SF GREEN PARTY WEEKLY 3/7/07-3/13/07 NEWS: - Early CA presidential primary hurts voters, say Greens http://tinyurl.com/2hd52y EVENTS: This week: - 3/9: Protest BattleCry Rally in front of City Hall! - 3/11: WestSide Green Club - 3/15: National Health Care Plans of the 2008 Presidential candidate - 3/19: Protest Chevron World Headquarters - 3/19: Stop Funding the War in Iraq! Protest w Matt Gonzalez, Ross Mirkarimi etc. ANNOUNCEMENTS & ACTION ALERTS: - 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 NOT SO MUCH OF A JOKE OF THE WEEK: - We Will Not Be Silenced (http://tinyurl.com/cwyys) ************************************************************ EVENTS: 3/9: Protest BattleCry Rally in front of City Hall! WHEN: Friday, March 9, 2007 Permitted protest, rally and press conference: 12:00 noon to 2:00PM 3:00PM to 5:00PM: Counter-protest: We Will Not Tolerate Intolerance! WHERE: San Francisco City Hall on the steps facing Civic Center Plaza, San Francisco INFORMATION: To find out more, or to request press interviews with event spokespeople, call the World Can’t Wait (415) 864-5153 or email: sf@worldcantwait.org DETAILS: The Christian Right is preaching an anti-choice anti-gay radical fundamentalism on the steps of San Francisco’s City Hall & in San Francisco’s ballpark! “BattleCry for a Generation,” are back to hold a 2nd annual mega- revival rally at ATT/SBC Park March 9 through March 10 - kicking off with a city hall protest. Join the World Can’t Wait - Drive Out The Bush Regime!, Bay Area Coalition for Reproductive Rights (BACORR), Not In Our Name (Bay Area) and other progressive organizations to show the world that BattleCry’s intolerance is re- sisted in San Francisco. Everyone is wel- come - of all creeds, faiths, and commu- nities - who wants to stand up and say; “Religion is one thing, but Theocracy is another - the Christian Right is Wrong!” --------- 3/11: WestSide Green Club WHEN: Sunday, March 11, 2007 3:00PM - 5:00PM WHERE: Home of Barry Hermanson, 2467 - 28th Avenue (between Taraval & Ulloa), San Francisco CONTACT, INFORMATION: Call Barry at 664-7754 or Nancy Lewis at 661-5713 AGENDA: From 3:00 to 3:30 - Business From 3:30 to 5:30 - Brainstorming about 2007 and 2008 activity for the WestSide Green Club --------- 3/15: National Health Care Plans of the 2008 Presidential candidate WHEN: Thursday, March 15th, 2007 7:00PM WHERE: 626 Pacheco, near 10th, San Francisco DETAILS: Dr. Quentin Young, MD president of CaPA and PNHP (California Physicians Alliance/Physicians for National Health Care). Come hear a critical review of the candidates and their health care plans. --------- 3/19: Protest Chevron World Headquarters WHEN: Monday, March 19, 2007 7:00AM - 11:00AM WHERE: 6001 Bollinger Canyon Road at Sunset, just east of Hwy 680, San Ramon HOW TO GET THERE: From Walnut Creek BART: a short ride on County Connection shuttle 121, or flat 12 mile bike ride. We're also working on providing transportation. INFORMATION: For nonviolent direct action preparation, transportation, to get involved and for more info: www.MySpace.com/ProtestChevron DETAILS: Why protest Chevron? 1: OIL. EXPOSE THE OIL AGENDA BEHIND THE WAR. It's simple: Before the war U.S. and British oil companies were all but shut out of Iraq's oil. Now, they're getting ready to take control of it and Chevron's at the front of the pack. Within a year of the invasion, Chevron's profits nearly doubled, and each year since then, Chevron has set new record profits, with 2006 the company's most profitable year ever. Those profits have been driven by Iraqi oil, which Chevron refines in Richmond. We join activists from across Europe and the U.S. who, on March 18 & 19, will demand that Big Oil and our governments get their "Hands Off Iraqi Oil!" We will expose the Iraqi Oil Theft Law that would turn Iraq's oil over to foreign oil companies including Chevron. What is the "the Iraq Oil Theft Law?" The brainchild of the Bush administration and U.S. oil companies, a new oil law nearing passage in Iraq would radically transform Iraq from a nationalized oil system all but closed to U.S. oil companies, to a commercialized system, all- but-privatized, and open to private foreign corporate control. See “Iraqi Trade Unions Unite to Oppose Undemocratic Oil Law In a joint statement” (http://tinyurl.com/2jbymy) Support real democracy in Iraq. End the US occupation of Iraq. Defeat the oil theft law. Hands off Iraqi oil. 2: CLIMATE. WE DEMAND CLIMATE JUSTICE NOW! With just 4% of the world's population, we in the US release 25% of all global carbon emissions. Oil and oil-driven consumption are a primary cause of greenhouse gas pollutants which fuel climate crisis. Chevron is the 2nd largest oil company in the U.S. and the 5th largest in the world. Chevron sabotages domestic efforts to transition to a green economy and refuses to invest in any significant way in alternative forms of green energy. WE DEMAND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE NOW! Chevron poisons local communities from Richmond, to Ecuador and Nigeria. The Chevron refinery in Richmond spews a deadly array of toxins into the air, water, and land, including cancer-causing dioxins, on the largely African American, South East Asian, and Latino communities. The refinery and plant have had hundreds of accidents, including fires, spills, leaks, explosions, toxic gas releases, flaring, and air contaminations causing severe illness, including asthma and deadly cancers, for the people of Richmond. The people of Richmond are fighting back and demanding that Chevron clean up or get out. We need to imagine a world without Chevron, its oil, and its climate chaos. 3: EMPIRE. WE RECOGNIZE THAT TO STOP WAR, WE MUST END EMPIRE. To end current and future U.S. wars and occupations, to stop climate chaos, to increase democracy and human rights at home, to redirect resources to urgent human and environmental needs, to take apart a global economic and political system that benefits mega corporations at the expense of the planet, we must change the underlying U.S. government policies of empire. "Empire" is now used by both critics and advocates to describe the unparalleled U.S. system of economic, political, cultural, and military domination. We pay a high price to live in an Empire, including $441 billion a year on a military of over 2 1/2 million soldiers with more than 700 bases spread across 130 countries fighting ever-increasing wars to feed the Empire and expand its control. To Stop Wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, etc. we must end Empire! PLEASE JOIN US! --------- 3/19: Stop Funding the War in Iraq! Protest w Matt Gonzalez, Ross Mirkarimi etc WHEN: Monday, March 19, 2007 12 noon - 1:30PM WHERE: Nancy Pelosi’s office, 450 Golden Gate @ Polk, San Francisco INFORMATION: www.stopfundingthewar.com DETAILS: On the Fourth anniversary of Iraq War, demand Nancy Pelosi to stop funding it. Speakers include: Matt Gonzalez, Peter Camejo, Ross Mirkarimi,; Endorsers include SF Green Party, Labor Council, UFPJ, Voters for Peace, Iraq War Veterans, Gold Star Mothers. ============================== ANNOUNCEMENTS & ACTION ALERTS: 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.