SF GREEN PARTY WEEKLY 3/21/07-3/27/07 NEWS: - Pelosi's Disastrous Misstep on Iran http://tinyurl.com/2h5g9j - San Francisco Resolution Calls On Congress To Secure Immediate Withdrawal Of U.S. Troops From Iraq http://tinyurl.com/2z8vtc EVENTS: This week: - 3/21: Press Conference at Camp Pelosi - De-Fund the War Now and Bring the Troops Home - 3/21: SFGP General Meeting - 3/21-22: Last 2 days to see Ralph Nader Documentary at Opera Plaza - 3/22: Sustainability (formerly Energy) Working Group - 4/22: Celebrate Earth Day at Green Apple Music and Arts Festival ANNOUNCEMENTS & ACTION ALERTS: - Protestors Needed at Camp Pelosi Until Congress Decides War Funding! - Green Activists Needed for Campaign Demanding that Congress Bring Troops Home - URGENT: Help Get Conscientious Objector Agustin Aguayo Out of Jail! See www.aguayodefense.org for details. For details on how to write to Agustin, and donate to his legal defense fund, see Helga Aguayo's letter below IN EVERY ISSUE: - Nancy Pelosi Watch, newly designed by Micheas Herman! (www.pelosiwatch.us) - Gavin Newsom Watch (http://tinyurl.com/23v3gp) - Car-Free Talk with Green Party Activist Sue Vaughan - Discuss Instant Runoff Voting in Green Party Activist Jim Dorenkott's Blog (http://tinyurl.com/y2j2gs) - Take Action! - Earn A Living Making San Francisco A More Green and Progressive City! - Support the San Francisco Green Party by Becoming a Sustainer JOKE OF THE WEEK: - Introducing...the Apple iRack (http://tinyurl.com/3ymdls) ************************************************************ EVENTS: 3/21: Press Conference at Camp Pelosi - De-Fund the War Now and Bring the Troops Home WHEN: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 TIME: 12:00 noon WHERE: Federal Building, 450 Golden Gate Ave, San Francisco CONTACT: Vicki Leidner CODEPINK WOMEN FOR PEACE 415-290-0722 vleidner@rcn.com http://www.bayareacodepink.org 2008 is too late; we say NOW. $120+ billion more is not chicken feed. And thousands of lives will not be forgotten. The voters sent a mandate in the November election. Congress is now responsible to end the war and if they pay for it, they own it. It is no longer only Bush’s war. The people have spoken. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed the resolution to De- Fund the War and Bring the Troops Home Now. They have heard the voice of the people. Supervisors Daly, Ammiano and Mirkarimi will be at the Federal Building with community representatives including Janet Weil, CODEPINK; Bill Simpich, Declaration of Peace; Susan King, spokesperson for the California Green Party; Robert Haaland, DCCC; John Avalos, the San Francisco Peoples Organization; Krissy Keefer, former congressional candidate; Commissioner Jazzie Collins, and others. Supervisor Daly reminds us “over $1.37 billion of San Francisco’s hard-earned tax dollars have been spent on this war.” Join us on the day before the House of Representatives, the people’s house, votes on the supplemental appropriations bill and say “No More Funding, No More War, Bring Our Troops Home Now.” To be followed by Occupation Project, teach-in at the office of Speaker Pelosi. --------- 3/21: SFGP General Meeting WHEN: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 7:30PM - 9:30PM WHERE: San Francisco Green Party office, 1028 A Howard St (between 6th St. and 7th St.), San Francisco 94103 DETAILS: This is the monthly meeting for all San Francisco Greens. The agenda is set the week before by the county council, but may be changed at the beginning of each meeting by the active members. New members are welcome! Agenda: Facilitators: Jim and Jazzie Notetaker: JMC Timekeeper: 1) Intro/consensus process/accreditation - 5 2) Sonoma updates (JMC, Jim) - 10 3) GPCA plenary update, call for volunteers (Susan) - 10 4) choose GPCA delegates (JMC) - 5 5) Proposal: recall GPCA CC rep/alt (JMC) - 2 6) Elect GPCA CC rep/alt (if the latter passes) (JMC) - 3 7) Presentation on environmental justice (Marie Harrison) or on immigration (Renee Saucedo) - 30 8) Presentation on volunteer corps (Dwayne Hunt) - 10 9) 2nd reading of Locals/Caucus bylaws (JMC) - 10 10) WG updates - 10 11) Announcements - 10 --------- 3/21-22: Last 2 days to see Ralph Nader Documentary at Opera Plaza WHEN: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 Thursday, March 22, 2007 (1:30 4:10) 8:30 WHERE: Opera Plaza Cinema 601 Van Ness Avenue San Francisco, CA 94102 (415) 267-4893 INFORMATION: Official website: http://www.anunreasonableman.com/ Mick LaSalle's San Francisco Chronicle review: http://tinyurl.com/yolt7z DETAILS: The undisputed leader of the modern Consumer Movement, Ralph Nader built a legislative record that rivals any contemporary president, all without ever holding public office. Many things we take for granted—seat belts, airbags, product labeling, no nukes, even the free ticket you get after being bumped from an overbooked flight—are largely due to the efforts of Nader and his citizen groups. Yet today, when most people hear his name, they think of the man who cost the Democrats the Presidential election. Directors Henriette Mantel and Steve Skrovan trace the life and career of one of the most unique, important and controversial political figures of our time. --------- 3/22: Sustainability (formerly Energy) Working Group WHEN: Thursday, March 22 7:30PM WHERE: San Francisco Green Party office, 1028 A Howard St (between 6th St. and 7th St.), San Francisco 94103 DETAILS: Among topics of discussion will be an upcoming seminar on halting the mad rush to biofuels, a new update on the Community Choice Renewable Energy project, discussion of recent deceptive PG&E/Mayor Newsom solar energy promises and more..." --------- 4/22: Celebrate Earth Day at Green Apple Music and Arts Festival WHEN: Sunday, April 22 10:00AM-4:30PM WHERE: Golden Gate Park, San Francisco CONTACT: Call Sue at (415) 668-3119 if you want to help table DETAILS: Celebrate Earth Day with a day of tabling in Golden Gate Park. Promoters are expecting 30,000 people. ============================== ANNOUNCEMENTS & ACTION ALERTS: Protestors Needed at Camp Pelosi Until Congress Decides War Funding! San Francisco CODE*PINK* has been camped outside of Cong. Nancy Pelosi's house since this weekend, when we created "Camp Pelosi" (see ABC news article about Camp Pelosi http://tinyurl.com/2aj9b5) to encourage the Speaker to be a leader and stop funding Bush's war. We hope to keep this vigil going until the vote on the war funds sometime next week. Right now the small group needs your support, people to relieve them for an hour break, people to bring food (wine and cheese appreciated!), umbrellas for shade, more people to stay overnight, music and encouragement. The vigil is at Pelosi's house at 2640 Broadway (between Scott & Divisadero) in San Francisco. Call (415) 260-1120 to reach activists Leslie and Toby at the camp. *Help us keep Camp Pelosi going day and night until Congress votes on the funding! Join us for an hour or a night! --------- Green Activists Needed for Campaign Demanding that Congress Bring Troops Home On Monday, February 5, 2007, a national campaign began to occupy congressional offices asking them to vote for bills which pull the troops out immediately, and cut the funding for the occupation of Iraq. The Green Party seeks volunteers to establish a Green Party presence in this campaign, and participate in it. Our voices especially need to be heard by Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, since she is speaker of the house and thus in a position of big influence. If you want to make a stronger statement than just emails, get involved! Please contact Jim Dorenkott at jimdorenkott2@yahoo.com if you'd like to find out how. --------- URGENT: Help Get Conscientious Objector Agustin Aguayo Out of Jail! See letter from Helga Aguayo: Dear Friends, Some important dates for us: January 13th, 2007 was Augie’s, original ETS (end term of service) date. But instead he was stop-lossed ( "STOP LOSS" means preventing a soldier leaving the military, even though the required term of service is completed). December 17th was Augie's 35th birthday, spent of course in military prison. THANK YOU to everyone who sent him a card. On December 12th, Augie had his Article 32 hearing (a formal military hearing that determines if there is enough evidence to conduct a court martial, similar to a grand jury investigation). His arraignment is currently scheduled for January 22nd; according to Dave Court, our new lawyer in Germany, this is "merely to establish dates for trial, motions, exchange of witness lists, etc." Nothing substantive will occur. Augie will be formally charged with desertion and missing movement in a General Court Martial set to occur in late February or March. A General Court-Martial is the most serious criminal proceeding that can be brought against a member of the military. A conviction by this Court is considered a federal felony and creates a criminal record for life. FOR WHAT?! Not wanting to kill, not wanting to contribute to the missions that kill, for being against war! I feel SO SAD! Meanwhile our case in civilian court is still pending. On November 21st, 2006 the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals heard Augie’s petition. The ruling can take between 6 weeks to 6 months. There is still hope that he might get exonerated! Please keep Augie in your prayers. Should the court martial go ahead, I wish to testify. I want the court to realize that his family mourns Augie's absence every second of every day. I hope the courtroom will be filled with supporters so the Army will know the world is watching. For those of you based in Europe, please consider attending if you can! Whatever happens, I will carry your strength, support, and solidarity with me in my heart. Our voices will unite. WE WILL BE HEARD! Here in L.A., our twin daughters, Raquel and Rebecca have seen better days. They are struggling in school and may not pass 6th grade. Last year at the U.S. base school in Germany, the girls were on the honor role! The turmoil has been hard on them. I tell them every day, “this will pass”. Money issues -- I just sent our German-based lawyer, David Court, the next installment on his fees: 1000 €. I had to borrow some of it. The next installment of 2000€ is due two weeks before the court- martial. Tax deductible donations to the Legal Defense Fund can be made via <www.couragetoresist.org>. More direct donations (without a tax deduction) can be made via <www.aguayodefense.org>. I need funds to travel to Germany for the court martial too. Right now I am fund-raising with Courage to Resist and Iraq Veteran's Against the War. I hope to see results soon. I continue to do interviews with various news organizations, including one today for National Public Radio. I think it went well. Next week I start speaking at California high schools about the OTHER SIDE of enlisting in the military. It's called "counter- recruitment". As far as I understand, California is the only state that MANDATES high school seniors hear both sides of military recruitment. This is a project that is dear to my heart! Los Angeles is the Number ONE recruitment city of high school seniors. I want to work to change that. Meanwhile I attend rallies to publicize Augie's situation. Many of Augie's family members take part. Some good news: I have struggled to keep up the website: <www.aguayodefense.org>. Now a PROFESSIONAL web designer has volunteered to take over. Hurrah! Improvements should be visible soon. I THANK YOU all for working so hard and diligently to support Augie and the family! With all my love, Helga P. Aguayo 36838 57th Street East Palmdale, CA 93552 USA To write to Agustin: SPC Agustín Aguayo Unit 29723 Box LL APO, AE 09028-3810 USA --------- Car-Free Talk with Green Party Activist Sue Vaughan Keep an eye out for "Car-Free Talk" on San Francisco's public access tv station, Channel 29. In the next show, David Fridley, staff scientist at Lawrence Berkeley and member of San Francisco Oil Awareness, discusses the myth of biofuels. Date and time to be announced. ============================== IN EVERY ISSUE: Take Action! Find out about opportunities to help our elected Greens (writing letters, attending hearings, etc) -- subscribe to the SF Green Party Action list! The Action list is a low-traffic list (approximately one message per week in addition to our newsletter) telling you what you can do to help: https://list.sfgreens.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/ action --------- Earn A Living Making San Francisco A More Green and Progressive City! Three years ago, former organizers for the Matt Gonzalez for Mayor campaign decided it was time to stop getting 'close but not close enough' to progressive victories like public power and Matt as Mayor, and to begin a city wide, year round, grassroots campaign that would start helping us win such victories! So in January 2004, the organization Our City was born. Since then we have helped to: - Pass the ban on old polluting diesel buses - Pass Matt Gonzalez's anti chain store law - Get the downtown hotel workers back on the job, and - Get the Police and Planning Commissions put back on SF Government TV after the City tried to pull them off. Now we are campaigning to end PG&E's monopoly and run the City on renewable energy like solar and wind power, and to stop corporations from taking private monopoly control of the new public internet and cable system being built for San Francisco. We have just begun hiring and training new grassroots organizers to help us win these campaigns. No experience necessary. Earn $280 to $400 each four day work week learning to be a strong progressive organizer. To apply, call Eric at 415-756-8844 from noon to 2pm any weekday, or send an email to jobs@our-city.org For more information, see our web site at http://our-city.org --------- Support the San Francisco Green Party by Becoming a Sustainer The San Francisco Green Party needs donations for rent on the office, mailings, signs, and many other expenditures in order to wage effective political campaigns. We are especially interested in building up our base of "sustaining members," those who agree to contribute a certain amount each month by credit card. By becoming a sustaining member you save us money and time that we can then devote to our political work. It is a method of donation that is perfect for a grassroots organization like the Green Party as it allows us to thrive off of many, many small and medium size donations instead of depending on a few large donors. For more information, please visit the MAKE A DONATION page on the website at http://www.sfgreenparty.org/makeadonation/makeadonation.html For questions about the sustaining member program contact treasurer@sfgreens.org To make a one-time donation by mail please send a check made out to The San Francisco Green Party to: San Francisco Green Party 1028A Howard St. San Francisco, CA 94103 ************************************************************ For more info on our activities, please see our website, http://www.sfgreenparty.org. You can also email us questions at info@sfgreens.org. To send us news items (short blurb please, plain text only) for possible inclusion in the newsletter, email news@sfgreens.org. Please don't put these addresses on mailing lists; messages not specifically addressed to us won't go through.