New College of California hosts Green Party Panel Discussion

Recently elected Green Mayor of Richmond, Gayle McLaughlin said for the Green Party to become successful, it is not enough that the party's membership grow in numbers-- but that its members grow in the strength of their commitment and solidarity with each other.

I think I see a new years resolution in there!

More on the panel here.

Ford said Iraq 'big mistake'

The only US President from Michigan, Gerald Ford passed away Tuesday and much is being made of his take on the Iraq War.

In an interview kept from the public until his death, he says: 'Rumsfeld and Cheney and the president made a big mistake in justifying going into the war in Iraq.'

His state funeral starts tomorrow.

irvproject.org

Greetings all,

We've recently launched an IRV project at www.irvproject.org .

This project is aimed at educating Michigan's citizens and elected officals about Instant Runoff Voting (IRV).

The intitial part of the irvproject will be to send a letter of
support for Instant Runoff Voting and a pamphlet explaining IRV to Michigan's Governor, Secretary of State and every member of
Michigan's Legislature. We plan to do the mailing in January or early February, 2007.

Please visit www.irvproject.org and consider signing on as an endorser!

Thank you,
Ken Mathenia

Dreaming of a white Christmas? Dream on.

If most of Canada will be seeing a green Christmas, what's the chance we'll see the white stuff?

In a completely unrelated item, penguins offer evidence of global warming.

Holiday Green Tips

1) Buy a living tree for the holiday and after the holiday either plant it or give it to your community parks department to plant – this is an excellent way to compensate for your use of internal combustion transportation.

2) Buy or use recycled wrapping paper – better yet use the sunday funnies or purchase cloth scraps at your local fabric store (remind people receiving the gift that the gift wrap is reusable).

3) For large gifts simply tie a bow on it! Some folks hide the large gifts and give a card that includes hints about where to find it. More fun!

4) Send digital Season’s Greeting Cards.

5) Give your time! Give a grandparent, parent, spouse, friend a card with a commitment to help with household chores for a day.

6) Organic Vegan Dinner! Give a gift of a locally grown organic vegan dinner either at your favorite local haunt or you prepare it. The lower we eat on the food chain the healthier the environment.

7) Adopt a needy family. This is a good way to begin to build community as well as helping out those in need. If you do not know where to start on this one – contact your local Salvation Army.

8) Find eco-organizations like http://www.plant-trees.org/main.htm and give a gift of a healthier planet. Also, check out Co-Op America and support Green Businesses at http://www.coopamerica.org/pubs/greenpages.

9) Find socially responsible organizations like http://www.heifer.org and give a gift that lifts people out of despair and poverty.

10) Support the Green party by giving Green gifts from the storefront here .

Plan for Privatizing Detroit's Water Department

Is a small group of business leaders developing a plan to sell off the Detroit Water Department? According to this article it appears so. With so many suburban leaders opposing any regional cooperation with the City of Detroit, the only way they'll get one of Detroit's biggest assets is to take it away. And Federal Judge Feikens may just have the authority to do it.

Let us never forget!

Special film showing of Spike Lee’s: "Four Little Girls"
Documenting the Bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church on September 15, 1963 and its Impact on the Civil Right Movement

Wednesday – December 6th – 7 P.M.
5920 Second Avenue
(at Antoinette St., just north of Wayne State U)

The passage of Proposal 2 (the ban on affirmative action) on November 7 has highlighted the necessity of intensifying the struggle against racism in Michigan and throughout the United States. The role of youth and the sacrifices made by them during the 1960s, helped to secure the eradication of legalized segregation and the right to vote for African-Americans.

In Four Little Girls, Spike Lee creates portraits of the four young victims of the racially motivated Birmingham church bombing in 1963 by talking to their families, friends, neighbors and teachers. The film examines the climate of segregation and state-sanctioned violence that led to this particular bombing, and the civil rights activism that both preceded and followed it. One theme that emerges strongly throughout the film is the role of young people as civil rights activists in Birmingham, where students would skip school, sometimes with tacit permission of their parents or teachers, sometimes not, so they could demonstrate in the streets.

Admission to this event is free and open to the general public. Refreshments will be served.

Michigan Emergency Committee Against War & Injustice
www.mecawi.org 313-680-5508

What about the bottled water?

While the diversion mentioned in this Free Press editorial is subject to review, Nestle bought the right to Great Lakes Water for the cost of a couple of $90 permits. The current legislation allows that water to leave the watershed as long as its bottled. That's the loophole that will drain the Great Lakes.

Another great idea!

Hey, if you can build a school on an toxic waste dump, why not turn an nuclear power plant into a state park. Imagine camping in the shadow of the cooling towers and warming yourself in the glow of the nuclear waste stored there. Sounds like fun, eh?