Last month, The Chronicle interviewed Jewish activists in the Democratic, Libertarian and Republican Parties. We had hoped to include people from the Green Party and the Ralph Nader independent presidential campaign, but at the time received no reply from them.
Since then, two Milwaukee Jewish members of the Wisconsin Green Party offered to write their views of what that party stands for and why Jews should consider voting for it. Their article accompanies two national pieces advocating Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama, the two major party candidates for president.
The Green Party movement in America began in 1984 and officially formed in 1996. Since its inception, it has grown and continues to grow.
Not only do the numbers of elected officials continue to increase, now more than 300, but the Green Party platform also is being embraced by forward-thinking people who see the need for a functional sustainable economy.
We are seeing a heightened awareness of the importance of recycling, renewable energies, sustainable buildings, local economies and participatory elections. All are drawn directly from the Green Party platform.
The “four pillars” of our political beliefs are: Ecological Wisdom, Grass Roots Democracy, Social Justice and Non-Violence.
The Green Party has always opposed the invasion of Iraq. The Green Party has been calling for health care reform for more than 10 years; whether you called it Universal or Single Payer, the Greens have been advocating for it.
This country desperately needs real campaign finance reform. Getting corporate money out of politics is required for our democratic survival.
The Green Party advocates public financing of elections, free airtime for candidates and inclusion in the debates. These along with real voting reform (to better calculate the real majority of voting Americans) will bring us back to the democracy our founders had envisioned.
The reason the Green Party is so important to today’s politics is that it expects high moral standards from all human beings, no matter their gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, nationality, or ancestry.
As Jewish Greens, we take special interest in Middle Eastern affairs, especially when pertaining to Israel/Palestine.
Back in 2005 the Green Party approved support of the Divestment in Israel campaign. Many in the Jewish community saw this as anti-Semitic, an act hostile to the existence of the state of Israel. We disagree.
The Wisconsin Green Party brought this proposal to the national party as the two representatives were also Jewish Greens, one being born in Israel. We feel that the Israeli government is putting Israelis and their country’s existence in harm’s way by continuing to ignore international law while collectively punishing the Palestinian people.
We agree that suicide bombing is 100% wrong and should cease immediately. We also believe that the wall that divides Palestinian communities is a crime, ordinary Palestinians cannot go to work, school etc., because most roads are for Israelis only; and the checkpoints are not only an inconvenience, but also a source of humiliation.
Palestinian home demolitions are another crime, as are destructions of century old Palestinian olive trees, their main livelihood. Palestinians lack of clean water is making life miserable for many, and we cannot just sit idle.
Growing up we learned about how the Jewish people worked to create a just world. We feel strongly opposed to having injustice committed in our names.
We want to preserve Israel’s existence, not necessarily as a “Jewish” state as many see it today but for sure as a safe haven for the Jewish people and for the Palestinians, and whoever else decides to reside there.
There are several Jewish activist groups inside Israel and across the globe, working for justice for the Palestinians because they see doing so as part of their duty as Jews. Unfortunately groups like Gush Shalom, Rabbis for Human Rights and several others do not get the exposure they deserve.
There are varieties of opinions regarding the one or two state solution(s) or the term “Jewish state.” It is our opinion that no state should be based on religious affiliation. Jews, Muslims, Christians and members of other faiths should all have equal basic rights in this most desired land.
The Green Party feels strongly about human rights, whether here in the U.S., in Israel/Palestine or elsewhere. We believe in social justice for all.
Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente, the Green Party’s 2008 nominees for president and vice president, have always worked for justice and represent our four pillars and platform.
We urge you to visit http://www.votetruth08.com for more information about the campaign. For general information please visit http://www.gp.org or http://www.wigp.net
Milwaukeean Mike Bootzin is a Wisconsin Green Party member. Milwaukeean Ruth Weill is former Wisconsin Green Party co-chair and a member of the Green Party of the U.S. National Committee.
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