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John --
“We must recognize that we can’t solve our problem now
until there is a radical redistribution of economic and political
power… this means a revolution of values and other things. We must see
now that the evils of racism, economic exploitation and militarism are
all tied together… you can’t really get rid of one without getting rid
of the others… the whole structure of American life must be changed.
America is a hypocritical nation and [we] must put [our] own house in
order.”
Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., Report to SCLC Staff, May 1967.
As we commemorate the life and struggles of Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr., today, we are once again called upon to recognize the difference
between the “sanitized” version of Dr. King that is generally
presented to us in the corporate media and the activist for
peace, justice and redistribution of wealth that he was in
real life. The corporate media like to focus on his faith, commitment
to non-violence in the face of oppression, his “I Have a Dream” speech
– and not much else. They certainly don’t want people to read or
reflect upon his “Beyond Vietnam” address one year prior to his
assassination or his other later works condemning militarism, war, and
the societal structure that generates them.
The corporate usurpers of King’s legacy would not want people to
recognize how that legacy has been co-opted and perverted by the
corporate-sponsored political parties, as Glen Ford, executive editor
of Black Agenda Report, explains in this incisive, no-punches-pulled
essay.
As a political party dedicated to ending racism and all forms of
oppression, economic exploitation, militarism and war, the Green Party
provides a vehicle for carrying on Dr. King’s work on the political
field, uncorrupted by corporate money and influences. We are active in
the peace movement, active in the environmental movement, active in
numerous causes seeking a just redistribution of wealth and an end to
poverty, privation and prejudice.
But we also want to move beyond mere protest. We seek to advance
these causes by campaigning for and winning government office. We want
to use the power of the state to serve the public good, not the
interests of a small class of profiteers whose system is causing so
much death and destruction.
We have a lot to accomplish in 2020. If you have not already done
so, please join our party and get involved in our efforts to
accomplish these goals.
This Saturday: No war on Iran! U.S. out of
Iraq!
U.S. aggression against Iran threatens to begin yet another
disastrous, bloody war. The U.S. has declined for now to carry out
further military strikes against Iran, but the imposition of even
harsher U.S. imposed sanctions is an economic war that will claim the
lives of thousands of Iranians. The people of the world must fight
back and demand: No war on Iran! U.S. out of Iraq!
On Saturday, January 25, actions across the world will oppose a new
war. Now is the time for all those opposed to war to speak up. Please
join us.
In Chicago: Saturday, Jan. 25th from Noon–3:00
p.m.
Corner of Wabash & Wacker (near Trump Tower)
https://www.facebook.com/events/506162403439884/
In Carbondale: Saturday, Jan. 25th from Noon-2:00
p.m.
Carbondale Town Square, corner of Main St. (westbound Hwy. 13) and
North Illinois Ave. (northbound Hwy. 51)
https://www.facebook.com/events/467074877302910/
Other events may be organized and listed by Saturday: Check this page for updates – or organize and list one
of your own!
Save the date: Green Party Spring Conference Coming
February 29th!
Our Spring Conference (membership meeting) will take place on
Saturday, February 29, 2020 at the Third Unitarian Church, 301 N.
Mayfield, Chicago, Illinois. We should have a pretty full agenda, as
we discuss petition planning and strategizing for campaign 2020,
election of officers, amendments to our by-laws, possible selection of
a U.S. Senate candidate, selection process for our presidential ticket
– and more. We expect to cap things off late afternoon/early evening
with a forum for recognized Green Party presidential
candidates, and an evening social and dinner. Please mark
your calendars now, and plan on joining us that day. Remember: You
have to be a dues-paying member of the party to participate in
decision-making, so if you have not yet joined, this would be a good
time to take care of that task.
Our 2020 ballot-access drive is coming up fast. Please
help us hit the ground running!
Due to the ridiculously unfair ballot access laws in Illinois, it
is a major ordeal to get our candidates on the ballot, especially for
national or statewide office. But you can help us get off to a great
start by volunteering to help out, donating to our ballot access fund, and/or
pledging to sign our petition when the petitioning period begins. If
every Illinois voter receiving this newsletter made a commitment to
sign our petition, we could meet over 20 percent of our goal right off
the bat!
For more information on the ballot access drive and to learn how
you can help, please visit our Ballot Access 2020 information page.
Upcoming Events:
Tuesday, January 28th, Carbondale: The Case for Banning Throwaway Plastics, The
Varsity Center Exhibition Room, 418 S. Illinois Ave., Carbondale,
6:30-8 p.m.
Despite being one of the most pervasive materials on the planet,
plastic and its impact on human health is poorly understood. Yet
exposures to plastic are expanding into new areas of the environment
and food chain as existing plastic products fragment into smaller
particles and concentrate toxic chemicals. As plastic production
increases, this exposure will only grow.
Our basic thesis is that we must move beyond extremely problematic
efforts to recycle plastics and move toward a major phase-out of
plastics, especially the incredible quantities of throwaway plastics
currently overwhelming the eco-system. We will have a brief
presentation and sharing of materials followed by a discussion on how
to move forward, locally and otherwise.
Tuesday, Feb. 4th, Carbondale: 2020 Margie Parker Teach-In for Peace
Carbondale Civic Center, 200 S. Illinois Ave. Carbondale. 6:00
P.M. Social Hour catered by Cristaudo’s, Presentation about Poor
People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival.
7:00 P.M.
Natasha Erskine, Deputy Coordinator Chicago Veterans for Peace:
My Journey: From Active Duty to Discovering Pieces of
Peace.
Natasha is a native of Chicago’s South Side; in
high school she was a member of JROTC and enlisted in the U.S. Air
Force during her senior year. Natasha gained a myriad of experience
and expertise while assigned across four operational commands; eleven
assignments and combat deployments. Natasha retired after 20 years in
2016.
While stationed in Northwest Florida, the murders of Trayvon
Martin and Michael Brown, and the rise of nationalist and racist
ideology in the area reignited Natasha's focus on connecting and
organizing in the community. Natasha remains a passionate connector,
sharing knowledge and grassroots organizing, canvassing for causes and
campaigns across a myriad of states and marginalized
communities.
The event is free and open to the
public and is part of Nonviolent Carbondale’s 11 Days for Peace. See
www.nonviolentcarbondale.org for more
information.
Sponsors of the Margie Parker Teach-In include the
Peace Coalition of Southern Illinois, the Carbondale Public Library,
Nonviolent Carbondale, Church of the Good Shepherd UCC, the Southern
Illinois Quaker Meeting, Carbondale Unitarian Fellowship Social Action
Committee and the Shawnee Green Party.
Wed. Feb. 12th, Wheaton: DuPage Greens February Meeting,
7-8:30pm, DuPage Greens Office, 213 S. Wheaton Ave, Wheaton, IL, Main
Floor Conference Room, Facebook Event
The proposed agenda will be emailed to members prior to the
meeting. Note that our meetings are always held at 7pm on the second
Wednesday of the month. If you cannot make it, please send us a
message to request an update.
Saturday, February 15th, Warrenville: Green Party Forum: Ecosocialism and the Green
New Deal, Sat., Feb. 15th, 11am – 1pm, Warrenville Public
Library, West Room, 28W751 Stafford Place, Warrenville, IL
The vast majority of us are concerned about the looming specter of
mass extinction of our children and grandchildren as a result of
global warming. The worldwide scientific community concurs. We must
take action immediately!
More details and how to RSVP…
Reminders/Ongoing:
- Please sign and share this petition calling upon Governor Pritzker “to use
his authority as governor of Illinois to impose an immediate ban on
the granting of all new drilling permits for oil and natural gas that
use any and all forms of hydraulic fracturing.”
- Please support the Embassy Protectors Defense Committee.
Do you have items for this newsletter? We are now trying to publish
regularly twice a month. Please send your item of interest to Rich
Whitney, at [email protected] with “For the Newsletter”
in the heading. Thanks!
Illinois Green Party Outreach
http://www.ilgp.org/
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