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Green Party of the United States: 2003 National Meeting
The Green Party of the United States held its 2003 National Meeting July 18-20, 2003 at the Mayflower Hotel, Washington, DC. A report posted for Indymedia by Bia Riaz. Riaz has been active with the Baltimore Greens.
#file_1#The 2003 national Green Party conference was well attended, randomly organized, but with sparkling hopes for the future of the Greens.
The Conference took place at the Mayflower Hotel in the Dupont Circle area of DC. The Greens were situated right in the main hallway. Anyone walking into the hotel would have tripped over a Green regardless of their destination. I arrived at the conference around 10:30 AM Saturday morning and registered as a Maryland Green. I was told that they had run out of packets, so I would just have to check the daily board for the agenda. Fortunately, I had printed out a copy the night before from their website.
A quick look around the foyer was quite disappointing as there were no other progressive groups tabling at the event, besides the "Draft Nader 2004" table inviting all to attend a reception later that day. The Greens themselves had very little literature available for purchase or perusal: a few tried and true green pamphlets, some announcements, a Green video, literature and proposals from various state chapters, and a couple of T-shirts from the DC Statehood Greens. Not to be missed, of course, were some great David Rovics "Songs of Social Significance" CD's.
A brief survey of wandering Greens in the area, seemed to reflect a consensual feeling that the conference so far had been intense and productive. Several bemoaned the lack of workshops scheduled for non-delegates. A review of the agenda revealed that there were only a couple of options for those not attending the conference as official state delegates.
COORDINATING COMMITTEE MEETING
The Coordinating Committee was hard at work dealing with a tough budget, diversity & outreach, campaigning and platform issues, and elections of new officers for the steering committee among other things. The Maryland State Green Party delegates were Linda Schade and Bahram Zandi. The MGP delegates reported that the conference had been a great experience with several memorable moments arising from discussions over budget decisions, the addition of a new state chapter in Alabama, the African American outreach proposal, and the future of the Greens. All that aside, the buzz in the air was about two hot questions: 1. Will the Greens run a candidate/campaign in the 2004 presidential election? 2. If so, Who will it be? All would be revealed at the press conference later that day!
PALESTINIAN RIGHT OF RETURN
Justine McCabe, member of the Connecticut Greens and of the GPUS International Committee, reviewed the origins of the problems dating back to 1897 and summarizing the historical events leading to the present day situation in Israel and Palestine. McCabe also reviewed key international law documents as applicable to the Palestinian refugees' right of return and compensation for their losses, including UN Resolution 194, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 13(2). McCabe outlined the positions of the United States, Israel, and Palestine on the issues surrounding the right of return, including the amount of aid the US sends to Israel, the impact of that aid on the arms race and the effects on the proliferation of arms in the region. (The US sends $140 billion to Israel each year, over a third of our foreign aid goes to Israel, although Israel only represents .01% of the world population). McCabe then went on to discuss issues surrounding the feasibility of return. The Green Party position on the issue was outlined in two press releases: www.gp.org/press/pr_10_23_00.html and www.gp.org/press/pr_04_06_01.html endorsing a mass rally for Palestinian refugee rights and UN Security Council Resolution 1322.
Discussion after the workshop focused on the tension within the Green Party regarding the issue of the right of return as many Greens reported that they had been accused of being "anti-Semitic" for supporting the Palestinian movement. Several participants also brought up the issue of the Arab community feeling alienated by Nader's failure to address the issue. A few individuals pointed out that at the June 14, 2003 ADC (American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee) convention, Nader did discuss the Palestinian right of return and has been more responsive to questions about the conflict. A transcript of the speech is available on the Democracy Now website (www.democracynow.org/transcripts/nader.shtml) . Participants discussed the need for education and outreach on the issues to resolve the tensions within the party by working with other organizations focused on the Israel-Palestine issue. McCabe suggested the following website for more information: www.fmep.org/ . This website also contains the infamous "swiss cheese" proposed map of Palestine.
DC's COLONIAL STATUS AND THE STRUGGLE FOR STATEHOOD
Three members from the DC Statehood Greens presented materials and information on the current status of DC Statehood and the various campaigns that are currently gaining momentum. The speakers gave a brief overview on the history and formation of DC and the barriers to achieving statehood. The three major proposed solutions for the District's status quo are, getting DC voting rights (DC Vote), retrocession to Maryland, and Statehood for DC.
Currently, DC has no voting representation in Congress. Although Eleanor Holmes Norton represents DC in Congress, she has no voting rights. DC Vote was formed to fuel an aggressive campaign for voting rights. David Schwartzman, of the DC Statehood Greens, pointed out that although on the surface this seems like a good idea it actually doesn't give DC any significant rights. This campaign is led by prominent business owners and Ms. Norton and will only accomplish the limited goal of getting Ms. Norton a vote in Congress. It will not give DC autonomy over its budget, it will not give DC representation in the Senate and it does not address any of the concerns that the local communities have. Since the campaign is backed by powerful groups and individuals, they have the ability to hire professional lobbyists and also run bold ad campaigns which avoid the issue of statehood.
The concept of retrocession to Maryland is another option. DC once included parts of Virginia as well as Maryland. In 1846, the portion of DC which came from Virginia was returned to that state. Maryland however, proposed an agreement, that nonfederal portions of Washington could be returned to Maryland, giving the citizens of Washington the ability to vote in state and local elections and to have representatives for their interests in Congress. Some people feel it is time for that retrocession to occur.
The DC Statehood Greens argue that retrocession would not benefit the residents of DC as much as statehood. Another point presented by Schwartzman was that statehood (which comes with voting rights) would only require a majority vote in Congress, whereas, voting rights would require a Constitutional amendment. The speakers discussed the importance of making this a National Green Party issue and an international issue by bringing to light the violations of US and international law. A petition to the UN Commission on Human Rights is available on the DC Statehood Greens website.
DRAFT NADER 2004
A large group of excited and enthusiastic Nader supporters packed a small conference room at the Mayflower hotel. Organizers passed out posters depicting Ralph Nader's head on a superhero body and the caption read "Hero". Committee Chairman, Brian Crawford addressed the lively crowd, as they munched down on Buffalo wings and Brie. Crawford explained that although Nader had not yet made an official decision to run, the Draft Nader 2004 group wants to revitalize the movement and recapture the base of support for Ralph Nader. Several prominent speakers, including Medea Benjamin and Peter Camejo gave rousing speeches in support of Nader for the 2004 presidential election. (www.draftnader2004.com/)
GREEN PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN PRESS CONFERENCE
Members of the press and other interested parties gathered in a hot and stuffy room to hear what the Greens had to say. The Greens announced that they had indeed decided to run a presidential campaign in 2004. Of course, the lucky winner of the Green nomination would probably not be announced until next year's Green convention in Milwaukee. For more info on the presidential hopefuls and the official announcement see the press release: www.gp.org/press/pr_07_21_03b.html.
PRESIDENTIAL EXPLORATORY COMMITTEE
I dragged my tired, "way too much" post conference partying (from the Saturday night fundraiser at the Ben-n-Mo café--no, you don't want the details) self to the conference only to find that the Agenda for Sunday was weak. A few of the workshops scheduled had either been delayed indefinitely or canceled. So I decided to sit in on the Presidential Exploratory Committee only to find that press, Indymedia included, was not welcome.
So what did I think? I guess I should start making plans for the next conference in Milwaukee. I've never been to Wisconsin and road trips are always an adventure. Promises to be loads of fun. Maybe by then, I will have an actual Indymedia press pass!
The Conference took place at the Mayflower Hotel in the Dupont Circle area of DC. The Greens were situated right in the main hallway. Anyone walking into the hotel would have tripped over a Green regardless of their destination. I arrived at the conference around 10:30 AM Saturday morning and registered as a Maryland Green. I was told that they had run out of packets, so I would just have to check the daily board for the agenda. Fortunately, I had printed out a copy the night before from their website.
A quick look around the foyer was quite disappointing as there were no other progressive groups tabling at the event, besides the "Draft Nader 2004" table inviting all to attend a reception later that day. The Greens themselves had very little literature available for purchase or perusal: a few tried and true green pamphlets, some announcements, a Green video, literature and proposals from various state chapters, and a couple of T-shirts from the DC Statehood Greens. Not to be missed, of course, were some great David Rovics "Songs of Social Significance" CD's.
A brief survey of wandering Greens in the area, seemed to reflect a consensual feeling that the conference so far had been intense and productive. Several bemoaned the lack of workshops scheduled for non-delegates. A review of the agenda revealed that there were only a couple of options for those not attending the conference as official state delegates.
COORDINATING COMMITTEE MEETING
The Coordinating Committee was hard at work dealing with a tough budget, diversity & outreach, campaigning and platform issues, and elections of new officers for the steering committee among other things. The Maryland State Green Party delegates were Linda Schade and Bahram Zandi. The MGP delegates reported that the conference had been a great experience with several memorable moments arising from discussions over budget decisions, the addition of a new state chapter in Alabama, the African American outreach proposal, and the future of the Greens. All that aside, the buzz in the air was about two hot questions: 1. Will the Greens run a candidate/campaign in the 2004 presidential election? 2. If so, Who will it be? All would be revealed at the press conference later that day!
PALESTINIAN RIGHT OF RETURN
Justine McCabe, member of the Connecticut Greens and of the GPUS International Committee, reviewed the origins of the problems dating back to 1897 and summarizing the historical events leading to the present day situation in Israel and Palestine. McCabe also reviewed key international law documents as applicable to the Palestinian refugees' right of return and compensation for their losses, including UN Resolution 194, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 13(2). McCabe outlined the positions of the United States, Israel, and Palestine on the issues surrounding the right of return, including the amount of aid the US sends to Israel, the impact of that aid on the arms race and the effects on the proliferation of arms in the region. (The US sends $140 billion to Israel each year, over a third of our foreign aid goes to Israel, although Israel only represents .01% of the world population). McCabe then went on to discuss issues surrounding the feasibility of return. The Green Party position on the issue was outlined in two press releases: www.gp.org/press/pr_10_23_00.html and www.gp.org/press/pr_04_06_01.html endorsing a mass rally for Palestinian refugee rights and UN Security Council Resolution 1322.
Discussion after the workshop focused on the tension within the Green Party regarding the issue of the right of return as many Greens reported that they had been accused of being "anti-Semitic" for supporting the Palestinian movement. Several participants also brought up the issue of the Arab community feeling alienated by Nader's failure to address the issue. A few individuals pointed out that at the June 14, 2003 ADC (American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee) convention, Nader did discuss the Palestinian right of return and has been more responsive to questions about the conflict. A transcript of the speech is available on the Democracy Now website (www.democracynow.org/transcripts/nader.shtml) . Participants discussed the need for education and outreach on the issues to resolve the tensions within the party by working with other organizations focused on the Israel-Palestine issue. McCabe suggested the following website for more information: www.fmep.org/ . This website also contains the infamous "swiss cheese" proposed map of Palestine.
DC's COLONIAL STATUS AND THE STRUGGLE FOR STATEHOOD
Three members from the DC Statehood Greens presented materials and information on the current status of DC Statehood and the various campaigns that are currently gaining momentum. The speakers gave a brief overview on the history and formation of DC and the barriers to achieving statehood. The three major proposed solutions for the District's status quo are, getting DC voting rights (DC Vote), retrocession to Maryland, and Statehood for DC.
Currently, DC has no voting representation in Congress. Although Eleanor Holmes Norton represents DC in Congress, she has no voting rights. DC Vote was formed to fuel an aggressive campaign for voting rights. David Schwartzman, of the DC Statehood Greens, pointed out that although on the surface this seems like a good idea it actually doesn't give DC any significant rights. This campaign is led by prominent business owners and Ms. Norton and will only accomplish the limited goal of getting Ms. Norton a vote in Congress. It will not give DC autonomy over its budget, it will not give DC representation in the Senate and it does not address any of the concerns that the local communities have. Since the campaign is backed by powerful groups and individuals, they have the ability to hire professional lobbyists and also run bold ad campaigns which avoid the issue of statehood.
The concept of retrocession to Maryland is another option. DC once included parts of Virginia as well as Maryland. In 1846, the portion of DC which came from Virginia was returned to that state. Maryland however, proposed an agreement, that nonfederal portions of Washington could be returned to Maryland, giving the citizens of Washington the ability to vote in state and local elections and to have representatives for their interests in Congress. Some people feel it is time for that retrocession to occur.
The DC Statehood Greens argue that retrocession would not benefit the residents of DC as much as statehood. Another point presented by Schwartzman was that statehood (which comes with voting rights) would only require a majority vote in Congress, whereas, voting rights would require a Constitutional amendment. The speakers discussed the importance of making this a National Green Party issue and an international issue by bringing to light the violations of US and international law. A petition to the UN Commission on Human Rights is available on the DC Statehood Greens website.
DRAFT NADER 2004
A large group of excited and enthusiastic Nader supporters packed a small conference room at the Mayflower hotel. Organizers passed out posters depicting Ralph Nader's head on a superhero body and the caption read "Hero". Committee Chairman, Brian Crawford addressed the lively crowd, as they munched down on Buffalo wings and Brie. Crawford explained that although Nader had not yet made an official decision to run, the Draft Nader 2004 group wants to revitalize the movement and recapture the base of support for Ralph Nader. Several prominent speakers, including Medea Benjamin and Peter Camejo gave rousing speeches in support of Nader for the 2004 presidential election. (www.draftnader2004.com/)
GREEN PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN PRESS CONFERENCE
Members of the press and other interested parties gathered in a hot and stuffy room to hear what the Greens had to say. The Greens announced that they had indeed decided to run a presidential campaign in 2004. Of course, the lucky winner of the Green nomination would probably not be announced until next year's Green convention in Milwaukee. For more info on the presidential hopefuls and the official announcement see the press release: www.gp.org/press/pr_07_21_03b.html.
PRESIDENTIAL EXPLORATORY COMMITTEE
I dragged my tired, "way too much" post conference partying (from the Saturday night fundraiser at the Ben-n-Mo café--no, you don't want the details) self to the conference only to find that the Agenda for Sunday was weak. A few of the workshops scheduled had either been delayed indefinitely or canceled. So I decided to sit in on the Presidential Exploratory Committee only to find that press, Indymedia included, was not welcome.
So what did I think? I guess I should start making plans for the next conference in Milwaukee. I've never been to Wisconsin and road trips are always an adventure. Promises to be loads of fun. Maybe by then, I will have an actual Indymedia press pass!
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