Hello Fellow Greens,
Don’t miss our
upcoming Green Party-sponsored events, such as our Progressive Inauguration on
Saturday, and a free film screening and panel discussion on
January 26, co-hosted by the Transportation Working Group and the Energy Working
Group.
In this update:
MAJOR PUSH THIS WEEK
TO GET RESOURCES FOR THIS YEAR'S PRIORITIES:
The Green Party's electoral
victories this November prove that voters back the progressive, third-party
values our party stands for. Our
next step is to build a well-financed organizing machine that will help our
elected representatives win our chosen campaigns. So this week (Jan 24, 25,
& 27), Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, we're gathering in the SFGP
headquarters for pizza, drinks, and phone banking to call registered voters and
former donors to raise $10,000 for grassroots Green Party organizing! Please join us! RSVP to dave@livablecity.org, so that he
knows how much snack food to get.
NEWS:
Recently
re-elected school board member and Green Party member Mark Sanchez wrote an
editorial that was published in the San Francisco Chronicle last week.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2005/01/12/EDGSGAOK581.DTL
Freshman Supervisor and Green Party member Ross Mirkarimi is hosting a
forum in February to explore the establishment of a Community Congress.
Read more at http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/news.htm.
Thanks goes out to
Ross Mirkarimi and Mark Sanchez, who both joined us to discuss local issues
earlier this week at our General Meeting.
The coalition opposing
the widening of
http://www.sunsetbeacon.com/archives/richmondreview/2005editions/Jan05/garageentrance2.html
http://www.sfprogressive.com/
http://www.beyondchron.org/
http://www.examiner.com/article/index.cfm/i/011905n_parkroad
Steve Hill co-wrote an
editorial for the Sacramento Bee: “Consider Alternative Systems of
Voting”.
http://www.sacbee.com/content/opinion/v-print/story/11984429p-12859776c.html
Former Green Party
congressional candidate Pat Driscoll confirmed that he will run for the now
vacant 5th Congressional District seat formerly held by longtime Representative
Robert Matsui. The special election
will be held in March, when Driscoll will face front-runner Doris Matsui. Driscoll, 52, a Vietnam-era veteran and
California Senator Barbara Boxer just scored more points with
progressives by grilling Condoleezza Rice about Bush Administration policies.
Boxer pointed out just a few of the blatant contradictions in Rice's
statements over the years about
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-01-18-rice-hearing_x.htm
Medea Benjamin and a
few other Code Pink activists were dragged out of the Inauguration Ceremony in
http://www.commondreams.org/news2005/0120-06.htm
EVENTS:
Friday, January 21
Come to a counter-inaugural night of political comedy upstairs at The Marsh
Theater in
Saturday, January 22
Defend Women's
Health and Rights!
January 22nd is the 32nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the
landmark Supreme Court decision that established the constitutional right to
reproductive freedom. On the same day, anti-choice organizers will be marching
in
10 AM - Rally at Powell and Market
Streets, San Francisco
11 AM - March to the Embarcadero
http://www.indybay.org/womyn/
To see learn more about what the
anti-choice organizers are planning, visit http://www.walkforlifewc.com.
Saturday, January 22
Join us for a San Francisco Green Party
sponsored “Progressive Inauguration”, featuring a panel discussion "Invigorating
the Progressive Movement in 2005 and Beyond". Speakers include Supervisors Ross
Mirkarimi, Chris Daly, Jake McGoldrick, School Board members Eric Mar and Mark
Sanchez, as well as Green Party local candidates Lisa Feldstein, Terry Baum, and
Renee Saucedo. Light refreshments will be served. Cost is $5-25, sliding scale.
No one will be turned away for lack of funds. This event is being held at the
Canvas Gallery, located at
Sunday, January 23
The coalition opposing
the widening of
Monday, January 24,
25, and 27
Don’t forget phone
banking for sustainers at the SFGP office.
See announcement at the top of this newsletter for
details.
Tuesday, January
25
Please attend the Environmental Commission hearing at 5 PM in Room 416 of
City Hall for a discussion of a resolution recommending the regulation of
plastic bags in
The Environmental Commission
The Department of the
Environment
11 Grove Street
San Francisco, Ca. 94102
OR:
environment@sfgov.org
The commissioners are: Nia Crowder, Paul Pelosi,
Jr., Christina Desser, Angelo King, Alan Mok, Arlene Rodriguez, and Johanna
Wald.
**Note: The SFGP has not taken any formal position on this, but we
have been discussing approving the regulation of plastic bags via e-mail.
2) Please contact the members of the Board of Supervisors and briefly
tell them you oppose the widening of
For contact information for the
supervisors, visit http://www.ci.sf.ca.us/site/bdsupvrs_index.asp
Wednesday, January 26
Join us for a free screening of the DVD "The
End of Suburbia," followed by a panel discussion with Peter Camejo; Amber Crabbe
of Transportation and Land-Use Coalition; Richard Heinberg, professor of ecology
at New College Santa Rosa and the author of "The Party's Over," and "Powerdown";
Ross Mirkarimi, District Five Supervisor and long-time advocate for public
power; and Kate White, San Francisco Housing Action Coalition and co-founder of
City CarShare; moderated by Dave Room of the Post-Carbon Institute. Doors open at 6:30 PM, event starts at 7
and will be over by 10 PM. Location
is the Off-Market Theater at
Friday, January 28
There is a critical hearing on the case of Sheila DeToy, a 17-year-old girl
who was shot to death in 1998 by Gregory Breslin, a San Francisco Police
Officer. If the cops get their way, the Superior Court will dismiss the
cast against Breslin. The hearing is scheduled for 9:30 AM in Superior
Court at the Civic Center Courthouse, located at
For more information call Bay Area Police Watch
at 510-428-3939.
Friday, January 28
Pacific Environment & KPFA
Free Speech Radio present, An Evening with David Suzuki "The Economy or the
Environment: A False Dichotomy". This event, supported by Cody's Books,
Ecology Center, Earth Island Institute & Global Exchange, will be held in
the theater at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, located at
http://www.kpfa.org
http://www.pacificenvironment.org
GPCA MEDIA COMMITTEE
OPPORTUNITIES:
- Be a voting member of the newly established GPCA Media
Committee.
- Be a liaison between your local and the state Media Committee.
Media Committee Election
The Green Party of California Media Committee
invites members of the GPCA to become active voting members of the Media
Committee. There are currently 5 open slots for voting members.
To be
considered, candidates must e-mail their name, county, and 2 - 4 paragraphs
expressing their interest and detailing any media experience they may have.
Email submissions to eriaksf@aol.com with "GPCA Media Committee Member" in the
subject line, by 12 noon, Tuesday, February 1, 2005.
Voting members will be
elected by conference call on Thursday, February 10, 2005. Candidates with a
history of participation in the GPCA Media Committee will be given priority, but
prior participation is not required.
Folks who have participated in at least
2 Media Committee conference calls and/or Media Committee plenary meetings are
eligible to vote. Eligible voting members will be notified by phone or email by
Media Co-Coordinator Erika McDonald. A voting member must be present on the
conference call to vote (no proxy voting).
Results of the election will be
announced to the GPCA Coordinating Committee and affirmed according to GPCA
by-laws.
Media Liason Opportunity
All GPCA members are invited to
become active in the Media Committee as local media liaisons. Individuals who
are active in their local, county, and/or regional Green Party are welcome to
participate.
The media liaisons will be permitted on the Media Committee
conference calls and list serve, and shall maintain contact with the Media
Committee Co-Coordinators and Press Secretary regarding the development of news
releases pertaining to local Green Party activities. The open invitation to
local media liaisons is ongoing.
Direct comments, submissions, questions
and/or clarifications to the Media Co-coordinators:
Erika McDonald
erikasf@aol.com 415-337-1499
Tom Bolema highdesertgreens@verizon.net
661-943-0676
Warm Regards,
Erika McDonald
To have an item
included in this newsletter, send email to erikasf@aol.com. No attachments
please.