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ASSOCIATION OF STATE GREEN PARTIESMEDIA ADVISORY GREENS TO PARTICIPATE IN VARIOUS INAUGURATION DAY PROTESTS |
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Contacts: WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Thousands of members of the Green Party from all over the U.S. will converge on the nation's capital for the Inauguration Day protests and other counter-inaugural events throughout the day on Saturday, January 20. Greens are also organizing and participating in hundreds of such events in their home states. (Index of local Green contacts: http://www.greenparties.org/contacts.html) In December, the Association of State Green Parties (ASGP) approved a strong statement on the disenfranchisement of voters in Florida and elsewhere, recognizing the manipulation of the vote by Republican supporters of George W. Bush and the systemic obstruction of thousands of African American votes, but also noting the collusion of Democrats in policies that have led to unfair elections. The statement, which demands extensive reforms, passed with support from 24 states and the District of Columbia which hold membership in ASGP. (The text is appended below.) Greens understood the extent of election corruption long before the Florida revelations in November, 2000:
Because of these assaults on the democratic rights of Americans -- and because Vice President Al Gore held most of the same anti-environmental, anti-labor, anti-human-rights, and pro-military positions as Gov. George W. Bush -- many Greens would have protested even if Mr. Gore had won the election. Greens especially challenge Democrats to enact Instant Run-off Voting (IRV), which allows voters to rank their choices, ensures the election of candidates with majority support, and encourages participation by more than two parties. The Greens warn the major parties that unless IRV is implemented, the threat of "spoiling" by third parties will continue. The election of Matt Gonzalez to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors on December 12 shows that in many areas, the Greens have grown stronger as a result of the 2000 election, despite accusations that Ralph Nader's "spoiling" for Al Gore discredited the Green Party. (More on IRV: http://www.fairvote.org)
*** Day of Resistance Shadow Inauguration, organized by Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network, to take place at the Supreme Court. Participants will gather at 10 a.m., rally and ceremony beginn at 11:00 a.m. in Stanton Park, intersection of 4th and C Streets NE and Maryland and Massachusetts Avenues. *** The Million Voter March, beginning with a rally at Dupont Circle at 10:00 a.m. and rally at the Ellipse after the parade. Speakers will include Michael Moore and Granny D, as well as live bands. http://www.votermarch.org *** The Protest at the Inauguration, commencing at 10:00 am at Pennsylvania Avenue & 14th Street NW, organized by the International Action Center; International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal; the MOVE Organization; Millions for Mumia; Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition, NYC; Refuse and Resist; Korea Truth Commission; The Palestine Right To Return Coalition; and many others. http://www.iacenter.org *** The Justice Action Movement has three counter-inaugural parties planned, all at 9 p.m.: DEMOCRAZY! People's Dance Party, at 2K9, 2009 8th Street, NW; AUCTIONEER'S BALL! punk and indie rock, at Insomnia, 714 6th Street NW; JAH PROVIDES JUSTICE! Reggae Show at the Welcome Center Kaffa House, 1212 U Street NW, 202-462-4513. http://www.j20.org ASGP STATEMENT ON VOTER DISENFRANCHISEMENT IN THE 2000 ELECTION The Association of State Green Parties calls for an investigation of the alleged irregularities in Florida and other states, especially the alleged disenfranchisement of many African Americans, other peoples of color and those with physical disabilities. These include: reports of intimidation and obstruction by crowds and officials, lack of ballots and working voting machines, refusal of assistance and foreign language translation to voters, failure to process registration and ballots, requiring a stamp on voter registration cards, the lack of ballots in Braille and access ramps to voting places, electioneering, and other errors and omissions affecting the rights of voters. The presidential election stalemate in Florida reveals that voter fraud, manipulation, and intimidation against African Americans may not have ended with passage of civil rights laws, and sheds lights on some of the same practices used against Latinos, American Indians, immigrants, and poor whites in some states. The Association of State Green Parties condemns all such assaults on the democratic rights of thousands of voters. The Association of State green Parties supports the demand of the Congressional Black Caucus that the Justice Department investigate these allegations as possible violations of the constitutional rights of thousands of Americans and as abuses of the 1965 Voting Rights Act The Association of State Green Parties calls for the investigation of allegations of disenfranchisement of voters in the armed forces. The Association of State Green Parties also condemns the disenfranchisement of convicted felons, according to the laws of certain states, which has resulted in the engineering of elections which have the effect of closing off, if not eliminating altogether, access to voting by people of color. The disproportionate incarceration of people of color and the War on Drugs, under which hundreds of thousands of Americans have been imprisoned for minor and nonviolent offenses, are unacceptable injustices that must cease. The Association of State Green Parties demands that Americans convicted of felonies or any other offenses who have served their sentences have their full voting rights restored. Because of the many injustices found in today's US-criminal-justice system, particularly the War on Drugs, the suspension of voting rights for all other prisoners needs to be discussed openly in public. Already on record opposing the War on Drugs, which addresses drug use and addiction as a legal and military crisis instead of a socioeconomic and health issue, the Association of State Green Parties asks all Americans to recognize the War on Drugs as a cruel and unjust tactic to deprive millions of Americans, especially people of color and the poor, of their constitutional rights, including the right to vote. The Association of State Green Parties continues to demand equitable redistricting, enactment of Instant Runoff Voting and other election reforms, and closer monitoring of elections to increase participation of Americans in the electoral and political system. MORE INFORMATION The Association of State Green Parties PO Box 18452, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 232-0335 search: elws, elct, prty
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