It's time to set the Green record straight - Guest Column

It's time to set the Green record straight

A Working Person's Perspective

By David Giarrizzo

I’m glad to be able to set Fortuna resident Michael Smith straight on his many errors, and I will continue to do so until he tires of his campaign to disable the Eureka Greens.

Why is Michael Smith listed as writing “A Working Person’s Perspective” when the man is unemployed? His main profession, beyond his sporadic enrollment in various colleges, is to disrupt the Green Party much like his fellow Texan, David Cobb.

Cobb’s roll in damaging the Green Party is renowned, including the loss of strong Green parties in several states following his divisive and disastrous 2004 theft of our presidential nomination from Ralph Nader and Peter Camejo.

After losing all his positions in the California and the U.S. Green Party, all David Cobb has left to kick around is the local Green Party, and we’ve made it clear we won’t be bullied or misrepresented without a struggle.

As part of our campaign to stand up for Green values, we have considered the role of media carefully. Although my resolution utilized earlier ideas brought up by others, it was still my resolution and the Eureka Greens still approved it unanimously. Its part of our consensus-seeking process to build off of the good ideas of fellow activists, for the point is to create positive change, not to take the credit for it.

The only “faking” going on here is Michael Smith’s incessant attempts to falsify the history of the local Green Party to further his takeover schemes.

Michael Smith’s memory doesn’t even extend to meetings he was a guest at. If he had actually read any of the materials I provided copies of at a recent steering committee, he would have noticed the Oct. 25, 2005, minutes which we approved. These minutes clearly note the 6-0 vote to elect me secretary as well as to elect Smith’s political operative, Jesse Goplen, as treasurer.

Of course the difference is clear, since I’ve made a good-faith effort to do my job while Goplen has yet to come up with a single monthly treasurer’s report in nearly half a year.

Smith doesn’t seem to understand the role of secretary. My job is to write the minutes for steering committee meetings — not to sacrifice my career and social life to be the note-taker at every single general assembly, local and subcommittee meeting.

I wasn’t at the recent general assemblies because I work for a living. I am a volunteer and I serve for the love of Green values with the time I have available. With few of the responsibilities the rest of us adults must endure, Smith has ample time to revel in his delusions.

The pattern of Smith and the co-signers of his Green coup d’etat against our elected representatives is to neglect their duties, blame others for their inaction, then attempt a purge of anyone who dares to differ.

I still haven’t seen any evidence of the “new” Arcata Greens under Shaye Harty and Fhyre Phoenix accomplishing anything besides their doomed attempt to annex half the county into their territory. What sane, self-respecting person would consider Arcata as a “local” meeting for a Green living in McKinleyville, Orick or Willow Creek? Planet Arcata?

Eureka Greens won’t take over Fortuna, Ferndale or any other far-flung communities. Of course, we always welcome Green members to our meetings, as long as they behave as guests and not agenda-setters.

Instead of playing games with the limited time and energies available to progressive activists in this county, we’re taking our role seriously.

Our campaigns for police review, sustainable housing, transportation and development and progressive candidates will keep going and keep growing.

That’s why your recall against Greg Allen failed miserably, Michael. You’re out of touch with the longtime members of this community, as is your fellow Texan, David Cobb. You think you can manipulate the media, but I think the media will be your undoing.

As the Beatles put it, “Get back to where you once belonged.”

(David Giarrizzo was the secretary for the Humboldt County Greens, Eureka Greens delegate and a 30-year county resident.)