Resolution to Support Rotation and Accountability for the Green Party of California

Saturday, July 23, 2005

RESOLUTION of the Eureka Greens
a Local of the Green Party of Humboldt County (GPHC) covering Eureka, Myrtletown, Cutten, Pine Hill, Humboldt Hill and Samoa

Resolution to Support Rotation and Accountability for the Green Party of California

Whereas, The General Assembly of the Green Party of Humboldt County (GPHC) adopted the “Resolution on Affiliating the Green Party of Humboldt County with the ‘Greens for Democracy and Independence’ Caucus” on October 18, 2004, specifically calling for term limits, strengthened recall procedures and other measures of accountability for officials of the Green Party of California (GPCA) and the Green Party of the United States (GPUS); and

Whereas, The GPCA met in plenary session on May 21-22, 2005, where serious questions of propriety concerning sizable amounts of party funds were removed from the agenda in an atmosphere of disconnection from the will of the vast majority of Greens; and

Whereas, The General Assembly of the GPHC adopted the “Resolution on Involvement of State and National Green Party Officials in their Regional, County and Local Organizations” on February 12, 2005, specifically calling for GPCA and GPUS officials residing in Humboldt County to attend, participate and be responsible to the will of the General Assembly; and

Whereas, None of the Humboldt County residents serving as officials designated by the GPCA have responded to the request of the General Assembly, nor have they made any effort to participate in the work of the GPHC; and

Whereas, Term limits, otherwise known as rotation of duties, has been an integral part of Green political theory from its foundation in West Germany nearly 30 years ago, and the GPHC continues this commitment with restrictions on the continuous service of its own Steering Committee and the officers thereof; and

Whereas, Prior attempts by delegates from the GPHC to bring up the subject of term limits for GPCA Coordinating Committee members have been dismissed out of hand by the GPCA Bylaws Committee; and

Whereas, Efforts by partners in the Greens for Democracy and Independence (GDI) Caucus to spread respect for openness, honesty and responsibility in the internal democratic procedures of Green parties across the country would be bolstered by decisive moves towards these ends by the GPHC and the GPCA; and

Whereas, The Arcata Greens, a Local of the GPHC, has adopted this resolution and have called upon other GPHC Locals to do the same. Therefore be it

Resolved, The Eureka Greens proposes the following amendments to the GPCA Bylaws, to be submitted directly to the GPCA Coordinating Committee for placement on the next plenary session agenda of the GPCA for possible ratification:

6-1.10 Coordinator Term Limits
Coordinators for all Committees and Working Groups may serve a maximum of two consecutive complete, uninterrupted terms of two years. Partial terms served to replace former Coordinators shall not be computed in this limit.

7-1.13 CC Term Limits
Coordinating Committee members may serve a maximum of two consecutive complete, uninterrupted terms of two years each. Partial terms served to replace former members shall not be computed in this limit. The terms of Alternate members shall not be computed in this limit.

7-3.3 Bylaws Committee Term Limits
Bylaws Committee members may serve a maximum of two consecutive complete, uninterrupted terms of two years each. Partial terms served to replace former members shall not be computed in this limit.

7-4.3 Platform Committee Term Limits
Platform Committee members may serve a maximum of two consecutive complete, uninterrupted terms of two years each. Partial terms served to replace former members shall not be computed in this limit.

Be it further

Resolved, The Eureka Greens calls upon the GPCA Coordinating Committee to place on the next plenary session agenda of the GPCA a proposal for action to restore financial propriety and transparency to the Green Party of Los Angeles County and the GPCA. Be it further

Resolved, The Eureka Greens of the GPHC calls upon all Humboldt County residents serving as officials designated by the GPCA to either participate in the work of the GPHC and hold themselves accountable to local Greens or resign their duties with the GPCA and GPUS. Be it further

Resolved, The Eureka Greens shall transmit this resolution to all its Locals, as well as all County organizations within the Emerald Region, the GDI Caucus, the GPCA, the GPUS and any GPCA or GPUS officials residing in Humboldt County.

Signed,

Paul Sanderson, Chair
Eureka Greens, GPHC Local

Resolution to Promote Responsible Journalism and Scrutinize Biased Media

Saturday, July 23, 2005

RESOLUTION of the Eureka Greens

a Local of the Green Party of Humboldt County covering Eureka, Myrtletown, Cutten, Pine Hill, Humboldt Hill and Samoa

Resolution to Promote Responsible Journalism and Scrutinize Biased Media

Whereas, The platform for the Green Party of California (GPCA) specifically “demands that the concentration of power in the telecommunications industry be limited” through, in part, “...coverage of ALL candidates, whether they are from so-called "major" parties or smaller parties,” and that “everyone has a right to access of the various media for the free expression of their viewpoints,” and,

Whereas, The GPCA in general, and the Green Party of Humboldt County (GPHC) specifically, have faced a history of prejudicial treatment by media sources large and small, and a pervasive attitude of dismissiveness, hostility and even the intent to spread disinformation about Green issues and candidates from local media outlets, and,

Whereas, John Matthews of KSLG-FM stated on his radio program on March 8, 2005 that “I’ve never generally trusted the Green Party because they’re activists, they generally skew the truth," and,

Whereas, Kevin Hoover of The Arcata Eye stated on the same program on March 8, 2005 that the Green Party of Humboldt County is “a very insular, cloistered little group, I don’t think they have a grip on the bigger world,” and,

Whereas, Kevin Hoover also referred to the leadership of the Green Party as “loony toons” in a

March 1, 2005 article in The Arcata Eye, and,

Whereas, Three of the four Green Party candidates in the race for Arcata City Council in the Special Election of March 8, 2005 were given no opportunity to rebut malicious statements made by Kevin Hoover on the KSLG program hosted by John Matthews, despite requests by some to do so, and,

Whereas, In consecutive issues of the Humboldt Advocate on July 13 and 20, 2005, publisher Shawn Warford allowed unsubstantiated attacks, including numerous inaccuracies and libelous statements concerning Green organizing in Arcata and Humboldt County, to be promulgated by Donn Filbert without a reasonable opportunity for response, and,

Whereas, Greens acknowledge the previous reprehensible activities of The Arcata Eye and KSLG, while the Humboldt Advocate has demonstrated the most immediate example of hostility

to the free expression of Green values, and,

Whereas, Greens have the opportunity to promote solutions to biased media by supporting community-based endeavors rooted in openness, veracity, and an uncompromising commitment to challenging conventional wisdom, and,

Whereas, The Arcata Greens, a Local of the GPHC, have adopted a substantially similar version of this resolution and have called upon the Eureka Greens to do the same. Therefore be it

Resolved, The Eureka Greens urge consumers of media to assert their voice through these

community institutions in favor of greater transparency in the ownership, authority structure, news and editorial policies and workplace conditions of newspaper, radio, television and Internet outlets. Be it further

Resolved, The Eureka Greens applaud the steps taken towards the creation of a North Coast Independent Media Center as a healthy alternative for underreported perspectives to make themselves heard. Be it further

Resolved, The Eureka Greens call upon all Greens to use responsible scrutiny in considering the produce of the Humboldt Advocate, i.e. refusing to subscribe to, pick up or tune in their output in any way, shape or form until they are found to have retracted their de facto policy. Be it further

Resolved, The Eureka Greens also call upon all Greens to use greater scrutiny in relation to other businesses and organizations that choose to support, with advertising, the Humboldt Advocate,

i.e. informing these businesses of a slowdown and requesting these advertisers to cease support for the Humboldt Advocate until they are found to have retracted their de facto policy. Be it further

Resolved, The Secretary of the Eureka Greens shall transmit this resolution to all GPHC Locals, as well as all County organizations within the Emerald Region, the GPCA, all local media, the Humboldt Advocate and all businesses and organizations which continue to advertise in the Humboldt Advocate.

Signed,

Paul Sanderson, Chair
Eureka Greens, GPHC Local