Ecological Wisdom * Social Justice * Grassroots Democracy * Non-Violence
>> Green Party of Michigan <<
http://www.migreens.org
>>> ---------------- <<<
>>> News Release <<<
>>> ---------------- <<<
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
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August 25, 2003
For More Information Contact:
----------------------------
Lou Novak -- Meeting Manager, GPMI
e-mail: meetingmanager@migreens.org">
John Anthony La Pietra -- Media Committee, GPMI
phone: 269-781-9478
e-mail: jalp@internet1.net
>> Greens Vote to Preserve Post Offices for Small Communities, <<
>> Living Wages for Postal Workers at Statewide Meeting Saturday <<
>> ============================================================= <<
> GPMI Calls for Repeal of Library Internet Filtering Law <<
> <
> Party Renews Support for Vigorous Presidential Campaign in 2004 <
The Green Party of Michigan (GPMI) expressed unanimous support for
preserving the living-wage jobs of postal workers, and the quality of
life in small local communities across the state and the nation, at the
party's membership meeting Saturday at the East Lansing Public Library.
GPMI adopted a resolution offered by Paul Felton of Detroit, a member
of the American Postal Workers' Union (APWU), opposing the recommendations
of what he described as a "union-busting" Postal Commission appointed by
the Bush administration.
Felton noted that the commission is proposing to cut service to
hundreds of local communities -- for which even their small post offices
are a significant spark to social life in their areas. Another crucial
proposal would gut the arbitration rights of the four postal unions,
which cannot by law go out on strike, he added.
Copies of the resolution will be sent to all of Michigan's 17 members
in the US Senate and House of Representatives, and the state headquarters
of all four postal unions.
There was also unanimous consent for a proposal presented by Roger
McClary of Grand Rapids to call on Michigan's Congressional delegation
to work for the repeal of the Children's Internet Protection Act.
The stated aim of CIPA was to protect young people from "visual
depictions" that are "obscene, child pornography, or harmful to minors"
by requiring Federally-funded libraries to filter content at all its
public Internet terminals. However, as McClary's resolution points out,
no image-based filtering software is available. And the text-based
programs that do exist are notorious for filtering out legitimate
informational sites . . . and even political pages.
[NOTE: The texts of both resolutions are shown below.]
GPMI also set tentative sites and dates for its next three quarterly
membership meetings. The next meeting, in November, will be hosted by
the new Van Buren County local; after that, Michigan Greens will gather
in Flint in February. May's meeting in Traverse City may also be the
party's 2004 convention, where it nominates statewide candidates and
delegates to the GPUS Presidential nominating convention in Milwaukee.
Sylvia Inwood, a GPMI representative on the Presidential Exploratory
Committee, reported on recent discussions of the 2004 race; the members'
response was an informal re-affirmation of GPMI's support at the May
meeting in Napoleon for a vigorous Green Presidential campaign.
As part of preparations for next year's elections, the meeting
featured a panel discussion on what it takes to campaign for elected
office.
Art Myatt, 2002 Green candidate for the 27th State House seat, and
past and present GPMI Elections Coördinators Peter Schermerhorn and
John Anthony La Pietra, talked about gathering the resources to run
a good race -- and planning an effective campaign. They reviewed key
pages from the national Green Party Campaign Manual and other guides
by Green candidates and campaign managers, and answered questions
from the audience on state and Federal laws and rules.
GPMI Recordkeeper and 2002 Lieutenant Governor candidate Adrianna
Buonarroti and Schermerhorn led a "Women's Caucus and Allies" workshop
to get both women and men in the Green Party thinking and talking about
how women often see issues differently than men, and how the party can
make sure to benefit from hearing both perspectives.
# # #
Green Party of Michigan * 548 S. Main Street *
* Ann Arbor, MI 48104 * 734-663-3555
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The Green Party of Michigan was formed in 1987 to address environmental
issues in Michigan politics. There are Greens organized in all 50 states
and the District of Columbia. Each state Green Party sets its own goals
and creates its own structure, but US Greens agree on Ten Key Values:
Ecological Wisdom * Grassroots Democracy
Social Justice * Nonviolence
Community Economics * Decentralization
Feminism * Respect for Diversity
Personal and Global * Future Focus/
Responsibility Sustainability
created/distributed using donated labor
Other Contacts:
Green Party of Michigan
548 S Main St
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-663-3555
info@migreens.org
posted to web 31 Aug 2003