SF GREEN PARTY WEEKLY 4/28/06-5/4/06 NEWS: - 3/1: Congress tries to keep smaller parties down (http://www.lp.org/lpnews/article_946.shtmlbb) - 4/19: SF Green Party Statement on Senate Candiates (http://www.sfgreenparty.org/news/newsitem-start.gem?idx=1482) - 4/20:The U.S. Nuclear Bunker Buster: 3 Million will die (http://signs-of-the-times.org/signs/editorials/ signs20060420_TheUSNuclearBunkerBuster3Millionwilldie.php) - 4/22: SF Green Party Announces Endorsements; Keefer, Hermanson, and Drennen Top List of Local Candidates (http://www.sfgreenparty.org/news/newsitem-start.gem?idx=1480) - 4/24: Matt Gonzalez Quelches Rumors About a Run for Congress; Affirms Support for Krissy Keefer (http://www.sfgreenparty.org/news/newsitem-start.gem?idx=1481) - 4/25: The Puzzle of Jack Abramoff is in the System, by Green Party activist Steven Hill (http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?itemid=20694) - 4/25: Green Party Says Yes to Healthy Saturdays; Measure Expected to Pass Board of Supervisors Today (http://www.sfgreenparty.org/news/newsitem-start.gem?idx=1483) - 4/26: Oakland's 46th Homicide More Than A Statistic (http://www.sfgreenparty.org/news/newsitem-start.gem?idx=1484) EVENTS: This week: - 4/27: Open Mike Under the Poem Dome with Diamond Dave - 4/30: Come Hear Juan Melendez, Exoneree from Death Row - 4/29-30: Volunteer for Aimee Allison, Green candidate for Oakland's City Council - 4/30: Rapture Interruptus Revival in San Francisco! - 5/1: Immigrant Rally and International Workers Day - 5/2: Rally Against Lethal Injection - 5/2: Housing Land Use Working Group - 5/4: Feminist Issues Group - 5/4: Matt Gonzalez Fundraiser for Aimee Allison Next week: - 5/10: Green party county Council meeting - 5/12: SKELETON KEY: Art Auction for the West Memphis Three, with Damien Echols' Art. With Matt Gonzalez, Henry Rollins, Jello Biafra, and Others Save the date: - 5/17: Green Party General Membership Meeting - 5/15: Krissy Keefer for Congress - 5/24: Something Fun at the Green Party Forum!!! Join the medley of politics and performance ANNOUNCEMENTS & ACTION ALERTS: - Calling White Activists to Support Immigrant Justice! - Co-Chair Needed for GROW Working Group IN EVERY ISSUE: - Discuss Instant Runoff Voting in Green Party Activist Jim Dorenkott's Blog (http://www.dailykos.com/user/jim%20d) - Take Action! - Earn A Living Making San Francisco A More Green and Progressive City! - Become a Green Party Sustainer! JOKE OF THE WEEK: - The Making of BUSH: THE MUSICAL (http://bushmusical.cf.huffingtonpost.com/) ************************************************************ EVENTS: 4/27: Open Mike Under the Poem Dome with Diamond Dave WHEN: Thursday, April 27 5:30PM-8:30PM WHERE: San Francisco City Hall, 1 Carlton B Goodlett Place INFORMATION: http://www.poemdome.com DETAILS: Join Diamond Dave Whitaker, Charlie Getter, and E.K. Keith as they host the very first poetry reading at City Hall! Come read a poem, or say one of your own. Or just listen to some great poetry. The sponsors include the Mayor's office, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the San Francisco Public Library, the City Lights Bookstore, Poetry Flash, and the Beat Museum. Read your favorite poem or one of your own under the Dome! --------- 4/29-30: Volunteer for Aimee Allison, Green candidate for Oakland's City Council WHEN: Saturday, April 29 11:00AM-4:00PM WHERE: 3208 Grand Ave, Oakland, next to the Grand Lake Theater *Car free Directions to the office: Take BART to 19th St, Walk/bike to the left around the lake. Pass Fairyland, and then a few blocks of storefronts along Grand Ave till you see the Grand Lake Theater sign. Follow Grand Ave to the theater, 3208 is two doors down. RSVP: 510-277-0182 Please confirm you can join us. INFORMATION: www.aimeeallison.org DETAILS: Join Aimee Allison, candidate for Oakland City Council, on April 29-30, as we walk the neighborhoods to promote Aimee's candidacy to thousands of voters! This is a grassroots campaign effort, so we need as many volunteers as possible to get the word out about Aimee. --------- 4/30: Come Hear Juan Melendez, Exoneree from Death Row WHEN: Sunday, April 30 12:30 p.m. WHERE: Orange Coast Unitarian Universalist Church, 1259 Victoria Street, Costa Mesa, California INFORMATION: http://www.voicesunited4justice.com/index.htm DETAILS: Juan Melendez will share his inspirational story of survival on death row. As a young man, he migrated to the United States from Puerto Rico, in search of a better life, and the "American dream." Instead, he lived the American "nightmare" as an innocent man who spent almost eighteen years on Florida's death row. But through his faith, the unwavering support of his mother, and the compassion of his fellow death row inmates who taught him to speak, read and write English, he survived. Sadly, Mr. Melendez's story is far from unique. Since his release from death row on January 3, 2002, he became the 99th death row inmate in the country to be released on the basis of innocence since 1973. Ever since his release, without hatred or bitterness, he has been sharing his remarkable story with thousands of people throughout the country and abroad. Although his story highlights the many problems of the death penalty system (such as its high risk and inevitability of being imposed on innocent people, its unfairness on the basis of race and socio-economic status, and its exorbitant economic costs) it is also a multi-dimensional story that educates, energizes and inspires at multi-dimensional levels and profoundly impacts people all across the political spectrum. Don't miss this unique opportunity to meet Mr. Melendez and hear his first-hand account of survival on death row! --------- 4/30: Rapture Interruptus Revival in San Francisco! WHEN: Sunday, April 30 8:00 p.m. WHERE: Victoria Theatre, San Francisco INFORMATION: http://revbilly.com/events CONTACT: Michael O'Neil michael@revbilly.com DETAILS: Reverend Billy and The Church of Stop Shopping, performance activists from New York City showing the impact of globalization and commodification on society, human rights and the imagination, are having a revival and you are invited! The revival service includes a 5-piece band and a diverse voice choir. The fundamentalist plan – "The Rapture" – is now in progress. People are disappearing into SUV's, idling between super malls. They believe, though, with the Playstations in their dashboards, that their Ford Expeditions are climbing straight up cliffs and jumping fjords and running with wolves. That's Heaven's final ad campaign: Consumers on pixilated interstates up Mount Everest. Those of us left behind will die in the Hell and rising Floods of the over-heating planet. Children, welcome to the The Rapture Interruptus Revival - we shall hit the Rapture right where it hurts. We shall slam the Rapture into Reverse. We shall sing "Stop Shopping" between the consumer and the car – catching them in the Parking Lot Of No Return. We plan a new kind of performance art, a curving choreography designed for on-ramps. Exorcisms of Bad Traffic are now being taught in 24 hour all-night shifts at the Slow Consuming School of Divinity… --------- 5/1: Immigrant Rally and International Workers Day WHEN and WHERE: Monday, May 1 8:30am - Montgomery & Market (Montgomery BART) 11:00am - Embarcadero (Embarcadero BART) 3:00pm - San Francisco Civic Center (Civic Center BART) 5:00pm - Federal Building (450 Golden Gate) INFORMATION: maydayinthebay.dyndns.org DETAILS: El Gran Paro, San Francisco No Work, No School, No Selling, No Buying! Towards a World Without Borders, where No One is "Illegal". Come prepared with pots and spoons to bang together (CACEROLAZO), energy and creativity to drown out business in San Francisco! Wear white and look for the flags with a pot and spoon on them. We Demand: * Full, unconditional and immediate "amnesty" for all immigrants. * Free movement for all people. * Freedom for all ICE detainees and the abolition of detention centers. * De-militarization of the US-Mexico border. * The repeal of NAFTA and all neoliberal trade agreements which create economic conditions leading to the displacement of people. We Pledge: * Active resistance until we are all free to move! * Active resistance against all attacks on immigrants, deportations and detentions! We Believe: The increasing militarization along the US-Mexico border -- by now a veritable war zone -- serves as a brutal reminder that all borders operate as integral and deliberate parts of exploitative economic systems, inseparable from capitalism and neoliberal globalization. The US-Mexico border, and all other borders between nation-states and governments, are reproduced in our minds and throughout society, serving to enforce and legitimize the boundaries, disparities, and exploitative relationships between people. The demand for full amnesty and free movement of people, therefore, aims at justice for immigrants at the same time as it aspires to a world free from all such destructive divisions. --------- 5/2: Rally Against Lethal Injection WHEN: Tuesday, May 2 11:30AM WHERE: Federal Courthouse on the corner of 2nd Street near the corner of San Carlos Street in San Jose. The street address is: 280 South 1st Street - San Jose, CA 95113 DETAILS: Federal Judge Jeremy Fogel will hold a hearing on the issue of lethal injection. The Stop Executions California Coalition will be holding a press conference and rally to declare that all executions are cruel and unusual, no matter how they are carried out. If you want a ride or can give a ride, email stopexecutionscalifornia@yahoogroups.com --------- 5/2: Housing and Land Use Working Group WHEN: Tuesday, May 2 7:00PM WHERE: San Francisco Green Party office, 1028 A Howard St (between 6th St. and 7th St.), San Francisco DETAILS: This is a working group meeing to help develop a Housing and Land Use platform for the San Francisco Green Party. Join an informal meeting to discuss topics to include in the SF Green Party housing and land use platform, propose draft submisisons, and debate the relative merits of SFGP Housing and Land Use policy positions. --------- 5/4: Feminist Issues Group WHEN: Thursday, May 4 6:30PM-8:30PM WHERE: Wild Awakenings, 142 McAllister, San Francisco DETAILS: Feminist Issues Group meets the first thursday of every month. In addition to lively discussions about pertinent issues, we are planning several unique events in the coming months. Everyone welcome. --------- 5/4: Matt Gonzalez Fundraiser for Aimee Allison WHEN: Thursday, May 4 6:00PM-8:00PM WHERE: Gonzalez & Leigh, 2 Shaw Alley, 3rd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105; between 1st and 2nd Streets off Mission. (415) 512-2000 INFORMATION: www.aimeealllison.org or call (510) 277-0182 DETAILS: Join Matt Gonzalez, Whitney Leigh, Rita Hao, Nima Nami, Enrique Pearce & Bryan Vereschagin (Gonzalez & Leigh LLP) at a fundraiser for Aimee Allison, Green Party candidate for Oakland City Council at the office. We hope you can make it. --------- 5/10: Green Party County Council meeting WHEN: Wednesday, May 10 7:30PM to 9:30PM WHERE: San Francisco Green Party office, 1028 A Howard St (between 6th St. and 7th St.), San Francisco DETAILS: This is our monthly County Council meeting. We plan the General Membership agenda, review finances and make business decisions for the party. All are welcome, but the GM is more interesting for new activists to attend. --------- 5/12: SKELETON KEY: Art Auction for the West Memphis Three, with Damien Echols' Art. With Matt Gonzalez, Henry Rollins, Jello Biafra, and Others WHEN: Friday, May 12 Gallery showing: 12 Noon Reception: 6:00PM to 2:00AM WHERE: 111 Minna Gallery, 111 Minna (Between New Montgomery & 2nd Streets) , San Francisco TICKETS: Advanced tickets will be available via TicketWeb (www.ticketweb.com) You can search "111 Minna" or "Skeleton Key" for the listing of this event. ADMISSION TO RECEPTION: $15 minimum donation CONTACT: 415-974-1719 INFORMATION: http://www.skeletonkeyart.com/ DETAILS: Henry Rollins, Jello Biafra, Jonathan Richman, Matt Gonzalez, Penelope Houston and Jacob Pitts will be speaking and reading Damien Echols' poetry. Michale Graves and Jacob Pitts will be providing acoustic sets. Posters by Firehouse Kustom Rockart will be available for purchase at the reception. DJs: Justin McNeal and Marco Vega --------- 5/15: Krissy Keefer for Congress WHEN: Monday, May 15 7:00PM-9:30PM WHERE: Cafe La Boheme, 24th Street at Mission, San Francisco DETAILS: Join radical dancer and political activist Krissy Keefer, Green Party candidate for the 8th Congressional District, at La Boheme Cafe, 3318 24th Street near Mission, from 7 to 9 p.m. Krissy will be joined by singer/songwriter Holly Near, former Green Party Senate candidate Barbara Blong, Green Party Planning Commissioner Cristina Olague and more ... Contact info@krissyforcongress.com for more information. Contact Sue Vaughan at (415) 668-3119 if you are interested in helping or have talent to offer. --------- 5/17: Green Party General Membership Meeting WHEN: Wednesday, May 17 7:30PM-9:30PM WHERE: San Francisco Green Party office, 1028 A Howard St (between 6th St. and 7th St.), San Francisco DETAILS: Join radical dancer and political activist Krissy Keefer, Green Party candidate for the 8th Congressional District, at La Boheme Cafe, 3318 24th Street near Mission, from 7 to 9 This is our monthy General Membership meeting where we make decisions and discussions about the party's direction, strategies, activities and endorsemenets. All are welcome to attend. To suggest an agenda item, send it to the County Council at: cc@sfgreens.org --------- 5/24: Something Fun at the Green Party Forum!!! Join the medley of politics and performance WHEN: Wednesday, May 24 7:00PM-2:00AM WHERE: Studio Z, 314 11th Street @ Folsom, San Francisco CONTACT: (415) 252-7666 www.StudioZ.tv ADMISSION: $5 to $500 Must be 21+, with ID No one turned away for lack of funds DETAILS: Join the medley of politics and performance with: Barry Hermanson (candidate for 12th Assembly district), Forrest Hill (candidate for Secretary of State), Ross Mirkarimi (Supervisor, District 5), Mehul Thakker (candidate for state treasurer), Medea Benjamin (Global Exchange), Laura Wells (candidate for state controller), Diamond Dave Whitaker (San Francisco icon of poetry and Greenism ...), Ubidube Whitaker (Rocker and son of icon ...), Mike Wyman (candidate for state Attorney General), Go Van Gogh (Indy rock band), Garrin Benfield (Indy soloist) And more...(see http://www.sfgreenparty.org/events/events-itemfromhome.gem?idx=1521) ============================== ANNOUNCEMENTS & ACTION ALERTS: Calling White Activists to Support Immigrant Justice! In the past month, five million people, mostly immigrants of color, have mobilized for justice and are making history, flooding the streets in unprecedented numbers. Meanwhile, the most visible participation by white people is coming from the racist and right-wing leaders who are defining and dominating the debate in the Federal government and in the news, radio and opinion pages. Where are the voices of anti-racist white people in this crucial moment, when the worst anti-immigrant legislation in decades is still poised to drop? We, white people who believe in justice and ending racism, have a responsibility and a historic opportunity to stand with immigrant communities and unite behind their demands. As white people, most of us with U.S. citizenship, we call out to our white communities to take to the streets for immigrant rights.We must demonstrate that the rightwing racists, from the Minutemen to in the Congress, do not represent us! Two Bay Area-based white anti-racist organizations, Catalyst Project and the Heads Up Collective (a member organization of the Deporten a La Migra Coalition primarily composed of organizations based in working-class immigrant communities), ask you to act in solidarity with the principles generated by the Deporten a La Migra Coalition, Immigrants Fighting For Our Rights. They are: . The land is for those who work it! . No more displacement . The border is hypocritical . Unity makes us strong . Demand dignity and equality for all immigrants . In every neighborhood, organize! Full text can be found at http://www.liberationink.com/revised/navigator.php?s=2&a=deporten If you agree with all these principles, please sign the petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/mayday06/petition.htm In struggle, Catalyst Project and the Heads Up Collective immigrantjusticesolidarity@gmail.com Endorsed by: Elizabeth "Betita" Martinez, Institute for Multiracial Justice Maria Poblet, St Peters Housing Committee Eric Mar Eunice Cho Sheila Chung, Bay Area Immigrant Rights Coalition Renee Saucedo, Day Labor Program/La Raza Centro Legal Kali Akuno, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement (organizations for identification purposes only) --------- Co-Chair Needed for GROW Working Group Micheas Herman of the GROW Working Group (tabling and voter registration) is seeking a new co-chair. Contact Micheas Herman at ... or the County Council at cc@sfgreens.org for more information. ============================== 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! Two 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 get rid of PG&E's monopoly on our electricity service, and start running the City on renewable energy like solar and wind power instead! We have just begun hiring and training new grassroots campaigners to help us win this fight. 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 --------- Become a Green Party Sustainer! As you may know, the SFGP is supported by our wonderful sustaining donors -- 175 and growing. In the next 12 months we hope to double that figure, and you can help us achieve our goal by signing up to make a regular contribution to the Green Party. Our sustainer program nearly pays all of our basic monthly operating expenses, including rent and utilities on the office, and drastically reduces the amount of work needed to raise money. Our sustainers free us up to do what we're really here for - to pursue Green values through the democratic system. Sustainers also ensure that we are able to keep our office, which has hosted numerous campaigns' headquarters including the successful Prop A, Instant Runoff Voting initiative. Becoming a Green Party sustainer is easy, fun, and secure! For more information, see http://www.sfgreenparty.org/makeadonation/makeadonation.html ************************************************************ 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.