NORTH CAROLINA GREEN PARTY

MORALITY AND HUMAN DIGNITY – WHY WE FOCUS ON PALESTINE 

During the winter months, we kept in place our statement standing in solidarity with Occupied Palestine on the website’s home page. Our support has not waivered, while we’ve watched the ongoing situation worsen dramatically and our political leaders continue their complicity in a genocide. The NCGP has remained steadfast, beyond a stance of anti-militarism, and we see identification with the Palestinian struggle growing in our state and across the world. We gain energy from that, despite the heartbreak of the tragedy. We know that our protest of the American-supported Zionist policy of extermination of an indigenous people must be persistent and louder – in our state capital, in our city councils, in DC when possible.

As Greens, we are always involved in a moral fight for justice and universal rights and dignity. Our Values advocate for this, for all peoples, feeling pain at the suffering of any people at the hands or under the bombs of powerful ruling classes. Respecting the human “dignity of the other” has always been central to our advocacy – one of values, dialogue, and diplomacy. We also stand with Palestinians because we challenge neoliberal structures of political power and find allies in our communities dedicated to the fight for liberation of the oppressed. We speak against the network of imperialism, its tool of colonization, its global capitalist system of domination by the US and western powers, so often racialized, subjugating poorer peoples either through legalized apartheid or expropriation of resources by force. We will not be divided in our common humanity, nor be alienated from others whose struggles are the same, whose desires are to live free in a system designed to benefit all people and not just the profits of a few. 

Please continue reading for more quarterly news on our activities and updates on Politics, Labor, and the Environment. Featured toward the end is some inspiration for you from members, books, and history.

COORDINATING COMMITTEE DECISIONS & ACTIONS – January through March

    Protesting with allies in the streets of DC on Jan 13

• Organized efforts for trips by bus and car to Washington DC for the Jan 13 March for Gaza, participating and joining with over 400,000 others there in the DC streets and at the White House.
• Signed on to the People’s Power Coalition’s “Statement for Ceasefire” along with other organizations (Muslims for Social Justice, Black Workers for Justice, People's Power Lab, NC Environmental Justice Network, and Jewish Voice for Peace - Triangle NC).
• Supported and promoted MLK 2024 March: Durham City Workers Union Demands Fair Pay (UE150) and other MLK marches/rallies in Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, and Rocky Mount. 
• Approved the NCGP giving organizational support for efforts by the NC Peoples Power Coalition to condemn genocide in their Letter Calling on States to Support South Africa's Genocide Convention Case Against Israel at the ICJ. 
  
• Approved written Facebook Use Rules for the admins and moderators of NCGP’s official and group pages, clarifying unacceptable posts and behaviors.

    Wayne Turner, Green Candidate for NC Governor in 2024

• Approved the endorsement of Wayne Turner as our Green candidate for NC Governor, as recommended by the party’s Candidate Development & Endorsement Committee. Read about Wayne’s positions at: agreenforgovernor.org.

• Approved the endorsement of Adrien Meadows of Kinston as a Green candidate in the race for NC House District 12, joining our already endorsed Michael Dublin of Garner running for US House District 2 and Joshua Bradley running for a Raleigh City Council seat.

• Organized a February meeting of NCGP leadership with a large number of Triangle activists involved with the pro-Palestinian/Ceasefire Now groups with whom we march and rally each Sunday in Raleigh. That evening included dinner and remarks by NCGP Co-Chairs Anna Ordoubadi and Wayne Turner, with other CC members attending as well, to present the NC Green Party as a strong ally and possible political home for this Arab-American community.
• Agreed to co-sponsor a March 28 webinar, Rail Future: Public Ownership and Climate Change Solutions with the Labor Working Group of SPUSA featuring the umbrella railroad union group Railroad Workers United, represented by Ron Kaminkow. Wayne Turner spoke about passenger rail history and modern opposition to passenger rail on behalf of the NC Green Party.
• Acted to reaffirm the NCGP’s commitment to the international Boycott-Divestment-Sanctions Movement, signing on to the BDS Movement’s current campaign to ban Israel from the Olympics at the Paris 2024 Games. 
  

        NCGP SPRING GATHERING TO BE MAY 18   

Plans are being finalized for our bi-annual gathering, this one primarily focused on hearing from our Membership and considering any proposals for changes to the Green Party’s Bylaws or its Platform. Our slate of Green candidates running for office will be featured, and some time will be given to looking at the party’s focus on issues in campaigning toward November 2024. All our Green Party supporters and volunteers are welcome to attend, but only Voting Members have a say in the consensus votes taken regarding Bylaws or Platform changes. To be a Voting Member, you must have a Green affiliated NC voter registration and have begun paying membership dues. Member submissions for any Bylaws or Platform changes:  proposals should have 3 other endorsing members and be submitted by MAY 4th by email to:  [email protected].  

REGIONAL CHAPTER UPDATES

TRIANGLE – The group met on Saturday, March 2nd, for a brief discussion and work making Gaza protest signs that will be used for rallies and marches ahead at Moore Square in Raleigh. Their Chapter Bylaws are being submitted to the Coordinating Committee for approval to become an officially accredited chapter of the NC Green Party. This chapter will be meeting quarterly.  

TRIAD – An initial meet and greet was held in Winston-Salem on March 16th, and discussion included ideas for planned actions across the area. A second meeting of those interested in revitalizing this chapter will be held on Saturday, April 27th, 1pm, at the Forsyth Central Library.  

CHARLOTTE – Individuals met on March 23rd with NCGP organizers to begin discussing coming together to form a group or chapter there and what actions were of most interest. Another meeting is being planned for Saturday, June 1st, from 2 to 4pm, location tbd. 

LEGISLATION & POLITICS

                       Who is buying YOUR representative? 
Pro-Israel Groups Fund ALL NC Politicians - Telling data from Open Secrets based on FEC reports from 1990 just through March 23, 2023, might shed light on why efforts to get backing for a ceasefire or an end to sending more weapons and bombs to Israel get little to no support from our representatives, most of whom have enjoyed those sunny fact-finding trips hosted by the extremist, right-wing State of Israel. Shamefully, AIPAC and other affiliated super-PACs have already announced plans to spend $100 million to target certain races in the 2024 elections. Nonetheless, these are beside all the other large contributions and dark-money donations being taken from the profiteering weapons and “security” industries. Greens will always refuse this kind of money and call out this unacceptable corruption of our state and national politics and its capture of our foreign and domestic policies.

Current NC DEMOCRATS in Congress     Current NC REPUBLICANS in Congress

  Dist 1 - Donald Davis          $372,278        Dist 3 - Greg Murphy               $47,750
  Dist 2 - Deborah Ross           167,549        Dist 5 - Virginia Foxx                 65,600
  Dist 4 - Valerie Foushee      426,455         Dist 7 - David Rouzer                   9,900
  Dist 6 - Kathy Manning        545,236         Dist 8 - Dan Bishop                    21,075
  Dist 12 - Alma Adams               23,114        Dist 9 - Richard Hudson          117,674
  Dist 13 - Wiley Nickel              40,208        Dist 10 - Patrick McHenry      227,509
  Dist 14 - Jeff Jackson              16,700        Dist 11 - Chuck Edwards           43,585
  Past Democrat Members      365,229        Senator Thom Tillis                 270,656
  TOTAL                                   $1,956,769        Senator Ted Budd                     159,435
  Pro-Israel PAC Money to BIDEN                Past Republican Members      615,261
    (1990-2024 so far)           $5,736,701       TOTAL                                    $1,578,455

Already on the side … against genocide charges:  signatures of 8 of our 14 NC representatives were found on a January letter to US Secretary of State Blinken (co-authored by Kathy Manning-D) which denounced the South Africans’ case in the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of perpetrating a genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Signing on to that letter finding the ICJ case “grossly unfounded and defamatory” were Patrick McHenry-R, Virginia Foxx-R, Wiley Nickel-D, Richard Hudson-R, Don Davis-D, David Rouzer-R, and Chuck Edwards-R. Cognitive dissonance is too polite a phrase to describe these people’s reasoning in the face of a brutal genocide and starvation.

Pro-Israeli lobbying continued in the Senate after the $14 billion Supplemental Appropriations Act (H.R. 6126) was passed by the House in early November. NC Rep. Davis-D joined all the Republican NC representatives in voting for that act, the others unhappy about tax-giveaways in the act and wanting to wait for a full funding bill to include money for Ukraine, Taiwan, and “border security.”

In the meantime, the Biden administration has kept providing smaller weapons packages to Israel and bypassing Congress. Senators continue to issue tired and hollow statements on the need for a 2-state solution and a negotiated peace. But by March 22 with a partial government shutdown a week away, the US House went ahead to pass a bill to fund $3.8 billion more in weapons to Israel without conditions, continue its sanction on UNRWA funding for Gaza aid, and defund a UN investigation into Israel’s violations of international law. Sadly, but not surprisingly, ALL of our NC Representatives, Ds and Rs alike, voted in favor. 

               $3.8 billion MORE in weapons to aid the "WAR"?

Polls of Americans, inundated with confusing propaganda across media sources, show mixed results – some say a majority still support the “Israel-Hamas War” (but decidedly not younger and non-white Americans), others say 55-65% have negative views about it now. There is hope in that for us. The Green Party does not view this as a “war” but rather a punishing and tragic end by design of the decades-long Zionist project of settler-colonization in Palestine – dehumanizing, bombing, murdering, starving or deporting the occupied to take their land and resources. 

Where do we go from here? Simply, we must elect Green Voices to serve in our elected bodies. That was the purpose of Greens working to win our ballot line in North Carolina in 2022. For now, we only have voice in the streets, digital spaces, and at our candidate events. We will need more Unaffiliated voters and disillusioned Democrats to come forward and register Green, more Greens to run for office, and fearless and financial support to elect those that are running at all levels.

TWO WINS FOR CEASEFIRE DECLARATIONS BY NC CITY COUNCILS

In November, Carrboro became the first city in North Carolina whose City Council passed by a 4-3 vote a Ceasefire resolution for Gaza. Then came Durham on Feb 20th in a 5-2 vote passing a resolution for a Gaza Ceasefire and an end to ongoing violence. Resolution votes have been considered but so far unsuccessful in Raleigh, Asheville and Chapel Hill, where despite public pressure and strong student support, some officials see their communities as “deeply conflicted” on the matter and fear dividing them further. Opponent organizations are quoted as saying that those who support a resolution "are doing the bidding of Hamas, passionately making demands they don't understand." We beg to differ. Greens will continue to join our allies (now 30+ organizations) in continuing the pressure from the streets and at council meetings.

Shout Out to Richmond CA, the first city in the US to pass a Ceasefire resolution, where Greens and progressives admirably built a strong grassroots base over 20 years, and recently elected Green Gayle McLaughlin to its council again, having previously served two terms as Mayor. McLaughlin and her community leaders were able to increase the city’s minimum wage to $15, reduce homicides by 78% over eight years, support immigrant rights by making Richmond a Sanctuary City, pass the first new rent control law in the state in 30 years, and force Chevron to pay over $100 million in additional city taxes, limit its pollution and sue the oil giant for damage to the population. 
                We need YOU to be a registered GREEN voter!   

We can see the important difference having Greens in office can make — for People, Planet and Peace. It takes time, building community solidarity on issues, but better solutions than the status quo can be realized. If you might be considering a run as a candidate for a local or state office for 2025 or 2026, the NCGP invites you to work with us toward an endorsement by starting here:  www.ncgreenparty.org/run

MEANWHILE, PLEASE DONATE WHAT YOU CAN TO THE
NC GREEN PARTY'S 2024 CANDIDATE DRIVE ON OUR WEBSITE!   www.ncgreenparty.org/2024_candidate_drive

POLITICAL NEWS ON OUR RADAR . . .

Papering over imperial history – We find it interesting that a Congressional resolution (H.Res. 943) was introduced by some progressive Democrats in December calling for the Annulment of the Monroe Doctrine and the development of a “New Good Neighbor” policy with our Latin American and Caribbean neighbors. We hold our applause, fairly certain this resolution will remain dormant in the House Foreign Affairs Committee. World Beyond War and Code Pink are encouraging letters to your representatives anyway. 

       Time to reshape our policies in the Americas!
The Black Alliance for Peace began leading a transformational policy effort 10 years ago with their Zone of Peace Campaign supporting the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States. BAP lays out much stronger initiatives, and has also just issued a strong statement against US interference in Haiti. That we definitely applaud, the Greens having a long history of backing “Hands Off!” campaigns. See Zone of Peace Campaign— The Black Alliance for Peace.

Will there be ripple effects from Texas SB4 (making it a crime to enter Texas illegally) on our own immigrant population in NC? For now, Texas enforcement of this extreme anti-immigrant bill remains temporarily stayed, but a similar bill has already been passed now in Iowa. The ACLU’s lawsuit argues that it “violates the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution and is preempted by federal law,” but these issues may not be decided for months. “Border Security” will obviously remain a hot and divisive issue through November and beyond. The NC Green Party has clear and expansive positions on this in its Platform under the “Immigrant Rights” section, if you are unfamiliar.

From the “What was the Legislature thinking?” folder – State lawmakers provided $2 million of our taxpayer dollars to Emerging Technology Institute, listed as a “non-partisan” private defense industry group out of Arlington VA, for their project in tiny Red Springs in Robeson County. They and four other private military complexes offering tactical training have been established in NC going back a decade or more. Is this militaristic-focused kind of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) education really what we should be investing in to help our young people navigate the rest of this century, one in great need of more peace and diplomacy? Read more here:  A company received state funds for STEM classes. It also operates a military training center. • NC Newsline.

And of course, state Republicans and Democrats continue fighting over the makeup of the State and county Board of Elections. Perennially sad and not surprising. Two parties in NC (the Greens and the Libertarians) who have state ballot lines don’t have enough registered voters to be considered for appointed seats on these boards, although their decisions can dramatically impact us as a party, as we saw in 2021-22. Still, the Republicans' move to increase the number of board seats and strip the Governor of board appointments was pretty outrageous.  NC GOP changes to Board of Elections are unconstitutional, judges rule • NC Newsline.

LABOR & ECONOMIC JUSTICE

While the NC Green Party fought its ballot line battles, it still signed up over 150 people at events over several years who were interested in being a part of our Labor Actions and/or Economic Justice Working Groups. Organizing the groups has languished without leadership, but it is still a priority goal for the party. Keenen Altic in Winston-Salem has begun with a Labor Survey of Green supporters, gauging the issues of most importance to those responding. No surprise so far that workers are deeply concerned about levels of pay, scheduling issues, and working conditions. Surveying continues, as plans are put into place to solidify the groups and ways members could be most effective.

   Workers aren't benefitting from record corporate profits
Meanwhile, let’s update ourselves on the numbers. For North Carolina, economists at MIT estimated that a living wage for one adult with no children cannot be less than $17.14 an hour. For the average household with a couple of kids, the living wage estimated by those economists jumps to $23.81 an hour, per parent. And, it is now estimated that the living wage for an adult with a child in the Raleigh area is now $38.50 an hour. We know that Living Wage = Just Kinda Getting By.

Shout Out to UE 150, the NC Public Service Workers Union, who issued a strong statement when President Biden visited Raleigh on January 18th. “We challenge Biden to speak up in favor of raising wages and in favor of collective bargaining for public sector workers. North Carolina workers alone send over $91 million every year to fund Israel’s military….” We couldn’t agree more.

A tentative breakthrough for Starbucks Workers United when in mid-February, Starbucks, who it is estimated has spent a quarter-billion dollars on union-busting activities, agreed to “begin discussions on a foundational framework to achieve collective bargaining agreements, resolve litigation, and a fair process for workers to organize. As a show of good faith, union workers will get the new benefits that nonunion workers have received since the organizing campaign began about three years ago, along with backpay.” Sources from The Valley Labor Report and The Starbucks Workers’ Union Has Finally Broken Through (jacobin.com).

LABOR NEWS ON OUR RADAR . . .

Labor organizing in the US has seen much progress in 2023 and 2024 so far, including: the UAW’s strikes and win at Big Three automaker plants (affecting UAW Local 2404 in Charlotte too), Starbucks organizing, and worker groups at hospitals and college campuses. Many believe worker confidence is definitely growing in some sectors, and apparently polls are showing that public support for unions is back to levels not seen in five decades. The shameful, record corporate profits during the pandemic were starkly contrasted with record job loss, stagnant pay, and evictions, among the many other ongoing struggles of the working class. The NC Green Party is happy to see this new trend, help grow it and support the solidarity work of labor anywhere we can across our state.

Shout Out to the Amazon employees organizing in the Triangle and Charlotte - Begun in 2022 by Amazon’s current and former employees at the Garner RDU1 location, this important organizing effort has gained interest at Smithfield, Durham, and two Charlotte locations. Carolina Amazonians United for Solidarity & Empowerment (CAUSE) is “a worker-led movement defending workers’ rights and organizing to battle the corruption and exploitation of Amazon. [It seeks] to form a union to represent all Amazon workers, starting right here in North Carolina.” Their demands include higher pay ($30/hr for Tier 1), paid sick leave, and 1-hour paid lunch break, in addition to safer and better working conditions. For now, CAUSE is focused on building support toward an election. Amazon’s reported net income in 2023 was $30.4 billion. More at Home - Carolina Amazonians United for Solidarity & Empowerment (amazoncause.com).

UAW members at Daimler Truck North America face contract expiration on April 26th - The workers are looking for solutions to lower pay and deteriorating benefits, and many believe this may be another historic contract fight. Daimler’s largest plant with 2,000 workers building Freightliner Trucks is in Cleveland Truck Manufacturing (Rowan County), but three other plants will also be affected: Gastonia Components & Logistics, Thomas Built Buses Manufacturing Plant in High Point, and the Mt. Holly Truck Manufacturing Plant also building Freightliner Trucks.

ENVIRONMENTAL UPDATES

The Mountain Valley Pipeline pulled back a bit when in late December, developers announced that its Southgate extension would be cut in half, really only meaning that the MVP will extend 31 miles into North Carolina instead of 70 miles. Alamance County would be spared to “reduce the environmental harm and number of water crossings.” Read more about this pipeline project that won’t die here: Statement by Appalachian Voices on MVP revamp of Southgate plans > Appalachian Voices (appvoices.org).
 Ecosocialism is about growing solutions, not corporate profits  

Duke updates its energy plans to increase the risky burning of methane gas – Despite its touted transition away from coal, Duke is still heavily investing in the use of fossil fuels. NC has seen the use of natural gas go from 2% to 44.6% in the last twenty years. See more interesting stats at Greenhouse Gas Inventory | NC DEQ and note that Transportation and Electricity sectors are the biggest contributors, no surprise there. News: Duke's Updated Energy Plan Doubles Down on Gas | Sierra Club

PFAS Dumping in the Northeast Cape Fear River and elsewhere – The NC Dept of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has been aware for decades of the problem of manufacturers in NC discharging PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) into our waterways. The public took little notice until 2018 when discharges from the Chemours facility in Fayetteville were found to have contaminated the Cape Fear River, drinking water source for thousands. A year later, DEQ granted a discharge permit to the Lear Corp manufacturing facility in the Lower Basin. That permit was up for renewal this year, and involvement by the EPA extended time for their permit review and for public comments until May 6. Read more here: EPA steps in on Lear Corp. permit; DEQ adds time for input | Coastal Review. Public comments may be emailed with the subject line “Lear Corp.” to [email protected].

Shout Out to the Raging Grannies’ protest in Raleigh against Enviva
Enviva declares bankruptcy, operates four wood pellet plants in NC • NC Newsline

Gov. Cooper’s Executive Order 305 - A plan to conserve and protect millions of acres of NC forests and wetlands through 2040 has an uncertain future. This came after the US Supreme Court’s rollback of federal protections for wetlands and the Republican majority in our General Assembly removing some state wetland protections in the latest NC Farm Bill. As always, it will be important to monitor state legislation that impacts our environment, and Greens are among many organizations that do so.

    WHY I’M A GREEN – by Michael Dublin
 Michael is running for US House of Representatives, District 2

Growing up in North Carolina I was like most African-Americans, a Democrat. My grandmother made sure we were involved and knowledgeable about politics. I have been involved in social justice issues and environmental issues since my youth. I learned how our government worked and was shocked and dismayed when I learned everyone in our country did not have healthcare! How could we be so uncaring? I saw the impact of war on my family as my uncle returned and told me about the murder and rape of Vietnam. Why were we there? Fighting for democracy? As I grew older I thought clearly the Democrats would eventually lead us out of this miserable condition. I was so naive.

I was at a march and rally in Raleigh in the 1990's as we were protesting a police shooting in Raleigh. I remember a speaker saying there was no real difference between the Republicans and the Democrats. I was befuddled, yet I started to pay closer attention to platforms and what politicians were saying, and more importantly, what they were NOT saying! I continued to be involved in the struggle for social justice and a sustainable environment. I did what I could to stay active in supporting organizations financially and being a "boot on the ground" and using my voice as a "trumpet call" for change. Over time, I became very dismayed, continuing to see our country become more corrupt and war-mongering. CEOs were raking in insane amounts of lucre while the workers continued to scrape by. I was scraping by just to take care of my family! CEOs were buying islands to party on while laying off workers by the thousands at their companies to boost their bottom lines. Disgusting! People, including children, were dying because they didn't have the right insurance or any at all. Shamefully infuriating! I started to think nothing could be done unless we had another French Revolution! Bring back, "The People's Avenger!"

Then there was "A Change We Can Believe In" and "Yes We Can." Could this represent a turning point for real, lasting change? After so much disappointment I was cautiously optimistic. Maybe we could get "Real" healthcare. Maybe the super-rich would pay their fair share of taxes and the working class would get better, fairer wages. Perhaps the war machine would grind to a halt. None of those ideas ever materialized. In fact, we continued to bomb, bomb, bomb at an increasing rate. Our country rained more death and destruction on poor, defenseless, marginalized peoples around the world. I left the Democrats for good. The "Squad" piqued my interest for a moment, but after much fanfare, they too went down without much of a fight. 

Yet, I cannot quit believing and fighting for a future for my children and grandchildren, and your children and grandchildren. That's why I am a Green! The Green Party has a long history of promoting an environmental sustainability platform – so have I. The Green Party is a strong advocate for single-payer healthcare for all – so am I. The Green Party wants to end the war machine and stop supporting apartheid, colonialism and murderous oppressors – so do I! The Green Party really supports workers who deserve a livable wage – I concur. When I started looking for a political homeland after so many years adrift due to disappointment and disillusion, I found a home in the Green Party! True principles. Not driven by greed or a thirst for power. It's our beautifully, righteous mission. It's not easy, but it's necessary.

A FEW BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
Observe BDS by avoiding orders for books (or anything else) from “the big river” of Amazon, where profits flow into the pockets of billionaire/space cowboy Jeff Bezos. Order books directly from the publishers when possible -- or you might ask your local library to obtain specific books for their collection. 

Socialism...Seriously: A Brief Guide to Surviving the 21st Century by Danny Katch
Socialism . . . Seriously | HaymarketBooks.org
Class Struggle Unionism by Joe Burns
Class Struggle Unionism | HaymarketBooks.org
The End of Policing by Alex S. Vitale
The End of Policing | Verso Books
Ecosocialism: A Radical Alternative to Capitalist Catastrophe by Michael Löwy
Ecosocialism | HaymarketBooks.org
Solidarity with Palestine: Free Resources and Further Reading
Solidarity with Palestine: Free Resources and Further Reading | Verso Books

ROOTS, QUOTES & INSPIRATION 

       MARTIN LUTHER KING JR WAS A SOCIALIST      

April 4, 1967 – we remember the date of King’s controversial and soul-shaking “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence” speech given a year before his assassination. That day 3,000 heard him at the NYC Riverside Church first speak out publicly against that awful American war, putting him at odds with political leaders, most of white America, and even some in the Civil Rights Movement. King evolved in his thinking and worldview over his all-too-short lifetime, just as Malcolm X had, just as most of us do as we are shaped by lived experiences and critical events. This seems an appropriate time to go “beyond birthdays” and read (or re-read) the moral reckoning King passionately explains was necessary for him and his country, mired at that time in the madness of war and violence against fellow man. (1967) Martin Luther King, Jr., “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence” • (blackpast.org)

REST IN PEACE, AARON BUSHNELL

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