The Green Diamond

e-newsletter - vol. 5-42

December 10, 2005

a publication of

The Green Party of Delaware

(www.gpde.us greenpartyde@yahoo.com)

Grassroots Democracy - Economic & Social Justice - Nonviolence/Peace - Ecological Wisdom

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Office: PO Box 57065 Washington, D.C. 20037

202-319-7191 or toll-free (US): 866-41GREEN

(P.S. Don't forget the Green Party of Delaware in you contributions!)

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Green Party of the United States

GREENS APPEAL FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF FOUR PEACE ACTIVIST HOSTAGES

GREENS CALL A NEW DIRECTION IN NATIONAL HEALTH POLICY: SINGLE-PAYER COVERAGE AND REPEAL OF ABSTINENCE-BASED HIV AND HPV PREVENTION

Green Things

Green Criticizes EPA Secrets About Toxic Pollution

Green Action

An Urgent Appeal from Montreal

Your Thoughts Requested

Letters to the Editor and Editorials

Greens and Progressive Dems Fail

Phoenix Community Responds to David McCorquodale's Letter

Field of Green – A Response to Phoenix Community

Why Buy-Nothing? Statement of Motivation

Area Organizations/Projects of Potential Interest to Green Party Members and Sympathizers

Green Party of the United States

GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES

http://www.gp.org

For Immediate Release:

Monday, December 5, 2005

Contacts:

Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, mclarty@greens.org

Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene@greens.org

GREENS APPEAL FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF FOUR PEACE ACTIVIST HOSTAGES

Hostages include Green Party member Tom Fox; Greens direct appeal to Middle East press, including al Jazeera.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Green Party called for the immediate release of four hostages who were seized in Baghdad on Saturday, November 26. All are members of Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT); one of them, Tom Fox, is a member of the Virginia Green Party.

"The four peaceworkers taken as hostages have put their lives on the line to help the Iraqi people and end the occupation," said Audrey Clement, Green Party of Virginia delegate to the Green Party of the United States. "We appeal especially to the Middle East media, including al Jazeera, to broadcast our request for the kidnappers to release the CPT hostages unharmed and as quickly as possible. Holding them hostage serves no purpose -- please help us make it possible for Tom Fox and his fellow peace activists see their families again."

The Green Party of the United States, like the Christian Peacemaker Teams, has strongly opposed the U.S. invasion of Iraq, and the Green Party has repeatedly called for an immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops occupying Iraq.

Greens noted that the four CPT members were traveling unarmed and without bodyguards, which is inconsistent with the accusation that they are spies or acting in any capacity with the U.S. government or armed forces.

Tom Fox, 54, resident of Clear Brook, Virginia, and a member of Langley Hill Friends Meeting, has been working with CPT in Baghdad documenting human rights abuses and promoting peace. Most recently, he had been actively working to develop Muslim Peacemaking Teams in Baghdad. Mr. Fox's web log can be read at <http://waitinginthelight.blogspot.com>.

An online petition for the release of the CPT hostages has been signed by authors Arundhati Roy and Tariq Ali; Denis Halliday, former U.N. Assistant Secretary General and Head of the U.N. Humanitarian Program in Iraq; antiwar activist Cindy Sheehan; Cindy and Craig Corrie, parents of Rachel Corrie, who was killed by Israeli military; Ralph Nader; historian Howard Zinn; Noam Chomsky; and thousands of others <http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/freethecpt>.

MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States

http://www.gp.org

1700 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 404

Washington, DC 20009.

202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN

Fax 202-319-7193

Green Party Peace Action Committee (GPAX)

http://www.gp.org/committees/peace/

Green Party of Virginia

http://www.vagreenparty.org/

Christian Peacemaker Teams

http://www.cpt.org/

~ END ~

*

GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES

http://www.gp.org

For Immediate Release:

Thursday, December 8, 2005

Contacts:

Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624,

mclarty@greens.org

Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805,

starlene@greens.org

GREENS CALL A NEW DIRECTION IN NATIONAL HEALTH POLICY: SINGLE-PAYER COVERAGE AND REPEAL OF ABSTINENCE-BASED HIV AND HPV PREVENTION

Greens identify the enemies of sound health policy: profit-based HMO, insurance, and drug firms, and right-wing religious lobbies.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Green Party leaders called for a revival of the movement to enact single-payer national health insurance, and for the repeal of 'morality'-based obstructions to AIDS prevention and to a new cervical cancer vaccine.

"The Medicare reform bill passed in November, 2003, benefited pharmaceutical companies while gutting coverage for millions of working people and making coverage difficult and confusing for many older Americans," said Jody Grage Haug, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States. Ms. Haug turns 70 in January. "With the growing public realization that we've been conned out of health care, now is the time for a popular demand and legislative action to introduce single payer."

Under single-payer national health insurance, all Americans, regardless of income, ability to pay, or prior medical condition, would receive quality health care, including choice of provider, under a tax plan that would be far less expensive that what most working people pay for private insurance or HMO plans.

Single-payer national health insurance is a major goal of the Green Party of the United States. It was dropped from the Democratic Party platform under the Clinton Administration; Al Gore and John Kerry opposed it in their 2000 and 2004 White House bids. (Mr. Gore later endorsed it.)

Insurance for a family of four is now over $10,000 a year, higher than the yearly income of a minimum-wage worker, and 9% higher than 2004. Only three out of five businesses now offer health insurance to their employees.

"Employer-based private insurance has failed, as employers continue to reduce and eliminate benefits," said Mike Cavlan, Minnesota Green candidate for the U.S. Senate <http://www.cavlan.org>. Mr. Cavlan is slated to address hospital professionals in St. Paul on Thursday evening. "Market-based coverage has proven a disaster, with 45 million lacking coverage, especially those who need it most -- older Americans, those with or at risk of diseases, poor people, and others considered uninsurable by market standards. Whether it happens state-by-state or through national implementation, conversion to single-payer must begin immediately."

Health coverage in general, and AIDS/HIV treatment in particular, have suffered because of cuts in services under the Bush Administration, said Greens. Party leaders also stressed that abstinence-only education, in the U.S. and abroad (i.e., in nations receiving U.S. aid) under pressure from the Bush White House, has placed even more lives at risk. Many women have no control over the conditions in which they have sex; these policies leave them especially vulnerable to infection.

Greens noted recent attempts by Republicans to block a new vaccine against cervical cancers caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV), and compared it to the prolonged Republican assault on condoms, including measures to obstruct availability and an FDA requirement to place 'warning' labels on condom packages.

"The justification is that making the cervical cancer vaccine and condoms widely available 'sends the wrong message' that sex outside of a monogamous marriage is permissible," said Rebecca Rotzler, national co-chair of the Green Party and Deputy Mayor of New Paltz, New York. "The message behind Bush policies that deny information and prevention is that those who don't conform to certain faith-based standards deserve illness and death."

"The American people face two enemies in their need for guaranteed, quality health care -- corporations that place profit before human life and health, and religious extremists trying to impose false and reckless ideas about morality," Ms. Rotzler added. "Both Democrats and Republicans are addicted to money from insurance firms, HMOs, and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Republicans and some Democrats have fallen under the spell of religious extremists who hold little regard for the lives of women and gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender Americans. Greens call for public health policy based on human needs."

MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States

http://www.gp.org

1700 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 404

Washington, DC 20009.

202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN

Fax 202-319-7193

Health Insurance Costs Exceed Annual Minimum-Wage Earnings

By Debora Vrana, The Los Angeles Times, September 14, 2005

http://www.latimes.com/business/ la-091405health_lat,0,4868032.story?coll=la-story-footer&track=morenews

Physicians for a National Health Program

http://www.pnhp.org

~ END ~

Green Things

Green Criticizes EPA Secrets About Toxic Pollution

I am outraged that EPA is proposing to take away my right-to-know about toxic pollution.  Facilities are required to report their toxic chemicals every year under the Toxics Release Inventory so enforcement officials, company officers, the news media and even ordinary citizens, like me, can find out what toxic pollution in our air, land and water.  This knowledge often spurs companies to make improvements and reduce the production of harmful chemical wastes.  This is a program that has successfully and efficiently helped make communities around the country safer and healthier.  The reporting rollbacks planned by EPA make no sense whatsoever.  When Congress established the program it directed EPA to create an annual program, which has worked well for almost 20 years.

EPA should withdraw the proposed rule that would increase the reporting threshold tenfold for release details and allow details on low production of persistent bioaccumulative toxins to disappear.  The Toxic Release Inventory was put in place to help protect communities, from large releases and small releases alike.  This program is about recognizing the public's right to know what is going on.  The EPA shouldn't eliminate or cutback the public's rights without our permission. Our right-to-know about pollution and waste should not be sacrificed to save companies the few pages of paperwork.

Please urge EPA to not move forward on any of the burden reduction proposals in the docket TRI-2005-0073.  

For background info see:

http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ombwatch/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=1324

I sent the following letter to our members of Congress. If you feel the same please use link below to EPA AND a copy to members of Congress.

Frieda Berryhill

frieda302@comcast.net

Green Action

An Urgent Appeal from Montreal

Dear Friends and signers of the People's Ratification Petition.

We are writing you from the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Montreal. It is hard not to be impressed. Impressed by the remarkable achievements of governments and NGOs here gathered, impressed by the inspiring outpouring of citizen concern and activism that we see here and elsewhere, and impressed by the brazen disregard for the rest of the world and disruption of these proceedings by the US delegation.

As the conference proceeds, it is becoming ever more apparent that the United States delegation is bound and determined to undermine not just the Kyoto Protocol, but any international framework that would come after Kyoto to address the global climate crisis. We knew that our delegation had come to Montreal with this mission. But it was hard to imagine that they could be so blatant, so disruptive and so outrageous.

On the other hand, we are greatly encouraged by the tenacity, dedication, and expertise of our sister organizations also gathered here. And we are particularly thankful for the outpouring we saw from citizens in Montreal, in the U.S. and around the world on December 3, the World Day of Climate Action. By virtue of the fact that you signed the People's Ratification of the Kyoto Global Warming Treaty (www.kyotoandbeyond.org) you were with us in Montreal. Together with our sister organizations, Environmental Defense, Greenpeace, Energy Action and KyotoUSA, we presented to the U.S Consulate General over 650,000 signatures from US citizens demanding action on the climate crisis. (If you have friends and colleagues who may be interested in signing the People's Ratification, now is the time. Please ask them to go to www.kyotoandbeyond.org and join the struggle.)

For good news coverage go to: www.grist.org/news/daily/2005/12/05/, and to our own site: http://www.climatecrisiscoalition.org .

And now it is time to act again. Please read this appeal from our sister and us organizations.

*

Your Thoughts Requested

Dear Delaware Greens,

I'm passing this message on from a Green who wants to write an article for Green Pages.  If you have any thoughts on this subject, send them to me.  I'll put them together and send them on to her.

Yours in Growing the Green Party,

David McCorquodale

mccorq@comcast.net

I am thinking it would be good to submit an article on burnout/re-energizing in the next Green Pages edition - and would be interested in gathering small descriptions from various greens about how/whether they take care of themselves to ensure that they can keep going.  Would you all be willing to send me a short paragraph or a few sentences about what you do to re-energize?  And perhaps a few sentences about what wears you down the most?

Jill Bussiere

 jdt@itol.com

Letters to the Editor and Editorials

Greens and Progressive Dems Both Fail

I read Dave McD's comments about not "participating" in an event involving the non-progressive Democrats.

Last year I spoke to the "Progressive Democrats of Delaware" (they want nothing to do with me now...) and suggested that they should open a dialog with the Green Party of Delaware. Their reaction was negative. In other words, neither Greens nor Dems seem to want to talk to each other.

The PDems decided to be a loyal "party" organization and have not challenged the evils of the Minner administration.

Greens are saying it's more important to "build the party" than to be a real presence on issues.

Meanwhile, however, Delaware sinks into corruption, disgrace, and scandal similar to what's happening in Washington, D.C.

Neither the Green Party of Delaware NOR "progressives" within the Democratic Party of Delaware seem to have significant political influence.

I doubt they ever will have any unless they grow up and starting focusing on some practical issues and objectives other than feeling pure.

As for Ms. Volpe's criticism of me for being dressed as Santa, maybe she would be better to criticize the cops for arresting innocent citizens....

Alan Muller

amuller@dca.net

*

Phoenix Community Responds to David McCorquodale's Letter

As the program coordinator for the Phoenix Community, I would like to respond to Dave David McCorquodale's urging that Green Party members not participate in our most recent forum "The Progressive Challenge IN and TO the Democratic Party." I feel he has misjudged our work and missed an opportunity for the Greens to weigh in on the issues as well as learn something. Please consider the Phoenix programs that I have coordinated in the last few years:

• A program on the Case of Lori Berenson, the courageous American Activist who has been continuously imprisoned for 10 years since her arrest by Peru's oppressive Fujimori dictatorship on trumped-up charges.

• A report on the neoliberal meltdown in Argentina by Phoenix Board member Julio Juan.

• Hussein Ibish, then of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, who spoke on Israel's colonialist subjugation of Palestinians.

• La Vida Dura, concerning the hard life of Hispanics in Delaware in which we continued to register our outrage against Newark police impunity over the death of Pedro Martinez, whose car was struck by a train on the tracks next to the Deer Park while in Police custody.

• After I returned from 2 years teaching in Lebanon, I presented my monologue and slide show, Arabia and the American Dream which dealt in part with the lives of refugee camp Palestinians, victims of both Israeli ethnic cleansing and Lebanese discrimination.

• Andreas Horvath's documentary film This Ain't No Heartland about the stunning provincialism of a huge block of the American Electorate.

• Following the 2004 election we held a form called "Whither Progressive Politics in Delaware?" featuring Democratic, Green, Labor, Civil Rights, and community leaders.

• Early this year, local poet and author Fran McMillian enlightened us with her sensitive insights into conservative Christian literature.

• In May we dealt with the racism and vigilantism against Latino immigrants manifested in Elsmere.

• In June, Terecita Jacinto Oliva continued our discourse on immigrants with "Why Immigrants Come: the View from Mexico."

• In July we presented Stephan Markworth's documentary film about the Palestinians of the Bourj el Barajneh Refugee camp whom my wife Joan French and I knew in Beirut and whom I had featured in my monologue, Arabia and the American Dream.

• In October, we collaborated with Pacem in Terris and the A. Philip Randolph Institute to sponsor a forum in Wilmington on Liberation Theology, the principles that any religion or non-religious gospel is best revealed through the eyes and needs of the oppressed.

• And last month, Lisa Sullivan provided us with an incredible presentation on the hopes and obstacles of the Bolivarian revolution of Venezuela's Hugo Chavez.

Over the years we have honored outstanding progressives in our community with our Distinguished Ecumenical Servant Award, given most recently to the late UAW leader Earl Henderson for his pioneering work in both labor and civil rights, to Peace and Civil Rights activist Lee Broughton, and to Dr. Floyd McDowell for his inspiring advocacy of universal, single payer healthcare.

We have provided opportunities for the marginalized and silenced—from Palestinians to immigrants to Greens to people of liberating faith—to be heard. Indeed, for our La Vida Dura program, we specifically invited Green Party Candidate for Attorney General Vivian Houghton to join Georgetown Nurse Practitioner Teresa Mireles and Delaware Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President Julio Juan. We knew Vivian would be sympathetic to the cause of Pedro Martinez who was killed by a train while in Newark police custody and I provided her with a summary of the case in advance of the forum. We invited NCC Council Green Candidate J. Roy Cannon to join Democrat John Cartier, APRI leader Mark Brunswick, 48%er Tom Vincent, and Common Cause Secretary Maryanne McGonegal in a progressive post-mortem of the 2004 elections.

The Phoenix Community is not leading the Revolution; we serve a more pedagogical purpose. We thought it would be useful for the progressive community to learn what the progressive Democrats had to say, and I saw it sufficient to frame the issue in my own critique of the Democrats, growing out of my own experiences, some of them as a Green.

Those who did not see what transpired missed an opportunity to hear me take down the Democratically-controlled State Legislature as a racist institution, expose Senator Biden as a active proponent of the Iraq War, and accuse the Democratic Governor of presiding over a state prison system comparable to Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo in its denial of human rights and her pursuit of the racist drug war. They could have heard Steve Beiner, who describes himself as a hereditary Democrat, explain how the Democrats are completely controlled by campaign cash. They could have learned, most importantly, how John Cartier won, with real face-to-face involvement in his community, and what practical, messy problems every new officeholder must face, such as stormwater management, such as the housing crisis brought on by developers and how John has been supporting the efforts of minority, immigrant, and poor residents of Brookview, slated for a sort of ethnic cleansing to make way for the upscale Renaissance Project in Claymont.

There's much more, but you had to be there.

And those who did not come missed an opportunity to offer a critic of what really transpired "inside the book," and not judge it by the cover they read in the announcement.

We are grateful to the Green Diamond for carrying notices of our forums, and we look forward to the participation of Greens in our future activities.

Anyway, Dave is a very old friend, someone I know to be principled and passionate about all the right things. I just wish he had been there.

Phillip Bannowsky

pbannow@comcast.net

*

Field of Green -- A Response to Phoenix Community

  I appreciate old friend Phil Bannowsky's response to my letter in last week's Green Diamond.  I have to say there is much of what he wrote with which I agree.  The Phoenix Community has conducted many forums and it's a shame that more people don't attend them.  I have attended a few, including the progressive forum after the elections.

  But the particular meeting last week was titled "The Progressive Challenge IN and TO the Democratic Party".  In my view people who are serious about building the Green Party should have experienced their last flirtation with the Democratic Party in 2004.  After that debacle it should be painfully obvious that for principled people the Democratic Party is where progressive politics goes to die.  Progressivism has no chance in a party dominated by corporate lobbyists and money deals.  Expediency will always win out over principle. 

  I have never been tempted to be in the Democratic Party although I have held my nose while voting for them for decades.  To me there's no point in excoriating the sins of the Democrats.  Greens need to build a positive image of the Green Party.  Progressives who are still holding on in the Democratic Party will come around if we have something to offer.  Call it "Field of Greens".  Build it and they will come!

  So while it can be interesting in exposing the hypocrisy of the dems, there's no point to appealing for reform.  Our energies need to be focused on our party.

  To be clear about my mention of John Cartier:  I have no doubt that as a progressive Democrat he is attempting to work in a positive manner for his constituents.  However, after he was elected, Greens tried to reach out, have a dialogue and see if he would be willing address any of our concerns as a county councilperson.  Somehow he has avoided that discussion.

David McCorquodale

Treasurer, GPDE

Why Buy-Nothing? Statement of Motivation

I went to the mall as an observer to support the Buy Nothing Day action. I believe rampant consumerism and the corporate & societal cultures that encourage it to be harmful to our quality of life and the health of the planet in numerous ways. The environmental costs top the list. Our ecosystems are very stressed- by the resources that must be continually extracted to produce more goods, and by the range of serious impacts stemming from the use of energy needed to extract, fabricate and transport these goods. In addition, the current global economy exploits cheap labor in places where working conditions are abominable. We must take responsibility for the complete cost of our lifestyle and business practices, instead of choosing to make others suffer while we profit. I supported the Buy Nothing Day action because I believe in its message, and

because I thought it was a humorous way to raise these issues without alienating people. So often ideas are forced upon others in ways that offend and produce no change. The Buy Nothing Day action at the Christiana Mall does not force anything on anyone. (neither does it force nothing on anyone!) Instead, by offering a laugh, it opens up the possibility for a dialogue. How can we tackle the problems of this world if they remain hidden, forbidden, taboo topics of conversation? (side note- Of course- if you follow the money flow, some people benefit from these harmful practices- and in this case they were the folks arresting us...)

Laura White

laura_white@antiochne.edu

Share your ideas and actions for a better community and world. Submit your letters to the editor at jcannon11@comcast.net.

Area Organizations/Projects of Potential Interest to Green Party Members and Sympathizers

Pacem in Terris 

Pacem in Terris is a non-profit organization that strives to facilitate the active participation of people and organizations on the Delmarva Peninsula, especially the religious community, on the issues and projects relevant to the quest for peace and justice throughout the world. Through seminars, activities, and experiences, we seek to change community attitudes and help people understand that peace is not a dream, but a necessity, now and in the future.

www.paceminterris.com

A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI)

The Philip Randolph Institute was founded in 1965 by Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin. Funded by the AFL-CIO the main objective of the organization is to bridge the gap between the African American community and the trade union movement. Activities included local civil rights campaigns, voter registration and job training.

www.apri.org

Latin American Community Center

LACC provides social services; information and referral; emergency food closet; family and individual therapy; substance abuse prevention, and education programs; AIDS education; pre-employment preparation and occupational training.

ematusov.soe.udel.edu/LaRedMagica/La%20Red%20Magica%20project/LaRedMagica.htm

Progressive Voices

Listen to "Progressive Voices" every Monday evening, 7:30 to 8:00 p.m. on WVUD, 91.3 FM from the University of Delaware in Newark, DE.  From anywhere in the world  listen on line at http://www.wvud.org/listen_online.htm. Email questions and comments to pvoices@gmail.com. E-mails are read during the show and receive comment if possible. 

Progressive Voices features people who believe in democracy, a healthy environment, the right to organize, peace, and other "progressive" values.  If you are interested in appearing on Progressive Voices contact Alan Muller at 302.834.3466, amuller@dca.net, or Marian Peleski, msmarian@comcast.net

GreenViews 

GreenViews present a magazine on TV from the Green Point of View. See us Every Third Sunday at 7pm on Comcast Channel 28 in New Castle County, Delaware. Although not an official Green Party project, a number of Green Party members play key roles in producing and hosting the program. 

www.greenviews.org

Green Delaware

Green Delaware is a grassroots organization concerned with environmental and public health issues in Delaware and surrounding states. We advocate policies consistent with good health, preservation of biodiversity, and long-term sustainability. We believe that achieving these ends also requires progress towards human relationships based on peace, justice, and democratic forms of government.

While the Green Party of Delaware and Green Delaware often agree on important issues, the two organizations are not affiliated.

www.greendel.org

This represents an initial list of area organizations/projects that the Green Diamond wishes to recognize and bring to the attention of its readers. The Green Diamond Advisory Board and its editor will add other organizations/projects to this list in the near future with on-going additions as deemed appropriate. This list does not mean the Green Party of Delaware endorses the listed organizations/projects.  However, with this list we do recognize the straightforwardness and general progressive spirit with which they approach their missions.

Readers of the Green Diamond are encouraged to submit the names and a brief description of organizations they would like to see listed in the Green Diamond by writing the editor at jcannon11@comcast.net.

Fair Use Notice: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornel.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml

If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

The Green Diamond is an endorsed publication of the Green Party of Delaware. The editor with the Green Diamond Advisory Board reserves the right to review and publish material that will build and expand the Green Party as an alternative, independent politics striving to achieve responsible government, empower citizens and communities, offer hope to our citizens and call them to action.

If you wish to contribute or think you are receiving the Green Diamond in error, please contact the editor at:

jcannon11@comcast.net

Your comments are welcome and needed.