Dehumanizing people for their “otherness” goes deep into the DNA of Capitalism. Mainstream society is taught that Slavery went away a long time ago. Clearly it did not.

One hand taketh and one hand giveth away… The 13th Amendment was added to the Constitution of the United States and officially abolished slavery in December of 1865:

“Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.”

 

This Constitutional phrase reveals how deep the roots of African American incarceration, and other racially biased policies are entrenched and entwined with ‘American Exceptionalism‘.

Systemic racism continues in the form of legal slavery conducted in the privately run for profit prisons in our country today. Slavery is illegal unless one is committed of a crime.

Mainstream culture in the U.S.A. may be consumerist and vain, but until recently it did not seem particularly hateful. In spite of the over 700 military bases worldwide and a ‘Defense’ budget that eclipses the economies of entire nations. America [re: North America except for Canada and Mexico] is the leader of the ‘free’ world, right?

Hate groups are on the fringe of society, but most normal citizens are not hateful bigots. We want to think that.

We can do better, we can be better. We can work for a Sustainable Future. Skill building, creating, working, trading and caring for others are components of human civilization. Local free market economies should build connection and promote free flow of resources to sustain our communities.

Capitalism Kills. EcoSocialism decentralizes wealth and promotes Life.

A sustainable future is possible. The Duopoly will not build it for us.

We must build it ourselves, from the ground up. Please join us.

Endorsement of Sherae Lascelles for Legislative District 43, Position 2.

Seattle, Washington. – September 12, 2020. Green Party of Seattle endorses Sherae Lascelles for State Representative Position #2 of Washington’s 43rd LD. Votes were taken by email due to physical distance constraints and the last vote was counted at 11:30 pm on 9/11/2020.

Citizens of the 43rd Legislative District are the most diverse in Washington State along several lines of  intersectionality. The geographic area covers parts of Seattle’s Downtown, First Hill, Capitol Hill, South Lake Union, Washington Park, Madison Park, Eastlake, Montlake, Portage Bay, Wallingford, Fremont, the University District (including the UW campus), Green Lake, and parts of Phinney Ridge and Ravenna. 

Green Party of Seattle members feel that Lascelles’ level of community engagement makes them the ideal candidate to represent the 43rd; the views that were expressed in their candidate questionnaire are consistent with the GPSEA core values of NonViolence, Grassroots Empowerment, Social Justice, and Environmental Wisdom.

The Green Party of the United States is an Eco-Socialist party. Greens as a Geo-political force believe that no human on Earth is illegal, and a Sustainable Future can not co-exist with abusive corporate entities that enslave and commodify both human beings and nature. 

Sherae Lascelles is running on a platform of Harm Reduction, Mutual Aid, and Civic Engagement. GPSEA finds alignment here with the basic foundational premise of Green politics: A Sustainable Future for All.

Greens in Seattle are politically active within other issue-driven movements where there has been much cross pollination of ideas, such as the ‘Green New Deal’ but this has not translated to running political campaigns. As mainstream political consciousness realizes that the Duopoly does not serve them, they begin to see through the political tactic of ‘Divide and Conquer’ used to consolidate political and economic power at the top. ‘Third Party’ independents are banding together to find alignment on issues that matter to everyday people.

Thank you for helping us grow!!!

First Peoples Acknowledgment:

We acknowledge the First Peoples of the Coastal Salish Sea and the Duwamish River Valley, and honor with gratitude the original stewards of this place and their generations past, present, and future.

We honor the Land itself and the other Living Beings that make their home here.

Greens freely offer the conditions of Respect, Community, and Good Will in order to Nurture, Regenerate, and Energize us all as we move forward.

Green Party of Seattle Is Back:
Updated Documents Coming Soon, including edits to the March 2017 Bylaws.

ARE YOU A MEMBER OF THE GREEN PARTY OF WASHINGTON [GPWA] IN GOOD STANDING AND LIVE IN KING COUNTY? YOU MAY SELF-NOMINATE IN OUR DISCUSSION GROUP ON LOOMIO. WE NEED YOUR INPUT!

Politicians often run to the head of the parade to take credit for ideas that are not new. It is the people marching forward who are the ones who really lead.

Greens must go further than we have before, past Conservation, beyond Sustainability, to lead a Regenerative Culture Shift. Much has been lost, and it is no longer enough to Conserve or Sustain, we must Regenerate. We can pivot into science and green technology in a positive way, informed by our own sense of connection to our natural world. Regenerative investments in individuals, communities ecosystems and the planet will involve collaboration. This is how we grow.

Become a GPWA member or update your membership: https://www.gp-wa.org/membership_gpwa

People that help each other are harder to commodify; this is why Extractive Capitalism divides us. Greens are a collaborative coalition party worldwide. Let’s work together!

Participation

Volunteer with the Green Party!

Posted on October 8, 2021 by Green Party of Washington

The Green Party is governed by our principles and values, and unlike the corporate political parties, we do not accept — and are not influenced by — corporate cash. Our platform is based on our values of peace, sustainability, grassroots democracy, and justice for all. We aim to broaden the scope of political discourse and reshape the political process.

We are currently forming teams for each of the volunteer options in our recently updated Volunteer Form. We want to make good use of your skills, knowledge, interests, and time to support the Green Party at state and local levels.

Your efforts make a direct impact on the growth and success of our party, and we look forward to working with you!

Please complete or update our revised Volunteer Form available at https://www.gp-wa.org/volunteer – and contact us to suggest other volunteer options.

Jody Grage, Volunteer Coordinator

Become a GPWA member, check your membership status, or renew your membership today!

Rules of Decorum. How we communicate is important. We are comrades. You can speak your truth and also maintain community safety. Human beings make mistakes. Response Able people are accountable.

Restorative Justice invites us to examine our actions, correct our own behavior, and move forward with sincere intention to repair any damage we have caused. The whole planet needs Restorative Justice.

Mutual Aid is a purposeful exchange of resources and services for mutual benefit. Mutual aid networks focus on positive social connections for the general welfare. EcoSocialists promote Mutual Aid because it is fundamental to natural law, functional families, and healthy communities.

People that help each other are harder to commodify; this is why Extractive Capitalism divides us.

Summer of Autonomous Zone 2020 [News Clip from KOMO]

Please send those Ballot Petitions in ASAP! There is a limited time left before our meeting with Secretary of State! We must gather signatures either in person or have supporters print, sign, then mail them to the state PO Box.

Got stamps? Support the US post office and mail us your petition!

Green Party of Washington, PO Box 70493, Seattle, WA 98127

Here’s a brochure about our party:https://greenpartywashington.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/trifold-gp-brochure.pdf
Here’s a printable copy of the Hawkins/Walker platform for reference:https://greenpartywashington.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Hawkins-Walker_Campaign_Platform.pdf

ABOUT HOWIE HAWKINS

7-11-2020. Howie Hawkins is the Green Party candidate for President of the United States in 2020. Howie was the first candidate to run on a fully developed Green New Deal in 2010. The Ecosocialist GND connects an Economic Bill of Rights to jobs, income, housing, health care, and education in an expansive plan to reconstruct the economy for climate justice and economic safety; the plan promotes 100% clean energy by 2030.

His book, ‘The Case for an Independent Left Party‘ serves as a guide for ecosocialists who want to actually change the capitalist system, not merely lobby the capitalists’ political representatives in the Democratic Party.

On his campaign website, an extensive Platform Summary describes his two primary political goals, “To build the Green Party as an activist and viable opposition to the two-capitalist-party system of corporate rule,” as well as “to put our ecosocialist program for real political and economic democracy, civil liberties, social justice, ecological sustainability, and peace on to the public agenda.”

ABOUT ANGELA WALKER

Angela Walker is a veteran activist with decades of experience working for racial and economic justice in social movements, unions, and was an independent socialist candidate in the past. Angela is the Green Party candidate for Vice President of the United States in 2020! She has a background in education, is a Union worker, and was part of the ‘Occupy’ movement. Angela Walker is the mother of one, and the grandmother of five. She is a fierce advocate for the rights of Black, Brown and Indigenous people, the LGBTQIA community, Labor rights and the rights of Earth itself.

Thank you to the hard working team of grassroots organizers who put this event together online as well as all of the state presidential nominee delegations. The Green Party of Washington State uses a Ranked Choice Voting method, and in the final round gave 3 delegates to Dario Hunter/Darlene Elias campaign and 2 delegates went toward our winning nominees.

Ballot Access for Washington State?

Please help the Green Party get our candidate on the November ballot in 2020. Gathering physical signatures in a very short window of time to qualify during a pandemic is an onerous process in Washington State. Many states have allowed electronic signatures, and many states qualify to make ballot at lower percentages. We want your help, but we also want you to stay safe and healthy. If we do not make the ballot, the option to ‘write in’ Howie Hawkins is still there, but many Greens and independents will abstain.

Trees for Seattle!

Starting July 13, 2020 free trees and planting info/guidelines will be made available from the city.

From the Trees for Seattle page at Seattle.gov:

“Evaluate your planting site and this year’s tree options. Select the tree best suited for your space.

• Backyard space? Choose the largest tree appropriate for the site to maximize the benefits to your yard and neighborhood.
• Planting along the street? Review the minimum planting strip width requirements before selecting your tree.
• Under power lines? Select one of the power line approved trees that reaches a maximum height of 25 feet.

The power line approved trees are the most popular species we offer. Please apply for power line approved trees only if you are planting under power lines.”

Young Ecosocialists needed. The Seattle Urban Forestry Commission is recruiting, interested? Applications must be in by July 13,2020. Details about openings here.

The UFC Position #10 is a “get engaged” position.

“The Get Engaged program places young adults ages 18-29 on the City of Seattle’s public boards and commissions. Get Engaged commissioners serve a one-year term starting September each year.
Acting in an advisory capacity to the Mayor and City Council, commissioners help shape policy decisions, make recommendations, and provide citizen participation in city government. Started in 2001, Get Engaged is dedicated to cultivating the next generation of leaders and advocating for the influence of young voices in city affairs.”

From XR Seattle: Learn more about the state of the climate emergency and what we can do about it. In this online meeting you will hear details regarding the state of our planet’s quickly change climate, along with the impacts it has to the environment. Then, we will explore the alternative approach Extinction Rebellion offers compared to what has been tried for the last 50 years. I look forward to seeing you.

<<<We’ve started to design some new actions for the post-lockdown future, so we hope you’ll join and share your ideas. Most of these plans will not be discussed on social media or even in email. The way to become involved is to participate in our meetings. >>>

EXTINCTION REBELLION INTRO:

Wednesday July 8, 6-7pm PST
Zoom Meeting ID: 988 6687 4544
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/98866874544

“Seattle City Council just voted 7-2 for a big business tax that will raise at least $214+ million dollars annually. The JumpStart legislation will provide relief to workers, families, and small businesses, and will fund energy-efficient, affordable housing and Green New Deal investments. This is a real step toward reversing Washington’s regressive tax system, and a downpayment on Seattle’s Green New Deal.”- 350Seattle

Thank you for gathering signatures Greens! From allies at TaxAmazon: Yesterday, Seattle City Council took the final vote to pass an Amazon Tax that will raise well over $200 million per year to fund affordable housing….

Clearly this is a huge win, raising over four times more than the Amazon Tax that City Council passed and then repealed in 2018. This time they did not cave to the corporate pressure, and instead voted to empower the citizens of Seattle. This was a hard won victory (shout out to Transit Rider’s Union), one that deserved more than lip service the first time around, and riding on the crest of this victory, the movement needs to decide what to do next to maximize empowerment for the grassroots.

On July 8th, (Wednesday evening) the followup TaxAmazon Action Conference will be at 6pm on zoom (link here). Check out the resolution proposed by the Tax Amazon Coordinating Committee here, and please join this important discussion!

“Amid the coronavirus lockdown, local governments everywhere are rolling out budget cuts. Corporate politicians hope to make working people pay for this crisis while wealthy businesses like Amazon make record profits and Wall Street gets trillions in bailouts. In Seattle, our victory signals a reversal of this trend. This is an offensive victory to expand progressive funding for working people’s needs, rather than the attacks on public services being brutally carried out by political establishments across the country. Now is the time to spread this victory across the country. We saw this happen with the $15 minimum wage — let’s make it happen with Tax Amazon! Our rallying cry everywhere must be: NO to austerity and attacks on public services! Tax big business and the rich, not working people!“

“Last Wednesday, July 1st, the Seattle City Council voted 7-2 in its Budget Committee for a tax on Amazon and big business that will raise an estimated $240 million annually! This is a historic victory for working people and the direct result of the pressure of our grassroots movement which collected 27,000 signatures for an independent ballot initiative in just one month.

We won something truly groundbreaking on Wednesday, but the battle is not over yet — at this pivotal moment, our movement must remain vigilant in fighting against every corporate loophole until the last hour and ensuring the City Council finalizes the Amazon Tax at meeting.

In 2018, the City Council unanimously passed a similar Amazon Tax, only to repeal it weeks later. The only way to defend our Amazon Tax and prevent future attacks from big business is to keep up the pressure with the threat of our independent ballot initiative!

This weekend, we know that big business will be holding closed door meetings, using every tool at their disposal to try to stop, weaken or delay our Amazon Tax. This includes rolling back the two amendments our movement won to strengthen the legislation by adding $40 million in additional funding and removing the ‘sunset clause,’ which would insert an expiration date on our progressive tax. We absolutely cannot afford to slow down. 

We need all our supporters to go ALL OUT this weekend to smash our goal of 30,000 signatures. That’s why we’re hosting a FINAL MEGACANVASS this weekend to collect as many signatures as possible!

The Democratic establishment politicians and the corporate media are, of course, attempting to erase the role of our Tax Amazon movement in this victory. Check out this op-ed by Councilmember Sawant in The Nation which sets the record straight and share it on social media.”

Several of us are collecting signatures for this effort in full pandemic regalia, hand sanitizer, the works while we also collect for ballot access and an emergency Washington Single Payer health plan.