7 Directions of Service: The Rights of the Dan River Ecosystem Act introduced in NCGA + a few upcoming events

More to come.

Catawba Rhododendrons were blooming purple along Morgan Creek behind the NC Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill about three weeks ago (not around June?).  An American columbo began blooming around May 2nd, was nearing full bloom May 7th, and will bloom for about a week, blooming only once in a decades long life:  ncbg.unc.edu/2024/04/17/american-columbo-to-bloom/   Some trillium leaves were still up in late April and yellow stargrass (in the Amaryllis family, or is it in its own family now?), blue-eyed grass (in the iris family), hot pink and yellow Oxalises, faded bluets, green-and-gold, star chickweed, hawkweed, maple-leaved viburnum, pawpaws, tuliptrees, American fringetrees, black locusts, the last of the dogwoods, gill-over-the-ground/ground ivy (?), blackberries, buttercups, a pale yellow species of cinquefoil, blue lyre-leaved sage, maybe a spiderwort, etc. were blooming there.  A yellow 'indigo'-type plant was about to bloom?  Chinese fringetrees (?) and the last few downy arrowwoods (Viburnums) were blooming at Durham's Southwest Regional Library. 

spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2024/05/northern-lights-seen-in-pittsburgh.html (and even in Puerto Rico this May)

Google searches will begin incorporating AI this week, and the only option is accepting it or boycotting, in favor of DuckDuckGo, etc.?

Unlike Trump and many other Republicans, even the Taliban apparently believes that human-induced climate change is happening, regarding recent floods.

The US demands, or commands, that the president of the Republic of Georgia, near Ukraine and Iran, veto the new foreign agents law.  Is the Biden administration fomenting a "Euro Maidan" II, a "Euro-Atlantic" color coup to put a US government proxy in control?  The EU seems to be an organization ranking below NATO now.  How many proxy wars can the "West" run at one time?  For example:  diario-octubre.com/2024/05/15/georgia-los-imperialistas-tiran-la-piedra-y-esconden-la-mano/

www.normalisland.co.uk/p/un-worker-dies-from-unknown-causes

Jewish Israeli high school teacher Meir Baruchin of Petah Tivkah was arrested, held in isolation at the "Russian Compound" for four days (the only Jewish prisoner), mistreated, and fired, over two posts to Facebook regarding the war:  portside.org/2024-02-11/how-israel-turned-teacher-traitor

48,000 graduate student workers represented by UAW are voting on a University of California systemwide strike over the violent repression of campus anti-war protest:   www.wsws.org/en/articles/2024/05/14/pers-m14.html

US reiterates "ironclad" support for Israel... – www.wsws.org/en/articles/2024/05/14/ljdt-m14.html  All on May 13th? –  the first killing of "a foreign UN staffer in Gaza" during the current attack; a group of youths with adults present were free (no police stopped them; stonethrowing is apparently only a big deal when Palestinians or people south of the border do it) to attack an UNRWA facility in East Jerusalem, not for the first time, and there were two fires along the periphery at the same time (one near a fuel tank), which the staff extinguished; a video came out of Israelis destroying food aid near Rafah without the police on the scene interfering; Netanyahu said the war will continue; there were attacks on Rafah, Jabalia, Zeitoun, etc.; over 35,000 have been killed in Gaza; and Jake Sullivan said that the alleged US Rafah redline has not been crossed.  Billions more in weapons are to go to Israel?

Australian PM incites attacks on pro-Gaza student encampments:    www.wsws.org/en/articles/2024/05/14/otdl-m14.html

www.counterpunch.org/2024/05/14/the-battle-of-ucla-inside-the-class-struggle/  

Noted by DRAD:  There is a "faculty-led" encampment at New York City's New School:  www.democracynow.org/2024/5/10/new_school_faculty

In Amsterdam, Netherlands, but not only:  mronline.org/2024/05/14/forget-securitisation-of-the-academy-we-are-now-fully-militarized/

truthout.org/articles/university-leaders-are-in-the-wrong-students-and-faculty-wont-back-down/

consortiumnews.com/2024/05/08/listen-to-the-students/

www.counterpunch.org/2024/05/13/what-are-greek-students-waiting-for/

diario-octubre.com/2024/05/15/casi-3-000-manifestantes-detenidos-en-estados-unidos-por-solidarizarse-con-gaza/

Army Major Harrison Mann, working at the Pentagon, resigned over the war and Hala Rharrit at the State Department resigned in April, among others:  truthout.org/articles/army-major-and-pentagon-officer-resigns-over-us-support-of-gaza-genocide/

consortiumnews.com/2024/05/13/the-secret-history-of-israels-role-in-genocide-in-colombia/

diario-octubre.com/2024/05/14/firmeza-de-los-palestinos-obligo-al-mundo-a-hablar-de-estado-libre/

diario-octubre.com/2024/05/12/planean-estados-unidos-y-la-otan-neutralizar-a-kaliningrado/

diario-octubre.com/2024/05/14/investigador-acusa-a-ucrania-de-usar-municiones-con-agentes-toxicos-en-donetsk/

diario-octubre.com/2024/05/14/rusia-no-descarta-la-posibilidad-de-continuar-operando-la-eei-despues-de-2028/

diario-octubre.com/2024/05/14/abren-en-moscu-un-nuevo-astillero-de-alta-tecnologia-para-la-produccion-de-buques-electricos/

www.counterpunch.org/2024/05/14/a-clubbable-admission-palestines-case-for-un-membership/

www.counterpunch.org/2024/05/15/anything-goes-the-new-normal/

www.counterpunch.org/2024/05/14/weve-already-got-an-antisemitism-awareness-act-its-called-the-first-amendment/

portside.org/2024-05-14/us-plan-outsource-its-imperialism-haiti-kenya

An Australian who revealed war crimes committed in Afghanistan will be punished:  consortiumnews.com/2024/05/13/whistleblower-mcbride-sentenced-to-5-yrs-8-mos/

consortiumnews.com/2024/05/13/us-china-rivalry-riles-tiny-solomon-islands/

consortiumnews.com/2024/05/15/patrick-lawrence-dien-bien-phu-at-70/

www.counterpunch.org/2024/05/15/us-labor-must-weigh-in-on-cuba/

diario-octubre.com/2024/05/15/la-dictadura-mundial-de-un-sistema-denunciada-por-jose-marti-i/

www.counterpunch.org/2024/05/15/big-brown-in-the-philippines-ups-joins-the-pivot-to-asia/

? – peacediplomacy.org/2024/05/09/the-folly-of-a-new-containment/

 ? – responsiblestatecraft.org/2023/03/09/ukraine-war-unleashed-similar-west-russia-divide-in-georgia/

? – responsiblestatecraft.org/georgia-protests/

portside.org/2024-05-13/when-bad-cops-become-private-security-guards

portside.org/2024-05-12/supreme-court-rules-cops-can-steal-your-stuff-they-always-have

Video from the This Art Belongs to the Artists symposium at UNC:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTl8c2qXlZQ&ab_channel=UNCSchoolofLaw

www.audible.com/pd/Letters-from-Guantanamo-Audiobook/B0D33W5PLG

June is Torture Awareness Month?

May 16th National VIRTUAL Day of Action to End Solitary:  www.nrcat.org

"A View from the Ground:  The Impact of Solitary Confinement in ICE Detention" May 16th at 12pm:  us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcld-6srz0tGdIu0JV3-lIAMLwWSSgAMI1p#/registration

socialpresskit.com/fast

Contact your members of Congress to support the End Solitary Confinement Act:  nrcat.salsalabs.org/esca-cosponsorship/index.html

Migratory Bird Day is May 15th?

May 15th there will be a Ride of Silence from CCB Plaza in Durham May 15th (annually on the third Wednesday in May), organized by Bike Durham; gathering at 5:30, an address by Durham City Council member Javiera Caballero at 5:45, and the bike ride will begin around 6pm, travelling 4.2 miles, memorializing the 42 cyclists killed in North Carolina last year:  actionnetwork.org/events/ros-2024 

National Bike to Work Day is May 17th

May is Bike Month in Carrboro:  Take delight in every ride!

CARRBORO, NC -- Mayor Barbara Foushee has declared May to be Bike Month in Carrboro, encouraging residents to add biking to their transportation routines; to become advocates for biking, bicycle infrastructure, and bicycle-friendly laws and policies; and to take delight in every ride.

Biking is an easy way for people to reduce their carbon footprint and advance the Town’s climate action goals by avoiding the use of single-occupancy vehicles and reducing reliance on non-renewable resources for transportation. 

National Bike Month is also an opportunity to experience the joys and health benefits of biking, to get outside during the spring season, and to see and experience the community at a different scale and pace.

Did you know? Carrboro became the first community in North Carolina to be designated a Silver Level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists.

Read the Mayor's Bike Month Proclamation at https://www.carrboronc.gov/DocumentCenter/View/14573/Bike-Month-2024 ;

Check out all the events planned for Bike Month, including: 

• Bike & Roll to School Day - Wednesday, May 8, before and after school
• Bike on Bus Workshop at the Carrboro Farmers' Market – Saturday, May 11 from 9 a.m. to noon at Carrboro Town Commons, 301 W. Main St. 
• Carrboro Bike Breakfast – Tuesday, May 21 from 7 to 10 a.m. at Libba Cotten Bikeway 
• Community Bike Ride with Mayor Foushee starting at 8 a.m. Friday, May 17 from Carrboro Town Hall, 301 W. Main St.  
• Find more events at https://www.carrboronc.gov/721/Biking

May 18th 3pm ET – there will be a Hands off Uhuru Coalition webinar:  "COINTELPRO Exposed!  Defeating the FBI's war on African and Indigenous Liberation" –  us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_3iJFThAMT2uRbHuOqFlwlA#/registration  Including Ward Churchill, Uhuru Chairman Omali Yeshitela, Mike Kuzma, Jenipher Jones, and a representative from Union del Barrio.

Chairman Omali Yeshitela will be speaking live on YouTube May 15th at 3pm ET – "Address to the African  Nation:  A Dying Colonialism Lashes Out, at Home and Abroad" and there is a video on YouTube of his appearance on Tucker Carlson Uncensored.

There will be a memorial to Missouri peace and anti-war activist Warren J "Andrew" Wimmer, Jr (May 3, 1955-January 22, 2024 – www.schrader.com/obituary/warren-j-andrew-wimmer-jr ) in Saint Louis Sunday, May 19th.  He had a major role in the campaign against the CIA "torture taxi" based at the Johnston County Airport, not far east of here in North Carolina:  ncstn.org/content/ and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aero_Contractors_(United_States)  Apparently Johnston County was founded June 28, 1746 and Smithfield, a large town near the airport, was founded May 9, 1777.

May 28th 7pm ET – Tempest Collective Virtual Forum "Campus Encampments and Beyond:   Lessons from the Frontlines of Palestine Solidarity" –us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMuduChqDgvEtcTFUNWHEs6D5x1RbTf1z_U#/registration

June 5th 7:30 ET "Conflict with China: Marching to Disaster" Green Party (GPAX) Webinar – us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rgvPQ98sSumJ7qTuu1aLYA#/registration and gateway-greens.org

The Great Lakewood Make-Off will be June 8th afternoon and evening at the Scrap Exchange in Durham:  www.scrapexchange.org/make-off  The Scrap Exchange is having a Customer Appreciation Week May 14-19th.  Exhibit April 27th-June 1st:  The Fabulously Furry History of Durham's Beaver Queen Pageant  Beaver Tails 20 Dam Years of Peace, Love, and Beaver for Ellerbe Creek Watershed  The Scrap Exchange is at 2050 Chapel Hill in Durham (in the Lakewood Shopping Center area?):  www.scrapexchange.org

The Indigenous-organized, public, hybrid format Yesah Tribunal:  The Mountain Valley Pipeline and the Rights of Rivers will be June 1st at Haw River State Park in Browns Summit, Guilford County, NC:  7directionsofservice.com/rights-of-nature

Rights of Nature Weekend:  May 30-June 2

5/9 – 7directionsofservice.com/blog/f/the-rights-of-the-dan-river-ecosystem-act-introduced-in-ncga

7 Directions of Service:  The Rights of the Dan River Ecosystem Act introduced in NCGA

On Tues April 30th, Rep. Pricey Harrison introduced HB923, The Rights of the Dan River Ecosystem Act, in the North Carolina General Assembly’s House of Representatives to grant legal rights to the Dan River. HB923 would be one of the first state-level Rights of Nature laws in the U.S., and would elevate the status of the Dan River from “property” to a rights-bearing entity, like a person. Representatives Marcia Cervania and John Autry are primary sponsors of the bill. Other sponsors include Rep. Cynthia Ball, Rep. Kanika Brown, Rep. Allen Buansi, Rep. Deb Butler, Rep. Zack Hawkins, Rep. Maria Morey and Rep. James Robertson.

Rights of Nature is a rapidly spreading legal framework, rooted in Indigenous values, that has been adopted in 12 countries and counting, including over three dozen cities, towns, counties and tribal nations in the U.S. HB932 recognizes the Dan River Ecosystem and surrounding communities as having the legally enforceable rights to exist, regenerate, flourish and be free from pollution.

“Since time immemorial, our Indigenous communities have treated the natural world as kin. For us, animals and rivers are our relatives. We strive to treat them accordingly. When we steward and protect the waterways we depend on, like the Dan, the health of our communities improves. HB923 applies such life-honoring values to North Carolina state law, and lays a path forward for vulnerable ecosystems across the state,” said Dr. Crystal Cavalier-Keck, co-founder of 7 Directions of Service, Citizen of the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation.

Destructive development and catastrophes such as the 2014 Duke coal ash spill have led to the Dan River’s dire health, which is threatened to be compromised further  by proposed methane fracked gas infrastructure expansions in Rockingham and Caswell Counties, including Duke and Dominion’s T-15 Reliability Project, Williams Transco’s Southeast Supply Enhancement Project and the Mountain Valley Pipeline Southgate Extension.

“Granting rights to the Dan River (and others) would help to provide more holistic protections for the river, rather than making decisions about the environmental impacts of various permitting and development requests in a piecemeal fashion, with no long-term plan. While I know that there is very little chance it will move forward in this current legislative session, I believe it’s important to continue to educate the public about this issue, with the hopes that public sentiment will shift and action can be taken in future legislative sessions”, said Representative Pricey Harrison.

Indigenous advocates at 7 Directions of Service who are leading the campaign have put forth a long-term vision that starts with education, bipartisan outreach and relationship-building across differences in order to advance state and municipal Rights of Nature laws and policies from the bottom up in NC. 

On June 1, 2024, 7 Directions of Service will host a historic Indigenous-led Rights of Nature Tribunal at the Haw River State Park. Members of the public are welcome to attend or stream online, and can register at 7directionsofservice.com/rights-of-nature.

---

Help us thank and encourage the bold NC General Assembly members who sponsored HB923!

Please contact them today, and say thank you:

Introduced by:

REPRESENTATIVE PRICEY HARRISON (DEM) [note]

919-733-5771

Pricey.Harrison@ncleg.gov

Primary sponsors:

REPRESENTATIVE MARIA CERVANIA (DEM)

919-733-5602

Maria.Cervania@ncleg.gov

REPRESENTATIVE JOHN AUTRY (DEM)

919-715-0706

John.Autry@ncleg.gov

Other sponsors:

REPRESENTATIVE CYNTHIA BALL (DEM)

919-733-5860

Cynthia.Ball@ncleg.gov

REPRESENTATIVE KANIKA BROWN (DEM)

919-733-5777

Kanika.Brown@ncleg.gov

REPRESENTATIVE ALLEN BUANSI (DEM)

919-733-7208

Allen.Buansi@ncleg.gov

REPRESENTATIVE DEB BUTLER (DEM)

919-733-5754

Deb.Butler@ncleg.gov

REPRESENTATIVE ZACK HAWKINS (DEM)

919-715-2528

Zack.Hawkins@ncleg.gov

REPRESENTATIVE MARCIA MOREY (DEM)

919-733-7663

Marcia.Morey@ncleg.gov [note]

REPRESENTATIVE JAMES ROBERSON (DEM)

919-733-5974

James.Roberson@ncleg.gov

From Keep Durham Beautiful: 

International Compost Awareness Week was May -10th

• May 2nd - Food Shuttle Garden Build
• May 2nd - New Hope Audubon Monthly Meeting
• May 3rd - Maureen Joy Charter Garden Build
• May 3rd - Durham Garden Tour Preview Party
• May 3rd - Exploring Intersectionality: Birding & Identity
• May 4th - Durham Garden Tour
• May 4th - Bird Bonanza at MLS
• May 5th - Bike Month Kick-Off
• May 11th - Durham Repair Café
• May 11th - Bull City Food Swap
• May 15th - Bike Durham Ride of Silence
• May 16th - Circular Triangle Lunch & Learn
• May 16th - Bike to Work Day
• May 18th - Bimbé Cultural Arts Festival
• May 19th - Día de las Madres Kermes
• May 21st - Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden
• May 22nd - Biking While Black Film Screening
• May 25th - Party for the Planet at MLS
• May 26th - Circular Triangle Clothing Swap

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals rules in favor of NCGP, rejects DSCC motion for stay to keep Greens off the ballot

A victory, but probably not the end of the NC Green Party's legal battles for ballot access this November.  There is a ballot access fund, linked below, as is the court's ruling.  The Green candidates for this fall are Matthew Hoh for US Senate, Michael Trudeau for NC Senate District 16 in Wake County, and Joshua Bradley for Raleigh City Council; the 2022 general election candidates are or will be listed at:  www.ncsbe.gov/results-data/candidate-lists#current

For Immediate Release: *BREAKING* 4th CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS DENIES DSCC STAY OF JUDGE DEVER ORDER Contact: Tony Ndege & Michael Trudeau cochair [at ncgreenparty]; secretary [at ncgreenparty] For Interviews: Call/Text [  ] https://www.ncgreenparty.org/ballot-access-fund   Quote: NC Green Party Cochair Tony Ndege says: "NC Green Party applauds the just decision by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, securing NC Green Party's candidates their rightful space on the NC ballots this November. This ruling serves as vindication for NCGP, for our dozens of grassroots supporters who spent thousands of hours petitioning, and for over 22,000 residents of North Carolina who supported democracy  by signing our petition. That The People of this state will be able to vote for candidates who stand for affordable Healthcare for All, for eviction foreclosure and debt relief and for a systemic solution to environmental destruction, (instead of trillions for war), is a victory for democracy and voter choice  beyond the limited spectrum of solutions that Wall Street wants us to hear and chose from."   "If elected, as State Senator I will fight for municipal democracy and to bring down the costs of housing and regressive taxation in our state. Make the rich pay, not working people. It's time to build a new party that fights for our interests," said Michael Trudeau, candidate for NC State Senate District 16.    UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT RULING ATTACHED: NORTH CAROLINA GREEN PARTY; TONY NDEGE; MATTHEW HOH; K. RYAN PARKER; SAMANTHA WORRELL; SAMANTHA SPENCE; AARON MOHAMMED; MICHAEL TRUDEAU Plaintiffs - Appellees v. NORTH CAROLINA STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS; CHAIR DAMON CIRCOSTA, in his official capacity as a member or employee of the North Carolina State Board of Elections; STELLA ANDERSON, in her official capacity as a member or employee of the North Carolina State Board of Elections; JEFF CARMON, in his official capacity as a member or employee of the North Carolina State Board of Elections; STACY EGGERS, IV, in his official capacity as a member or employee of the North Carolina State Board of Elections; TOMMY TUCKER, in his official capacity as a member or employee of the North Carolina State Board of Elections; KAREN BRINSON BELL, in her official capacity as a member or employee of the North Carolina State Board of Elections Defendants - Appellees and DSCC; NORTH CAROLINA DEMOCRATIC PARTY USCA4 Appeal: 22-1830 Doc: 37 Filed: 08/11/2022 Pg: 1 of 2 Intervenors/Defendants - Appellants ------------------------------ NATIONAL REPUBLICAN SENATORIAL COMMITTEE Amicus Supporting Appellees ___________________ O R D E R ___________________ Upon consideration of submissions relative to appellants’ emergency motion for stay pending appeal, the court denies the motion. Upon consideration of the motion for leave to file brief of amicus curiae National Republican Senatorial Committee, the court grants the motion and accepts the amicus brief as filed. For the Court /s/ Patricia S. Connor, Clerk NC Green Party http://www.ncgreenparty.org/

Post-election analysis and plans from the Green Howie Hawkins - Angela Walker campaign

Below is a substantial statement sent out by the Green Party's presidential campaign Monday, November 9th, looking at the results of the election and proposing directions for Green and general left organizing over the next four years.  Apparently the NC party has again lost its ballot access, meaning time, effort, and resources will again have to be spent to get Green candidates on to the ballot in future elections (where the media can then try to ignore them), rather than focusing on getting Green candidates elected.  If the Democrats regain control of the legislature they might try to make the rules for getting on the ballot more onerous (I think it was under the Republicans that the requirements were reduced).  The statement mentions the need for a dues-paying mass party, and the North Carolina Green Party uses this model, though members still seem "isolated" (where is the Triangle branch?) and the party could do more between and beyond elections.  This statement is similar to the shorter press release posted on their campaign website November 7th:  howiehawkins.us/release-hawkins-and-walker-react-to-trumps-defeat/ 

 

"We want to express our deepest thanks to all who supported our campaign through a particularly difficult year for Greens and independent socialists. Your encouragement gave us the strength and resolve to give the campaign our all.

 

We’re not stopping. We are continuing to the fight for our program, to organize our grassroots political base, and to build cooperation across the independent green and socialist left. We have filed for the next election cycle as Howie Hawkins For Our Future so we can continue to raise and spend money on this political organizing.

 

We invite you to keep working with us.

 

We are happy to say good riddance to Trump. But we also know that Biden has no solutions. As he said to billionaire donors at a high rollers fundraiser, “Nothing would fundamentally change.”

 

We know that a lot has to fundamentally change to resolve the life-or-death problems of climate, poverty, racism, and nuclear war. We are running out of time. Real solutions can’t wait!

 

So we are continuing to speak out and organize to advance our policy demands, to strengthen local parties, to secure state ballot lines, and to help elect thousands to local offices and, on that foundation, to state legislatures and the House of Representatives. 

 

We have just begun to organize and we want you with us in this fight.

 

What Happened?

 

This election was simply a referendum on Trump. Biden was Not-Trump, nothing more.

 

The Green campaign was blanked out in the national corporate media and most of the progressive media. The Green ticket came in fourth again nationally, although our vote was substantially down from 2016. The Green Party was on 30 state ballots, down from 45 in 2015, due to the difficulties of petitioning during Covid-19 pandemic, a competitive primary that delayed petitioning before the nominating convention, and aggressive ballot petition challenges by the Democratic Party. If votes per dollar were the measure, we won in a landslide at around $1.25 per vote compared to over $13 per vote for Biden.

 

We must face the fact that we largely fell short in our two primary campaign goals.

 

One goal was to advance our policy demands, including a full-strength Green New Deal, Medicare for All, and ending the endless wars.

 

Polling shows these policy demands have majority support. Trump and Biden opposed them. Yet the media excluded us.

 

However, we were able to reach millions through social media, especially young people who are fighting for their futures and want climate, racial, and economic justice – now!

 

Our second goal was to expand ballot access for the Green Party. Our vote was too low in every state where it might have gained or extended our ballot status. We lost our hard-won ballot status in states like New Mexico, New York, and North Carolina. The Green Party still retains ballot status in many states by other criteria and we plan to help state parties secure ballot access in every state in the next few years.

 

We should also recognize that the progressive Democrats got clobbered, too – or more accurately, clobbered themselves. Once the corporate Democrats closed ranks with Biden to defeat Bernie Sanders, the progressive Democrats lined up behind Biden without making any policy demands. Their prominent personalities focused on a public smear campaign against the Greens as “spoilers” instead of advancing a progressive agenda. They now have little if any political leverage with the Biden administration. The corporate Democrats are already blaming progressive Democrats for supposedly making the presidential election too close and for the loss of some US Senate races.

 

The good news is to be found in many local Green campaigns. Emmanuel Estrada was elected mayor of Baldwin Park in east Los Angeles. Franca Mueller Paz finished second with 35% for Baltimore city council, which has been an all-Democratic one-party dictatorship for nearly 80 years. Lisa Savage’s 4% for a Maine US Senate seat in a close race was highlighted her widely appreciated presentation of a positive program in televised debates in contrast to the sour negative sniping by the major party candidates. We had over 200 Green candidates this year and at least 10 won their elections. 

 

What’s Next?

 

These local campaigns tell us what we need to do next. We need to go back to the Green Party’s roots in organizing local party chapters, leading issue campaigns in our communities, and electing people to local office. We need to rebuild the Green Party from the bottom up.

 

We want to help local parties get better organized and capable of leading issue campaigns and electing thousands as we go into the 2020s to local office, and, on that foundation, to state legislatures and the House.

 

We want to help state parties recover or gain ballot lines, starting next year, so our local candidates can more easily get on the ballot and our 2024 presidential campaign will be on the ballot in all 50 states.

 

We want to keep pushing our program in the social movements – the ecosocialist Green New Deal, the Economic Bill of Rights to end poverty and economic insecurity, community control of the police, peace initiatives, and voting rights and pro-democracy reforms, including ranked-choice voting and proportional representation.

 

We have low expectations that any significant progressive reforms can be won under a Biden administration. Biden promises a national unity administration, with Republicans in the cabinet and an emphasis on working across the aisle with Republicans in Congress. 

 

A Covid relief package brokered with Republicans in Congress is likely to be crumbs for working people and tax breaks and subsides for the super-rich and the giant corporations. Their bipartisan trickle-down theory assumes the rich will invest this corporate welfare in the real economy to create jobs when the reality is they will invest most of it in financial assets – stocks, bonds, commodities, real estate – which won’t trickle down to the rest of us as living-wage jobs.

 

The next few years will be a time for us to build popular support for our state and national policy demands and to build a grassroots party power base that can conduct effective state and national issue and electoral campaigns.

 

We think it is time for the Green Party to re-organize itself as a dues-paying mass-membership party rooted in strong local party chapters. We must face the fact that the Green Party’s 20-year experiment as a national party organized as a federation of state ballot lines has failed. The current Green base largely consists of isolated party registrants and supporters who are not organized into local party chapters or into Green issue and electoral campaigns. The party has not had the funding to provide support staff for effective party field organizing, public communications, and issue and electoral campaigns.

 

We will also continue to encourage solidarity and cooperation among Green and independent socialist groups in building a major party of the left in US politics. None of us is big enough to be the major party. All of us should work together to build that party.

 

We hope will you to stay supportive and engaged in our organizing and activities. 

 

We are determined, not defeated. 

 

In solidarity,

 

Howie Hawkins and Angela Walker"

Some June events and anniversaries

More events will probably be added later and events may be listed for interest rather than with complete endorsement. 

Justice, Sovereignty, Resistance:  Indians take back Robeson County

UNC's Wilson Library is hosting an exhibit June 2nd to July 2nd on the hostage taking that took place at The Robesonian newspaper February 1, 1988, protesting corruption in the sheriff's office, discrimination, and poverty.  The physical exhibit is in a room off the main lobby at the north entrance to Wilson Library, and there is an online exhibit at:  exhibits.lib.unc.edu/exhibits/show/indians-take-back-robeson

Saving the River One Song at a Time:  The Eno River Festival Legacy

Wilson Library is also hosting an exhibit (June 2nd to September 22nd, on the 4th floor) on the effort to save the Eno River when the City of Durham proposed drowning it for a drinking water reservoir in the 60's.  This led to the formation of what is today the Eno River Association, Eno River State Park in 1973, and the annual Eno River Festival, first held in 1980 and happening  July 1st and 4th this year (listed further down).  For more information, see:  blogs.lib.unc.edu/news/index.php/2017/06/eno-river-festival-exhibit/

A movement tried but failed to save the New Hope River (erased from the map today) and lower Haw River from the Federal dam project that created what is today Jordan Lake, and today people are trying to reduce the reservoir's pollution problems, which were predicted before the dam was built.   

Student Action with Farmworkers 25th anniversary

Student Action with Farmworkers, based in Durham, was organized in 1992 and is hosting anniversary exhibits and events throughout NC and in Washington, DC this year.  There will be an exhibit at FLOC's office in Dudley May 26th to December 31st.  There will be an event August 5th 6-9:30pm at the Power Plant in Durham's American Tobacco complex.  Duke's Center for Documentary Studies will host an exhibit June 22nd to November 11th, with a reception September 10th 2-4pm.  For details, see:  saf-unite.org/content/saf-2017-exhibits-events

NC NAACP and Forward Together Movement press conference June 8th at NCCU

From their press release:

"North Carolina NAACP & Forward Together Moral Movement to hold a News Conference to discuss recent voting rights victories at the North Carolina Central University Law School.   In the past few weeks, the United States Supreme Court has handed down four straight voting rights victories for the NC NAACP, Forward Together Moral Movement, and the Fusion Electorate of North Carolina, affirming that the laws of our land will not tolerate the improper racial motives and discriminatory impacts of the voter suppression tactics employed by the Berger-Tillis-Moore extremist leadership of the North Carolina General Assembly. 'These egregious injuries to the efforts of the NAACP and its co-plaintiffs to eliminate racial discrimination from the voting rolls and practices of North Carolina call for tough, well-crafted remedies. For over 7 years we have had an unconstitutionally constituted legislature passing unconstitutional laws. It’s time for this to stop,' said Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, President of NC NAACP and Convener of the Forward Together Moral Movement. The NC NAACP, allies, and their lawyers will hold a press conference to discuss the recent Supreme Court victories and lay out next steps and issue demands. Click here to watch this event live. WHO: NC NAACP & Forward Together Moral Movement WHAT: News Conference to discuss recent Supreme Court voting rights victories WHEN: Thursday June 8th, 2017 at 10:00 am WHERE: Great Hall at North Carolina Central School of Law 640 Nelson Street, Durham, NC THE PUBLIC IS INVITED Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II http://www.naacpnc.org/

North Carolina NAACP · PO Box 335, Durham, NC 27702, United States

World Oceans Day

This annual day for increasing awareness about the oceans and keeping them healthy will be June 8th (see:  www.worldoceansday.org/ ).    

50th anniversary of Israel's attack on the USS Liberty

The Israeli air force and navy attacked the USS Liberty in international waters off Egypt, killing 34 and injuring 171, during the 1967 war, on June 8th. 

Ajamu Baraka, former Green Party VP candidate, speaking in Durham June 9th

From the NC Green Party:

"Ajamu Baraka—the Green Party 2016 vice presidential nominee, human rights activist, and national organizer of Black Alliance for Peace—will be speaking 6-8pm this Friday, June 9, at the Vault in Durham (1104 Broad St.). NCGP co-chair Tony Ndege will open the talk for Mr. Baraka. We'll wrap up with a Q&A.

This event is free and open to the public. Donations to the NCGP are encouraged at our Donate Page.

Baraka's talk will kick off the NCGP's Spring Gathering, our statewide meeting of NCGP members and allied people, which is slated for the next day (Saturday, June 10) at the Seedbed in nearby Mebane, North Carolina. Friday evening, immediately following Baraka's talk in Durham, the NCGP is holding a potluck dinner, also at the Seedbed venue in Mebane—more details below on that. (Directions from the Vault in Durham to the Seedbed in Mebane.) To sign up to contribute to the potluck the evening of Friday, June 9, in Mebane at the Seedbed, contact Jan Martell at ninth.st (at) frontier (dot com) or (919) 286-2056.

Subject of the talk: Baraka will address the urgent need for an independent party of the left to challenge the right and provide a true progressive electoral alternative, accountable to its voters and membership base, which is something the mainstream corporate-funded parties have repeatedly failed to do. The 2016 elections revealed more than ever the deep crisis that the United States and humanity are facing, which has been decades in the making. It's become clear that the institutional levers of political and social power that are being offered to Americans as the only way to express their demands and grievances are under the complete corporate control. More and more people are realizing that the parties and organizations that serve the oligarchy, in an age when a handful of people own a majority of the global wealth, are incapable of being reformed. The only way forward is to build our own institutions and political organizations of alternative power, overturning the present system and forging a path toward a global society that puts people, planet, and peace over profit. The time to build that people power is now."

To RSVP, see ncgreenparty.nationbuilder.com/ and go to events and the Facebook event page is at:  www.facebook.com/events/268622460267509/ 

NC Green Party Spring Gathering June 10th

The NCGP's 17th Spring Gathering will be Saturday, June 10th 9am-4:30pm at the Seedbed in Mebane (just inside Alamance County, west of Hillsborough), and non-members are welcome.  For details, see ncgreenparty.nationbuilder.com/spring_gathering_2017 or www.facebook.com/events/433699956990372/ 

From the NCGP:  "In the aftermath of the 2016 elections, we meet in a time of awakening among US citizens. The stark reality of the failure of the two-party system is on display for the world to see, and the need for alternative political views has never been as widely recognized as now. The Green Party is bustling—we're building locally and statewide and are uniquely positioned to challenge the status quo parties in North Carolina and across the country. Come to celebrate, join, and plan with us to move North Carolina toward a lasting social and economic system that respects humanity, abhors war, and understands our fundamental relationship to the natural word in which we all live."

Stop the Wars at Home and Abroad!

The United National Antiwar Coalition ( www.unacpeace.org/home.html ) will have a national conference, Stop the Wars at Home and Abroad:  Building a Movement Against War, Injustice and Repression!, June 16-18 and the Greater Richmond Convention Center in Richmond, Virginia (403 North 3rd Street).  The webpage is at:  www.unacconference2017.org/p/registration-form.html, and there is a Facebook page:  www.facebook.com/events/1208020632638814/?notif_t=plan_user_joined&notif_id=1485905602475965 

Al-Quds Day Protest in Durham

This is supposed to be an annual vigil, June 23rd, 5:30-7pm at Five Points (corner of East Chapel Hill Street and West Main Street, in front of the 9th Street Bakery).  For more information, see: www.facebook.com/events/460747520940363/

National Pollinator Week - June 19-25th 

National Pollinator Week was established by Congress a decade ago, but is now an international week to promote awareness of the vital role of the animals that pollinate wildflowers and our crops, some in decline.  For more information, see www.pollinator.org/pollinatorweek/ .  Durham's first Pollinator Garden Tour, with 13 participating community gardens, will be Saturday, June 24th ( keepdurhambeautiful.org/our-events/durhampollinatorgardentour/ ) .  There will also be local events in Chapel Hill and Oxford. 

The City of Durham became an official Bee City June 6th, pledging to take steps to conserve honey bee and native bee populations, and pollinators in general ( keepdurhambeautiful.org/programs/durhambeecityusa/ ).

Earlier this year the rusty patched bumblebee was listed as endangered, the first time a bee has received this attention in the continental US.  It was once found across the Eastern US and upper Midwest, but has vanished from 87% of its historic range just since the late 90's, and other pollinators are also slowly disappearing, such as the regal spangled fritillary butterfly, at least historically found in northwestern North Carolina, and the related diana.  The petition to list it was submitted by the Xerces Society (xerces.org/2017/01/10/rusty-patched-bumble-bee-protected-as-an-endangered-species/ ), named for the Xerces blue butterfly, the final nail in its coffin being the expansion of a military base in California during WWII, apparently now parkland. 

Charlotte Construction Workers' Press Conference on Contractor Abuses

From the NC AFL-CIO:

"Workers, community, faith, and labor groups will hold a press conference at Charlotte City hall on Monday, June 26th to urge council to pass a policy that encourage developers to disclose their contractors employment practices. While Charlotte’s construction industry is booming, Charlotte workers have yet to reap the benefits.

Come out Monday evening in Charlotte to show your support for these courageous construction workers!

What: Press conference to urge Charlotte City Council to protect workers

When: Monday, June 26 at 6:00 PM

Where: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center (steps outside S. Davidson St. entrance), 600 E. 4th street, Charlotte, NC 28202

RSVP: https://actionnetwork.org/events/building-a-better-charlotte "

June 28th is the 8th Anniversary of Honduran military coup supported by the US
 
In 2009 Honduran President Manuel Zelaya was overthrown with the support of the Obama Administration, especially then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in part to isolate Venezuela, where the US government is probably hoping for a military coup this year.  After the Honduran coup progressive activists were assassinated and thousands of citizens fled the country, many trying to cross into the US without authorization.  One of those killed was Berta Caceres, a native environmentalist.  HR 1299, the Berta Caceres Human Rights Act in Honduras would end military/security aid to Honduras until these deaths are fully and credibly investigated (see witnessforpeace.org/bertacaceresact/ ).

Stand Up Fight Back for Health Care! rally

The NC NAACP is organizing a rally in front of Senator Thom Tillis' Raleigh office (310 New Bern Avenue, Suite 122) June 29th at 10am against "Trump  Care."  The email announcement notes that member of Congress have excellent health care, but deny it to those who elect them.  To RSVP, see www.facebook.com/events/2065296660366389/ .


Biodiversity and Conservation in the Holy Land

Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD, founder and director of the Palestine Museum of Natural History and the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity Research, will speak at the NC Museum of Natural History's Science Café (121 West Jones Street, Raleigh) June 29th, 7-8:30pm.  Qumsiyeh was director of Duke Medical Center's Cytogenetics Services from 1994 to 1999.  This free event is sponsored by the Charles M Jones Peace and Justice Committee of the Community Church of Chapel Hill Unitarian Universalist (www.c3huu.org) and the Coalition for Peace with Justice (www.cpwj.org), and endorsed by the Abrahamic Initiative on the Middle East, Balance and Accuracy in Journalism, and Jewish Voice for Peace, and is part of the Palestine Nature and Peace Studies Tour.   

Boot the Braids from UNC Rally

There will be a protest demanding that UNC boot Wendy's, in solidarity with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, June 30th, from 1:45-2:30 at the Student Union (northwest corner of Raleigh Street and South Road, but I assume the rally will be on the other side of the Union, by The Pit).  For more information, see:   www.facebook.com/events/141142056442843/

Northstar Compass' final print edition content deadline June 30th

The Northstar Compass Signature Edition is coming out in October for the 100th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution, and that will be the final paper edition, but the magazine, which covers communist organizing and news in the ex-Soviet states and other left news, mainly in Eastern Europe, including many photos, along with some articles on theory and Slavic culture, will continue online at:  sovietcompass.today/ and will post news from the International Council for Friendship and Solidarity with the Soviet People (of which US Friends of the Soviet People is a part).  Content for the final issue is due by June 30th, but preferably before then, and can be sent to sovietcompass at [gmail dot com] (also copy to bwz [at] [bell dot net]) or by mail to:
 
Northstar Compass
280 Queen Street West 2nd floor [I'm not sure that "2nd floor" is unnecessary]
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
M5V 2A1    

They are specifically looking for short inspirational personal anecdotes about the many achievements of Soviet socialism and greetings to the Friendship House in Canada or the new online effort.  They are also looking for articles for the October issue and ideas for the website. 

38th Annual Festival for the Eno

The Eno River Association's annual Festival will be July 1st-4th at West Point on the Eno in Durham.  For details and tickets see:   www.enofest.org/

July 4th celebrations

WILPF will table at Carrboro's event, Tuesday, July 4th 10am-4pm, I assume at the Town Hall. 

Local elections coming up

People can register to run for office in the City of Durham July 7-21st, for the elections October 10th and November 7th this year.  The Durham Board of Elections website is: dconc.gov/government/departments-a-e/board-of-elections and the State Board is at:  www.ncsbe.gov/ 

Election results are on at State Board's website and they are broken up by precinct Durham's website; in Durham County 535 (0.34%) write-in votes were registered for Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein, while there were 2000 (1.28%) miscellaneous write-ins, and Libertarian Gary Johnson got 3,999 (2.56%) votes. 

Witness for Peace Southeast seeking donations for youth delegation to Nicaragua

"Dear Friends and Supporters of Witness for Peace Southeast, 

I’m writing to ask your support to meet my goal of raising $2,000 for youth scholarships for our annual Fair Trade Youth Delegation to Nicaragua!

This delegation will take place from July 3rd to July 12, 2017, 

and includes 15 participants, including 3 sponsored by Movement of Youth (http://movementofyouth.org/), 1 from a Catholic Worker community (http://www.catholicworker.org/), and 4 Latinx teens from Greensboro, NC. 

The youth delegation was first organized by Witness for Peace Southeast co-founder Gail Phares in 1991, and they have educated hundreds of young people about the impacts 

of our government’s foreign policy and trade agreements.

 

Here are some of the activities of the delegation:

·      Learn about Nicaragua’s history, politics, and economics, and how that is connected with US foreign policy. 

·      Understand the impact of trade agreements such as the Central American Free Trade Agreement

Continue reading, including requests from youth who want to go this year, 

and make a donation at: https://www.youcaring.com/witnessforpeace-772549# "

NC Commission of Inquiry on Torture hearings

There will be hearings investigating North Carolina's role in extraordinary rendition and torture November 30th and December 1st in the Raleigh Convention Center (for more information about the NCCIT, see www.nccit.org/ ).  The hearings are free and public, but registration is encouraged (email info (at nccit dot org).  This month, June 26th was the UN's annual International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.