SF GREEN PARTY WEEKLY 4/14/06-4/20/06 NEWS: - 4/5: Wisconsin Antiwar Initiative, Led By Greens, Passes in 75% of Towns (http://www.sfgreenparty.org/news/newsitem-start.gem?idx=1473) - 4/7: Whistle-Blower Outs NSA Spy Room (http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,70619-0.html?tw=wn_index_1) - 4/10: Greens Voice Full Support For Monday's Immigration Rights Marches, Rallies (http://www.sfgreenparty.org/news/newsitem-start.gem? idx=1474) - 4/10: Matt Gonzalez and other Green Party Members Attend Fundraiser for San Francisco People's Organization (http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/news_in_brief/ believe_it_or_what_060410.shtml) - 4/12: Activists Protest PG&E in Hunters Point, Green Party Member Ross Mirkarimi was the Only Supervisor inAttendance (http://www.beyondchron.org/news/index.php?itemid=3146#more) - 4/12: Voter Distress Could Alter Upcoming Races (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/04/12/politics/ p062826D81.DTL) EVENTS: This week: - 4/13: Protest the GAP for Hurting Children! - 4/13: FILM: INDEPENDENT AMERICA: The Two-Lane Search for Mom & Pop - 4/14: Left Talk with Diamond Dave - 4/14: Hearing for Healthy Car-Free Saturdays in Golden Gate Park - 4/14: 2nd Friday Party for Barry Hermanson For Assembly - 4/15: Help Organize for Immigrant Rights May 1st in the Bay Area! - 4/15: VIDEO: The Case of Tel Rumeida Next week: - 4/17: Ruin, Rubble And Race: The San Francisco Earthquake and Post Katrina America,1906 to 2006, One Hundred Years Later - 4/18: Housing and Land Use Platform Development - 4/19: SF Green Party General Membership Meeting - 4/20: Animal Advocacy Working Group - 4/21: Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi Hosts Art Opening Of Riley McFerrin's Work - 4/23: Reception for Barry Hermanson for Assembly Save the date: - 5/24: Something Fun at the Green Party Forum!!! Join the medley of politics and performance ANNOUNCEMENTS & ACTION ALERTS: - Attend a Hearing to Support Healthy Car-Free Saturdays in Golden Gate Park! Also tell the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to Support This - 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 GWB Song (http://www.q4nobody.co.uk/gwb.html) ************************************************************ EVENTS: 4/13: Protest the GAP for Hurting Children! WHEN: Thursday, April 13 12:00 noon WHERE: The Flagship GAP Store at Powell and Market, San Francisco CONTACT: David Sharples (415) 587-9080 DETAILS: Join ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) and the Say Yes to Children network, which represents over 10,000 families worldwide, and protest the GAP's long history of violating child labor laws and its donating $25,000 to oppose universal pre-school for all at a press conference outside the GAP's flagship store. It is time to say YES to children and NO to greedy corporate bosses! --------- 4/13: FILM: INDEPENDENT AMERICA: The Two-Lane Search for Mom & Pop WHEN: Thursday, April 13 Starts 7:30PM WHERE: Brava Theater Center, 2781 24th Street (@ York St.), San Francisco TICKETS: $5-$10, and go on sale 30 minutes before the show. Proceeds benefit the 2006 CounterCorp Film Festival in October. INFORMATION: http://www.countercorp.org DETAILS: In their new 80-minute documentary, "INDEPENDENT AMERICA," award-winning journalists Hanson Hosein and Heather Hughes took a 32-state road trip to uncover the growing opposition to corporate franchises and big box retailers across the U.S., and the David vs. Goliath struggle that local small businesses, many of them local "mom and pop" stores, are being forced towage to stay alive. The former reports have only two self-imposed rules: 1) no interstate highways, and 2) no corporate chains -- including gas stations, restaurants, hotels, and grocery stores. In other words, they can only shop with mom and pop. What they discover during their trip is growing discontent with corporate America, and a growing movement away from globalization and toward localization, as individuals and small businesses across the country band together to preserve not only their livelihoods, but their local communities as well. In Colorado, a Starbucks is repeatedly vandalized. In Texas, a rebellious city forces Borders Books into retreat. Residents of America's Fourth of July capital in Nebraska turn against their new Wal-Mart. And an entire Wyoming town goes into business for itself after it is abandoned by its one chain department store. Along the way, their conversations with corporate executives, economists, entrepreneurs, political leaders, union members, and ordinary Americans from all walks of life lead Hosein and Hughes to conclude that a healthy democracy needs local small businesses if it is to control ever-growing corporate power. The film will be followed by a panel discussion. --------- 4/14: Left Talk with Diamond Dave WHEN: Friday, April 14th 6:30PM-7:30PM WHERE: Your radio.88.1 FM or 880 AM, every Friday from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. DETAILS: Tune in to a round table discussion of progressive issues from the Green perspective (represented by Diamond Dave Whitaker)and the ISO perspective. Hosted by Spencer the Speaker. --------- 4/14: Hearing for Healthy Car-Free Saturdays in Golden Gate Park WHEN: Friday, April 14th 1:00PM WHERE: San Francisco City Hall, 1 Carlton B Goodlett Place, Room 263 DETAILS: After years of stop-and-go efforts, viable legislation has been introduced to extend the popular Sunday car-free space on JFK Drive in Golden Gate Park to Saturdays as well. At the urging of members of the SFBC and our allies in the Sierra Club, Walk SF and other groups, Supervisors Jake McGoldrick and Ross Mirkarimi have put forward a 6-month trial measure - Healthy Saturdays in GG Park - to begin in late May. We Need Your Help! Come to this hearing. The Board of Supervisors needs to hear right now that you support Healthy Saturdays in Golden Gate Park! --------- 4/14: 2nd Friday Party for Barry Hermanson For Assembly WHEN: Friday, April 14th, 6 to 9 p.m. WHERE: The home of Barry Hermanson 2467 28th Avenue, San Francisco 94116 (1/2 block from the L-Taraval Street Car line) CONTRIBUTIONS: Minimum donation of $25 per person requested (no corporate contributions accepted) Please make checks payable to: Barry Hermanson For Assembly No one will be turned away for lack of funds. DETAILS: This month, the artwork of Kelly Nelson will be shown. Kelly is the Program Director at the Art Production Center on 14th Street. In addition to being a very talented artist, her creativity enables developmentally disabled adults to express themselves through art. (Later this year, we will have an art show of their work.) We will also hear the political punk/folk banjo of Jack Chernos. If you haven't heard his music before, I encourage you to visit his web site: http://www.department-of-justice.org/. Lots of good tunes - check out the solo guitar version of "My People Are Rising." In addition to the homebrew beer, fresh homemade bread and a big pot of vegetarian soup will be available. For those who don't drink beer - wine, soda and water will be served. RSVP by calling 415-664-7754. --------- 4/15: Help Organize for Immigrant Rights May 1st in the Bay Area! WHEN: Saturday, April 15th 2:300PM WHERE: SEIU Local 87 union hall, 240 Golden Gate Ave, 3 blocks from Civil Center BART, San Francisco DETAILS: Join immigrant rights organizers at an open public meeting to plan to bring hundreds of thousands of people to SF on May First. Local Latino organizers such as Miguel Araujo from Centro Azteca and Maria Reyes from Mujeres Unidas y Activas and Ramon Cardona from the FMLN will be joined by Nativo Lopez from the Mexican American Political Association and Javier Rodriguez, one of the initiators of the March 25 Coalition in LA that brought 1,000,000 people into the streets. May 1st actions all over the By Area will culminate in a mass, peaceful march starting at Embarcadero at 11am and going to the Civic Center. We need hundreds of volunteers to make this happen. This effort is being led by immigrant activists, but students, workers and all people who support immigrant rights are encouraged to attend and lend their concrete help and solidarity. We need at least a couple hundred people at this volunteer meeting to begin this huge project! --------- 4/15: VIDEO: The Case of Tel Rumeida WHEN: Saturday, April 15th 3:00PM-5:00PM WHERE: San Francisco Womens Building, 3543 18th St. (near 16th St. BART), San Francisco ADMISSION: $5-10 donation requested (no one turned away for lack of funds). All funds raised above expenses will go to the Tel Rumeida Project. This event is a benefit for them. INFO/RESERVE FREE CHILDCARE: Call 415-821-6545 DETAILS: The terrible reality of colonial occupation in Palestine is almost completely hidden by the U.S. corporate media. The new Israeli government, with the full backing of Washington,has announced its intention to vastly increase settlements in the West Bank and to illegally annex much of the land. Since April 2005, several independent international activists have made regular visits to the neighborhood of Tel Rumeida, Hebron, in the occupied West Bank. Hence, this documentary "The Case of Tel Rumeida." Tel Rumeida is a small neighborhood widely known for housing the most violent and racist faction of the Israeli settler movement. Palestinian families who live directly next to these settlers are often virtual prisoners in their homes and subject to the settlers violent attacks and destruction of property. The 400 fascist settlers, protected by thousands of Israeli troops, control 20% of the city of Hebron, home to 160,000 Palestinians. After meeting many of the Palestinian families in Tel Rumeida, documenting the circumstances in which they are forced to live, and experiencing the settlers violence, the international activists began to develop the foundations to begin a permanent international presence in Tel Rumeida. Join us for an eyewitness report, discussion and video from U.S. activists Chelli Stanley and John Harmer of the Tel Rumeida Project. Co-sponsored by the Answer Coalition and Free Palestine Alliance. --------- 4/17: Ruin, Rubble And Race: The San Francisco Earthquake and Post Katrina America,1906 to 2006, One Hundred Years Later WHEN: Monday, April 17 6:30PM-8:30PM WHERE: Gordon J. Lau Elementary School, 950 Clay Street (between Stockton & Powell), San Francisco ADMISSION: Free. Food provided. INFO: Contact Nicole Derse at 415-374-5429 DETAILS: History has revealed that the 1906 Earthquake and Fire, and the monumental, post-disaster rebuilding efforts, gave tragic rise to a modern era of twentieth-century displacement and gentrification of working-class people, immigrants and communities of color throughout San Francisco. In 2005, the nation witnessed how Hurricane Katrina and the government's racist and cruel response devastated the social and economic conditions of these same communities in the Gulf Coast region. One hundred years later we ask: "What would happen if another earthquake shakes up San Francisco? Who would survive? Who would be displaced? And would the city be rebuilt for the wealthy, power elite and corporations that dominant the debate?" Join us for the discussion! This event is co-sponsored by the Chinatown Community Development Center, Mission Agenda, The Progressive Voter Project, Senior Action Network and the San Francisco Peoples' Organization, along with Supervisor Chris Daly, Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi and Supervisor Aaron Peskin. Panelists Include: - CC Campbell-Rock, Katrina Survivor, Community Organizer, and Journalist - Willie Ratcliff, Community Activist and Editor of San Francisco Bay View newspaper - Connie Young Yu, Historian and Author of Chinatown, San Jose, USA - Chris Carlsson, Board President, Counterpulse and Executive Director, Shaping San Francisco: An Interactive Multimedia Excavation of the Lost History of San Francisco - Shanell Williams, Community Activist, Former SF Youth Commissioner Distinguished Emcee: Bob Wing, Activist and Writer --------- 4/18: Housing and Land Use Platform Development WHEN: Tuesday, April 18 7:30PM-9:30PM WHERE: Muddy Waters Cafe, Valencia and 16th Streets, 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. Proposed topics for tonight's discussion groups include: Community Development and Stabilization Show up and get your ideas into the Green Party's housing and land use platfrom, and dialogue with others intersted in these issues. --------- 4/19: SF Green Party General Membership Meeting WHEN: Wednesday, April 19 7:30PM-9:30PM WHERE: San Francisco Green Party office, 1028 A Howard St (between 6th St. and 7th St.), San Francisco DETAILS: We will be taking up local initiatives and finishing any decisions around candidate endorsements. Any active Green may participate in endorsement decisions. --------- 4/20: Animal Advocacy Working Group WHEN: Thursday, April 20 7:30PM-9:00PM WHERE: San Francisco Green Party office, 1028 A Howard St (between 6th St. and 7th St.), San Francisco DETAILS: This group will discuss animal issues in San Francisco, and . For more information, email Rosalind Lord at rclord@seaserpent.com --------- 4/21: Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi Hosts Art Opening Of Riley McFerrin's Work WHEN: Friday, April 21 5:00PM-8:00PM WHERE: San Francisco City Hall, 1 Carlton B Goodlett Place, Room 282 DETAILS: Please join Supervisor Mirkarimi in celebrating the 35th Anniversary of Earth Day on April 22 with San Francisco artist Riley McFerrin. In this new body of work titled "Let Outside Inside", Riley McFerrin takes a closer look at the growing divide between people and nature by combining both naturally occurring and synthetic materials in unexpected and symbolic ways. This body of work evokes our awkward and often helpless interactions with nature, and contemplates life in an age where our tools of survival are no longer as closely connected to the natural world as they used to be. Riley McFerrin's studio is located in Hayes Valley. His works have been featured at the Bucheon Gallery, the Low Gallery, Thoreau Gallery, and the Tinhorn Gallery, in San Francisco. --------- 4/23: Reception for Barry Hermanson for Assembly WHEN: Sunday, April 23 3:00PM-5:00PM WHERE: 1339 27th Avenue, San Francisco DETAILS: Join the Westside Green Club in support of Green candidates: Barry Hermanson (State Assembly, District 12) and Nancy Lewis (Green Party County Council) Refreshments served. Bring family, friends and all interested voters. Children are most welcome. These events are sponsored by the Westside Green Club. --------- 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), 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 ... ============================== ANNOUNCEMENTS & ACTION ALERTS: Attend a Hearing to Support Healthy Car-Free Saturdays in Golden Gate Park! Also tell the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to Support This On Friday, April 14 at 1:00PM, there will be a hearing for legislation of car-free Saturdays in Golden Gate Park at City Hall (1 Carlton B Goodlett Place, San Francisco), Room 263. Please also fax a letter to each of the Supervisors asking them to have car-free Saturdays in Golden Gate Park. Also come to this hearing if you can make it to show your support of this legislation. Support Healthy Saturdays! For more information, see http://www.sfbike.org/?ggp --------- 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.