.
Both of them are trotting out Tom Hayden as an anti-war spokesperson. Hello? Everyone forget that Hayden told everyone to vote for the pro-war Obama.
UFPJ wants us to join Hayden in signing a petition against the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. (email below) Where was his signature in 2008? How about Hayden sign a petition saying he will never vote for (or promote) a pro-war candidate?
This is the second time that Code Pink has been clueless in going to Greens with a supporter of Obama’s pro-war presidency. They targeted a Tom Hayden email to Green Party members. (email below) Are Green Party members who opposed these wars from the beginning, and whose candidates oppsed these wars, really gonna want any advice from the guy who told people to vote for the pro-war Obama? I think not.
| Take Action to End the War in Afghanistan
A Conversation with Tom Hayden plus a report from inside Congress Tuesday, September 15, 2009 9PM EST The Afghanistan war is escalating! Congress is poised to spend another $130 billion on the wars! Join us for a conversation with Tom Hayden and a Congressional representative to discuss how the anti-war movement can have more impact on Congress. The conference call will be an exchange of experiences and a discussion of grass-roots strategies for building Congressional opposition. Conference call at 9 PM EST on Tuesday September 15. Call in number 218-339-4300 access code 091509#
Afghanistan – A Petition to Take Action Against the War Tom Hayden and other anti war activists have initiated an online petition to organize the 57% public opinion that opposes the war in Afghanistan to prevent a new escalation of troops. The petition preamble says: “We, the undersigned peace and justice leaders, believe that the American military interventions in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq are deepening quagmires that threaten a Long War without end.” Please sign on yourself and forward this email! On October 7 actions across the country will mark the beginning of the 8th year of the war and occupation of Afghanistan. Please post your local events on the UFPJ events calendar. |
|
|
|
|
|
Help us continue to do this critical work: Make a donation to UFPJ today. UNITED FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE
September 10, 2009 Dear Green Party Member,
Our friend Tom Hayden has been an important voice for peace for decades. CODEPINK and other activists around the world are joining with Tom now to use our collective voice and power to end war in Afghanistan. As this fantastic article in the New York Times states, the tides are turning in our favor-this fall, the antiwar movement is rallying in solidarity to challenge Obama’s misguided policies on Afghanistan.
Let’s take Tom’s advice and raise hell (for peace)! Dana, Farida, Gael, Gayle, Janet, Jodie, Medea, Nancy, Paris, Rae and Whitney |
Filed under: 3rd party, Action Alert!, activism, afghanistan, Anti-War, cynthia mckinney, Election 2008, grassroots democracy, Green Party, international politics, Peace, politics, progressive politics, rants
This is exactly why the Green Party never gets off the ground. It goes out of its way to make potential friends into real enemies. Pitiful.
I am speaking for myself as an individualk Green, and as a peace activist who was vigil-ing against the Afghan War since the first day we started bombing.
I am tired of supporting organizations that don’t support me. How about supposed anti-war organizations stop sending messages out from Democrats who support a pro-war President? How about they stop going underground every time a Democrat runs for President?
UFPJ and Code Pink have not been friends. They have wanted Green Party bodies and dollars, but not our voices. We will not stop these wars until the peace movement is ready to directly confront the politicians, Democrat and Republican. And that includes confronting them oin the campaign trail and in the voting booth.
What are you talking about? UFPJ has plenty of Green members, they speak at our assemblies, and are elected to our steering committee. One, George Martin of the Wisconsin Greens, has even been co-chair. UFPJ encourages everyone to vote, but endorses no candidates or parties, because the 501C3 laws prohibit it. I would say a solid majority of those involved in UFPJ, from top to bottom, most likely voted for Obama, but that’s another matter. The majority turning out for antiwar protests over the years, from the very beginning, are also Democratic voters. We have elected Democrats march with us in Chicago. Do you want to tell all these folks to go somewhere else, that they’re not good enough to join your actions? Again, you’re making my point about why the Greens often shoot themselves in the foot, and when I lived in Chicago, I was a member of the Greens and voted for our guy for governor.
Carl, You are missing some of the point. One problem is that UFPJ has, in the past, not let Green Party CANDIDATES speak at event. While at the same time, allowing Democratic candidates, such as Kucinich.
Also, it is funny when relationships triangulate. It is ironic that you bring up George Martin. I love and respect George Martin and his work. But, he is not one of those Greens who is fiercely independent and electoral. So, I am glad George Martin has been a UFPJ Co-Chair, and was able to be on your board by political will or election or something. But, George Martin probably didn’t push hard enough for the green candidates and green recognition. In the whole of his activism and work, George does not put acknowledging the Green Party at the top. It would be neat if there were several greens allowed in the top of your organization. And, some that were more high profile on letting us be acknowledged and equal members of the group.
If UFPJ has elected Democrats march with you, then we want you to invite elected Green Party officials to march with you, too. But, that is not how it has played out so many times.
Thanks for your perspective.
Ian Wilder’s points in the post were strong ones. Kimberly Wilder in the comments walked through very clearly. Carl Davidson got the point but wanted to be disruptive.
I support Ian Wilder’s statements 100%.
Support! Cynthia McKinney voter here. Will not forget how we were treated like serfs if not slaves by the Democratic Party establishment as Code Pink and others tried to order us around and bully us into supporting Barack Obama.
Carl Davidson, Tom Haden, UFPJ, PDA, Moveon etc etc are not friends and allies.
In fact they all “greenwash” to pro-war, corporate corrupted Democratic Party.
Their president, Obama simply exposed them for what they really are.
Well said, Mike
From GPNYS:
The Executive Committee of the Green Party of New York State (GPNYS), in acknowledgment of considerable member objections to the GPNYSʼs continued membership in United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ), has only reluctantly decided to maintain its membership within UFPJ. While it is common for UFPJ to be referred to as the “largest anti-war organization” existing today, that is something that it has not been, and is not yet. One or another of the much smaller member organizations associated with UFPJ could be that largest anti-war organization, but — in its aggregate — UFPJ is not, because the effect of its tacit partisan support for Democrats has resulted in UFPJ being an organization complicit in the better managing of aggression, rather than true opposition to wars.
http://www.web.gpnys.com/?p=3546
Well, I seen the Green Party is organizing circular firing squads as its way to build the antiwar movement.
Now let’s see. PDA, Progressive Democrats of America, here in Beaver County is the main group organizing an ‘Out Now’ and ‘HeathCare, Not Warfare’ rally at the County Courthouse tomorrow, as part of all the nationwide opposition to the Afghan war. Nor is this new. They’ve done it before, during and after the Obama campaign.
They’re also a UFPJ affiliate–although unlike some here, they understand that UFPJ doesn’t endorse candidates.
So what should I do? Tell everyone not to go because it’s a hoax? Tell the speakers denouncing Obama on the war that they should be denouncing themselves?
Try to find a handful of Greens and split off, and tell people not to support PDA until they dissolve?
We should be uniting with everyone who wants to oppose the escalation in Afghanistan, change course 180 degrees and get out now?
This crap just makes the Greens look like infantile ultraleftists. Set it aside. Otherwise, you have no future.
Welcome Brother. I am glad to here that your local is organizing against the wars and for Single Payer. Unfortunately, you are the exception to the rule. So-called Progressive Democrats in new call opposition to the the Afgan War to be “naive” and are preaching the gospel of the public option. I assume your local was loud and proud about opposing Obama’s pro-war and anti-single Payer stances during the 2008 presidential election.
UFPJ certainly wasn’t. UFPJ disappeared during the 2008 presidential election for fear of embarrassing pro-war Obama, and hasn’t recovered since.
You could tell the people at your rallies to stop supporting and voting for candidates that don’t support them. Did you support a candidate who was anti-war and pro-single Payer in 2008? Did you vote for one?
I agree with uniting with everyone who wants us to get out of Afghanistan. But we also need to call out those who are diverting us from that task so they don’t waste everyone’s time.
It sounds to me like you are angry because you belong to a political party that is Groucho Marx in reverse. They want your money and your votes, but not your issues.
Come home to the Green Party.
[…] a leap year, so CODEPink/UFPJ‘s* Tom Hayden must be shilling for a warmonger again. Obama has opposed any Wall Street […]