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July 2021
Working
toward a future where people and planet are valued, and our government
represents all of us.
Green Party Women Respond to PA Attack on Reproductive
Rights
By
GPPA Co-chair Tina Olson
Since the beginning of Covid, the
“Don’t Tread on Me” patriots have joked about masks, “Keep your laws
off my body.” This bait-and-switch of a hijacked slogan took a turn
for the worse on May 25 as a PA House committee passed three bills to
legislate and incriminate people with uteruses. The offensive bills
are, the Unborn Child Dignity Legislation (HB 118); the Heartbeat Bill
(HB 904); and the Down Syndrome Protection Bill (HB 1500). Women of
the Green Party responded in solidarity with protecting women’s right
to choose.
Co-Chair of the Green Party of the
U.S. Kristin Combs (Philadelphia) said, “I've grown to expect that
even our most progressive state legislators only provide a levee
between us and a dystopian future, but for three bills targeting
reproductive rights to pass in one day is an extraordinarily reckless
display of neglect.”
Co-chair of the GPPA Tina Olson
(Lehigh Valley) said, “The Green Party stands with a person’s right to
choose whether or not to sustain a pregnancy. In fact, we encourage
our representatives to push past the patriarchy and to fund free birth
control which would reduce unintended pregnancies. Unintended
pregnancies and medically harmful pregnancies should not be forced to
term. Doing so increases maternal morbidity, the overall well-being
and balance of self determination.”
(show all)
GPPA
News Highlights
edited by Chris Robinson
Montco Green Party chooses Henry Conoly for U.S. Congress in
2022 Election  Members
of the Green Party of Montgomery County, meeting virtually on June 21,
unanimously recommended that Henry Conoly should be the Green Party
candidate for U.S. Congress District 1 in the 2022 General Election.
Alex Noyle said in his email to GPPA requesting nomination of Henry
Conoly, “He brings in multiple new volunteers, policies, and
perspectives. He is an incredible asset to our chapter. He
demonstrates leadership and determination on key issues, which is
badly needed on the national stage.”
GPPA Delegates Endorse 14 Candidates for
Election
Meeting virtually
on June 13, elected delegates from 11 counties to the GPPA State
Meeting voted by consensus to endorse eight additional candidates for
elected local office. These office-seekers will join the six
candidates already endorsed at a previous meeting by the delegates.
(For a full list of the 14 GPPA candidates now running for office in
the 2021 General Election, please see “Campaign Updates” in this GREEN
STAR.) There were 30 delegates and six observers present at the state
meeting. They also appointed the following representatives to Green
Party of the U.S. standing committees: Marci Henzi to Animal Rights
Committee (ARC); Jubalyn ExWilliams to the Platform Committee
(Platcom); Tre Schumacher as alternate to the National Committee
(NatCom); Barbara Laxon to the Eco-Action Committee; and Jay Ting
Walker to the Accreditation Committee (AC).
Green Party candidate hopes to shake up Pittsburgh
council [This article by Tom Davidson first appeared in
TribLive.]
 A Green Party candidate for the Pittsburgh City Council seat
held by Anthony Coghill is hoping to capitalize on a progressive
movement that propelled State Rep. Ed Gainey to a win over Pittsburgh
Mayor Bill Peduto last week. “People in Pittsburgh and across the
country are beginning to realize we need bold change and we can’t wait
for the same old boys to do it for us. We are here to make it for
ourselves,” Connor Mulvaney said Tuesday evening (5/25). He was
speaking at a kickoff to his campaign, live-streamed from the war
memorial cannon in the city’s Brookline neighborhood. (show all)
Green Party of Wayne County, PA, Opposes
Fracking by Beverly Beers, chair of the Green Party of Wayne
County
In response to your question about a concerning issue in my
area, I would say that for some time it has been fracking in the
Delaware River Basin. We just won a long-standing battle at the
Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC). The DRBC voted on February 25
to ban fracking in the Delaware Basin. . . . I was dismayed, however,
to see that the township supervisors of Dyberry, where I live, have
joined a lawsuit against DRBC to protect land-owners rights.
Similarly, the Wayne County Commissioners voted 2-to-1 to join the
same lawsuit. . . . As a member of the Green Party and a constituent
of Dyberry township, I do not feel the supervisors’ or the
commissioners’ decision represents myself or others who wish to
preserve the Delaware River Basin. (show all)
George Floyd Anniversary On the anniversary of
George Floyd's death, here is a recent press release written by Green
Party of Philadelphia City Committee Member Justin Bell reacting to
the Derek Chauvin verdict.
I was sitting in traffic today on Roosevelt boulevard when the verdict
came in: Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murdering George Floyd.
When I heard it I had trouble processing it. It wasn’t until my wife
called me crying because she couldn’t believe it was real, that I
started to believe it was real. After I got off I looked around to see
if any other cars were listening or having reactions. I was
disappointed that everyone looked miserable and wasn’t honking. For a
moment I felt victorious. Overwhelmed by the power of the people who
refused to get out of the way when the police told them to move. I saw
two older ladies flanked by the National Guard during the height of
COVID. One pushing the other in a wheelchair. They had put themselves
in a situation of great risk and they had won. (show all)
Campaign Updates
edited by Chris Robinson
GENERAL ELECTION, November 2
Kearni Warren, Chester City
Council, Delaware County
Kearni told GREEN STAR, “I was born and raised in
Chester, and I have always felt the pull toward something greater than
myself. Following the social justice spirit of my mother, Rev. Bernice
Warren and her passion for all life particularly the children of
Chester, I have supported the youth in my local community as well as
in Haiti. I am the founder of The Caregiving Society, an author,
healthcare advocate, speaker, and former political organizer and
lobbyist with SEIU Healthcare PA and United Home Care Workers of
PA.”
Matthew Reitenauer,
Brandywine Heights School Board, Berks County
Matt told GREEN STAR, “If
elected, I would like to see three community gardens, one at each of
our schools. Then the students and locals can start eating healthier.
I’d like to start an after-school recycling club to clean up the
school yard and to clean up the community. I’d like to see more
organic foods offered at lunch to the children. I want to look into
renewable energy for the school district, the more solar panels the
better. I’d also like to look into electric busses to cut down on
emissions to help with the climate crisis.”
Connor Mulvaney for
Pittsburgh City Council District 4
For more information visit:
https://www.connor4pgh.com/get-involved
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
- Ward Allebach, Bradford
Woods Borough Council, Allegheny County
- Steven Martinez, Dormont
Borough Council, Allegheny County
- Lorianne Burgess, Mayor,
Ambridge Borough, Beaver County
- Jay Sweeney for Auditor,
Falls Township, Wyoming County
Jay T. Walker, Judge of
Elections Ward 7, District 6, Pittsburgh, Allegheny
County
Jay
told GREEN STAR, "I'm proud to be the Green Judge of Election nominee
in my precinct this November! I've been serving as the judge on and
off for years, after consecutive elections when the judge either
showed up late or didn't show up. Since I became Judge we've opened
our polling place on-time every single election. Although serving as a
Judge of Election takes time away from campaigning for Green
candidates, I love the opportunity to ensure a well run voting process
and to meet all of my neighbors. I hope all Greens consider running
for Judge of Election at their polling place."
- Abigail “Abi” Hunter,
Judge of Elections Ward 7, District 8, Pittsburgh, Allegheny
County
- Rachel Chen, Judge of
Elections Ward 29, District 6, Pittsburgh, Allegheny
County
- Bill Pilkonis for Judge of
Elections, Scranton, Lackawanna County
Ben Campman for Inspector of
Elections, Lower Salford Ward 5, Montgomery County
Ben told GREEN STAR, “I’d
like to thank the Green Party for accepting me so quickly and for all
the help I’ve gotten already. I am happy to be a member and cannot
wait for my opportunity to help the party grow.”
- Karin Albert for Inspector
of Elections, Exeter Borough Ward 2, Luzerne
County
- Barbara Laxon for
Inspector of Elections, McKean County
Team
Updates
Finance Team
by Tre Schumacher
 The Finance Team manages
GPPA’s budget and merchandise. Our 2021 goals include fundraisers for
the GPPA, maintaining monthly sustainers, encouraging our locals to
obtain one new sustaining donor each month, and supporting one
targeted-issue fundraiser. This month we are focusing on updating
merchandise and literature and working on a new donation drive. Do you
have a good idea to raise funds for GPPA? Then pitch your idea to us
-- we meet the second Thursday of every month at 8:30 pm via Zoom. We
can be contacted HERE.
GreenWave
Team by Tina Olson
 The Green Wave Team is working
diligently to contact registered Greens in PA who might be interested
in running for the many municipal and local offices for 2021, while
keeping an eye on 2022. Have you considered running for your local
council, school board, or county election board? Many offices are not
full time commitments. New Co-Leads, Tina Olson and Carl Romanelli,
are planning a speaker series and candidate training for our
bi-monthly meetings.
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 now has
three openings for management volunteers and three openings for
creative volunteers. If you are ready to join our winning Team, sign
up HERE.
edited by Noah Alter
[Welcome to Noah Alter, the new
editor of National Green News. Noah has been an active member of the
GPPA Communication Team since December 2020, and we hope he enjoys
growing into his new job.]
Celebrate Juneteenth & Pride
 Last month, Juneteenth was made a federal holiday; 156 years
too late. We celebrated freedom and pride while recognizing the
injustices that our Black brothers and sisters continue to live
through every day, beyond the day of national celebration. We must
commit to fighting those injustices and the oppressive capitalist
system by putting people, the planet, and peace over profit. . . . In
the same month as Juneteenth, we also celebrate LGBTQIA+ people of
color, who are also disproportionately victims of abuse and murder
across the country. Ever since the Stonewall Riots in NYC, where
Marsha P. Johnson, a Black trans woman activist and friend Sylvia
Rivera, a Latina trans woman, courageously stood up to the police and
sparked the gay liberation movement in the U.S., the Black and Brown
transgender community has been continuously targeted, facing some of
the highest levels of discrimination of all transgender people. . . .
(show all)
Green Party of California stands against the brutal apartheid
regime of Israel
 The 11-day carpet bombing of the Gaza Strip by the Israeli
military from May 10 to May 21, 2021, killed 248 Palestinians,
including 66 children, and injured over 1,700 people . More than 1,000
buildings, schools, hospitals, businesses and roads have been
destroyed by devastating airstrikes leaving at least 6,000 residents
homeless, displacing tens of thousands, and depriving almost half of
the population of Gaza of access to water and electricity in the midst
of a raging pandemic and without the protection of a vaccine. . . . In
the United States, Democrats and Republicans alike usually do not
question our nation’s backing of Israel’s institutionalized
discrimination and disproportionate use of violence against
Palestinians. . . . Ajamu Baraka, the national organizer of the Black
Alliance for Peace and 2016 Green Party candidate for vice president
wrote, “In the alternative world of Western liberalism, some lives are
more equal and more valuable than others,” noting "the
colonial/capitalist West is prepared to sacrifice everything and
everyone in order to maintain its global dominance, even if it means
destroying the planet and everyone on it." (show all)
edited by Hal
Brown
Historic Chilean Elections on a Constitutional Convention and
Municipal Green Victories
 As the old constitution was never seen as “legitimized”,
voting on scrapping it and writing a new one is historically
significant. Augusto Pinochet was the embodiment of human rights
violations. Years of inequality saw Chileans voting not only for a new
constitution, but to also distance themselves from the Pinochet
regime. . . . The Chilean Green Party (Partido Ecologista Verde) did
not secure any seats in the constitutional convention. They did,
however, significantly increase their city council positions going
from 4 to 46. (show all)
B.C. Greens Introduce a Private Bill to Regulate Mental Health
Care
 [In Canada] British Columbia Green Party leader, Sonia
Furstenau is tabling legislation that could lead to therapy,
counselling, and social work being fully regulated in the province. .
. . B.C. Greens have also created a petition calling for accessible,
no-cost mental health care by incorporating psychologists into the
primary care system. In a press release on June 2, Furstenau expressed
the importance of having adequate mental health care, especially
during a pandemic. “Anxiety, stress, fear, and loneliness are having
significant impacts on our mental health. British Columbians have
reported significant impacts to their mental health as a result of the
COVID-19 pandemic and the disruptions we’ve all faced to our lives. As
we imagine a brighter future, we believe that access to safe,
effective, and accessible mental healthcare is a critical part of that
path forward for British Columbians.” (show all)
Hungarian Greens Oppose Nuclear Power Park Expansion
 The Green Party of Hungary [Magyarország Zöld Pártja, LMP]
is firmly opposed to the expansion of the Nuclear power station in
Paks, Hungary. . . . At a press conference broadcast on Facebook,
László Lóránt Keresztes, the leader of LMP stressed that there were
serious problems with the Paks expansion program. The expansion of the
power plant poses financial, environmental and potential health
issues. None of which has received any substantive answers from the
government. Being just 100 kilometres South of Budapest, a disaster at
Paks could cause serious problems for the majority of the population
in Hungary. (show all)
Australian Greens call for National Compensation for Stolen
Generations Survivors
Ahead of National Sorry Day, the Australian Greens called on
the Federal Government to adopt a national compensation package for
survivors of the Stolen Generations. National Sorry Day is an annual
event held in Australia on May 26 since 1998. On this day, Australia
remembers and acknowledges the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander people who were removed from their families and
communities. These people are now commonly known as ‘The Stolen
Generations.’ In 1988, a national inquiry investigated past policies
and other practices that forced removal of Indigenous children from
their families. The resulting report known as Bringing Them Home
marked a critical moment in the healing journey of many Stolen
Generations members. . . . Now, Victorian Greens Senator and
Djabwurrung Gunnai Gunditjmara woman Lidia Thorpe announced a plan for
a nationally consistent scheme that will more adequately compensate
Stolen Generations for the pain they endured. (show all)
GPPA Meeting
Dates for 2021:
2021 Meetings will
be held in January, March, June, September, November. All State Web
Conferences will be 12:00 Noon to 4:00 p.m. September's meeting will
be in-person, and it will take place in Bellefonte, PA, on Saturday,
September 18. You can now register for the September meeting HERE.
- Saturday, September 18,
2021
- Sunday, November 14,
2021
Green Party
of Pennsylvania Communications Team & Media
Committee
Issue
Credits:
EDITORS:
Chris Robinson, Hal Brown, and Noah Alter
CONTRIBUTORS: Beverly Beers, Justin Bell, Ben
Campman,Tina Olson, Matthew Reitenauer, Chris Robinson, Tre
Schumacher, Jay T. Walker, and Kearni Warren
LAYOUT: Tina Olson & Sheri
Miller
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
monthly sustaining donation helps to fund a solid infrastructure to
help local chapters coordinate candidates and provide resources to
make their campaigns successful. As little as $3 per month can have a significant
impact!
Sustaining Donation
Single Donation Purchase Green Merchandise
Join
us and help bring about a future where people and
planet are valued over profits. We have a new, tiered membership
structure that allows you to determine your level of commitment and
support. And if you want to get more directly involved,
consider joining an action
team. Work with
other committed progressives and activists in activities such as
planning events, developing media content, or helping with
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 * 2021
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