If he was blind then what?
Grin....
----- Original Message -----
From: Alice Dampman Humel
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Sunday, July 31, 2016 1:58 PM
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Some Green Party positions
Diogenes thanks you.
On Jul 31, 2016, at 1:14 PM, Richard Driscoll <llocsirdsr@xxxxxxx> wrote:
Alice:
Dear Diogenes:
Good luck in your search.
Richard
On 7/31/2016 8:03 AM, Alice Dampman Humel wrote:
Cynic that I am, I can’t quite bring myself to believe that. Just call me
Diogenes (which I hope JAWS and WindowEyes pronounces better than does
VoiceOver.)
On Jul 31, 2016, at 8:56 AM, Richard Driscoll <llocsirdsr@xxxxxxx> wrote:
Alice:
(Opinion)
Since we are all from the same gene pool I conjecture that the presence
of a new political group such as the Sanders Socialist Party will become
corrupt to the same extent or to a greater extent than its originating group.
Richard
On 7/31/2016 12:40 AM, Alice Dampman Humel wrote:
It all sounds very good. I wonder how much of it would end up as
rhetoric once the Greens were in power? Isn’t that what we were talking about
with Obama and the rest? Their words sound so lofty, their ideals sound so
noble, their concerns for us, working people, the elderly, children,
the disabled, minorities, the poor, immigrants and refugees, the sick who must
struggle in their pain and misery financially and with the unbelievable morass
of bureaucracy and paperwork and red tape, sound so sincere, their passion for
change and reform and righting the world’s wrong sound so real, and yet, their
actions fall short, their inaction leaves the same problems unsolved that have
been talked about for at least 100 years, the promises remain empty. Would the
Greens do any better? Or would it end up with fancy wine and cheese parties in
the Hamptons for the party faithful and the same old, same old for the people?
Would there be massive burn out as big money and corporate power chew the
Greens up and spit them back out?
Obviously, no one has the answers to these questions.
Even if we think about foreign policy, the philosophy and ideals
espoused in their points sound wonderful, but what would they look like in more
concrete terms?
Again, where are the details? Some things are outlined, like the
election reforms, repealing citizens united, etc.
I do like what the Green Party has to say about itself. But I also
came around to liking what Obama says, too, although it took a long time for me
to overcome my skepticism and cynicism about his words. And my disappointment
in what he has and has not done has made me even more cynical about eloquence
and beautiful words, and sad, too, because I love that eloquence and rhetoric.
On Jul 30, 2016, at 11:30 PM, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I started looking through the material on the Green Party platform
and I've
copied some of it so you can get an idea of what the party stands
for. I
haven't found anything in there that supports socialism per se,
which is
interesting because Chris Hedges, who rights in positive terms about
socialism all the time, is supporting Jill Stein and the Green
Party. For
those of us who aren't committed to a specific ideology, (I think
of myself
as an anarchist), there's a lot to like in this material, and I
haven't
copied the huge amount that is available in the platform link.
Here are the 10 key principles of the Green Party.
The Ten Key Values
The Ten Key Values came about at a marathon session at the first
Green
meeting in 1984, facilitated by then Los Angeles-based and later
Eugene, OR
activist Jeff Land, with primary contributions by Charlene Spretnak
and
Murray Bookchin of the New England Institute for Social Ecology.
According to Mark Satin, a journalist invited to cover the meeting,
"About
50 of us were trying to think of a project that could help define
us and put
us on the political map. Everyone sensed that something important
could
come out of [the workshop designed to come up with the document]. A
"collective brain" seemed to take hold, and we began working
together as
one."
Eventually a committee of Spretnak, Satin and Eleanor LeCain
(coordinator of
the Peace and Environmental Coalition) were charged with writing a
draft
Values Statement from the notes, and reporting that back for
approval.
The eventual set of Ten Key Values they submitted was approved by
consensus
in late 1984, and became a foundational basis for U.S. Greens going
forward.
Yet it would not be long before the Left Green Network (LGN),
formed in
1988, issued their own, this time with 14 Values. Over time,
Greens in
different states would adopt their own versions of the Ten Key
Values, most
often modifying Post-patriarchal Values into Feminism and/or Gender
Equity;
Personal and Social Responsibility as Social Justice, and Future
Focus to
include Sustainability.
1. Grassroots Democracy
Every human being deserves a say in the decisions that affect his
or her
life and should not be subject to the will of another. Therefore,
we will
work to increase public participation at every level of government
and to
ensure that our public representatives are fully accountable to the
people
who elect them. We will also work to create new types of political
organizations which expand the process of participatory democracy by
directly including citizens in the decision-making process.
2. Social Justice and Equal Opportunity
All persons should have the rights and opportunity to benefit
equally from
the resources afforded us by society and the environment. We must
consciously confront in ourselves, our organizations, and society
at large,
barriers such as racism and class oppression, sexism and
homophobia, ageism
and disability, which act to deny fair treatment and equal justice
under the
law.
3. Ecological Wisdom
Human societies must operate with the understanding that we are
part of
nature, not separate from nature. We must maintain an ecological
balance and
live within the ecological and resource limits of our communities
and our
planet. We support a sustainable society which utilizes resources
in such a
way that future generations will benefit and not suffer from the
practices
of our generation. To this end we must practice agriculture which
replenishes the soil; move to an energy efficient economy; and live
in ways
that respect the integrity of natural systems.
4. Non-Violence
It is essential that we develop effective alternatives to society's
current
patterns of violence. We will work to demilitarize, and eliminate
weapons of
mass destruction, without being naive about the intentions of other
governments. We recognize the need for self-defense and the defense
of
others who are in help- less situations. We promote non-violent
methods to
oppose practices and policies with which we disagree, and will
guide our
actions toward lasting personal, community and global peace.
5. Decentralization
Centralization of wealth and power contributes to social and
economic
injustice, environmental destruction, and militarization.
Therefore, we
support a restructuring of social, political and economic
institutions away
from a system which is controlled by and mostly benefits the
powerful few,
to a democratic, less bureaucratic system. Decision-making should,
as much
as possible, remain at the individual and local level, while
assuring that
civil rights are protected for all citizens.
6. Community Based Economics
Redesign our work structures to encourage employee ownership and
workplace
democracy. Develop new economic activities and institutions that
will allow
us to use our new technologies in ways that are humane, freeing,
ecological
and accountable, and responsive to communities. Establish some form
of basic
economic security, open to all. Move beyond the narrow "job ethic"
to new
definitions of "work," jobs" and "income" that reflect the changing
economy.
Restructure our patterns of income distribution to reflect the
wealth
created by those outside the formal monetary economy: those who take
responsibility for parenting, housekeeping, home gardens, community
volunteer work, etc. Restrict the size and concentrated power of
corporations with- out discouraging superior efficiency or
technological
innovation.
7. Feminism and Gender Equity
We have inherited a social system based on male domination of
politics and
economics. We call for the replacement of the cultural ethics of
domination
and control with more cooperative ways of interacting that respect
differences of opinion and gender. Human values such as equity
between the
sexes, interpersonal responsibility, and honesty must be developed
with
moral conscience. We should remember that the process that
determines our
decisions and actions is just as important as achieving the outcome
we want.
8. Respect for Diversity
We believe it is important to value cultural, ethnic, racial,
sexual,
religious and spiritual diversity, and to promote the development of
respectful relationships across these lines. We believe that the
many
diverse elements of society should be reflected in our
organizations and
decision-making bodies, and we support the leadership of people who
have
been traditionally closed out of leadership roles. We acknowledge
and
encourage respect for other life forms than our own and the
preservation of
biodiversity.
9. Personal and Global Responsibility
We encourage individuals to act to improve their personal well-
being and,
at the same time, to enhance ecological balance and social harmony.
We seek
to join with people and organizations around the world to foster
peace,
economic justice, and the health of the planet.
10. Future Focus And Sustainability
Our actions and policies should be motivated by long-term goals. We
seek to
protect valuable natural resources, safely disposing of or
"unmaking" all
waste we create, while developing a sustainable economics that does
not
depend on continual expansion for survival. We must counterbalance
the drive
for short-term profits by assuring that economic development, new
technologies, and fiscal policies are responsible to future
generations who
will inherit the results of our actions. Make the quality of life,
rather
than open-ended economic growth, the focus of future thinking.
The wording of the Four Pillars has varied slightly as different
local Green
Parties have adapted them.
GREEN SOLUTIONS
1. Electoral reform
a.Enact proportional representation voting systems for legislative
seats on
municipal, county, state and federal levels. Proportional
representation
systems provide that people are represented in the proportion their
views
are held in society and are based on dividing seats proportionally
within
multi-seat districts, compared to the standard U.S. single-seat,
winner-take
all districts. Forms of proportional representation include choice
voting
(candidate-based), party list (party-based) and mixed member voting
(combines proportional representation with district representation).
b.Enact Instant Run-off Voting (IRV) for chief executive offices
like mayor,
governor and president and other single-seat elections. Under IRV,
voters
can rank candidates in their order of preference (1,2,3, etc.) IRV
ensures
that the eventual winner has majority support and allows voters to
express
their preferences knowing that supporting their favorite candidate
will not
inadvertently help their least favored candidate. IRV thus frees
voters from
being forced to choose between the lesser of two evils, and saves
money by
eliminating unnecessary run-off elections.
c.Provide full public financing of federal, state and local
elections,
including free and equal radio and television time on the public
airwaves
for all ballot-qualified candidates and parties.
d.Prohibit corporations from spending to influence elections,
preferably by
constitutional amendment abolishing corporate personhood, or as a
condition
of receipt of a corporate charter by federal chartering of
corporations.
e.Eliminate all ballot access laws and rules that discriminate
against
smaller parties and independents, and otherwise place undue burden
on the
right of citizens to run for office.
f.Abolish the Electoral College and provide for the direct national
election
of the president by Instant Runoff Voting. As a step in that
direction,
support National Popular Vote legislation which would guarantee the
Presidency to the presidential candidate who receives the most
popular votes
in all 50 states (and the District of Columbia), which would take
effect
only when enacted, in identical form, by states possessing a
majority of the
electoral votes-that is, enough electoral votes to elect a
President (270 of
538).
g.Create a new publicly-funded People's Commission on Presidential
Debates,
and open its presidential debates to all candidates who appear on
at least
as many ballots as would represent a majority of the Electoral
College and
who raise enough funds to otherwise qualify for general election
public
financing. Any candidate who refuses to participate in such debates
would
lose general election public financing for their candidacy. Amend
federal
law to remove the non-profit tax exemption status that allows
corporations
to fund the existing Commission on Presidential Debates and other
such
exclusive privately controlled debate entities.
h.Amend the Federal Election Campaign Act to change the percentage
of the
presidential popular vote required for a new party's candidate to
receive
first time General Election public funding from 5% in the previous
General
Election to 1%; and change the percentage of the presidential
popular vote
required for a new party to receive public presidential convention
funding
from 5% for its candidate in the previous general election to 1%.
i.Include the option to vote for a binding None of the Above (NOTA)
on all
party primary and general election ballots.
j.Support the right to initiative, referendum and recall at all
levels of
government. Enact signature gathering standards that empower
volunteer
collection efforts and financial disclosure requirements that
identify the
sources of funding behind paid signature efforts.
k.Enact a national "right to vote" law or constitutional amendment
to
guarantee universal, automatic, permanent voter registration, along
with
fail-safe voting procedures, so that eligible voters whose names
are not on
the voter rolls or whose information is out-of-date can correct the
rolls
and vote on the same day.
l.Enact statehood for the District of Columbia. Ensure that
residents of the
District of Columbia have the same rights and representation as all
other
U.S. citizens.
m.Restore full citizenship rights to felons upon completion of their
sentence, including the right to vote and to run for elected
office. Enable
greater enfranchisement of overseas voters.
n.Support strong enforcement of the Federal Voting Rights Act and,
where
applicable, state voting rights acts like the California Voting
Rights Act.
o.Make Election Day a national holiday and/or have weekend
elections.
p.Amend the U.S. Constitution to require that all vacancies in the
U.S.
Senate be filled by election rather than appointment.
The Green Party strongly believes that quality of life is
determined not
only by material aspects that can be measured and counted, but also
by
elements that cannot be quantified. We firmly support the
separation of
church and state, but we also acknowledge the spiritual dimension
of life,
and we honor the cultivation of various types of spiritual
experience in our
diverse society.
We believe that artistic expression and a thriving structure of art
institutions are key to community well-being. We believe that a
deep and
broad embrace of nonviolence is the only effective way to stop
cycles of
violence, from the home to the streets to the international level.
We
advocate a diverse system of education that would introduce
children early
to the wonders of the Great School (Nature), and would cultivate
the wisdom
of eco-education, eco-economics, eco-politics, and eco-culture. We
seek to
protect our children from the corrosive effects of mass culture
that trains
them to regard themselves first and foremost as consumers.
We support the shift in modern medicine to include healing through
complementary therapies and engagement with the Great Hospital
(Nature). We
seek, in short, to facilitate the healthy unfolding of the person
within the
unfolding story of the family, community, bioregion, state, nation,
and
Earth community.
A. Civil Rights and Equal Rights
The foundation of any democratic society is the guarantee that each
member
of society has equal rights. Respect for our constitutionally
protected
rights is our best defense against discrimination and the abuse of
power.
Also, we recognize an intimate connection between our rights as
individuals
and our responsibilities to our neighbors and the planet. The Green
Party
shall strive to secure universal and effective recognition and
observance of
the principles and spirit expressed in the United National Universal
Declaration of Human Rights as an international standard that all
nations
must meet.
One of our key values is respect for diversity. We are committed to
establishing relationships that honor diversity; that support the
self-definition and self-determination of all people; and that
consciously
confront the barriers of racism, sexism, homophobia, class
oppression,
ageism, and the many ways our culture separates us from working
together. We
support affirmative action to remedy discrimination, to protect
constitutional rights and to provide equal opportunity under the
law.
1. Women's Rights
Since the beginning of what we call civilization, when men's
dominance over
women was firmly established, until the present day, our history
has been
marred with oppression of and brutality to women. The Green Party
deplores
this system of male domination, known as patriarchy, in all its
forms, both
subtle and overt - from oppression, inequality, and discrimination
to all
forms of violence against women and girls including rape,
trafficking,
forced sex which is also rape, slavery, prostitution and violence
against
women within marriage and relationships and in all institutions.
The change
the world is crying for cannot occur unless women's voices are
heard.
Democracy cannot work without equality for women, which provides
equal
participation and representation. It took an extraordinary and
ongoing fight
over 72 years for women to win the right to vote. However, the
Equal Rights
Amendment, first introduced in 1923, has still not been ratified by
2012,
representing a continuous struggle of 87 years with no victory in
sight. We
believe that equality should be a given, and that all Greens must
work
toward that end. We are committed to increasing participation of
women in
politics, government and leadership so they can change laws, make
decisions,
and create policy solutions that affect and will improve women's
lives, and
we are building our party so that Greens can be elected to office
to do
this. In July 2002 the National Women's Caucus of the Green Party
of the
United States was founded to carry out the Party's commitment to
women.
We also support, and call on others to support, the many existing
and
ongoing efforts for women:
Social Equality
a.We support the equal application of the Constitution of the
United States
of America to all citizens, and therefore call for passage of the
Equal
Rights Amendment (ERA). We urge accelerated ratification by three
or more of
the remaining 15 states that are required to pass ERA into law and
into the
Constitution. We urge renewed efforts and campaigns to ratify the
ERA. We
support the Equal Rights Amendment reintroduced in the U.S.
Congress, and
support using the precedent of a three-state strategy for
ratification.
b.We call for equal representation of women in Congress instead of
the
current 17% in 2012.
c.The Green Party calls for U.S. passage of CEDAW, the Convention
on the
Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women, which was
adopted
in 1979 by the U.N. General Assembly and ratified by 173 countries.
The U.S.
is one of the very few countries, and the only industrialized
nation, that
have not ratified it.
d.The Equal Employment Opportunities Commission should actively
investigate
and prosecute sexual harassment complaints. Women who file
complaints must
not be persecuted and should be protected under federal and state
law. We
must enshrine in law the basic principle that women have the same
rights as
men, and promote gender equality and fairness in the work force to
ensure
that women receive equal pay for jobs of equal worth.
e.We support the inclusion of an equal number of women and men in
peace
talks and negotiations, not only because these efforts directly
affect their
lives and those of their husbands, children and families, but also
because
when women are involved, the negotiations are more successful.
Reproductive Rights
Women's rights must be protected and expanded to guarantee each
woman's
right as a full participant in society, free from sexual
harassment, job
discrimination or interference in the intensely personal choice
about
whether to have a child.
Women's right to control their bodies is non-negotiable. It is
essential
that the option of a safe, legal abortion remains available. The
"morning-after" pill must be affordable and easily accessible
without a
prescription, together with a government-sponsored public relations
campaign
to educate women about this form of con-
traception. Clinics must be accessible and must offer advice on
contraception and the means for contraception; consultation about
abortion
and the performance of abortions, and; abortion regardless of age
or marital
status.
We endorse women's right to use contraception and, when they
choose, to have
an abortion. This right cannot be limited to women's age or marital
status.
Contraception and abortion must be included in all health insurance
policies
in the U.S., and any state government must be able to legally offer
these
services free of charge to women at the poverty level. Public health
agencies operating abroad should be allowed to offer family
planning,
contraception, and abortion in all countries that ask for those
services. We
oppose our government's habit of cutting family planning funds when
those
funds go to agencies in foreign countries that give out
contraceptive
devices, offer advice on abortion, and perform abortions.
We encourage women and men to prevent unwanted pregnancies. It is
the
inalienable right and duty of every woman to learn about her body
and to be
aware of the phases of her menstrual cycle, and it is the duty for
every man
to be aware of the functions and health of his and his partner's
bodies.
This information is necessary for self-determination, to make
informed
decisions, and to prevent unintended consequences. Unplanned
conception
takes control away from individuals and makes them subject to
external
controls. The "morning-after" pill and option of a safe and legal
abortion
need to remain available.
Economic Equality
Since, nationally, women earn only 77% of men's wages for equal
work,
despite outnumbering men in the workforce and despite the U.S. 1963
Equal
Pay Act, we support intensified effort to see this unfair gap
closed,
including support for the Paycheck Fairness Act and similar
legislation, and
greater effort at enforcement.
Single mothers are the largest and most severely impoverished group
in the
United States, which explains why 22% of the children in our
country live
below the poverty line. Welfare reform has forced mothers to
abandon their
children while they travel to work at minimum wage jobs. With the
extreme
pay inequity, single mothers cannot afford child care, nurture their
children, and move out of poverty.
The Green Party supports real reforms to end poverty and return
dignity and
opportunity to all mothers. We call for implementing innovative
programs
that work with the particular and special needs of motherhood. We
also
support other programs such as a universal
basic income (known also as a guaranteed income or Citizen
Dividend, as
described in True Cost Pricing and Tax Fairness, IV. E.) that will
provide
for those who nurture the next generation - work that is of
incalculable
importance to our society.
Violence and Oppression
Language is often used as a weapon by those with power, and women
have
traditionally borne the brunt of inflicted injuries. Freedom of
speech is
vital to democracy. However, we believe that this freedom should
not be used
to perpetuate oppression and abuse.
Violence against women is increasing nationwide. We must address
the root
cause of all violence even as we specifically address violence to
women. We
support stronger legislation, programs and enforcement. We also
call for new
dialog and re-thinking that can lead to better language, ideas and
solutions. We urge that the term "domestic violence" be replaced by
the term
"violence," because "domestic violence" is not perceived as real
violence,
which leads to it not being treated legally and practically for the
violence
that it is. We urge that the term "sex work" not be used in
relation to
prostitution. With the increasing conflation of trafficking (the
violent and
illegal trafficking in women and girls for forced sex) with
prostitution, it
is impossible to know which is which, and what violence the term
"sex work"
is masking. No source in existence knows which forms of prostitution
comprise forced sex and which comprise free will or choice
prostitution.
Forced sex is rape, and it is a crime. An increasing number of
experts think
the percentage of choice prostitution is very small, leaving the
larger
number of women exposed to serious and often fatal violence. Much
of what is
commonly called prostitution is actually sex trafficking by
definition. The
Green Party calls for a safer world for women and girls.
The Green Party has zero tolerance for the illegal international
trafficking
in humans. Of the millions of humans trafficked worldwide, the large
majority are women and children who are bought and sold as slaves.
They are
kept captive and in debt-bondage that can never be paid off. Most
are sold
over and over again for forced sex prostitution. Forced sex is rape
and a
serious crime. Some are forced to labor in agriculture, sweat
shops, hotels,
restaurants, domestic service and other forms of servitude.
According to
Human Rights Watch, in all cases coercive tactics - including
deception,
fraud, intimidation, isolation, threat and use of physical force,
or debt
bondage - are used to control women. Estimates of human trafficking
in the
U.S. vary greatly from 18,000 to 50,000 to over 100,000 with a
worldwide
estimate of 12.5 million, mostly women and children.
The Green Party calls for new U.S. legislation relating to
prostitution
modeled on the Swedish law passed in 1999, now adopted by other
countries
and being considered by more, that has drastically reduced human
trafficking
and prostitution in Sweden. That law criminalizes the purchase of
services
from prostitutes, pimps and brothel keepers instead of
criminalizing the
prostitutes. The Green Party urges the U.S. to open dialogs and
visit with
Sweden as a step toward introducing legislation in the U.S.
Congress to
address the exploitation, violence and harm to women through
prostitution.
The Green Party supports all efforts to eradicate this extreme
abuse of
human rights, including but not limited to enforcement of existing
laws and
passage of tough new ones, punishing traffickers, aiding victims,
increasing
public awareness, reforming immigration laws, supporting existing
programs
and creating new ones.
We support the State Department's annual Trafficking in Persons
Report as an
important document to begin to combat this abuse. We support and
urge
enforcement of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection
Act (HR
3244) signed into law on October 28, 2000. This Act authorizes
funding for
the prevention of trade in human beings and for protecting victims.
It gives
the State Department a historic opportunity to create an office
with the
exclusive responsibility of ending traffic in humans and protecting
the
victims of this worldwide trade. We urge committed political
support to
achieve the cooperation of all different levels of government.
The Green Party urges a more thorough dialog and understanding of
violence
against women and girls, including from prostitution and
trafficking, that
causes health and injury damage that seriously degrades their
lives, even to
death or premature death including from HIV, syphilis and many other
diseases, as well as causing severe economic hardships. We call for
solutions to this enormous problem that can result in awareness and
the
introduction of legislation in the U.S. Congress to address it.
2. Racial Discrimination
a.The development of the United States has been marked by conflict
over
questions of race. Our nation was formed only after Native
Americans were
displaced. The institution of slavery had as its underpinnings the
belief in
white supremacy, which we as Greens condemn. In slavery's
aftermath, people
of color have borne the brunt of violence and discrimination. The
Green
Party unequivocally condemns these evils, which continue to be a
social
problem of paramount significance.
b.The community of people of African ancestry whose family members
were held
in chattel slavery in what is now the United States of America have
legitimate claims to reparations including monetary compensation for
centuries of human rights violations, including the Transatlantic
slave
trade now recognized by the United Nations as a "crime against
humanity." As
our Nation has done in the past with respect to the Choctaw, the
Lakota, the
Lambuth, and more recently for Japanese Americans and the European
Jewish
community, reparations are now due to address the debt still owed to
descendants of enslaved Africans.
c.We commit to full and complete reparations to the African American
community of this nation for the past four hundred plus years of
genocide,
slavery, land-loss, destruction of original identity and the stark
disparities which haunt the present evidenced in unemployment
statistics,
substandard and inadequate education, higher levels of mortality
including
infant and maternal mortality and the practice of mass
incarceration. We
recognize that reparations are a debt (not charity) that is owed by
our own
and other nations and by the corporate institutions chartered under
our laws
to a collective of people. We believe that the leadership on the
question of
what our nation owes to this process of right ought to come from
the African
American community, whose right to self-determination and autonomy
to chart
the path to healing we fully recognize.
d.We understand that until significant steps are taken to reverse
the
ongoing abuses; to end the criminalization of the Black and Brown
communities, to eradicate poverty, to invest in education, health
care and
the restoration and protection of human rights, that it will be
impossible
to repair the continuing damage wrought by the ideology of white
supremacy
which permeates the governing institutions of our nation.
e.While consensus is still evolving on what would constitute full
and
complete reparations, we support the following initial steps: We
support the
creation of a claim of action and a right to recover inherited
wealth and
other profits accumulated from the slave trade for the benefit of a
reparations trust fund. We will initiate the repeal of the slave
clauses
that survive today in the U.S. Constitution. We will work to
restore lands
stolen through a variety of tactics including: violence, terrorism
and the
discriminatory access to operating capital that together has robbed
black
farmers and the broader community of their lands. We support the
release of
all political prisoners held by the USA. It is time that the
political
frame-ups, the prosecutorial misconduct and the racist application
of police
power that pass for justice in our country be buried and those
victimized by
these abuses of state power be given their lives back. We will
support
existing Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as well as
new and
existing Education and Development Funds.
f.We support efforts to overcome the effects of over 200 years of
racial
discrimination.
g.We call for an end to official support for any remaining symbols
of
slavery and specifically call for the removal of the Confederate
battle flag
from all government buildings.
h.We condemn the practice of racial profiling by law enforcement
agencies,
which are guilty of stopping m torists, harassing individuals, or
using
unwarranted violence against suspects with no other justification
than race
or ethnic background.
i.We favor strong measures to combat official racism in the forms
of police
brutality directed against people of color.
j.We support effective enforcement of the Voting Rights Act,
including
language access to voting.
k.We oppose discriminatory English-only pressure groups. We call
for a
national language policy that would encourage all citizens to be
fluent in
at least two languages. [See section K. Immigration / Emigration in
this
chapter]
l.We strongly support the vigorous enforcement of civil-rights
laws, the
aggressive prosecution of hate crimes, and the strengthening of
legal
services for the poor.
