after 5 p.m. Saturday afternoon the tally for the presidential nominee was declared official.  Howie Hawkins, a founder of the Green Party US and the original GND candidate when he ran for governor of New York, was overwhelmingly chosen as the 2020 presidential candidate with Angela Walker as his running mate. Dario Hunter/Darlene Elias came in second in the vote tally with less than half the votes of Hawkins/Walker. A smattering of votes were given to other candidates, and a few delegates simply voted "non-committed." Former governor of Minnesota Jesse Ventura did receive seven delegate votes. Perhaps he will feel encouraged to run in another four years, as Jesse seems to be a favorite of Young Ecosocialists Caucus members.

My view of the GP Presidential Nominating Convention

This was my first Presidential Nominating Convention, and I was proud to attend as a voting delegate from Ohio. I'd attended the 2019 Annual Meeting in Salem, Massachusetts. I found it fascinating to meet Greens from all over the country and exchange information and ideas with them. I was looking forward to attending the convention in Detroit--less than an hour away from my home--but the virus outbreak crushed those dreams of sitting with my state's delegation and shouting out our support of our favorite candidates during the delegate roll call. Oh, well, there's been a lot of disappointments during these  months of COVID-19 lock down, nothing new there. I look forward to the future when perhaps I can serve as a delegate again and enjoy the excitement in person.

Related links:

Hawkins/Walker Campaign Website
http://howiehawkins.us


C-Span Interview with Howie Hawkins (video)
https://www.c-span.org/video/?473680-3/washington-journal-howie-hawkins-discusses-green-party-platform&live=&vod=&fbclid=IwAR2DMQXP5Dn_Gqzubv07wL3WuMOYmA-NGZaavgCCs13FKZeFFcQ8A43DsZs

Green Party US videos--most of the workshops were recorded and can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/user/GreenPartyVideos/videos

***

Just six weeks before many international students start their fall terms, ICE has implemented a rule change that would force thousands out of the country.

Under the new student visa regulations, international students must enroll into in-person classes at their institution to remain in the United States. ICE waited until many colleges and universities had already finalized their class schedules or made decisions about being entirely online for the term to announce these changes.

ICE’s goal here is transparent: Force as many foreign students out of the United States as possible, in the middle of a global pandemic. Remember – the cruelty is the point.

We’re not letting them get away with it. That’s why we’ve formed a progressive coalition to petition ICE, CBP, and the Department of State to re-evaluate these rules and end their anti-immigrant last minute blitz. Will you join us?

Stop ICE

There’s hope. MIT and Harvard have launched lawsuits to block the Trump administration’s sabotage. Across the country, students and teachers are making last-minute 1 credit courses to help international students stay here. It’s inspiring to see.

But it shouldn’t be the burden of college undergraduates and TAs to block Trump’s inhumane policy agenda. Our leaders have to act against a transparently xenophobic rule change that was kept hidden until the very last moment.

Shockingly, it gets worse. Many experts suspect that the Trump administration’s real motivation was to force colleges and universities to reopen in-person classes this fall – even if it was unsafe. As the second wave of COVID crashes upon numerous states, it is unthinkable that our federal government would force schools to choose between deporting students or risking their lives.

That’s why we’re fighting back. Let’s do everything in our power to support colleges and universities who are just trying to educate their students while keeping them safe. Sign your name to demand ICE reverse course.

Thanks for your help,

LeftNet

Stop ICE

***

Monday, July 20: Strike for Black Lives  
RSVP for a strike or protest >>

I live in Florida, where coronavirus cases are spiking, and I've had to fight at my job at Checkers just to get masks and gloves to be safe.

Our bosses don't care about us – they don't care whether we live or we die – as long as they make money.

Police beat us and kill us – they don't give Black lives the dignity we deserve as human beings. It ain't right.

I've had enough. I believe that we've ALL had enough.

That's why I'm walking off my job on July 20 as part of the Strike for Black Lives.

Will you join me by joining a protest?

Don't see an event near you on the map? Sign up to host your own event.

We demand:

• Justice for Black communities. That means higher wages, better jobs, and unions for all so we can build real economic power. It means healthcare for all, action on climate change, better education opportunities, criminal justice reform, and most of all – listening to Black workers and leaders.
• Elected officials and candidates use their authority to rewrite the rules so that Black communities can thrive. We need safe and fair voting so all of us can participate in our democracy.
• Corporations take immediate action to dismantle racism, white supremacy and economic exploitation wherever it exists, including in our workplaces. Employers like Checkers and McDonald's need to pay higher wages and give us sick leave, we need personal protective equipment (PPE) and hazard pay during the pandemic. We need to disrupt the cycle of poverty that has existed for generations.
• Every worker has the opportunity to form a union, no matter where they work. People of color need a seat at the table to be able to fight for our families and communities.

We won't win because politicians or companies decide out of the goodness of their hearts to give us what we demand. We will win only because we join together with ONE voice to force politicians and companies to give us what we've always deserved.

Support the Strike for Black Lives on Monday, July 20. RSVP for an event or host your own.

Together in justice,

Alex Harris
Checkers Worker
Tampa, FL
Fight for $15

P.S. The Strike for Black Lives will be happening during a worsening pandemic. If you plan to attend an event in person, take a look at our Coronavirus Safety guide.

*** 

From Fight for the Future:

Senator Brian Schatz (D–HI) has introduce an amendment that will prevent local police forces from getting tear gas,¹ drones,² armored vehicles,³ and high-caliber weapons of war⁴ from the military. This important amendment — in addition to initiatives to defund police departments and hold police officers accountable for committing crimes against the public — will help combat systemic police brutality in the U.S. 

Contact Congress TODAY to stop police departments from buying military weapons.
 
Arming police forces with military weapons doesn’t reduce crime or protect law enforcement officers from violence.⁵ In fact, police forces that are equipped with these weapons are more likely to kill civilians.⁶ Even worse, militarized police forces often target Black and minority-majority communities, where getting killed by the police is among the leading causes of death.⁷
 
Local law enforcement agencies have bought billions of dollars worth of guns, explosives, helicopters, and more from the military.⁸ Senator Brian Schatz (D–HI) wants to end this practice by passing an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act.⁹ This important amendment will prevent the transfer of military equipment to local law enforcement agencies, but only if more members of Congress support it. 

Contact your Senators and Representatives now and tell them to support the Schatz amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act. 
 
Regards,
Dayton 

P.S. Stopping this one program is an important step. But the fight to end police violence can’t end there. Please learn from, support, and donate to organizations like Movement for Black Lives, Black Visions Minnesota, MediaJustice, and Stop LAPD Spying who are leading this work.

---

[1] USA Today
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/05/30/george-floyd-protests-updates-news-minneapolis-response-overnight/5288818002/
[2] Ars Technica
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/05/border-patrol-drone-used-in-anti-terror-ops-flies-over-minneapolis-protestors/
[3] CNN
https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/george-floyd-protest-updates-05-28-20/h_fe6c7f3a71a8b7ec2d4468d883f162af
[4] Courthouse News
https://www.courthousenews.com/minneapolis-police-aggressively-enforces-curfew-against-protesters/
[5] PBS
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/police-militarization-fails-to-protect-officers-and-targets-black-communities-study-finds
[6] CATO Institute
https://www.cato.org/blog/militarization-makes-police-more-violent
[7] LA Times
https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2019-08-15/police-shootings-are-a-leading-cause-of-death-for-black-men
[8] Newsweek
https://www.newsweek.com/how-americas-police-became-army-1033-program-264537
[9] Sen. Brian Schatz on Twitter
https://twitter.com/brianschatz/status/1267187603737964544

Green Power 2019

Seen outside of the main gathering hall at Salem State University...

Green Power 2019

words and photos by C. A. Matthews 

Our first Green Party-US Annual Meeting has come and gone. As we made our way home, we contemplated what we've learned and experienced.The main impression we came away with as relative newbies to the national Green Party is how much of a "family" the party really is. And, like any family, it has its share of strengths and weaknesses. 

Voter Choice.org is working  hard to bring ranked choice voting to your state.

Perhaps its greatest strength is its commonality of purpose of saving the Earth from the ravages of capitalism. Eco-socialism is order of the day and was frequently mentioned during the weekend along with the importance of ranked choice voting laws. From championing the health of our citizens, land and water, to protesting the military industrial complex and demanding an end to all wars of colonization and imperialism, Greens do not hesitate to speak out singularly or communally. No matter what corporate propaganda the mainstream media spouts and what smears are directed at them, Greens will not swerve from their commitment to promote "people, planet and peace over profits."

Chris Blankenhorn gave a great talk on what eco-socialism means.

Hilary Tore presents how Toledoans for Safe Water took on BP and passed The Lake Erie Bill of Rights to protect the drinking water of millions.

It is this single-mindedness to save the world and all of its inhabitants and staying true to their principles that can also be construed as a weakness. Greens do not accept corporate money--which is a weakness when you read campaign finance reports and see how many millions of dollars the establishment parties have to advertise their candidates. It's amazing how well Green candidates actually do at the ballot box with so little money at their disposal. Ironically, this could be due to the fact that without huge campaign war chests Green candidates are forced to go door-to-door and talk to the voters in order to get their message out. Could real voter engagement be a more cost effective method than slick TV ads?

Ballot access challenges were addressed by Brendan Phillips and Tony Ndege.

Ajamu Baraka, Jill Stein and Howie Hawkins speak to the original "Green New Deal" espoused by Greens since 2010. The Greens' version calls for massive military spending cuts since it is the military that creates the majority of the greenhouse gas emissions.

Greens are egalitarians that will not allow one person or group of people to dictate terms to others without their consent; hence, there are many caucuses within the Green Party: Women's, Lavender (LGBTQ+), Youth, African-American, LatinX… If there is some way to categorize humanity, the Greens have a caucus for it--or are open to starting one. While this sounds great on paper and is truly something to be proud of, in the real world it can lead to "labels." Party members sometimes get into each other faces because of perceived or real slights by another who wears a different label. The temptation to produce a "learning moment" is often too good to miss, too. 

Diversity awareness panel led by G.P. co-chair Anita Rios.

Hard feelings don't exactly engender party unity or help create an atmosphere of trust. The family can become dysfunctional, and not happy or whole. Add to this the stress of stretched finances, and it's a miracle the "Green Family" has stuck together this long. It's a testimony to the awesome power of the Green Party's Four Pillars and Ten Key Values that Greens have weathered their storms. It's safe to say these guiding principles have prevented the party's members' weaknesses from overcoming its strengths.

 

Margaret Kimberly, editor of Black Agenda Report, and former G.P. presidential candidate Jill Stein moderate the presidential forum.

The countdown to the 2020 presidential campaign began in earnest with six presidential candidates at the forum table on Friday night. They answered questions about their platform positions and occasionally took a pot shot at the perceived front runner. These not-entirely-polite comments would seem tame in an establishment party debate, but at a Green Party candidate forum they come across about as pleasant as the sound of nails scratching across a blackboard.

G.P. presidential candidates fielding questions. From left to right: Howie Hawkins, Dennis Lambert, Ian Schlakman, Sedinam Moyowasiza-Curry, Dario Hunter, David Rolde.

"Hey, we're all family here, Greens!" you want to shout at the folks on stage. "Get along, please, for the sake of the people, planet and peace, will y'all?"

But it is exactly these outbursts of valued truths that demonstrate how well the Greens' unity in diversity strategy fares. There are no secrets or conspiracies kept hidden from other family members. Greens air their grievances and hopefully will work them out in time for the presidential election season with all hands on deck pulling together.

 

Ajamu Baraka, Jill Stein, and Cheri Honkala

In the spirit of their four pillars of grassroots democracy, social justice, peace and environmental wisdom, the Green Party presses on. Ballot access fights and struggles in many states loom on the horizon, but the family members will not give up or give in. It is the planet we're talking about saving after all. We don't have the option to stop fighting for our future. Green Power shall prevail.

*** 

We can't allow Japan to kill hundreds more whales this year. Sign the petition.

 

It's whaling season again in Japan, but this year they've taken their annual massacre of whales to a new level. Rather than dodge the rules and exploit loopholes in the international ban on whaling, Japan simply left the International Whaling Commission altogether. Without this nominal oversight, their already legally dubious whaling operations will go unchecked. Tell Japan to reverse course and rejoin the international commission and respect ban on whaling. Humans have already nearly hunted whales to extinction. That's why countries banded together 73 years ago to stop the industry before there were no whales left to kill. But Japan has lived on the edge. Each year, Japanese whaling vessels marked "RESEARCH" in all caps and English, have killed dozens of whales. This so-called "research" ends with whale meat being sold for profit, revealing itself for what it truly is: just another means of hunting. Without the imprimatur of belonging to the International Whaling Commission, Japan has increased its commitment to kill whales. This year, they plan to kill 383 whales. The international community can't allow Japan to put whales' survival at risk. Sign the petition to demand Japan end their annual whale hunts and recommit to a real ban on international whaling. Thank you, Emily V. The Care2 Petitions Team

***

From Move to Amend:

As you may know, I have been in Washington, DC for the past few months, working to secure more support for the We the People Amendment. 

On Monday last week a friend let me know that the following day a group of brave young activists would be shutting down Congress to protest climate collpase inaction and calling on Congress to join the UK and Canada in declaring a Climate Emergency. 

But they were short one person because someone had a family emergency.
I decided to step up. 

I am terrified and so sorrowful for the world we are leaving for my 7 and 3 year old nephews. I am beside myself with grief at the extinction of animals and human suffering that climate collapse is already causing. 

And I am outraged that instead of protecting our future, Congress has spent the past 30 years doing the bidding of their corporate masters, at the expense of our planet.

So on Tuesday last week I joined 16 people affiliated with the climate action group Extinction Rebellion in supergluing ourselves to three underground tunnel entrances leading to the Capitol, blocking access to members of Congress who were heading to a regularly scheduled session.

Superglue has always really intimidated me, but my fear of a world wrought by climate collapse is much more terrifying. I was very afraid that police would rip our hands from the walls and cause us injury, and I knew that I would surely be arrested for the action -- but I am tired of inaction by our national leaders and I am tired of feeling powerless to save our planet!

It never occured to me that I should be more afraid of a member of Congress than the police! 


During the action Congressman Bob Gibbs (OH) ripped my glued hand from the glass and pushed past me. I'm relieved to say that his action didn't rip my skin off, but it sure did sting!

Capitol Police encouraged me to file charges and after input from a number of people I have decided to do so. 

Since 2009, Gibbs has received over $183,000 in campaign contributions from fossil fuel companies including American Electric Power, FirstEnergy Corporation, Marathon Petroleum, and Murray Energy. 

Murray Energy is known for filing Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP) lawsuits against critics when they speak out against their positions, including comedian John Oliver as well as several labor and environmental leaders who are also active local Move to Amend volunteers in Ohio. 

Our Representatives are not serving the American people, they are serving multinational corporations. This assault is a physical representation of the assaults waged against communities and people across the country every day by Congress’s cold and irresponsible inaction. Our leaders refuse to act because they take orders from fossil fuel corporations and the billionaires that own them.

I don't want to let Congressman Gibbs get away with this, just like I don't want to let any member of Congress get away with their crimes of inaction in the face of this disaster that was entirely preventable but is now on fast forward. 

What you can do:

• Share the video of Rep Gibb's assault so that no matter what happens with my charges, the public knows what happened.
   
• Join me on Thursday via Facebook or Twitter Live and I'll tell you the full story, answer questions and talk about how the We the People Amendment is essential to stop climate collapse.
   
• Find ways to take bold action in the face of climate change. I was honored to be part of this action, you will feel better if you act too. September 20-27 is the Global Climate Strike, called by children and young people who are demanding we fight for their future. Find an action near you and be as bold as possible. You don't have to be arrested and spend 22 hours in police custody like I did, but it is a small price to pay given the urgency of the climate situation.

And finally, if this action inspired you, please make a donation to support our work at Move to Amend. 

My civil disobedience was not official Move to Amend business, I was acting as a concerned civillian. But one of the most important reasons why we must pass the We the People Amendment is to reign in corporate power so that climate change can be addressed.

Yours for the planet,
Kaitlin Sopoci-Belknap
National Director, Move to Amend

P.S. I again want to express my profound respect and admiration to the young people of Extinction Rebellion DC who organized this bold, strategic and critical action. We were covered in over 40 major media outlets and numerous Representatives have signed on to the Climate Emergency resolution since we told them to do so, face to face, as they passed us while we were glued to the walls.