NORTH CAROLINA GREEN PARTY
OPPOSING IMPERIALISM AND THE NECESSITY OF COLLECTIVE RESISTANCE
Besides continuing havoc around the world, the lesser/greater evil occupying the White House (whichever party of War and Wall Street it’s been) has been revealed to be enabling or complicit in an outright genocide of Palestinians, prolonged more starkly over nine months and counting now. Yet, the realities of ongoing horrific death and destruction seem only to be background noise for the insane strategic planners of the Biden (or Trump) State Department and the Pentagon. The political and financial elites live in a world of their own. Settle down, protesters, the booming you hear is the stock market! They continue to finance the re-occupation of Gaza and the elimination (aka bombing, slaughtering, starving, arresting) of all resistance. Another deranged plan unfolds to give Americans another Mission Accomplished – that is, for the weapons makers, war profiteers, and their lackeys in government. A billionaire class orchestrates America’s unquestionable commitment to the deranged of Israel. We are not fooled by the propaganda they spin, but we who resist are left with few places to say the words genocide, apartheid or ceasefire without fear of arrest or the loss of a job or diploma. The corporate media, owned by the billionaire class, suppress and ignore the illegalities, the mass killings and mass graves, the dead and maimed children, the suffering of millions. But hey, America, don’t worry about the wars – we’ve got this handled! And the coming elections are way too important to be fretting about these pesky foreign details! Protesters? Why, they’re simply antisemitic, terrorist supporters and just plain un-American!
The Green Party sees their rhetoric and politics for what it is in the end – a false and dangerous veneer hiding policies of brutal and hegemonic Western imperialism. Their level of immorality sickens us. Their greed angers us, as we are buried under debts here and while others in Gaza remain buried under rubble. Their changeable Red Lines insult us, and so activists formed their own on June 8th around the White House (below). Biden, away doing D-Day photo-ops in France, manages to say "We will not forget..." but may not actually remember how many wars he is currently waging and escalating.
We find it appalling that this elite class believes it can keep feeding us the same outrageous lies to cover their obvious and ruthless intentions to accumulate unaccountable power and more vast sums of personal wealth in the name of security and democracy. We’ve learned that they actually have no answers – for our issues or for our rage, except to crush it. Elite goals are not about sustaining life across the planet or for the well-being of this country, as the costs of their perpetual wars are paid for dearly at home. The Home of the Brave, where racial and income inequality is worse than ever, jails are full, policing more militarized, and millions are left to survive homeless or at the edge. The Land of the Free, where wages never keep up with living costs, where getting an education or healthcare becomes a luxury, where student and medical debt is worse than ever, where freedoms and constitutional protections are sacrificed. America the Beautiful, where our land and resources have become but commodities for traders and equity funds for the selling, with pollution and environmental degradation not much more than the cost of doing their business.
O say, can you see? We Greens see a situation that is clearly a failure of neoliberal politics and finance capitalism. We see fear, poverty, and war-lust pervading our country in what some call “end-stage empire”. But, if these madmen don’t manage to set off nuclear annihilation, what future awaits us? Greens will hold fast to a way forward called Ecosocialism. We have learned from history and experience – we must keep speaking and moving ourselves together to uncomfortable places, though not all will follow. Rosa Luxemburg reminds, “Those who do not move, do not notice their chains.” We will be patriotic in a way that doesn’t require us to be isolated and hated by other nations. We will remain brave and in the streets, knowing that we’re part of a resistance that is actually quite large and growing. We will struggle to remain free of the corporate shackles dominating our media and governance. We will create pressure by our very existence, voting in Green candidates as we can, knowing that all of these things can only be done best by a collective resistance. Long may it wave.
Please continue reading for more quarterly news on our activities and updates on Politics, Labor, and the Environment. Featured toward the end is a bit of inspiration from an historical legend of the Green Party.
More than a footnote, explore the reality of our War Machine across the world – this tremendous work created by our friends at World Beyond War is a current, interactive globe that maps the extent of US global imperialism (now at 932 bases and installations which Congress funds for your “national security”): USA's Military Empire: A Visual Database - yWorld BEYOND War.
To thousands of you who still remain Unaffiliated or a Democrat
In case you believe that this will give you more options at the ballot box, it will not make a difference for the November 2024 General Election. Please understand …
- That if enough NC voters would REGISTER AS GREENS, we could stop the endless cycles of tiring, costly petitioning campaigns and lawsuits! Please double-check your party affiliation status if you haven't done so since 2020.
- That the NC Green Party must hold its ballot access to have time to develop and run the local/statewide candidates people keep asking us for!
- That Green Party registration itself lets us and others know the strength of our resistance, the support for our candidates and policy changes!
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11 – NC VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE
Here are the two ways someone may register to vote OR change party affiliation:
1. In-person at your local DMV office OR use the DMV Online application
2. Mail in the application available from NC State Board of Elections website
You can find links to those applications here: How to Register | NCSBE
OUR ENDORSED GREEN PARTY SLATE FOR 2024
NC GOVERNOR US CONGRESS 2nd RALEIGH CITY COUNCIL
WAYNE TURNER MICHAEL DUBLIN JOSHUA BRADLEY
Please help by donating a few dollars at: www.ncgreenparty.org/2024_candidate_drive
We need funds for LOTS of campaign signs across the state in time for early voting!
COORDINATING COMMITTEE (CC) DECISIONS & ACTIONS – April through June
- Issued an April statewide Press Release announcing the US District Court ruling for the NC Green Party and fining the Democrat Party for its failed attempts to keep us off the 2022 ballot in NC. The Democrat Party lawsuits in state and federal court were found to be “without foundation” and one so “frivolous” they must now pay our legal fees. An article for the GPUS website was sent, and along with Matt Hoh’s statement for nationwide social media, this topped off a great day for the NCGP.
- CC Asst. Membership Chair Vivian Lembo set up a booth for the NCGP at the April 10 NC State Earth Fair on their campus, handing out literature, talking Green politics, and signing up quite a few new student supporters,
- Organized our April 20 Anti-Capitalist Earth Day Celebration at Anderson Point Park in Raleigh featuring Green candidates Wayne Turner and Michael Dublin along with NCEJN Director Rania Masri making connections between wars and the environment. The event included great food and a “free market” with donations going to regional area farmworkers.
- Issued an April 29 statewide Press Release condemning the violent repression of university student protests for Gaza, especially at UNC Chapel Hill, along with a statement for the NCGP Members Actions Group.
- Endorsed participation with the Durham Workers Assembly for the Durham May Day 2024 Demonstration on May 1 to unite for fairer pay, affordable housing, demands for Duke to pay their fair share of community needs, and show solidarity with Palestine.
- Staffed an NCGP outreach booth for the Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival on May 4 & 5 to talk about Greens and our candidates, hand out literature, and sign up new NCGP supporters.
- Endorsed the June 8 national call to surround the White House in DC for Gaza called “Biden, We Are Your Red Line – Stop the Genocide”. The event was organized by the ANSWER Coalition. NCGP Co-Chair/NC gubernatorial candidate Wayne Turner was there!
- Agreed to help sponsor a Sudan film screening and panel on July 20 by a Raleigh college student group who plans to raise consciousness and funds for Sudan famine relief. Sudanese American Physicians Association | SAPA USA (sapa-usa.org)
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Decision to participate with booths at the June 29 Fayetteville 2024 PrideFest and Aug 17 Charlotte Pride 2024 event.
- April to June: approved & posted social media promotions for ALL weekly marches and rallies for Palestine AND for special partnering organizations’ events, including: Climate Action NC - Earth to Raleigh; GPUS EcoAction webinar - Earth Day to May Day; Durham/Triangle workers action - May Day Rally & March; People’s Power Coalition - 3 part Political Education Series on Palestine and International Workers’ Day; Gaza Sunbirds/Jewish Voice for Peace/Mothers for Ceasefire - Ride for Palestine; IG Live Revolutionary Dialogues - What’s Happening in Sudan; Triangle No Appetite for Apartheid - tabling at Boycott Eurovision; UNC-CH Students for Justice in Palestine - Silent Vigil and Walkout Protest; Palestinian Community of the Triangle - Emergency Protest: Hands Off Rafah; Muslim Women For - Legislative Day of Action: Say No to HB942 and HB10; NC Environmental Justice Network - Teach-In: Why Environmental Justice Movements Must Stand With Palestine; the Watermelon 5K Fest supporting Palestine; and Solidarity With Humanity - Raleigh United for Gaza fundraising dinner & auction. All of these partner activities involve almost daily coordination by the CC and Media Team members with emails, posts and graphics production – as well as representing NCGP at most of these events.
- Working with the Media Team, began exploring production of an NCGP podcast to help gain more traction for the Green Party; followed the updating of media contacts and refining the press release process.
- Working with the Membership Team, held Green Party Orientation sessions via Zoom once every month, offering a slideshow and Q&A time for new/old members to learn about the party. They make sure the newest session appears on NCGP's Events page and pinned to our official Facebook site.
- More teamwork in the CC's bi-monthly meetings: organized details for and ran the NCGP Spring Gathering in May, including reaching out to the Green Presidential candidates to solicit time to present their campaign platforms at the Statewide; approved press release and website feature giving NCGP’s position on college student Gaza protests; refined NCGP engagement with the People’s Power Coalition as a collaborating political party; progressed with work for ground game strategies for the Nov 2024 elections; outlined Strategic Outreach Planning meetings set for July 20; and followed product and vendor issues for the Merch page temporarily down on the website.
REGIONAL CHAPTER UPDATES
TRIANGLE CHAPTER Connect with them here: www.facebook.com/groups/TriangleGreens/
The group is now officially approved as an accredited chapter of the NCGP. Most members are actively participating in the weekly rallies and marches for Palestine in Raleigh and sometimes Durham, and partner organizers have really come to appreciate the NC Green Party's visible show of support. Their location also allows them to offer frequent pushback at the Capitol and city councils, as well as to call out certain politicians – Democrats Ross (2nd Dist) and Nickel (13th Dist) in particular. The Triangle Chapter comes together quarterly, with its next meeting set for Saturday July 13 at 1pm in the Chapel Hill Library, 100 Library Dr., Chapel Hill.
Pictured above holding the banner in Raleigh are Ron Garcia-Fogarty (on left) with Anna Dillon Ordoubadi (on right).
NCGP's TikTok video of the day went viral! Pictured at right are Wayne Turner (our Green candidate for Governor) and Michael Dublin (our Green candidate for the US House – 2nd District (Wake County)).
Our dynamic duo is usually at ALL the Triangle rallies for Palestine, manning a table for NC Green Party outreach, garnering support for their campaigns, and speaking about war & peace, healthcare, worker rights, and the environment. Seemingly tireless, Wayne and Michael also fill their schedules with attending numerous other local events where they can bring our Green voice in solidarity or in challenge to issues and officials at odds with the interests of Peace, Planet and People.
Read more and donate if you can at our candidate’s websites:
Wayne Turner - agreenforgovernor.org
Michael Dublin - dublin4congress.org
Josh Bradley - bradleyforraleighworkers.com
TRIAD CHAPTER Connect with them here: www.facebook.com/groups/ncgptriadchapter/
A second meeting of those in the Triad region interested in revitalizing this chapter was held at the Forsyth Central Library on April 27. The group then held an outdoor meetup on June 9 at Miller Park in Winston-Salem, inviting more area Greens out to socialize and engage with planning further activities. The Triad Chapter Facebook Group was reestablished as a public group on May 19 and the numbers of members there are growing quickly! The next Triad meeting is planned for August.
Triad group began with meeting new by June, a growing, peaceful resistance
friends at the library to discuss ideas… movement met up in the forest!
Thank you to Keenen Altic and Janie Ekere for their organizing help!
CHARLOTTE AREA CHAPTER Stay tuned here: www.facebook.com/groups/charlottegreens
Above is the logo once used by the old Charlotte Area Chapter, and the NCGP misses seeing it and the many other creative things that were happening there, including actions in protest of Duke Energy rate and plant proposals. This metro area contains the largest number of registered Greens in the state at 586. Our state Green Party remains committed to help reorganize this chapter, planning for a second formative meeting in early September.
EASTERN & WESTERN CHAPTER MEETINGS COMING SOON – We're trying to confirm August dates and locations now. In the meantime, please connect on Facebook or contact Kalia Fitzgerald at [email protected]
Eastern NC Chapter www.facebook.com/groups/ncgpeasternchapter/
Western NC Discussion Group www.facebook.com/groups/1692894967613277/
WHY I’M A GREEN – by Janie Ekere (NCGP Media Team Chair)
I got connected with the Green Party through their ballot access petition in 2022. I felt frustrated with the lack of action of the Democratic Party on issues like war, climate change, reproductive rights, etc. I became a Green because I was tired of waiting on politicians to decide that the issues I care about are important. Being in the Green Party taught me the importance of real grassroots organizing and community building!
To join Janie on the Media Team, contact her through [email protected]
The team looks after our press releases, news and website, as well as our numerous social media platforms,
including X (Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Follow us and keep up with all the happenings!
The NCGP Bylaws are the detailed guidelines for the way in which we conduct ourselves and democratically manage our organization. They were last amended on May 30, 2020. Revisions are made only by a consensus vote of the membership at a formal gathering where quorum is met. A Fall 2024 Gathering is to come with an opportunity to submit change proposals for our Bylaws or Platform prior to the event.
NCGP’S SPRING 2024 GATHERING
Held on May 19 at the RUMAH space in downtown Raleigh with some attendees participating virtually, this Gathering was intended to offer its membership a time to consider any NCGP Bylaws or Platform proposals and to have the membership vote its Green Party Presidential Preference. There had been no submissions received for bylaws or platform changes, however. The membership saw a slide presentation on the state and future of the NC Green Party and heard reports from Membership and its Candidate Development & Endorsement Committees. Then added to the agenda was a difficult matter of a member/former CC officer’s removal from the party, since resolution efforts up to the time of the gathering had proven unsuccessful. That removal vote passed by majority.
On the NC Green Party Presidential Preference, the voting results of the membership were: Jill Stein: 58%; Jasmine Sherman: 25%; None of the Above: 13%; Jorge Zavala: 4%. Delegates to the national 2024 Presidential Nominating Convention will be 3 committed to Stein, 1 committed to Sherman, and 1 uncommitted. That convention will be held virtually this year from August 15-18.
LEGISLATION & POLITICS
We’re #1 – The highest military spending worldwide -- In case you missed the Green Party US article, "As Democrats and Republicans Approve More War Funding, the Green Party Offers Voters an Alternative ...H.R. 8034, 8035. and 8036, which were passed by the US House on April 20 and the Senate [April 15], provide $26 billion for Israel, $61 billion for Ukraine, and $8 billion for U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific region, primarily for military weapons and support.” Democrats and Republicans alike, ALL of NC’s US Congressional delegation voted in favor of more money to Israel (8034), and ALL of them voted for more money to Ukraine (8035) and the Indo-Pacific area [read escalation toward China] (8036) except for Charlotte’s Dan Bishop (R) (against) and Jeff Jackson (D) (who didn’t vote).
More $$ for militarism always trending – see where 2023 tax dollars went: Tax Day 2024 (nationalpriorities.org). Note that prior to those latest appropriations above, so far in 2024 the Congress has sent $17.8 billion more for Israel on top of the $250 billion provided since 1970. It’s getting harder to keep up (yes, for the rest of us), as global military spending hits new records as well.
Ceasefire deals? Nope, whichever war, we just get more gaslighting, fake peace summits, lies and damn lies. Sadly, folks in DC continue to posture toughness and champion escalation over doing real diplomacy. Great statesmen are scarce these days. We give kudos to Columbia Prof. Jeffrey Sachs for coming around in his worldview and endorsing Green nominee Stein. Greens continue to say: making peace is not weakness, it is real victory for us all.
Things begin to heat up by Spring -- especially on college campuses
The NC Legislature passes HB 942 (the SHALOM Act) on a vote of 105-4 because they want to make sure we know what “modern” antisemitism is, yet are still trying to assure us that this will not hamper free speech. That bill followed quickly upon the shutdown of campus protests and encampments at UNC-Chapel Hill April 30 (above) and UNC-Charlotte on May 7, where students called for a Ceasefire and disclosing and divesting from any ties to Israel. Many arrests have occurred and numerous college suspensions were given or are still in review, regardless of the predominance of non-violence by students. Reports of “modern antisemitism” included general fear, and possible spitting and objects thrown at UNC-CH. University administrators at both campuses are continuing to come down hard. As part of a new, absurd national trend to defund Diversity-Equity-Inclusion (DEI) programs, UNC-CH has already announced it will shift all DEI money to campus public safety. Likely that the protests will not end that easily in NC – or in Chicago in August.
Not to lose the momentum, the NC Legislature then passed HR 237 (Unmasking Mobs and Criminals) making mask-wearing to conceal identity illegal at public, protest-related events. Debate was heated, only because Republicans added in a campaign finance section allowing more out-of-state dark money in NC. Just what we need. It’s now likely to get the Governor’s veto but a legislative override.
As all that was happening, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), now 80 and Chair of the US House Committee on Education & the Workforce, held her well-publicized hearing “Calling for Accountability: Stopping Antisemitic College Chaos” to get testimony from five major universities, UCLA and Michigan included, and to start investigations into these “...hotbeds of antisemitism and hate.” (remarks here). Not to be outdone, the Biden administration then launches its “Antisemitism Awareness Campaign” out of the US Department of Education so K-12s are now also on notice. Read a great pushback here.
Keep saying it: criticizing Israel is not antisemitism
Above, Khan Yunis in southern Gaza on June 11. Photo: Eyad Baba/AFP; bombs: provided by USA
The crazy-making continues – 42 House Dems Help GOP Pass Bill Targeting ICC Officials Over Israel. Who helped? Greensboro Democrat Kathy Manning (6th), and freshman Democrats Don Davis (1st) and Cary’s Wiley Nickel (13th), all of whom have had recent junkets to Israel. All NC Republican reps (one not voting) want to protect Israeli PM Netanyahu and Defense Minister Gallant, of course, if the International Criminal Court tries to interfere “...while they are fighting for their nation’s very existence”, said US House Speaker Johnson, soon to welcome Netanyahu to speak to Congress. Outrageousness all around.
The toothless (by design) ICC and ICJ bodies still deliberate genocide and war crimes, even as more countries join the ICJ case and 93 now support the ICC case. No one explains all things Gaza better than Max Blumenthal and Ilan Pappe – listen here, especially at 1:03:30.
Back in our state, the NCGP notes HB 10 (Require Sheriffs to Cooperate with ICE) remains stalled. This Republican sponsored bill is a third attempt to force county sheriffs to hold onto those with unclear legal status until they can be picked up by Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE), after a number of urban county sheriffs were not complying. Greens joined other immigrant advocacy groups to argue that this law encourages racial profiling and discourages the undocumented from ever calling police.
They’re just dotting the i’s – even though non-citizen voting is already illegal in this country, NC Republicans want to add a November ballot question to add this prohibition as a state constitutional amendment. Greens join other organizations in calling this a complete waste of taxpayer money so that the Republicans can keep their base and others wound up about “illegal” immigrants, border security or voter fraud. Everyday politics in America, every cycle now -- we deserve so much better than this.
OTHER POLITICAL NEWS ON OUR RADAR
UHURU 3 trial to begin Sept 3rd in Florida
Unless a motion to dismiss is granted this summer, three members of the African People's Socialist Party (APSP) will be in a Tampa FL federal district court where UHURU must defend its right to free speech. Facing 10-15 years on indictment for being Russian agents and election interference, UHURU condemned US imperialism and wars, including the Ukraine proxy war, and for running its candidates on platforms of Black/African people’s liberation. Read more at www.handsoffuhuru.org.
Nuclear weapons spending still moving fast in the wrong direction
Another tail-wags-the-dog saga, the report by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICANW) shows that over $91 billion was spent globally last year, with the US leading the way spending over $51 billion influenced by lobbying and profiteers. Back in 2010, the Obama administration began a long-term plan to modernize the US nuclear weapons arsenal, and it’s been kept up under Trump and Biden. At a time when international tensions are being escalated and the Doomsday Clock is at 90 seconds to midnight, Greens must continue to keep this issue high on its list of priorities. See more at United States nuclear weapons, 2024 - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (thebulletin.org). A 2020 poll showed that 80% of millennials globally support a ban on nuclear weapons. We hope all you anti-nukers come to know your real home is with Greens.
Bits of good news seen from April-June: 'Protest Works': Trinity College Dublin Agrees to Divest From Israeli Firms and FCC Votes to Restore Net Neutrality.
LABOR NEWS
On labor struggles with the mega-corps nationally, these pieces are worth a look: NLRB Head Says Corporate Union-Busters Want to Distract Public With Legal Challenges and How Solidarity With Palestine Helped Boost Starbucks Workers United | Truthout, and Les Leopold does a nice piece on workers and the economy Opinion | It's Not the Vibes, Stupid.
However, NC Greens remain quite aware of the unionizing challenges in our “right to work” state, noting NC, SC at the bottom for union participation among workers | wcnc.com (older but relevant news video) and things are progressing slowly on the ground (if not at all in the Legislature). So far in following NC Amazon workers, we’ve seen little activity except on X. It’s understandably difficult to organize workers in companies with high turnover rates, let alone blatant intimidation of organizers.
On a related note, Greens shout out the 50 Durham educators who walked out of their school board meeting on May 20. As public employees unable to bargain collectively as a union in NC, these Durham Association of Educators members continue the fight for better school funding and employee pay. In lieu of a formal union, the DAE would at least like the board’s approval of a “meet and confer” policy. To be continued.
Update on UAW-NC members at Daimler Truck North America – Anticipating a strike over a new contract before their previous one expired in May, Daimler workers accepted a new contract on April 26 giving 7,300 NC workers a 25% raise over the next 4 years, although Daimler had seen a 44% increase in its profits last year. The UAW credits this outcome to the momentum gained after its wins at the Tennessee VW plant just a week before in April and with Big Three automakers in November. Greens hope the Southern Workers Assembly is right in believing that the South is standing up now, and we stand beside you, even if so many among union leadership continue to court Democrats.
Finally, United Steelworkers (USW) unionizing at Corning locations – Of its seven operations in NC, only the Wilmington plant has unionized so far, but read what a difference it’s made for Local 1025 there: USW Aims for Growth at Corning: Union Seeks to Follow Company Expansion in Fiber Optic, Solar Markets. Then in mid-May, 122 workers at the Corning plant in Tarboro filed for a union election. Greens are following Union4Corning and applauding the courage of all these workers to demand a fairer share for their hard work at this very profitable corporation.
CIVIL RIGHTS & HEALTHCARE
On April 29, the US 4th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the rulings of NC and WV lower courts which ruled the states’ exclusion of gender-affirming care was discriminatory under NC’s state health plan and WV’s Medicaid program. Policies still vary greatly across the 50 states. In NC, State Treasurer Dale Folwell (R) viewed the decision as “untethered to reality” since the state healthcare plan “cannot be everything to everyone” citing finite resources. Republican attorneys general and officials in both states especially want to see this case (Kadel v. Folwell) appealed to the US Supreme Court.
ENVIRONMENTAL UPDATES
First, the NC Green Party was happy to see statements by our candidate for Governor, Wayne Turner, get included in a March article In the N.C. Governor’s Race, the GOP Frontrunner Is a Climate Denier, and the Democrat Doesn’t Want to Talk About It - Inside Climate News (scroll down nearer the end). We appreciate you, Wayne, and your always spot-on insights on political matters in North Carolina.
First Amendment protections win out over NC’s attempt to silence animal welfare proponents – The 2015 so-called "Ag-Gag" law (which Republicans based on ALEC’s model Big-Ag legislation) was repeatedly found unconstitutional in federal courts, and defending it will now cost the state plenty. See NC will pay $885K in attorneys' fees after unsuccessfully defending "ag-gag" case • NC Newsline. That NC “Property Protection Act” made clear its priorities, prohibiting animal and environmental activists from “unlawful interference” (which ALEC still equates to domestic terrorism).
Multiple, serious concerns of NC residents remain unaddressed
Above is a rainfall map from when Hurricane Florence hit the state, causing 43 deaths and catastrophic damage in NC’s floodplains. It is predicted that storms of the near future will continue to intensify and become more numerous. An Interactive map of North Carolina’s 7,352 factory farms can be found here. Of greatest concern are 156 located in those same floodplains of Duplin, Wayne, Pender, Craven, and Robeson counties.
A step forward, then a huge step back, and so it goes with the MVP –see 'Shameful and Deadly Decision': FERC Gives Go-Ahead to Mountain Valley Pipeline | Common Dreams, although the article author appears not to know that the MVP extends all the way into North Carolina. Stock of the pipeline operator, Equitrans, which brags about having “a premier asset footprint in the Appalachian Basin”, is now up 32% as it now can “debottleneck” the fracked gas industry. As a small favor to those in the footpath of this dirty monstrosity, we note that Equitrans keeps a “Pipeline Safety Emergency Number” to call on their website banner. Keep it handy, folks.
More PFAS in the news – finally some EPA action, but cleanup responsibility isn’t settled yet, and numerous drinking water sources remain contaminated, affecting over 2.5 million people in our state. The Clean Cape Fear and the North Carolina Conservation Network organizations are doing good work allied with the national movement known as Safer States, whose website is invaluable. Greens love us some good science and smart legislation, but we must be aware that there are thousands of PFAS chemicals out there to be dealt with over many years to come.
Right now, our efforts can be focused on learning more, using less, and pressuring for legislation. Many states have already banned the sale and distribution of certain “forever chemicals”, especially firefighting foams which we know are also used widely by the military. As taxpayers, be aware that NC so far has spent $207,473,300 dealing with PFAS issues, testing and cleanup, and it will involve much effort to make the corporate polluters accountable and pay (one such campaign here). With the new rules limiting the amounts of PFAS allowable, we’ve got large parts of Eastern Carolina (Lenoir, Pitt, and Martin Counties, especially) in need of urgent action.
The reestablishment of an NCGP Eastern Chapter can’t come soon enough. We’ll need Greens to help follow the proposed PFAS legislation of HB 864 just introduced by two Wilmington Republicans. The devil’s in the details … and powerful business interests.
ROOTS, QUOTES & INSPIRATION
Remembering a Green legend -- John Rensenbrink (1928-2022)
Professor Emeritus, political scientist, activist & author from Maine, John co-founded the Maine Green Party in 1984 (first state Green party in the US) and was co-founder of the national Green Party that came to be the GPUS. John’s first Green meeting in Maine drew just 16 people. Today the Maine Green Independents number about 45,000, owing so much to John’s efforts and his inspiration. His role was key for the national party formation as well as the Global Greens Caucus, which is why he came to be an influential mentor to so many of us and so fondly remembered all over the world.
John was a lifelong environmental activist who also made a run in Maine for the US Senate (a race won by Susan Collins). A brief bio may be found here: John Rensenbrink - Americans Who Tell The Truth. Still a favorite of his books is Against All Odds: The Green Transformation of American Politics (1999). By 2017 in his Ecological Politics: For Survival and Democracy, John had come to believe that a transformation was no longer possible and called for a non-violent revolution to overturn the existing order, changing our worldview, working to spread it and changing political institutions to reflect it. That same year, John also finished his GPUS article “Early History of the United States Green Party: 1984-2001” which may be found here: Early History of the United States Green Party, 1984-2001 - www.gp.org – a thorough account of the visionaries, nay-sayers, and struggles to move us forward.
"Democracy is not about deciding if you support this or that person to do politics for you.
True democracy is creating policy collectively." – John Rensenbrink
BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS – this section is being moved to a new NCGP website page under Resources, where we’ll also recommend some excellent videos to watch.
OUR RIGHT TO HAVE THIRD PARTY CHOICES ON THE BALLOT -- No finer piece has been written than that of our friend and former senatorial candidate Matthew Hoh in the wake of the NC State Board of Elections' recent anti-democratic decision to deny qualification to other third parties in North Carolina. Read Matt's Substack article here. Matt and the Greens stay in the fight against the insidious Red-Blue stranglehold on our political debates and elections -- for our state and the country. It's a Land of Confusion, to be sure, but together we're far from helpless.
IN CELEBRATION AND MOURNING – At last, Julian Assange is out of prison, but the example of his 12-year persecution by the US for truth-telling has had its intended effect. Rights of Free Speech, Press Freedom, and Privacy remain under assault here … and a deadly practice for 152 journalists and media workers killed so far in Palestine since October. Despite its embattlement, the spirit of Wikileaks, demand for governmental transparency and accountability, and the courage of independent journalism shall live on.
Please share this newsletter with friends who might be interested in supporting or joining the NC Green Party. Send your comments, submission of news items or op/eds for possible inclusion in our next quarterly newsletter to: Attn Newsletter Editor via [email protected].