Tag: Shoreline Green Party

Reflections on a Green Future & How We Get There

by Owen Charles, Shoreline Green Party, August 2019

How can you reflect on something that hasn’t happened you may ask (quite logically)? It is simple, actually. Imagination. Vision. Sense of Purpose. Goal-directed steps towards the future we want to see.

More than 65% of Americans would like to have third parties become a part of the electoral process. What many folks don’t know is that there is a chapter of the Green Party active here on the shoreline of Connecticut that would welcome greater participation (www.facebook.com/ShorelineGreenParty and www.shorelinegreenparty.com). There are also chapters in New Haven (www.facebook.com/NewHavenGreenParty) and throughout the state (www.ctgreenparty.org/chapters.html). There are Green chapters in all 50 states, 100 countries, and right nearby you, supporting an agenda that embraces: Grassroots Democracy, Social Justice, Ecological Wisdom, Nonviolence, Community Based Economics, Economic Justice, Feminism and Gender Equity, and more (go to www.gp.org for the details of this and the much-heralded Green New Deal).

The Green Party lives these ideals… by accepting no Corporate or PAC funding… and advocating for powerful legislation. In 2017 and 2018 we ran 8 candidates for office and are presently supporting a slate of candidates for local offices to really make one hopeful and perhaps even excited about voting and democracy. We hope you may consider joining and running for office in the future.

As we despair through a dystopian present, we can keep ourselves spirited by reflecting on the possible future that we envision by laying out plans, thinking long-term, and mapping our way forward, step-by-step.

When we began organizing the local Greens, I was inspired by the words of a Green Party leader, Hillary Kane, which I think, summarizes so much:

I’m Green because I still have hope. Despite all of the pollution, racism, corporate control, money in politics, incarceration — the list goes on and on — I still have hope that it can change. I believe it takes a small band of people — in communities all across the globe — that stand up and say “enough is enough.” The Green Party is that small band and we are ALL across the globe. I am Green because I am not just voting on Election Day. I’m involved all year long and I’m “voting with my feet” by walking away from the corporate-controlled Democratic Party and into the Green Party, where grassroots political action rules the day. Most social movements in this country started small and faced impossible odds. Yet it can be done. I am Green because I have hope for our small band to grow into a mighty wave.

Shoreline Greens welcome participants from all surrounding areas and those in New Haven are encouraged to attend New Haven Greens meetings. We are working with other local groups and welcome doing that more.

Please reach out to us by joining our Facebook group @shorelinegreenparty or contacting me! Owen Charles at [email protected] or [email protected].

Reflections on the Past Green Year

by Owen Charles, Shoreline Green Party

A little over a year ago, we obtained official chapter-hood for our Shoreline Green Party. It was a joyous thing, springing forth from a rather unjoyous series of disappointments. Many were dismayed by the weakening of democracy in America, the championing of corporate interests by both major parties, and the 2016 election with its home-grown election fraud.

So we came together to see if the grass was greener on the other side—and it was!—Fertile with ideas and fresh perspectives, and inquisitive minds;— Open to citizen participation, running for office, and a shared and self-determined people’s agenda.—Not your typical political party owned, operated, bought and sold by large corporate interests.

On Feb. 26, 2017, we launched with the aim to “start preparing to run candidates, get involved an important issue and legislation advocacy and upturn the status quo of a troubled political system as an official regional chapter of the Green Party!”

I’ll briefly reflect on what we have done in a year, with pride and congratulations to a smart, vibrant, friendly, hard-working, dedicated, growing Shoreline Green Party team! Many more details can be found on our Facebook @shorelinegreenparty and website shorelinegreenparty.org.

  1. Visibility and Activism: We organized gatherings and protests (net neutrality, immigrants rights, May Day and others), marched in the Guilford Parade. Website, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube videos (check it out at Shoreline Green Party on Youtube).
  2. Inspiration and Solidarity: Our first annual Songs of Solidarity in Oct. 2017 at the Guilford Library was standing room only (70+), amazing performances and sing-alongs with a line-up of incredible local artists (stay tuned for “Second Annual!”). We sponsored a showing of “Requiem for the American Dream” at Guilford Library.
  3. Local Democracy in Action: Organized public support to stop privatization and development of the Academy School in Madison, ban fracking waste in a number of towns, and stop the development of a waste dump in Clinton.

Our first four candidates in 2017, in Clinton and Madison, each had impressive showings with over 1,100 votes. We now have four local candidates for this Nov. 6! with key campaign support and volunteering from dozens of people.

Clinton members have led the way in getting appointed to Town commissions and boards.

If you are interested in these kinds of actions, please join with us in the Shoreline Green Party! We welcome participants from all surrounding areas including New Haven and environs and are working with other local groups and welcome doing that more.

Please reach out to us by joining our Facebook group @shorelinegreenparty or contacting me! Owen Charles [email protected] or [email protected]; phone (203) 421-1094.