SF GREEN PARTY WEEKLY 12/10/05 - 12/17/05 NEWS: - 12/2: For a Former Panther, Solidarity After the Storm - 12/8: Greens Join UN Climate Summit Delegates in Montreal, Demand Action on Global Warming Crisis EVENTS: - 12/10-12/12 Save Stan "Tookie" Williams Events - 12/10: Living Wage Celebration, Celebracion de Sueldos Justos - 12/10: CA Green Party General Assembly Meeting at UC Davis - 12/14: SF Green Party General Membership/ Holiday Party - 12/15: Protest PG & E: No More Broken Promises! - 12/16: Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi Hosts December's Third Friday's Art Reception - 12/17: Health Care For All Meeting - 12/19: Hearing and Party for Public Financing Campaign - 1/6: Animal Advocacy Working Group - 1/26: SAVE THE DATE: Annual SF Green Party Event, 1/26, Studio Z ANNOUNCEMENTS & ACTION ALERTS: - Public Financing for the Mayor's Race: We Need Your Help! - How to Run For the SF Green Party County Council - Become a Green Party Sustainer! JOKE OF THE WEEK: - Schwarzenegger Street ************************************************************ NEWS: 12/2 For a Former Panther, Solidarity After the Storm Malik Rahim, former Panther, Green Party candidate for City Council in 2002, and head of Common Ground, a volunteer-based grassroots organization that is trying to rebuild New Orleans, ponders strategies in establishing justice for the state and federal authorities' neglect of Katrina victims. See http://www.sfgreenparty.org/news/newsitem-start.gem?idx=1413 --------- 12/8: Greens join UN Climate Summit Delegates in Montreal, Demand Action on Global Warming Crisis SAN FRANCISCO (December 7, 2005) – This week, the Green Party of California joined more than 10,000 delegates from 189 nations at the United Nations Climate Summit in Montreal, in demanding immediate action on the global warming crisis. Rallies were held in cities around the world. Petitioners have been urging Congress to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, and fund for alternative energy, forest protection, gas mileage standards, and elimination of subsidies for polluting industries. All these events follow recent scientific reports on the serious impacts of global warming, including the fast melting of the Greenland ice caps and man-made hothouse gasses in earth's atmosphere. The Greens also suggested the Iraq War is adding to the problem. Todd Chretien, the co-author of the "College Not Combat" initiative on the Nov. 8 ballot, said that the war in Iraq is costing the U.S. not only in terms of lives lost, but also monies necessary to alleviate global warming. He said the money spent on the war in Iraq could not only be spent on putting $10,000 worth of solar panels on 50 million homes and reduce dependence on oil, but create jobs for the people installing them. Todd Chretien is considering a run for U.S. Senate on the Green Party ticket against Rep. Dianne Feinstein, who has been no friend to environmentalists. ============================== EVENTS: 12/10-12/12 Save Stan "Tookie" Williams Events WHEN AND WHERE: - DECEMBER 10 Berkeley, Calif. Screening of "Redemption" and Discussion At 6 pm at Long Haul, 3124 Shattuck (across the street from La Pena). - DECEMBER 11 San Francisco Sister Helen Prejean Speaks One of the world's best-known opponents of the death penalty speaks out at an ACLU event. At 2 pm at the San Francisco Marriott Hotel, 55 Fourth Street at Mission. Tickets are $25 per person, $10 for students and low income, $250 table sponsor. - DECEMBER 12 San Francisco to San Quentin Walk for Abolition The Walk For Abolition begins at the Palace of Legion of Honor in San Francisco at 7 am and ends at the gates of San Quentin Prison around 6 pm. For information, contact Rev. Lyle Grosjean at 510-895-8203 or email l.grosjean@sbcglobal.net. DETAILS: Save Tookie Williams! Stan "Tookie" Williams' execution is scheduled for 12:01 on Tuesday, Dec. 13, unless CA Governor Arnold Scwhartzenegger grants him clemency between now and midnight, Monday Dec. 12. Please take a moment to contact the Governor and urge him to spare Tookie's life: CALL: 916-445-2481 EMAIL: http://www.govmail.ca.gov Call (773) 955-4841 for more information. --------- 12/10: Living Wage Celebration, Celebracion de Sueldos Justos WHEN: Saturday, December 10 6:00 PM to 10:00PM WHERE: 522 Valencia St. (between 16th and 17th Streets) DETAILS: You are invited to the Ud. esta invitado a la Living Wage Celebration Celebracion de Sueldos Justos Let' s celebrate, reunite and continue the fight! Celebremos, unamonos y continuemos luchando. Music! Spoken Word! Art Exhibits! Dance! Food! Raffle! --------- 12/10: CA Green Party General Assembly Meeting at UC Davis WHEN: Saturday, December 10 to Sunday, December 11 8:00 AM to 5:00PM WHERE: UC Davis DETAILS: The General Assembly of the Green Party of California is where delegates from the county chapters make decisions for the party. There are also important committee meetings. Come meet Green Party members from across the state, participate in discussions, and learn about the workings of the state party. Meetings will be held all during the day starting at 8 am. For more info, go to: http://www.cagreens.org/plenary/ Hosted by UC Davis and Yolo County Green Parties --------- 12/14: SF Green Party General Membership/ Holiday Party WHEN: Wednesday, December 14 7:30PM-9:30PM WHERE: San Francisco Green Party office, 1028 A Howard St (between 6th St. and 7th St.), San Francisco DETAILS: Join us for a very short GM meeting followed by a pot luck holiday get together. --------- 12/15: Protest PG & E: No More Broken Promises! WHEN: Thursday, December 15 4:30PM-6:30PM WHERE: 77 Beale Street @ Market (near Embarcadero BART) DETAILS: Protest the City of San Francisco and PG&E for failing to keep their promise to close the toxic Bayview/Hunters Point power plant, which dumps pollutants like arsenic and chlorine into the Bay. Insist that they shut it down by March 2006, the next proposed closure date. --------- 12/16: Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi Hosts December's Third Friday's Art Reception WHEN: Friday, December 16 5:00PM-8:00PM The artists will speak about their work at 6:15 pm. WHERE: San Francisco City Hall, 1 Carlton B Goodlett Place, Room 282, 415-554-7630 DETAILS: Featuring the work of the children of District 5 on display, including: * Children from Raising the Standard children and youth programs at the African American Art and Culture Complex, sponsored in part by the Culture Complex, Schools of the Sacred Heart and Rhema Word Church will present a number of works of art including, water color paintings, student photographs, multi-media collages of African-American poetry, graphic art designs developed from student business plans and a computer animation work. * Children at the Fulton Street Neighborhood Fair, organized by the Third Baptist Church and the Alamo Square Neighborhood Association created two large collaborative paintings on canvas. * John Muir Elementary students involved in the John Muir Community Learning Garden at Koshland Park have created garden-themed artwork on wood. --------- 12/17: Health Care For All Meeting Presentation and Potluck Holiday Meeting WHEN: Saturday, December 17 3:00 WHERE: the home of Drs. Krista Farey and Vishu Lingappa at 626 Pacheco. DETAILS: You are invited to our December 17 potluck health care meeting in San Francisco. Besides food, drink, and merriment, the meeting will feature a presentation by Matt Tsou on HR 676, the US National Health Insurance Act. Our meeting will start at 3pm at the home of Drs. Krista Farey and Vishu Lingappa at 626 Pacheco. Last summer, Matt Tsou, a member of Health Care for All, interned for the sponsor of HR 676, John Conyers, Jr. Matt prepared a Power Point presentation on 676 for Congressman Conyers, which he will present on Dec 17. The national movement for universal health care with single payer legislation is gaining momentum. This is important for our California campaign for SB 840, the California Health Insurance Reliability Act. I hope to see you December 17. Don Bechler Chair - Health Care for All - San Francisco chapter Chair - California Universal Health Care Organizing Project 415-695-7891 --------- 12/19: Hearing and Party for Public Campaign Financing! WHEN: Monday, December 19 5:30 pm hearing, followed by celebration WHERE: City Hall Room #408 for the hearing Soluna Cafe on McAllister (Across from Asian Art Museum) for the celebration Please join us! You can help San Francisco join the national movement to take the pernicious influence of money out of politics and breath new life into our democracy! On October 25, Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, representing a broad-based coalition, introduced legislation that could bring public financing to the San Francisco Mayor’s race. By publicly funding the campaigns of candidates for public office, politicians don't need to rely on wealthy donors to wage competitive campaigns. And that means that politicians are freed up to make decisions in the best interests of the public, rather than campaign contributors. In order to ensure this critical reform, we need you in the evening of Dec. 19! Starting at around 6pm, in room 408 of City Hall, there will be a hearing on the legislation. We need to turn out dozens of our supporters in order to make sure that the city knows that the public supports this legislation. Afterwards, we will all head over to Soluna Lounge for drinks and music and celebration. --------- 1/6: Animal Advocacy Working Group WHEN: Thursday, January 6 7:00PM-9:00PM WHERE: San Francisco Green Party office, 1028 A Howard St (between 6th St. and 7th St.), San Francisco DETAILS: Monthly meeting of the Animal Working Group. We will discuss animal issues in San Francisco. For more information, email Rosalind Lord at rclord@seaserpent.com --------- 1/26: SAVE THE DATE: Annual SF Green Party Event, 1/26, Studio Z WHEN: Thursday, January 26 8:00PM-11:30PM WHERE: Z Gallery (11th and Folsom), San Francisco DETAILS: Join Green Party activists and friends as we celebrate 2006 in our usual style- our annual fundraiser and party. Enjoy live music, spoken word, theater and interesting performances. Green Party Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi and other progressive leaders are confirmed speakers. Other special guests TBA. ============================== ANNOUNCEMENTS & ACTION ALERTS: Public Financing for the Mayor's Race: We Need Your Help! On Tuesday October 25, Green Party Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, representing a broad-based coalition, introduced legislation that could forever change the way politics is done in San Francisco: With public financing, the public helps fund the campaigns of candidates who can demonstrate a wide base of community support by collecting a large number of small donations. In exchange candidates agree to a strict spending cap, and to limit their private fundraising. The idea is to make politicians accountable only to the public, rather than private campaign donors, and to ensure that all serious candidates, regardless of access to money, have enough resources to get their message out to the voters. To make this legislation happen, please do two things: 1. Write or call the Supervisors to encourage their support (they need hear this from as many people as possible); and 2. Ask your friends to do the same. Sample letters and contact information for the Supervisors can be found at http://www.voterownedelections.org/contact_supervisors.html To learn more about the campaign visit www.voterownedelections.org or call 415-596-5808. --------- How to Run For the SF Green Party County Council County Council Candidates will be elected in June of 2006. For details on how to run, see http://www.sfgreenparty.org/events/events-itemfromhome.gem?idx=1435 --------- 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! ============================== JOKE OF THE WEEK: Schwarzenegger Street Hallooo, Kah-lee-fawn-ya! Now, Phil Angelides isn't a Green, but his site has a funny cartoon about Arnold's buddies: http://www.arnoldsneighborhood.com ************************************************************ 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.