March 2020
Working toward a future where people and planet are valued, and our government represents all of us.
ERA on the Eve of International Women’s Day
By Gayle Morrow, editor of GREEN STAR.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
What many Americans of this century do not realize is that these words are not, nor have they ever been, part of either our Constitution or our Bill of Rights, and therefore do not carry the weight of the law. They are instead simply a few words in the second paragraph of a five paragraph declaration, plus a list of the king’s “injuries and usurpations” against the colonies. The Declaration of Independence is intended as a battle cry of sorts to both justify future actions and to announce the intent to end the rule of George III over the colonies.
Why do we need the ERA when there’s Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibits “employers from discriminating against applicants and employees on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, and national origin”? Is your work your life? Wouldn’t you prefer that equal rights for you be a commitment in the United States Constitution? “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.” - Section 1, Equal Rights Amendment Read…under the law.
Another thing Americans may not realize are the words of Thomas Jefferson pertaining to those inalienable rights of men, "[w]ere our state a pure democracy, there would still be excluded from our deliberations . . . women, who, to prevent deprivation of morals and ambiguity of issues, should not mix promiscuously in gatherings of men."
This unfortunate statement has never been corrected so that the mindset behind it “…deprivation of morals and ambiguity of issues should not mix promiscuously…” with men have haunted any attempt women have made in 244 years to actually receive equality in pay, equal treatment in divorce court, equal assumptions in sexual harassment allegations/trials, even a true voice in government. At this moment, the only legal right shared equally by men and women embedded in the U.S. Constitution is the right to vote. You will be wrong to assume that progress made incrementally through labor laws and anti-discrimination laws are not reversible. Think of the present state of Roe v Wade, changes in the Voting Rights Act, and racial gerrymandering as just a few laws that a conservative-majority SCOTUS is in the process of decimating. Compare that to the time and effort required in the process of negating an amendment to the Constitution and wonder, “Why not an ERA?”
Educate yourself [https://www.equalrightsamendment.org/] so that you can present an informed argument. Be familiar with the disagreement between those who believe that after Virginia, the thirty-eighth state to ratify, the ERA automatically became law, and those who believe that time has run out and the last three to ratify do not count. Also know if your state has ratified and if you are in one of the five states declaring that they now withdraw their ratification and what that means in the final count. It is time that women’s equal status to men in the U.S. be embedded in our Constitution as the law of the land, not some piecemeal a little here, a little there statutes that can be changed on the whim of a judge appointed by politicians who have an agenda in mind. Amendments are put forth by and approved by the people. Isn’t that the way it should be?
Coming in April !!!!!
PA Green Party Presidential Caucus
The PA Green Party Presidential Caucus will take place during April at meetings around the state hosted by county Green Parties. If you're a registered Green, come out and help us choose our 2020 Presidential candidate! For a complete explanation or to request an absentee ballot, visit https://www.gpofpa.org/2020_caucus
April 4, Lancaster Greens, time and location to be announced;
April 5, Lackawanna Greens, 9 am to 5 pm at 1285 Reynolds Avenue, Taylor, PA.
April 7, Allegheny Greens, 6 pm to 8 pm, Panera Bread, 3401 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh;
April 21, Philadelphia Greens, 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm, location to be announced;
April 25, Susquehanna Valley Regional Greens, Harrisburg, time and location to be announced;
April 29, Erie Greens, Tim Horton’s, 209 East 12th Street, Erie PA.
GPPA News Highlights
edited by Chris Robinson
PA Green on Suffrage and the ERA By Emily Cook
Several anniversaries acknowledging rights of women are coming up, most notably the centenary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which gave women the right to vote. One would think that the beginning of suffrage would bring women equality, but in spite of societal gains this last century women still remain underpaid, are victims of violence and suffer from exploitation worldwide.
Also, the United Nations will soon remind us of International Women’s Day (IWD), March 8, which originated when the Socialist Party of America organized the first Women’s Day in 1909. And it seems every generation or so, women attempt to revive the still needed Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) which is often cleverly extinguished by Washington’s legislative manipulation of ratification deadlines and hijacked by conservatives. I, myself, naively thought that the ERA was an initiative of the feminists of the 1970s. In fact, it had been conceived by Pennsylvania suffragist, Alice Paul back in 1923 (and finally ratified in PA in 1972). (show all)
No Subsidies to Fracking and Petrochemicals By Garret Wassermann, Green Party Candidate, PA House District 45.
We live in a time when the climate crisis is worsening and accelerating, and reports are growing about childhood cancer and other health impacts to communities near oil/gas development. Voting now in favor of subsidies to the gas industry is worse than being tone-deaf. It is flat-out climate denial. It is siding with corporate profits over the health and safety of our children. After the bipartisan vote in favor of HB 1100 on February 4, we know for sure exactly where incumbent Anita A. Kulik stands. I would have very proudly voted No on this bill if I was elected. [You may read the rest right here, (show all)
A History of Deadly Meddling By Mel Packer
On Feb 8, 1980, in my 35th year, I stepped from a plane onto the tarmac of the airport in Tehran, Iran, and into the Iranian Revolution and the simmering Iran Hostage Crisis. . . . It felt like fantasy, unreal, there I was in Tehran having never crossed an ocean before, defying my own government’s travel ban to spend 10 days dialoguing with the students holding hostage 52 U.S. Embassy staffers. Their demand? Return the Shah of Iran to stand trial for his crimes.
[Mel Packer is a member of the Green Party of Allegheny County. This article appeared in Vox Populi on 2/9/’20. You may read the rest right here, (show all)
Allegheny Greens Welcome Exploited Voters
PITTSBURGH -- The Green Party of Allegheny County has witnessed the Democratic and Republican establishment continue their gluttonous exploitation of the citizenry and of our natural environment. As the current power structure drives our society toward the destruction of democracy and ecological collapse, we ask responsible residents to join with us and become a democratic firewall to finally end the absolute violence inflicted upon the people. (show all)
PA Green Assisted with NY Methane Testing
ALLEGANY — The president of Concerned Citizens of Cattaraugus County [CCCC], NY, announced that the organization will no longer participate in home methane monitoring at homes in the vicinity of an Allegany house explosion that occurred in November. Rob Mrowka, president of CCCC, said residents who have concerns “for high risk situations” with their water wells or air quality are advised to contact the [NY] Department of Environmental Conservation, which will respond to calls.
Mrowka and others who had checked some Allegany properties for methane included West Branch Road resident Bill Baxter, a retired licensed water treatment operator; Barry Miller, vice president of CCCC; Barbara Laxon from the Green Party of PA and a production assistant for the documentary “Releasing Methane;” and Laurie Barr, co-founder of http://saveourstreamspa.org and producer of “Releasing Methane.”
Barbara Laxon told GREEN STAR, “We tried to get the reporter to correct the article to say that we will continue to test anyone's water who asks us to come out as the DEC has NOT been testing for methane. They send out the health dept who tests for metals, biotics, etc. NOT methane (which caused the explosion on 11/18).” (show all)
Philly Greens welcome the new year of metal and the rat
PHILADELPHIA -- On the second new moon after the winter solstice, Saturday, January 25, the outgoing yin year of earth pig begets the yang year of metal rat. This transition is the beginning of the fourth 12 year zodiac cycle of the sexagenary lunar calendar. The last year of yang metal rat was in 1960. The Green Party of Philadelphia (GPOP) will mark the new year with a protest against saber rattling and provocations toward war with Iran. (show all)
Campaign Updates
edited by Chris Robinson
Petitioning has started! We have 8,000 to collect (5,000 are required plus 3,000 cushion for challenges). 100 volunteers, with 80 signatures each will knock that out quickly. The best day to get signatures is primary day, when you have a captive audience who are all registered to vote. A great way to engage voters and let them know who we are. To volunteer, sign up at GreenWave under Team Updates.
Garret Wassermann for PA Representative, District 45
Garret told GREEN STAR, “The bipartisan vote for HB 1100, which would give billions of dollars in subsidies to gas and petrochemical companies, is outrageous and shows that neither the Democratic nor Republican Party has any interest in seriously addressing toxic pollution and climate change. We don’t have to sacrifice our health and environment for jobs. I completely reject the idea that jobs must come from petrochemicals. We should be funding a Green New Deal instead. But it's not really about jobs either. It's about the political establishment continuing to give financial handouts to corporations that lobby them.�” Garret’s campaign website is https://votegarret.org and his Facebook is https://www.facebook.com/VoteGarret/
Jay Ting Walker for PA Representative, District 23
Jay told GREEN STAR, “My campaign for Pennsylvania House is getting it's ducks in a row. Look out for an April kickoff.” Connect with Jay’s campaign on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JayTingWalker. Jay’s campaign website is https://jaytingwalker.com
Tim Runkle for PA Treasurer
Tim told GREEN STAR, “We must create an alternative to the two party system. That alternative will represent people before profits and it will be socially conscious and future focused. As a candidate for PA State Treasurer, I will advance our popular messages like that of a Real Green New Deal and Economic Democracy. My campaign will be clear that the present political system cannot deliver those ideas and that building an alternative is paramount." Tim is chair of the Green Party of Lancaster County and treasurer of GPPA.
Richard L. Weiss, Esq. for PA Attorney General
Richard told GREEN STAR that he “supports criminal justice reforms including ending cash bail, and decriminalizing drug use. This would reduce jail population for nonviolent offenders and thereby save the taxpayers money.” Richard, a PA attorney since 1992, is a delegate to GPPA from the Green Party of Allegheny County.
Olivia Faison for PA Auditor General
Olivia told GREEN STAR that she is secretary of the board of directors for the Health Centers of Philadelphia. She is also an elected Green, serving as minority inspector at her polling precinct.
Team Updates
GreenWave Team by Garret Wassermann
Petitioning has started!! sign up HERE to join us in getting our 2020 slate of candidates on the PA ballot!
Communications Team by Chris Robinson
The Communication Team posted 3 interviews to GPPA’s YouTube channel during 2019. It would be fantastic to do more during 2020, but we need someone to organize this project. If you would like to join our team, If you would like to join, please contact Chris at chrisrecon-at-netzero-dot-net; for the phone number, visit our website at https://www.gpofpa.org/, or to join online, sign up HERE.
National Green News
edited by Gayle Morrow
Green Party of Virginia opposes new fossil fuel infrastructure; calls for Real Green New Deal
“At this time when we must ban all new fossil fuel infrastructure including the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, Mountain Valley Pipeline and Buckingham Compressor Station in Union Hill, Democratically controlled Virginia is threatening two new compressor stations, one in Prince William County and one in the city of Chesapeake, and the expansion of the existing Ladysmith compressor station in Caroline County.” (show all)
Lower Voting Age To 16, Green Party Senate Candidate In NJ Says
Madelyn Hoffman, in tune with the current trend both in the U.S. and Europe believes that it’s time to lower the voting age, and backs up her argument with good points. (show all)
The Lavender Greens of whom I’m guessing some of you are unaware.
“We are the National Lavender Greens Caucus (NLGC) of the Green Party of the United States. We are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual Green Party members (LGBTQIA Lavenders) organized as a Caucus with the purpose of promoting Lavender issues within the Green Party and promoting the Green Party to the LGBTQIA community.” (show all)
“The Young Ecosocialists (the Youth Caucus of the Green Party US) works to engage youth in Green issues and gives its members a voice within GPUS. Membership is open to anyone ages 14-35 in the United States who identifies as Green and pays caucus dues.
In addition to using the Ten Key Values as guiding principles, we declare ourselves to be an anti-oppression caucus, actively dedicated to the work of ending capitalism and dismantling white supremacy and cisheteropatriarchy. We emphasize political independence from the corporate duopoly and working towards an ecosocialist future.” (show all)
Global Green News
edited by Gayle Morrow
The Maturing of Europe’s Greens
This Voice of America journalist puts forth the theory that Europe’s Green Parties are doing better in elections because they are forming coalitions with the center-right, rather than the left. What’s your opinion as an American Green? Would you approve forming some kind of coalition/partnership with say the Christian Democrats in order to get a Green in Congress? (show all)
Green leadership hopeful wants to become the first black woman to lead a national party
The 2020 Green Party of Canada leadership election will take place on October 4, 2020, to replace Elizabeth May, who resigned on November 4, 2019 after leading the party for more than a decade. Next step? First Black woman leader?(show all)
GPPA Coming Events
edited by Chris Robinson
Green Party events are in GREEN. Other Movement events are in RED.
March 2, 7:00 pm
Green Party of Chester County Virtual Meeting
More information from: [email protected]
March 3
World Wildlife Day
More information from: https://www.wildlifeday.org/content/get_involved
March 3, 6:00 pm
Green Party of Allegheny County General Assembly
Panera Bread, 3401 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA.
More information from: [email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/events/520148055241554/
March 6, 13, 20 and 27, 12:30 pm
Climate Crisis Awareness Rally
Lincoln Square in Gettysburg (York Street crossing)
Hosted by Adams County Green Party in solidarity with Greta Thunburg's worldwide climate awareness movement.
More information from: https://www.facebook.com/events/2206600726129147/
March 6, 11:30am
Stop Banking the Bomb
PNC Tower, 300 5th Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA.
Endorsed by the Green Party of Allegheny County.
More information from: https://www.facebook.com/pg/StopBankingtheBomb
March 7, 4:00 pm
South Hills Greens Social Meetup
Caliente Pizza & Drafthouse, 329 Castle Shannon Blvd, Mount Lebanon, PA.
More information from: https://www.facebook.com/events/561227017813799/
March 8, 11:00 am
International Women’s Strike
Philadelphia, PA
More information from: https://www.facebook.com/events/188842915694141/
March 9, 7:00 pm
Green Party of Lackawanna County Membership Meeting
Hosted by the Green Party of Lackawanna County, 2043 North Maine Avenue, Scranton, PA.
More information from: [email protected]
March 13 thru March 15
International Action Against Sanctions
One third of the world lives under U.S. sanctions. Condemn economic warfare.
More information from: https://sanctionskill.org/
March 15, 1:00 pm
National Action to End Korean War
Lafayette Square, Pennsylvania Avenue NW at 16th Street NW, Washington, DC
More information from: https://koreapeacenow.org/70-years-too-long-national-action-to-end-the-korean-war/
March 16, 7:00 pm
Green Party of Montgomery County Meeting
Rm. 347, Easton Hall, Arcadia University, 450 South Easton Road, Glenside, PA.
More information from: [email protected]
March 21, 11:00 am
Stop Banking the Bomb
PNC Tower, 2031 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA.
Endorsed by the Green Party of Allegheny County
More information from: https://www.facebook.com/events/2760416020704725/
March 21, noon
U.S. Troops Out of Iraq, Global Day of Protest
Intersection of Penn and Highland Avenues, Pittsburgh, PA
Endorsed by the Green Party of Allegheny County
More information from: https://www.facebook.com/events/208573367178793/
March 21, 10:00 am, through March 22, 4:00 pm
GPPA Convention
GPPA will host a weekend convention at the Historic Harrisburg Resource Center, 1230 North Third Street, Harrisburg, PA
Please register here: https://www.gpofpa.org/2020_03_conv
March 22
World Water Day
More information from: https://www.worldwaterday.org/
March 24, 7:00 pm
Green Party of Philadelphia Membership Meeting
For the location, please contact: [email protected]
March 28, noon
Protest at Drone War Command
Air Guard Station, Easton Road (#611) at County Line Road, Horsham, PA.
Brandywine Peace Community, Bucks County Green Party, Montgomery County Green Party, Green Party of Philadelphia
More information from: [email protected]
http://www.brandywinepeace.com/events/
March 30
Last Day for Green Party Candidates to Register Green
Otherwise, a candidate will not be allowed to run as a Green in November.
April 6, 7:00 pm
Green Party of Chester County Meeting
Interested parties should contact this link for the location: [email protected]
April 7, 6:00 pm
Green Party of Allegheny County General Assembly
Panera Bread, 3401 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA
More information from: [email protected]
GPPA Meeting Dates for 2020:
- March Convention (in-person) - Saturday/Sunday March 21/22 at the Historic Harrisburg Resource Center in Harrisburg. Go to https://www.gpofpa.org/2020_03_conv for more information.
- June (virtual) - Sunday June 7
- September (in-person, retreat) - Saturday/Sunday September 12/13
- November, Post-Election Day (virtual) - Sunday November 15
Web Conferences are online - RSVP to get connection information. The locations for in-person conferences are to be determined. In-person conferences can be hosted by counties, county groups or regions. These events are fundraisers. When hosted locally, the host group receives back half of the revenue after expenses. To apply for hosting, submit your info to our Application for Local Hosting of GPPA State Meetings or GPPA-Sponsored Events. We strive for geographic diversity in reviewing applications, however, all submissions are considered.
Green Party of Pennsylvania Communications Team & Media Committee
Issue Credits:
EDITORS: Chris Robinson & Gayle Morrow
CONTRIBUTORS: Chris Robinson, Gayle Morrow, Emily Cook, Garret Wassermann & Mel Packer
LAYOUT: Sheri Miller, Dannee Schoepfer & Hal Brown
GRAPHIC ARTS: Kevin Richardson
Everything we do is based on our Four Pillars and Ten Key Values. If you find that you share these ideals, come and join the movement.
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Join us and help bring about a future where people and planet are valued over profits. We have a new, tiered membership structure that allows you to determine your level of commitment and support. And if you want to get more directly involved, consider joining an action team. Work with other committed progressives and activists in activities such as planning events, developing media content, or helping with campaigns. Let's join together to make 2020 the year of progressives!
The Green Star is an official publication of the Green Party of Pennsylvania Communications Team * 2020
