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.)

Eureka Greens Back Opposition to Measure T

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

PRESS RELEASE

Attention: For Immediate Release

Eureka Greens Back Opposition to Measure T

Balloon Track vote, Marks and Gallegos all endorsed

Resolutions adopted to oppose use of Diebold machines in local elections
and support clean elections between competing Greens

After nearly six months of impassioned debate from a diverse range of perspectives, the Eureka Greens unanimously agreed on Saturday to back opposition to Measure T, the initiative on the June ballot which would strip political rights from any corporation defined as “non-local.” The Eureka Greens were already on record since January 21 in support of the Humboldt Campaign Contribution Limitation Ordinance, which would limit contributions from any source for or against a particular candidate or their recall to $500.

An equal amount of exuberance in the opposite direction was apparent for the Eureka Waterfront Approval Ordinance, which received an affirmative endorsement without a single dissenter. The initiative has just entered circulation and several Eureka Greens members have already signed the petition to get it on the November ballot.

“I think the people should have a say over what happens on that land because any development on that land will affect our water,” Eureka Greens Chair Heidi Calton said. “The development has to be done properly.”

Endorsements were also issued in support of incumbent District Attorney Paul Gallegos in his re-election bid, as well as Richard Marks in a three-way race for 4^th District Supervisor.

“I think it’s indicative of our maturity as a party to see the distinction between a pulp mill we have environmental concerns with and the workers who need living wage jobs,” Eureka Greens Local Delegate David Giarrizzo said. “I’m glad we can support a progressive candidate for Supervisor like Richard Marks, especially since he has such strong credentials with organized labor.”

In addition to the election of Manns as the new Vice Chair and further development of the Eureka Greens Legislative Agenda, two resolutions were approved regarding voting conduct. The Resolution Regarding the Use of Diebold in Local Elections calls for the use of hand-counted paper ballots instead of the vote tabulation machines maintained by the controversial corporation, while the Resolution Regarding Green Party Primary Elections asks all Green candidates to abide to clean election standards and to give back to their party once elected.

“It’s encouraging that we’re coming along so well and actually making a difference on these issues,” Eureka Greens Vice Chair Xandra Manns said.

Both resolutions will move forward for consideration by the General Assembly of all Green Party members in Humboldt County, to take place next Saturday at Humboldt State University. The next Eureka Greens meeting will be on May 20, 5:00 p.m.

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Green secretary speaks out about article - Guest Column

Green secretary speaks out about article

Guest Column

By David Giarrizzo

Readers deserve to know the truth behind the lies printed in Thursday’s Eureka Reporter about the Green Party.

For starters, why is a former Arcata Eye editor, Rebecca S. Bender, writing in an objective style about a “so-called” Green Party resolution, when this document directly addressed the paper she was running at the time?

She completely mixed up the activities of the Green Party of Humboldt County itself and its autonomous locals, the Arcata Greens and the Eureka Greens. “Fair and balanced” indeed!

As a matter of record, the Eureka Greens adopted the Resolution to Promote Responsible Journalism and Scrutinize Biased Media, not the Green Party, which opted to send a letter instead. Greg Allen didn’t write the resolution; I did!

It is the responsibility of the steering committee to make all proposals considered by General Assembly available for review before the meeting. To criticize Greg Allen or anyone else merely for making information accessible is to condemn them for doing their job.

Considering controversial ideas is not a crime in itself and I question the motives of Michael Smith in trying to stifle dissent, especially after he has been given ample opportunity at several meetings of the Eureka Greens, the steering committee and the General Assembly to make his views known.

It just so happens that the concerns in the media bias resolution were proven correct. Our follow-up Resolution to Condemn Abusive Communications was unanimously approved by both the Eureka Greens and the Green Party. Our party has united in support of the responsible use of freedom of the press and we look forward to co-sponsoring a conference on media reform later this year.

The Green Party has also never issued a news release regarding Measure T; that was the Arcata Greens. Although they later met to change their position, this does nothing to impugn the validity of the earlier release, which was determined at a publicly noticed and properly attended meeting. It was lawful under the same rules that we use in the Eureka Greens. What is Ms. Bender’s agenda in light of this disregard of the facts?

... In 2004 we had no local organizations, no outreach program and little in the way of communications with our members or the greater community. Thanks to Greg, many new activists (myself included) have come on board, chapters have formed in Arcata and Eureka, our police review initiatives are going into circulation and our party registration is growing again thanks in part to an organizing plan written by Allen. Our party has gone from zero public presence to a good degree of positive press as we become increasingly involved in public concerns.

Greg doesn’t deserve this smear job. ... He deserves a medal for his countless efforts to bring this party back from the dead, which is where we were before Allen came on board. The values of transparency and grass-roots democracy which Allen has strengthened have, ironically, made us vulnerable to this hostile takeover. I trust Greens will resist this purge and continue to respect diversity and free speech within our party.

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