The first time the Green Party came around, it was not in the United States. Twenty years ago, on August 10-12, 62 people came together in St. Paul, Minnesota on the campus of Macalester College, to found the United States' first national Green organization, the Green Committees of Correspondence. The meeting brought people from New York City, New England, the Missouri Ozarks, California, and other areas. The people who came, divided into groups of three and started to imagine what a future green society would be like. Words such as "empowerment", "neighborliness", "connectedness with the earth" and "community" emerged from this exercise. (These quotes are in my citation). After this Committee of Correspondence, the Green Party was brought forth, and presented to the people.
As the global ecology continues to deteriorate, the gulf between rich and poor widens, and the US government settles into what appears will be a permanent fighting economy, Greens everywhere will face questions on how to proceed, as ordinary citizens. Will America's traditional once-each-four-years trip to the polls politics be sufficient in times such as these; or is a more activist approach to politics necessary? What can be done to assure a secure future for children, grandchildren, and families in the difficult times which are no doubt ahead? These are questions each Green and each American can only answer for her or himself. One thing that I know for sure is that the Green Party within the United States and the principles guiding it will be a significant part of whatever future brings us.
As the global ecology continues to deteriorate, the gulf between rich and poor widens, and the US government settles into what appears will be a permanent fighting economy, Greens everywhere will face questions on how to proceed, as ordinary citizens. Will America's traditional once-each-four-years trip to the polls politics be sufficient in times such as these; or is a more activist approach to politics necessary? What can be done to assure a secure future for children, grandchildren, and families in the difficult times which are no doubt ahead? These are questions each Green and each American can only answer for her or himself. One thing that I know for sure is that the Green Party within the United States and the principles guiding it will be a significant part of whatever future brings us.