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July 2020
Working
toward a future where people and planet are valued, and our government
represents all of us.
Police Brutality, White Supremacy and
Reparations
by GPPA Co-chair Alan Smith
For the past four months we have
stopped what we were doing. We have taken drastic, life altering,
paradigm shifting changes in order to deal with a global pandemic. The
same energy is needed now in dealing with a 400 year old pandemic
called white supremacy. It's the brutal treatment by white enslavers
on ships sailing across the Atlantic, and the bombing of dark skinned
peoples by a Black president with drones flying high in the sky. It's
17 year old Antwon Rose, Jr, killed by a white police officer in
Pittsburgh and a black neighborhood in Philadelphia bombed by a Black
mayor. White supremacy is a world-wide disease characterized by the
dehumanization and devaluation of Black life.
Thus, George Floyd's murder is not
an aberration. Ahmaud Arbery's murder is not an aberration. Breonna
Taylor's murder is not an aberration. Tony McDade's murder is not an
aberration. All were murdered in the name of "public safety." Black
bodies have been systematically denied safety, and Black human beings
have historically been excluded as part of the general public.
Blackness itself has been criminalized. Blacks have been lynched to
"protect and preserve" a social order. Who and what then is being
protected and preserved? In the call for law and order and public
safety, it is capital, property, structural/social arrangements, and
white supremacy that are being protected and preserved.
Armed to the hilt, clad in riot
gear and barking orders, shooting, throwing chemical weapons and
running over people with their vehicles, the police have been
responding to protest against police brutality with more police
brutality because their core responsibility is to protect and serve
the ruling class which is inherently a cruel and vicious endeavor. Continue reading article here for a list of 12
specific REPARATIONS actions.
GPPA
News Highlights
edited by Chris Robinson
MontCo People’s Press Conference & Rally
On June 15, a press
conference and rally were held at the Montgomery County (MontCo)
Courthouse to announce an action inspired by collective activism to
remove MontCo Commissioner Joseph Gale. Gale had declared, on official
county letterhead, that Black Lives Matter activists are “perpetrators
of urban domestic terror,” a “radical left-wing hate group,” and
“falsely claiming they, in fact, are victims.”
In response to the
public outcry, the diverse women organizers created PA Women Rise
(PWR), which sponsored this press conference and rally. Co-hosts were
Green Party of Montgomery County and Temple National Lawyers Guild.(show all)
Fear and Unity in Elizabethtown,
PA
”A tremendous bonding of the community
occurred during the Black Lives Matter protest in Elizabethtown. We
saw what solidarity with an oppressed population looks like. Our
community members demonstrated that they are listening, hurting and
willing to learn. We saw an understanding between our police
department and community that will strengthen the relationships that
are vital to a just society. However, a fear preceded the event that
exposed the very issue for which it was purposed. The words “black”�
and “protest”� combined in a way to cause “fear”� and “panic”� for
some. The mention of the movement that demands change to a system of
injustice compelled the precise reaction for why it exists. Folks,
open your dictionaries and review the definition of racism. I
understand there was worry of looting that occurred in a few other
locations. I heard the rumors that buses with anti-facist groups might
arrive. I believe some businesses fell into the trap. They seemingly
pleaded for anyone with a concealed-carry permit to help -- and then
militia occupied our downtown. As the Elizabethtown community bonded
together, some business owners were essentially watching them from the
buttstock of a gun.” From a Letter to the Editor by Timothy Runkle,
Elizabethtown, in Lancaster Online, June 12, 2020. Tim is the
treasurer of GPPA and chair of Lancaster County Green Party.(show all)
GPPA Elects Delegates to Presidential Nominating
Convention
On June 7, 28 Green Party of PA (GPPA, www.gpofpa.org)
elected representatives from 10 county chapters participated in a
virtual meeting to elect delegates to the Green Party U.S. (GPUS)
Presidential Nominating Convention. They were joined by 12 observers.
The GPPA members elected eleven delegates to the GPUS Presidential
Nominating Convention, which will be held online on Saturday, July 11.
The PA delegates will vote to nominate the candidates who won the
Green Party’s PA Presidential Caucus in April. In the first round, six
PA delegates will vote for Howie Hawkins (New York), who won the PA
Caucus, while five PA delegates will vote for Dario Hunter
(California). Hawkins is currently leading with 155 delegates (192 are
needed for nomination), having won 26 of Green Party state caucuses
(out of 33 completed).
Among the elected delegates from PA will be
Kristin Combs (Philadelphia), co-chair of GPUS; Hillary Kane
(Philadelphia), treasurer of GPUS; Alan Smith (Chester), co-chair of
GPPA; Beth Scroggin (Chester), secretary of GPPA; Jay Walker, chair of
Green Party of Allegheny County; and David Ochmanowicz, chair of Green
Party of Bucks County. Also elected as a delegate was Cheri Honkala
(Philadelphia), the 2012 Green Party candidate for vice president of
the U.S.(show all)
Campaign Updates
edited by Chris Robinson
Garret Wassermann for PA
Representative, District 45
Garret told GREEN STAR, “There is now an
ordinance being considered at the Allegheny County level that would
ban the use of tear gas, pepper spray, and other chemicals used by
police in crowd control. Tear gas is actually banned for use during
war by international law. Yet somehow police are allowed to use it
domestically? It’s literally a chemical attack on our neighbors and
should not be tolerated. I support this ordinance at the county level,
and would introduce a similar statewide ban on chemical attacks by
police when I am elected state representative.” For more information
visit his website https://votegarret.org
and his Facebook https://www.facebook.com/VoteGarret/
Jay Ting Walker for PA
Representative, District 23
Jay
told GREEN STAR, "Enough already! It’s way past time for PA’s
political establishment to end corporate welfare and let the actual
free market of capitalism have its way with the dying fossil fuel
industry. It’s harder work than signing off on tax breaks written by
your lobbyist pals. Both Wolf, who has been ‘just OK’ on alternative
energy, and the AWOL Legislature need to fully embrace wind and solar.
The real, lasting jobs could be created in that sector, as opposed to
the paper fantasies of Wall Street kleptocrats. When ‘Less Than Zero’
is no longer an Elvis Costello deep cut but the actual price of Texas
crude, that ought to be their wake-up call. The age of fossil fuels in
PA is finally over." For more information visit his website https://jaytingwalker.com
and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JayTingWalker/
Three State-wide Green Party
Candidates https://www.greenslate2020.org/
Tim Runkle for PA
Treasurer
Tim told GREEN STAR,
“The PA Democratic Party argues that it is too easy for anyone to meet
the restrictive ballot access requirements of the Commonwealth. At the
same time they provide an example of how easily it can be done. Their
plan: mail 1% of the registered voters in Pennsylvania, request that
they fill out a nomination paper, and mail it back. In that situation,
the political body would need only a 5.8% response rate to collect
5,000 signatures. 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗠𝗦 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝘆
𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘁, $𝟭𝟬𝟮,𝟯𝟰𝟬. This is why we're forced to go
to court to seek relief. The corporate parties will not fight for
democratic reforms.” Tim’s Facebook page can be found right here, https://www.facebook.com/Tim4ElectedOffice/
Olivia Faison for PA Auditor
General
Olivia told GREEN STAR,
“It's hard for me to comprehend why law enforcement officials, media
and politicians don't seem to get it. When law enforcement itself, (in
the form of police officers), breaks the law, and further shows
contempt for the law (blatantly committing the brutal crime of murder,
on video, for the world to see), the citizens who respond by
protesting, rioting and looting, are showing the same contempt and
disregard for the law which police officers have shown towards taking
a man's life. Property can be replaced! George Floyd's life cannot!
Look in the mirror law enforcement! Violence begets violence!
Lawlessness practiced by law enforcement, begets lawlessness practiced
by the population! This is not an excuse; this is the reason!”
Richard L. Weiss, Esq. for
PA Attorney General
Richard told
GREEN STAR, “In order for society to function, the public must support
our police. In order for that to happen, we must have police worthy of
support. We need to develop police standards of conduct that do not
unnecessarily escalate use of force -- standards that are more
appropriate to policing a domestic civilian population, rather than
occupied territory in a warzone.
“Simultaneously, we need special
prosecutors to handle cases of police misconduct. Ordinary prosecutors
need police help in prosecuting cases, and help from police unions in
getting reelected, and police protection from criminals. Therefore,
there is a conflict of interest, and special prosecutors with their
own security force are needed for prosecution of police.
“We
should also end cash bail and stop imprisoning people who pose no
threat to the community and have not been convicted of any crime. This
and not charging a crime for mere possession or use of cannabis will
reduce the prison population, cut down on tensions between police and
the public, as well as save money wasted on expensive and unnecessary
incarceration."
Jay Ting Walker for PA
Representative, District 23
Jay
told GREEN STAR, “I'm finally happy enough with the momentum building
in the Green Party of Allegheny County and Green Party of PA to focus
heavily on my campaign. We raised a couple thousand dollars over a
couple of days and are rapidly building a robust campaign team. We
also have a large and growing volunteer base to tap in to. My opponent
will not get away with avoiding the fracking issue any longer and
that's just the beginning of the blunt conversations we'll be having
in our district."
You can donate to Jay's campaign at This
PayPal ink. Connect with Jay’s campaign on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JayTingWalker.
Jay’s campaign website is https://jaytingwalker.com.
Jay's campaign has volunteers from across the state and country. If
you'd like to volunteer for an exciting well resourced campaign reach
out to Jay through his website.
Team
Updates
Finance Team
by Tim Runkle
 To join the Finance Team,
please visit HERE.
GreenWave
Team by Garret Wassermann
To join the Green Wave Team and get
invited to future organizing calls, please visit HERE to receive call info or email for
more information!
Communications
Team by Chris Robinson
 The ComTeam door is
wide open for volunteers to work on GREEN STAR. We need editors for
GPPA News Highlights, National Green News, and Global Green News.
Also, if you want to write a “Why I’m Green” story for us, please
visit, https://www.gpofpa.org/why_im_green. Please step
over the threshold and join the ComTeam. To volunteer please visit,
at https://www.gpofpa.org/team_communications_join.
Core Team by
Charles Sherrouse
 If you are interested in
helping, sign up HERE.
edited by Gayle
Morrow
Rhode Island Going
Rogue
“In a state committee vote taken over the Memorial Day
weekend, the Green Party of Rhode Island, one of the nation’s oldest
Green parties, has broken ranks with the national party and decided
not to nominate a candidate in this year’s presidential election.
Instead, the local party will focus on local and state races, and a
campaign to adopt ranked choice voting for state elections.” (show all)
Court Rejects Push to Have Debates Welcome 3rd-Party
Candidates
If someone were to ask you the first and most important
thing a candidate can do to gain name recognition what would you say?
For me it would be to participate in the televised debates. However,
the Commission on Presidential Debates, that presents as non-partisan
but which the nonprofit, Level The Playing Field, claims is anything
but nonpartisan has set one particular rule that makes participation
for third parties just about impossible. Candidates must be polling at
15%. That’s before they debate on television where candidates get name
recognition so that they can poll at 15%. Kind of a neat plan for
Republicans and Democrats, wouldn’t you say?(show all)
Here we have the hype spelled out by Madelyn Hoffman, candidate
for U. S. Senate from New
Jersey
“How far will voters allow the Democratic
Party to fall before they abandon the Party altogether? How many
elections will come and go with voters demanding a socialist or
democratic socialist agenda, while the Party establishment tells them
to hold their noses, forget their ideals, and vote Democrat, because
the establishment-chosen candidate is not as bad as the other
candidate, and is the only electable choice?” (show all)
Greens all over the world are taking note and making statements
on the death of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis PD and
the Black Lives Matter movement. Some
follow
(show all)
Ireland
New Zealand
Federation of Young European Greens
Green Party
of the EU puts forth a resolution to condemn racism in the British Parliament which was passed on 19 June. (show all)
Greens are seeking relief from
petition requirements due to COVID in at least 10
states
PA MD OH AR
Green Party: New York should stop giving Stock Transfer Taxes
back to Wall Street
The state would be able to prevent an
estimated 20% in budget cuts to essential services like education by
keeping those tax dollars, says Green Party Co-chair, Peter Lavenia.(show all)
Hawaii’i Green Party appeals to voters to join “the party
[that] is a fertile ground where voters, frustrated with their limited
choices, can make a statement of their desire for progressive
change.”
(show all)
edited by Gayle
Morrow
Green Party of UK & Wales elects new
leaders
A big SIGH… UK Green Party is electing new leaders who are
unhappy with their 2.7% support in the last Parliamentary elections.
Gee, US Greens would be happy with the .7%.(show all)
Youth wing of the Green Party of England & Wales speak out.
Listen to the youth or become a dead
party
“We’re not going to defeat the twin evils with
business-as-usual politics. Radical change to save the planet means a
politics radically different to the status quo; a clean break from the
decaying virus of neoliberalism.”(show all)
Urging Greens to stop competing in national Parliamentary
elections and focus on what we’re good
at—local
“Let’s face it – beyond Caroline Lucas, the Green Party of
England and Wales is unlikely to be a significant party at the level
of national government any time soon. At the very most Greens may win
parliamentary seats after another two general elections, which means,
nationally, playing the long game.” So maybe Rhode Island [see U. S.
Greens {https://upriseri.com/2020-05-29-ri-green-party/}]
is on the right track?(show all)
Contemporary subject Greens are discussing—Police
violence
NZ Police Association angered by Green Party's letter
rallying against armed cops in wake of George Floyd's death. "We only
have to look to the United States to see how violent things can get
under a militarised police force," Davidson said. "This is especially
so for minorities and communities of colour."(show all)
CA_Green Party leader Elizabeth May calls RCMP 'a racist
institution'(show all)
Against paltry payments to those who lost their jobs due to
COVID_(show all)
File this under “We’re probably never going to be doing this
here.”
We’ve learned in the past that the Green Party of Ireland
gets a seat at the table because “coalition” isn’t a dirty word. Here
they are making a typically Green demand because they have a voice.
Sigh…(show all)
edited by Chris
Robinson
Green Party
events are in GREEN. Other
Movement events are in RED.
July 1, 9:00 am
Shut Down Berks!
Call
Berks County Commissioners to demand that they shut down the Berks
County Detention Center, the unlawful prison holding immigrant
families.
https://www.facebook.com/events/995571094177458
July 1, 8:30 pm
Green Party of Chester County Virtual
Meeting
interested parties should contact [email protected]
July 2, 11:30 am
Stop Banking the Bomb
PNC Tower, 300 5th Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA. Endorsed by
the Green Party of Allegheny County.-
For more information, please
contact [email protected]
Or go
to their Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/280866522968523/
July 2, 7:00 pm
Iraq: Occupation, Governance,
Protests
Webinar with Shamiran Mako, MA Peace
Action,
https://actionnetwork.org/events/webinar-iraq-occupation-governance-protests
July 2, 8:30 pm
Dauphin -- Lancaster Greens Call
Interested parties must RSVP at https://www.gpofpa.org/2020_07_02_daulan
July 4: 2:00 pm
Rally for Black Trans Lives &
Liberation
Philly Black Trans Assembly, I-95 Park,
South Front and Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia
https://phillyprotest.com/event/black-trans-assembly-for-abolition/
July 7, 6:00 pm
Green Party of Allegheny County Virtual
General Assembly
Zoom contact and more information
from [email protected]
More information from: [email protected]
July 9 -- July 12
Climate Justice, Social Justice, Economic
Democracy, GP U.S. 2020 Annual National Meeting
This convention will feature candidate speeches, guest
speakers and approval of the Green Party’s 2020 platform. The Green
Party strives to allow any Green to attend our national meetings. As
the only political party that refuses corporate donations, we
acknowledge a registration fee can be a financial burden for some
Greens. Therefore, we never turn anyone away because of the cost of
registration. Members may register right here.
https://www.gp.org/convention For other registration questions, please
email [email protected]
https://www.gp.org/convention
July 11, noon -- 7:00 pm
2020 Green Party U.S.
Presidential Nominating Convention
The Green Party
Presidential Nominating Convention will be broadcast LIVE, for free on
the Internet for all, on Saturday, July 11, starting at noon. Please
support this launch of our General Election campaign for President and
Vice President by donating to the Green Party today!
More
information from:
https://www.gp.org/donate_stripe
July 18, 9:00 am
Let’s Go Paddling
Paddle down the Allegheny River with Defend Ohi:Yo’.
Launch near South 9-Mile Road and Route 219, Allegany, NY.
https://www.facebook.com/events/194001238613211
July 18, 11:00 am
Stop Banking the Bomb
PNC Tower, 2031 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA. Endorsed by
the Green Party of Allegheny County.
More information from: [email protected]
July 25, noon
Protest at Drone War Command
Air Guard Station, Easton Road (#611) at County Line
Road, Horsham, PA. Brandywine Peace Community with Bucks County Green
Party, Montgomery County Green Party,
Green Party of Philadelphia
: [email protected]
More information
from: [email protected]
July 25, 1:00 pm
Green Party of Wayne County Virtual
Meeting
For more information, please contact [email protected]
July 26, 1:00 pm
Green Party of Chester County Virtual
Meeting
For a link interested parties should
contact [email protected]
July 28, 7:00 pm
Green Party of Philadelphia Virtual
Meeting
For more information, please contact More
information from: [email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/events/260828875223071
August 3
Last day for Green Party candidates to circulate and
file nomination papers.
BE SURE NOMINATION PAPERS
HAVE BEEN FILED BEFORE THIS DATE.
August 4, 6:00 pm
Green Party of Allegheny County Virtual
General Assembly
Green Party of Allegheny County
Virtual General Assembly Zoom contact and more information from [email protected]
MIGHT INCLUDE HIROSHIMA &
NAGASAKI DAYS IN AUGUST
GPPA Meeting Dates for 2020:
- September (in-person, retreat) -
Saturday/Sunday September 12/13
- November, Post-Election Day
(virtual) - Sunday November 15
Web Conferences are online - RSVP to get
connection information. The locations for in-person conferences are
to be determined. In-person conferences can be hosted by counties,
county groups or regions. These events are fundraisers. When hosted
locally, the host group receives back half of the revenue after
expenses. To apply for hosting, submit your info to our Application for Local Hosting of GPPA State Meetings
or GPPA-Sponsored Events. We strive for geographic diversity in reviewing
applications, however, all submissions are considered.
Green Party
of Pennsylvania Communications Team & Media
Committee
Issue
Credits:
EDITORS:
Chris Robinson, & Gayle Morrow
CONTRIBUTORS: Tim Runkle, Chris Robinson, Garret Wassermann,
& Jay Sweeney
LAYOUT:
Dannee Schoepfer & Hal Brown
GRAPHIC ARTS: Kevin Richardson
Everything we do is based on our Four Pillars and Ten Key
Values. If you find
that you share these ideals, come and join the movement.
You can
support the Green Party in many ways; however, a
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Join
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campaigns. Let's join together to make 2020 the year of
progressives!
The Green Star is an official publication of the
Green Party of Pennsylvania Communications Team * 2020
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